云南省普洱市景东彝族自治县第一中学2019-2020学年高二下学期期中考英语试题 13页

景东彝族自治县第一中学2019-2020学年高二下学期期中考试 英 语 试 卷 本试卷分第一卷(选择题)和第二卷(非选择题)两部分，共10页；满分150分，考试用时120分钟；考试结束后，将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。‎ 第一卷 （共115分）‎ 注意事项：‎ ‎1. 答题前．考生在答题卡上务必将自己的姓名、学校、班级填写清楚。‎ ‎2. 每小题选出答案后，用铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑，如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后,再选涂其他答案标号。答在试题卷上的答案无效。‎ 第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）‎ 第一节（共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）‎ 请听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。‎ ‎1. How long does the man want to stay in the hotel?‎ A. One night. B. Two nights. C. Three nights.‎ ‎2. What does the man want to do on Saturday night?‎ A. Go to a concert. B. Go to a party. C. Go to the movies. ‎ ‎3. Why does the man visit the woman?‎ A. To invite her to dinner. ‎ B. To help her cook dinner. ‎ C. To borrow some oil. ‎ ‎4. Where does the woman want to go?‎ A. Newton. B. Hampton. C. New York. ‎ ‎5. How does the man most often go to his company?‎ A. By bus. B. On foot. C. By car.‎ 第二节（共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分）‎ 请听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各个小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。‎ 请听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。‎ ‎6. Who is going to have a birthday party?‎ A. The woman. B. The man. C. The man’s roommate. ‎ ‎7. When will the birthday party be held?‎ A. On Friday night. B. On Saturday night. C. On Sunday night.‎ 请听第7段材料，回答第8至9题。‎ ‎8. What happened to David?‎ A. He fell off a horse. B. He was bitten by a dog. C. He had a car accident. ‎ ‎9. How does the man feel about learning to drive?‎ A. Interesting. B. Dangerous. C. Necessary. ‎ 请听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。‎ ‎10. What is the woman doing when the man comes?‎ A. Having a class. B. Having a meeting. C. Correcting homework. ‎ ‎11. Why does the man say sorry?‎ A. He broke the woman’s alarm clock. ‎ B. He didn’t finish his homework. ‎ C. He was late for school again.‎ ‎12. How many times has the man forgotten to bring his homework this month?‎ A. Three. B. Four. C. Six. ‎ 请听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。‎ ‎13. Where does the conversation most likely take place?‎ A. In a restaurant. B. In a post office. C. In a shop. ‎ ‎14. How long will the woman wait according to the man?‎ A. 5 minutes. B. 10 minutes. C. 15 minutes.‎ ‎15. Why does the man apologize at the end of the conversation?‎ A. He smoked in front of the woman. ‎ B. He made a mistake. ‎ C. He shouted at the woman.‎ ‎16. What can we know from the conversation?‎ A. The woman booked a table in advance. ‎ B. The man brought the woman the wrong order.‎ C. The woman got a table in the smoking section. ‎ 请听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。‎ ‎17. Where is Mauritius located?‎ A. In the Indian Ocean. B. In the Pacific Ocean. C. In the Atlantic Ocean.‎ ‎18. When did Mauritius win its independence?‎ A. In 1896. B. In 1968. C. In 1986.‎ ‎19. Who brought the ancestors of Hindu and Muslim to Mauritius?‎ A. The British. B. The French. C. The Dutch. ‎ ‎20. What kind of sport can tourists do in Mauritius according to the speaker?‎ A. Beach volleyball. B. Diving. C. Sailing 第二部分 英语知识运用（共两节，满分45分）‎ 第一节 单项填空（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）‎ 从A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。‎ ‎21. I think if you want Sara to make _____ apology to your brother, it is out of _____ question — she is so stubborn. ‎ A. an; 不填 B. an; the C. 不填; the D. 不填; 不填 ‎22. Many ordinary people fought against _____ in order to create a fairer society.‎ A. distribution B. arrangement C. insecurity D. privilege ‎23. According to the report, the number of animals used in experiments _____ by 30% over the years. ‎ A. have been reduced B. has been reduced C. were reduced D. was reduced ‎24. It was really _____ of your brother not to play the guitar while you were preparing your lessons.‎ A. modest B. outspoken C. considerate D. determined ‎ ‎25. Look! The new houses _____ here will be available to those low-income families after they are ready.‎ A. to be built B. built C. being built D. building ‎26. Is _____ surprising how quickly children get used to a new environment? ‎ A. it B. that C. this D. they ‎ ‎27. The new manager has a good sense of humor, which puts people who work with him _____.