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江苏省启东中学2019-2020学年度第二学期期中考试
高一英语试卷
出卷人:
第一部分:听力
第一节 (共 5 小题;每小题 1.5 分,满分 7.5 分)
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。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。
例:How much is the shirt?
A. £19.15. B. £9.15. C. £9.18. 答案是B。
1. How is the weather this weekend according to the weatherman?
A. Warm. B. Cool. C. Cold.
2. What is the correct order number for the yellow teapot?
A. TP12FS. B. TP12SF. C. PT12FS.
3. What is Martin busy doing?
A. Writing a book. B. Reading about Cuba. C. Looking for good news.
4. What is the relationship between the speakers?
A. Father and daughter. B. Teacher and student. C. Classmates.
5. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. The man’s toy. B. The man’s father. C. The man’s childhood.
第二节 (共 15 小题;每小题 1.5 分,满分 22.5 分)
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。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,各小题将给出 5 秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第 6 段材料,回答第 6、7 题。
6. Why is the woman looking for the envelope?
A. She wants to send a letter. B. She needs to give it to Jill. C. She put her PIN
number in it.
7. What might the woman do next?
A. Find Jill. B. Go to the kitchen. C. Buy an envelope.
听第 7 段材料,回答第 8、9 题。
8. When does the meeting end?
A. At 8:30. B. At 9:00. C. At 10:30.
9. What do we know about the woman?
A. She was late for work today. B. She will be the man’s assistant. C. She is a new worker of the company.
听第 8 段材料,回答第 10 至 12 题。
10. Why is the man making the call?
A. To have a talk with Tom. B. To invite the woman to a movie. C. To introduce a friend to the woman.
11. What is Tom doing?
A. Watching TV. B. Talking on the phone. C. Having fun with Julie.
12. What can we learn about the man?
A. He knows Julie. B. He lives in town. C. He shares a house with a friend.
听第 9 段材料,回答第 13 至 16 题。
13. What did the man do on Sunday?
A. He went to the museum. B. He visited the old castle. C. He watched a football match.
14. How did the man find the movie?
A. Special. B. Interesting. C. Boring.
15. Who is Helen most likely to be?
A. The man’s friend. B. The man’s wife. C. The man’s daughter.
16. What food did the man have?
A. Italian food. B. Thai food. C. Chinese food.
听第 10 段材料,回答第 17 至 20 题。
17. What difference does the speaker talk about first?
A. Some expressions. B. Traffic rules. C. The food.
18. What does the speaker think of the weather in London?
A. Changeable. B. Great. C. Uncomfortable.
19. When does the speaker finish work now?
A. At 5 p.m. B. At 8:30 p.m. C. At 9 p.m.
20. Where did the speaker use to go on Friday evening in America?
A. To the club. B. To the gym. C. To the restaurant.
第二部分:阅读能力考查
第一节:阅读理解 (每题2.5分,满分37.5分)
A
You can find hundreds of free comedy(喜剧) movies online, saving you money, as well as the trouble of going out to rent a DVD or visit a movie theater.
Hulu’ Free Comedy Movies
Hulu has the best selection of free comedy movies that you can watch online right now. You can look through newly added comedies or the most popular ones from today, this week, this month, or all time. Hulu also has a huge collection of funny free TV shows and movies available but you’ll have to watch advertisements placed like commercials throughout the shows or movies you are viewing.
Free Comedies at Popcornflix
Popcornflix is a legal website where you can watch full-length streaming movies in both the U.S. and Canada. You’ll see lots of actors and actresses you’ll recognize here in some movies you’ve heard of and some you haven’t. You don’t need to register, so you’ll be enjoying your chosen movie or TV show in seconds. However, this video streaming service is ad-supported, so you will have to sit through a few commercial breaks during your movie.
Free Comedy Movies at Tubi TV
Thousands of free movies and TV shows are available through Tubi TV, and they can all be viewed on a number of mobile device in addition to a computer. There’s also a whole section at Tubi
TV that’s just for comedy videos. Some movies require you to log in to view them, but registration is free and only takes a few moments.
Classic Cinema Online’s Comedies
Dozens of free classic comedies are available from Classic Cinema Online. What really makes Classic Cinema unique from the rest is its rather large selection of silent films. While there’re only a large handful of movies at Classic Cinema Online, if you love classic and silent movies, you really need to check it out.