‎ A. in trouble B. at present C. in debt D. at ease ‎ ‎28. Last Monday, I was chatting online _____, before I knew it, our manager came in and stood behind me. ‎ A. until B. when C. unless D. so ‎29. The children live in the dormitory _____ the window is covered with beautiful pictures. ‎ A. of that B. of which C. of whose D. whose ‎ ‎30. Many of the local government officials refused to _____ the school bus accident when interviewed.‎ A. build up B. focus on C. comment on D. lead to ‎31. We do not have enough money. _____, we cannot afford to buy the new car.‎ A. Therefore B. Besides C. However D. Instead ‎32. If you _____ my advice, you _____ your failure now.‎ A. took; wouldn’t cry over B. had taken; wouldn’t have cried over C. had taken; aren’t crying over D. had taken; wouldn’t be crying over ‎ ‎33. ― Do you know Barbara very well?‎ ‎― It’s hard to say. We’ve exchanged e-mails but we’ve never _____ met.‎ A. eventually B. actually C. totally D. frequently ‎34. — Are you tired of doing the same work day in and day out?‎ ‎—Yes. I must say that never before _____ that way.‎ A. I felt B. I have felt C. did I feel D. have I felt ‎35. — Shall we eat out this evening, dear?‎ ‎—_____ How about the restaurant we went to last weekend? ‎ A. What for? B. It’s up to you. C. That all depends. D. Why not?‎ 第二节 完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）‎ 阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处最佳选项。‎ Dad was not only my best friend, but my compass. While he was alive, he 36 me with his actions and advice. He taught me one important 37 : “Believe in yourself.” ‎ If there was one phrase my dad 38 liked to hear, it was “I can’t.” He never got to finish high school and 39 two jobs to support his large family, 40 he never complained. Through years of hard work, my dad became an excellent journalist.‎ When I was in high school, I had a 41 time with math. He tried to help me, but I 42 struggled. So my math teacher suggested I meet with him at 7:00 each morning before school for 43 help. I told Dad, “That’s 44 ! I’m tired! I can’t do that!” He replied, “You’re doing it. I’ll send you to school.” Every morning at 6:45, we’d leave the 45 . Despite working 12 hours every day, Dad never once 46 driving me to school.‎ After months of 47 , I was facing the final exam. I was so 48 . On the day of the final, my dad hugged me and said, “Luke, 49 yourself. You can do it.” His words made me realize I needed to trust in my 50 and in the hours of work I’d 51 . When I got my 52 ‎ ‎ proudly, the first person I called was my father. He cried, “Yes! You deserved it!”‎ Even now, whenever I 53 that a task is too much for me, I think back to that exam. No matter how 54 something is, if you’re willing to work, you can succeed. I’m forever 55 to Dad for that lesson.‎ ‎36. A. understood B. forgave C. guided D. reduced ‎ ‎37. A. history B. lesson C. skill D. language ‎38. A. always B. almost C. ever D. never ‎39. A. took B. lost C. left D. finished ‎40. A. so B. or C. but D. and ‎41. A. good B. free C. terrible D. short ‎42. A. still B. nearly C. hardly D. probably ‎43. A. real B. practical C. immediate D. extra ‎44. A. wonderful B. crazy C. expensive D. necessary ‎45. A. house B. school C. office D. farm ‎46. A. suggested B. risked C. enjoyed D. missed ‎47. A. meeting B. testing C. learning D. interviewing ‎48. A. excited B. nervous C. happy D. shocked ‎49. A. stand for B. hold back C. believe in D. look after ‎50. A. teacher B. luck C. time D. ability ‎51. A. wasted B. ignored C. picked up D. put in ‎52. A. answer B. grade C. pay D. gift ‎53. A. hope B. forget C. worry D. promise ‎54. A. different B. important C. hard D. interesting ‎55. A. grateful B. sorry C. polite D. useful 第三部分 阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）‎ 第一节（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）‎ 阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。‎ A Orren Fox fell in love with chickens at nine. It was really almost by accident — Orren played in a friend’s house whose family had chickens, and he became interested in the animals immediately. Later, he started volunteering every Saturday at a local farm; within a few months the farm owner suggested that Orren get a few chicks of his own.