21. What does Hulu’s Free Comedy Movies offer apart from free comedy movies?
A. Free-books. B. Funny free TV shows C. Science fiction. D. Action movie
22. What can we learn about Free Comedies at Popcornflix?
A. No registration is required. B. Its movies are all popular.
C. It has a whole section of comedy videos. D. Its movies can be watched anywhere.
23. What makes Classic Cinema Online’s Comedies stand out from the rest?
A. Dozens of free classic comedies. B. A large selection of silent films.
C. Rather fine video quality. D. The best selection of movies.
B
It was a morning in January. The jet stream (急流) had dipped down, causing the Arctic cold to reach the mountains of my home. It was only 2 degrees outside, but the cold wind made it feel like it was 15 below zero. Still, I was kneeling in the snow alongside my house trying to open a tiny door, so I could get in. I had forgotten to leave my water dripping the night before and now my water pipes were frozen and my faucets(水龙头) were dry.
The wind cut into me like a knife while I struggled to get two electric heaters in place around the section of frozen pipes. The waterlines were buried except for a small piece that connected up to my house. I put a heater on each side of it, ran the extension cords(软线) into my house and plugged them in. Both heaters roared to life and started blowing hot air on the frozen water pipes. My fingers had already started to go numb, so I stayed inside to wait. I could only hope that this bit of warmth could get my water flowing again. Finally, after twenty minutes, the water started flowing through my faucets again. I went back outside into the bitter cold and gathered my heaters up. I looked at the weak January sun shining on the frozen snow and smiled. Then I sent a cry filled with "Thank you"
heavenward and returned inside to make myself a hot breakfast.
Sometimes the coldness of this life can get to us as well. It can make our hearts feel icy and frozen. It can keep our kindness and love from flowing out to others. Sometimes, though, all we need is a bit of warmth to get us going again. It can be a simple smile, a kind word, a heart-felt hug, a morning sunrise, a bird’s song or any gentle reminder of just how much God loves us. Let us all be grateful for those bits of warmth that get us going again. And let us all try to be that bit of warmth for others every chance we get.
24. What was the direct reason why the water pipes were frozen?
A. The jet stream. B. The low temperature. C. The cold wind. D. The author ' s own carelessness.
25. Which of the following can replace the underlined phrase “roared to” in Paragraph 2?
A. Began functioning smoothly. B. Worked improperly.
C. Broke down suddenly. D. Screamed out loudly.
26. What did the author think of his work?
A. Embarassed. B. Satisfied. C. Mad with joy. D. Cautiously optimistic.
27. What is the last paragraph mainly centered on?
A. The coldness of life has a negative effect on our life quality.
B. We meet with the coldness of life unavoidably and unwillingly.
C. We should be thankful for bits of warmth of life.
D. We should seize every chance to receive warmth of life from others.
C
America’s latest superhero Austin Perine, who calls himself President Austin, is now taking the
country by storm. But he is not a typical superhero. Two things set him apart: He doesn’t fight human enemies, but hunger and homelessness. Also, he’s only four years old.
Our superhero’s origin story started from the day when TJ Perine, his father, took Austin to the Firehouse Ministries, a local shelter that provides housing, food and other services for the homeless. As they drove by the building, they saw a group of 25 homeless men standing on the street corner. That day, Austin used his allowance to buy each man a sandwich and handed the food out himself with his slogan, “Don’t forget to show love!”
After he returned every week for five weeks in a row,word of Austin’s kindness spread through social media. Austin and TJ could feed 25 to 50 people at a time before,and now,thanks to community support,they can feed 800 to 2,000 people.
But Austin isn’t merely filling stomachs. He has been improving the lives of the homeless people he meets. On that first trip to Firehouse Ministries, TJ and Austin talked to a poor man named Raymont. The respect Austin showed for him touched 41-year-old Raymont, who regained his confidence in life and finally found a job with the help of TJ. All that was made possible because a little boy took the time to care.
Austin’s passion has become his family’s calling. After raising money through a GoFundMe page, Audrey, TJ’s mother established the nonprofit Show Love Foundation, dedicated to fighting homelessness. She now serves as president, and TJ oversees public relations for the foundation full time. They offer medical and mental health care as preventive steps against homelessness.
As for President Austin, he continues to give out food, smiles, and his inspirational message of love.“It makes me feel like I’m saving the day,” he said proudly.
28. Why has Austin become well — known to the entire country?
A. He has super power to fill the stomachs of the homeless.
B. He fights hunger and homelessness at such a young age.
C. He has removed the poverty of the local community.
D. He has chosen an impressive and unique name.
29. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “dedicated” in Paragraph 5?
A. Exposed. B. Opposed. C. Devoted. D. Addicted.
30. Why does the author introduce the example of Raymont in Paragraph 4?
A. To show Austin’s positive influence. B. To persuade people to live off their own.
C. To prove the personal ability of Austin’s father. D. To describe the difficult situation of poor people.
31. What is the author’s attitude towards what Austin does?
A. Sympathetic. B. Humorous. C. Approving. D. Considerate.
D
It is well-known that twins are closer to each other than most brothers and sisters -- after all, they probably spend more time with each other. Parents of twins often notice that they develop special ways of communicating: they invent their own words and one can often finish the other's sentence. In exceptional(例外) circumstances(情况), this closeness becomes more extreme: they invent a whole language of their own, as in the case of Grace and Virginia Kennedy from Georgia in the USA, who communicated so successfully in their own special language that they did not speak any English at all until after they started school.
However, these special relationships are the result of lives spent almost entirely in each other's company. What happens when twins do not grow up together, when they are separated at birth for some reason? Are they just like any other strangers, or are there still special similarities between them? Professor Tom Bouchard of the University of Minnesota set out to find the answer to this question. He traced(追踪) sixteen pairs of twins, who were adopted by different families when they were babies, and often brought up in very different circumstances. Each twin was then interviewed about every small detail of their life.
The results of this research make a surprising reading. Many of the twins were found to have
the same hobbies, many have suffered the same illnesses, and some have even had the same type of accident at the same point in their lives. One pair of middle-aged women arrived for their first meeting in similar dresses, another pair were wearing similar jewellery. The most incredible(unbelievable) similarities are to be found in the case of Jim Springer and Jim Lewis from Ohio in the USA. The story of the 'Jim Twins' made headline news across USA. Born to an immigrant woman in 1939, and adopted by different families at birth, both babies were named Jim by their new parents.
But what can be the explanation for these remarkable similarities? Is it all pure coincidence, or is the explanation in some way genetic? Research into the lives of twins is forcing some experts to admit that our personalities may be at least partly due to 'nature'. On the other hand, analysts are also anxious to emphasis(强调) that incredible coincidences do happen all the time, not just in the lives of twins.
32. The case of Grace and Virginia Kennedy (Para. 1) is to show that ______.
A. twins communicate with each other in an unusual way
B. twins are more likely to suffer from speaking problems
C. most twins have exceptional abilities to invent a new language
D. twins won’t have an effective communication until they go to school
33. The purpose of Tom Bouchard’s study is to find ______.
A. what will happen if twins spend lives entirely in the same company
B. why the 16 pairs of twins have been adopted by different families
C. whether separated growing up has effect on twins’ special similarities
D. when the special similarities come into being during their growing up
34. What does the word “reading” in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?
A. Book. B. Explanation. C. Literature. D. Measurement.
35. According to Tom Bouchard’s research, the special similarities between twins ______.
A. depend on what the twins enjoy and suffer from
B. can not be proved or accepted by all the experts
C. result from the twins’ growing up and development
D. are not closely linked with where the twins are raised
第二节:七选五(每题2.5分,满分12.5分)
Sometimes it can be hard to recognize a true friend, one who is loyal(忠诚的) and one who is worth keeping by your side. The suggestions provided in this article will help to guide you in working out which friends are likely to be true.
Be able to trust your friends. You should be able to trust true friends and they should return this trust. Your friends tell you secrets that no one else knows. Let you share secrets. Ask you for advice. ___36___ However, if your friends hide things from you and act secretive, this could be a sign that they do not trust you, but it could also mean your friends keep to themselves or don’t like to reveal too much about themselves.
Consider comfort. How comfortable do your friends feel when they are around you? Watch them, are they being themselves or are they timid (胆怯的) around you? _____37_____ . True friendships can take a while to develop, but if your friends are true, they should feel comfortable around you.
_____38_____. This is not meant in a romantic way, but consider whether your friends are comfortable with the touch. If your friends are fine with hugging you, leaning on you, resting their heads on your shoulder and so forth, then you can judge they love you.