‎ ‎“I don’t know what it was, but something caught my interest,” says Orren, now 14. Today Orren has 23 chickens, four ducks, and 250,000 bees. His happy chickens lay a lot of healthy eggs, which he sells all the year round. He became a vegetarian (素食者) after he learned about the cruelty and negative environmental effects of factory farms. “Farming affects our earth more than anything else,” says Orren. ‎ In fall 2009, Orren started a farm club at his school. “I wanted to get people to learn more about farming and what fun it is,” he says.‎ Orren’s passion for farming and other types of animals continues to grow. He went to the Essex Country Bee School in early 2010 to learn about beekeeping. Orren now has three beehives (蜂箱) of happy bees. In the summer of 2011, Orren started to sell his honey, BeeHappy, to local stores. Next, he wants to raise sheep and goats. “I know a lot more about the environment and how farming affects it, but I still have a lot to learn,” says Orren. “I want to keep doing all of this as I get older.”‎ ‎56. Orren started a farm club at his school in order to _____.‎ A. collect money for his farm club ‎ B. employ people to raise animals for him C. attract people to buy his products ‎ D. help people learn more about farming ‎57. What can we learn about Orren from the text?‎ A. He has raised sheep and goats. ‎ B. He sells not only eggs but chickens.‎ C. He is concerned about the environment.‎ D. He became a vegetarian under the influence of his friend.‎ ‎58. What is the right order of the events related to Orren? ‎ a. He started a farm club. ‎ b. He sold his bee honey. ‎ c. He fell in love with chickens. ‎ d. He volunteered at a local farm. ‎ e. He studied in the Essex Country Bee School.‎ A. d, c, a, e, b B. d, c, b, a, e C. c, d, b, a, e D. c, d, a, e, b B He slept in my arms last night, with his little head on my shoulder. He smiled in his sleep, and I wondered what could be funny to a one-year-old baby. I could sense the safety he felt.‎ However, my home life is completely different from the scene that greets me each morning at work. As a lawyer at Eastlake Juvenile Court (少年法庭), I always see kids that society has labeled the worst of the worst, the “thief”, the “robber”, the list goes on. But they are still children. As I sit across from them, I have a chance to talk to them about their lives, their homes, and their dreams. I sit through tears, I sit through anger, but mostly I sit through hurt. Each day I see hope destroyed. ‎ I have come to realize that these children are our future. They also had dreams and smiled in their sleep when they were babies. But then something terrible happened, which robbed them of that youth, that hope, and that joy. ‎ Every day when I go home, I hold my children tightly in my arms and say “I love you” over and over again. And as I am filled with hope, I cannot forget those children I leave behind. I live in two worlds, one of promise, one of tragedy. No matter what they are accused of, what crimes they have carried out and what society thinks of them, they are children. They are our children and our future. ‎ ‎59. The author mentions her son in Paragraph 1 mainly to tell readers _____. ‎ A. her son is lovely ‎ B. it’s hard to raise a child ‎ C. what leads children to break laws ‎ D. children should be taken good care of ‎ ‎60. The underlined word “labeled” in Paragraph 2 can best be replaced by _____. ‎ A. described B. praised C. chosen D. designed ‎ ‎61. What’s the author’s attitude towards the children who break laws? ‎ A. Relaxed. B. Angry. C. Hopeful. D. Doubtful. ‎ ‎62. What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text? ‎ A. To show her deep love for her child. ‎ B. To win support for problem children. ‎ C. To show the difficulty of her work as a lawyer. ‎ D. To accuse those parents who ruin their children’s life. ‎ C As soon as you meet a person, you form an impression of him based on his posture, gestures and facial expressions. This is why it is important to make a good first impression on the person who will be interviewing you. The interviewer will have formed an impression about what type of person you are based on your body language. Here are some tips to make that impression a good one. ‎ First of all, relax. Think positive thoughts and you are more likely to come across as a positive, confident person during the interview. Dress smartly, as your appearance is one of the first things an interviewer will notice you. Stand up straight, and walk in with your shoulders back and your head up. Try to avoid slowing down as you walk into the room because this suggests fear and uncertainty. Shake hands with the interviewer firmly. You should have a positive handshake and a warm smile. Opening your coat or jacket as you sit down shows that you, too, are open. ‎ Posture is important. You should be sitting well back in your seat. Sit up straight and lean forward slightly, but not too much. Sitting at too much of an angle (角度) expresses discomfort and distrust. Try to avoid crossing your arms and legs.‎ Another important issue is eye contact. Looking someone in the eye shows confidence in yourself and trust in the other person. However, don’t overdo it, as too much eye contact or staring will make the other person uncomfortable. ‎ ‎63. The purpose of the first paragraph is to tell readers _____. ‎ A. what a good first impression is ‎ B. how to make a good first impression ‎ C. how long it takes to make a first impression ‎ D. the importance of making a good first impression ‎ ‎64. Which of the following does the author advise you to do when you are being interviewed? ‎ A. Cross your arms or legs. ‎ B. Open your coat or jacket when sitting down. ‎ C. Go into the room more slowly than usual. ‎ D. Avoid looking at the eyes of the interviewer directly. ‎ ‎65. If you lean forward too much, it means _____. ‎ A. you are very bored B. you are too nervous ‎ C. you don’t have confidence D. you don’t trust others ‎ ‎66. What is the best title for the text? ‎ A. How to use body language to win an interview. ‎ B. How to answer questions in an interview. ‎ C. How to understand body language. ‎ D. How to deal with an interviewer. ‎ D Scientists in Colombia have trained a team of rats to help remove land mines from the countryside. Land mines are small bombs hidden in the ground and designed to explode when someone steps on them. ‎ When trained, the rats can smell special metals in the mines and then signal to their human team. Then why use rats for such an important job? ‎ In the past, dogs have been used to find bombs. Rats have a good sense of smell and can respond to orders, just like dogs do. But rats are much lighter than dogs. They stand less of a chance of setting off the mines, which explode under a certain amount of weight. What’s more, the best rats are cheaper to keep than dogs. It costs about the same amount of money to take care of one dog as it does 70 rats. ‎ The rats have already been used in Tanzania, an African country with many land mines. Luisa Fernanda Méndez and her team in Colombia are training the even lighter Wistar rats. These are the white rats with red eyes that scientists often use in laboratory experiments. “They even train their babies to perform their jobs, which saves us a lot of time,” Méndez said. ‎ Colombia has the second-highest rate of deaths from land mine accidents in the world. In the past, the Colombian government hired peasants and poor farmers to find mines. Many of them died trying to find the well-hidden bombs. ‎ Colombian police official Erick Guzmán hopes the team of rats can come to the rescue. “These rats will be a great help,” he said. ‎ ‎67. How do rats help to find land mines? ‎ A. By their sense of smell. B. By their light weight. ‎ C. By their special sight. D. By their excellent hearing. ‎ ‎68. The advantage of rats over dogs in finding bombs is that _____. ‎ A. they are cleverer ‎ B. they run faster ‎ C. they have a better sense of smell ‎ D. they don’t make mines explode easily ‎ ‎69. The underlined word “They” in Paragraph 4 may refer to _____. ‎ A. dogs B. scientists C. Wistar rats D. Méndez and her team ‎ ‎70. What is the text mainly about? ‎ A. People in Tanzania are suffering from land mines. ‎ B. Specially-trained rats help clear land mines. ‎ C. Dogs are no longer used to find land mines. ‎ D. Land mines have become a great danger to Colombians. ‎ ‎ ‎ 第二节（共5小题，每小题2分，满分10分）‎ 根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。‎ Kids who have autism (自闭症) see the world differently than other people do, so they sometimes react to it in unexpected ways. 71 She hopes that people can understand autism and treat those who have autism with respect. So if you meet someone who has autism, you can try… ‎ ‎ 72 ‎ It can be hard for some kids who have autism to approach groups of kids to make friends. But Gina says that making friends with someone who has autism isn’t a big deal. “Just say hi — even if you’re shy. Everyone has to get used to a new friend.” 73 ‎ Learning about them ‎ 74 For example, a person who has autism might be very bothered by a noisy classroom. You might have no problem with the noise, but a kid with autism might be so upset that she has to leave the room. Gina says, “To understand a kid like me, you just have to be patient.” ‎ Being kind to them Words can hurt a kid with autism and sometimes it’s very hard for them to get over it. Gina says, “ 75 Try to have a nice heart.”‎ A. Saying hello to them B. Making friends with them C. Be nice to people who are different.‎ D. Autism can cause a kid to be afraid in public.‎ E. That includes kids who don’t have autism, too, she says.‎ F. Autism can make some kids uncomfortable in certain situations.‎ G. Gina is such a girl who has made great success through her efforts.‎ 第二卷（共35分）‎ 注意事项：‎ 第二卷用黑色碳素笔将答案答在答题卡上，答在试题卷上的答案无效。‎ 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分35分）‎ 第一节 短文改错（共10小题。每小题1分，计10分）‎ 短文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加﹑删除或修改。‎ 增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词。‎ 删除：把多余的词用（﹨）划掉。‎ 修改：在错的词下面划一横线，并在该词的下面写出修改后的词。‎ 注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；‎ ‎ 2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计。‎ On my way to home yesterday afternoon, I happened to witness a traffic accident. When an old ‎ woman was crossed the road, she was knocked down by a boy riding bike. The boy was such ‎ frightened that he stood still at the scene but didn’t know what to do. I quickly went up and saw ‎ the old woman lie on the ground, crying because of pain. I stopped a taxi and told the driver ‎ that had happened. The driver drove them to the nearest hospital at once. To our relieve, we ‎ were told that the old woman wasn’t injured seriously after she was examined carefully. The ‎ boy was deep grateful for our help.‎ 第二节 书面表达（满分25分）‎ 随着我国经济的发展与对外开放程度的提高，越来越多的学子走出国门留学深造。根据下面的提示，请你以 “Studying Abroad” 为题，写一篇110词左右的文章。‎ 内容提示：‎ ‎1. 出国留学的优点：开阔视野；体验当地的风情，交更多的朋友；更快更好地掌握一门外语。‎ ‎2. 出国留学的缺点：语言障碍不利于学习；费用高昂，而花大量时间打工又会影响学习。‎ 参考词汇：语言障碍language barrier；足够的adequate 英语试题参考答案 第一卷 听力答案：‎ ‎1 - 5 BACBB 6 -10 ABABA 11-15 CCACB 16 - 20 CABAB 单项选择答案：‎ ‎21 – 25 BDBCC 26 – 30 ADBBC 31 – 35 ADBDD 完型填空答案：‎ ‎36 – 40 CBDAC 41 – 45 CADBA 46 – 50 DCBCD 51 – 55 DBCCA 阅读理解答案：‎ ‎56 – 60 DCDDA 61 – 65 CBDBD 66 – ‎70 A ADCB ‎ ‎71 – 75 GAEFC 第二卷 短文改错答案：‎ ‎76. ... way to home ... 去掉to ‎77. ... crossed the road ... crossed → crossing ‎78. ... a boy riding bike … riding后加a ‎79. ... was such frightened ... such → so ‎80. ... but didn’t know ... but → and ‎81. ... lie on the ground ... lie → lying ‎82. ... that had happened … that → what ‎83. ... drove them to ... them → us ‎84. … To our relieve ... relieve → relief ‎85. ... deep grateful ... deep → deeply 书面表达 One possible version Studying Abroad Attending schools abroad has many advantages. Firstly, by looking at our own country from outside, we can widen our vision and broaden our minds. Secondly, we can visit famous scenic spots and make friends with the local people. Thirdly, we can use the foreign language in our daily life so that our ability in the second language may be improved quickly. ‎ However, there are also some disadvantages in attending a foreign school. The most serious problem is the language barrier. Most students do not have adequate knowledge of the language spoken there. On arriving there, they find it difficult to understand what the teachers are saying. Furthermore, the cost of living is much higher than that in our country, so most students have to find part-time jobs to support themselves. Faced with these difficulties, many students find themselves unable to pay full attention to their studies and learn little. ‎ On the whole, it is a good thing to study abroad. However, one must not lose sight of the disadvantages.‎ ‎ ‎ 听力录音材料 Text 1 ‎ W: Good morning! Grand Hotel.‎ M: Hello, I’d like to book a room for the nights of the 18th and 19th. ‎ Text 2 ‎ W: Good morning, Cambridge Theater. Can I help you?‎ M: Good morning. Have you got any tickets for the pop concert on Saturday night? ‎ Text 3‎ W: Who is it?‎ M: It’s me, Tom. Sorry to trouble you, Tracy. But I just ran out of oil. I’m cooking dinner. Could you lend me some?‎ W: Yeah, no problem. ‎ Text 4 ‎ W: Excuse me. Does this train go to Hampton?‎ M: Let me have a look. Well, I’m afraid not. It goes to Newton. ‎ W: Oh, so how about the train to Hampton?‎ M: The train to Hampton just left two minutes ago. ‎ Text 5 ‎ W: How far is it from your home to your company?‎ M: It takes about 10 minutes by bus. ‎ W: That’s not too far away. So do you take the bus every day?‎ M: No. I usually walk to my company. It takes about 25minutes. ‎ Text 6 ‎ M: Hi, Jenny! You look great today. ‎ W: Thanks. You know, I’m having a birthday party this weekend. ‎ M: Oh, Really? That’s wonderful.‎ W: I’d be glad if you could come.‎ M: I’d love to. When and where?‎ W: 7 pm Saturday night, at my dormitory. ‎ M: Oh! I can’t wait to attend!‎ Text 7 ‎ W: I came across David in the hospital this morning. He broke his left leg when he was learning to ride a horse earlier this morning. ‎ M: What happened exactly?‎ W: The horse was frightened by a dog and started running fast. David lost his balance and fell to the ground.‎ M: That’s dangerous. I’d never try that. ‎ W: You are too timid. You don’t even want to learn how to drive. ‎ M: That’s dangerous, too. Besides, I don’t need to learn how to drive. ‎ You are a good driver, aren’t you, honey?‎ W: But I can not take you everywhere you want to go. ‎ M: I seldom go out. ‎ Text 8 ‎ W: Today we are going to discuss “How to write better”…‎ M: Excuse me. ‎ W: Ah…Tom! You’re late again. ‎ M: I’m sorry. Mrs. Green.‎ W: What’s the excuse this time?‎ M: I must have turned off my alarm clock and gone back to sleep again. ‎ W: If you had gone to bed earlier you wouldn’t be late for school now. ‎ M: Last night I did my homework until midnight. ‎ W: So, where is it?‎ M: Oh… I just don’t know what to say. I can’t tell you how sorry I am.‎ W: This is the third time you’ve been late for my class and the sixth time you’ve forgotten to bring your homework this month.‎ M: I’m really sorry. I promise it won’t happen again. Please forgive me. ‎ W: OK. I hope this is the last time. Go to your seat.‎ M: Thank you, ma’am. ‎ Text 9‎ M: Good evening, ma’am. Do you have a reservation?‎ W: No, I don’t.‎ M: Awfully sorry, but there are no empty tables left now.‎ W: Well, can you tell me how long a wait do you think there’ll be?‎ M: About 15 minutes, I think. Is that OK for you?‎ W: 15 minutes! That’s too bad. I can’t wait for so long.‎ M: I am sorry, ma’am. ‎ W: Are you sure there aren’t any empty tables at all? Can you please just check for me?‎ M: Well, I’ll check again for you. ‎ W: OK, I will wait for a moment. ‎ M: Oh, I am so sorry for my mistake. There is table available in the smoking section. ‎ W: Good. ‎ M: But it is in the smoking section. Do you mind, ma’am?‎ W: I think I have no choice now. ‎ M: Please follow me then. I will show you to your table. ‎ W: Thanks. ‎ M: You’re welcome. Your server will be with you right away to take your order. Sorry again for my carelessness. ‎ W: Don’t mention it. ‎ Text 10‎ Mauritius is an island lying off the southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The island has passed through the controlling hands of several European powers, including the Dutch, the French and the British. In 1968, Mauritius won its independence. ‎ At present, over half of the population of Mauritius are Hindu and a smaller percentage are Muslim. The ancestors of both groups were workers brought to the island from India by the British. Some Chinese were also brought over to work. There are also the later generations of African slaves and French-Mauritians, the original settlers of the island.‎ The pleasant tropical climate and scenery provide the perfect setting to enjoy everything. The sea is full of colorful life that lives around the coral reef. This makes Mauritius a wonderful place for swimming and diving. The large number of interesting fish means it is also an exciting place for those who like to go fishing. ‎