Think about loyalty. True friends are always there for one another. If you are in need of a helping hand, your true friends should be there to offer it to you. _____39_____You can trust friends with anything, knowing that they will be loyal and will not let your secrets out.
Look at how you fight. Nearly all best friends fight; so if you and your friend have a little dispute(争论), don't worry about it! _____40_____. They will not tell each other’s secrets and they still care about each other.
A. Consider the touch barrier.
B. Consider how you insult each other.
C. They should know that you are not serious.
D. These are sure signs that your friends trust you.
E. Are they acting fake—perhaps hiding an insecurity?
F. True friends should not get one another into trouble.
G. True friends will remain faithful and find their way through a fight.
第三节:完形填空(每题1分,满分15分)
Every culture on the planet has certain topics that people avoid discussing. But the taboos (禁忌) of one culture may be very different from those of another. You may be 41 that people from other cultures say what you can’t talk about.
Paying attention to what people don’t 42 can teach us something important about their culture. Their taboo topics give us clues about what they value, respect or even fear. Topics that are considered too personal or too controversial (有争议的)may also be avoided.
America is full of taboo topics. Usually, during a polite conversation, Americans will 43 both politics and religion. They also avoid talking about racial issues(种族问题).
Why? Because these topics can cause strong opinions and 44 . Americans believe it’s best to avoid them — especially at social gatherings.
Many Americans also do not feel 45 talking about their personal income, age or health. 46 ,they prefer to make small talks about the weather, sports or common interests.
What do these taboos tell us about American 47 ? For one, they show that Americans place importance on _48 . America certainly isn’t the only place that values it. You will find 49
taboos about asking personal questions in many European countries. “This is especially true in Germany”,says Hanna Graf, a German living in Shanghai. “In Germany, you are not supposed to ask about other people’s personal business,” she says. “But there are no 50 rules about what you can’t ask;it’s just in people’s minds.”
In Brazil, 51 ,almost anything seems open to discussion. “Brazilians talk about all kinds of personal issues,” says Mark Quinlan, who grew up in Brazil. But of course, even Brazil has its own taboos. In Brazil, soccer is the one topic that can turn friends into enemies. Brazilians love the sport. Saying anything 52 about soccer can cause big trouble. Even expressing preference for one team over another can be 53 .
Like Brazilians, Australians talk freely about almost anything. However, they do not talk about their personal or business 54 . They prefer to let people judge them by their actions, not their words. Boasting(夸大) your achievements will only make you the 55 of other people’s jokes.
And what about your taboos? The next time you have a conversation, pay attention to what isn’t said. You might be amazed at what you learn about your own culture.
41. A. excited B. surprised C. fascinated D. relieved
42. A. stress B. consider C. desire D. discuss
43. A. rule out B. take to C. touch upon D. focus on
44. A. arguments B. interactions C. agreements D. relationships
45. A. embarrassed B. relaxed C. confused D. disappointed
46. A. Besides B. Occasionally C. Frankly D. Instead
47. A. values B. features C. status D. dreams
48. A. culture B. independence C. privacy D. freedom
49. A. formal B. unique C. similar D. aggressive
50. A. specialized B. written C. common D. basic
51. A. moreover B. however C. therefore D. anyhow
52. A. important B. worthless C. magical D. negative
53. A. beneficial B. impressive C. dangerous D. emotional
54. A. achievements B. secrets C. lives D. failures
55. A. audience B. designer C. target D. interpreter
第四节:短文填空(每题1分,满分10分)
Ne Zha, China’s animated blockbuster(surprising) hit of the summer, is ready 56__________ (hit) North American theaters later this month.
Well Go USA Entertainment, 57_____________ distribution company specializing in bringing top Asian film titles to US cinemas, will release the film in select 3D IMAX theaters across North America on Aug 29, 58_____________ (follow) by a nationwide expansion on Sept 6.
Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Yang Yu, also known 59___________ Jiaozi, the film 60______________ (tell) of Ne Zha, a boy born as a social outcast (弃儿) because of a divine prophecy(神的预言) 61_____________he would destroy the world. He tries to change his predetermined fate and people’s views of him by choosing good over evil and 62_______________ (become) their true hero.
Built on a successful adaptation(改写本) of Chinese folk tale(民间传说) and excellent word-of-mouth, the film - the first Chinese animated film is proving to have long legs at the box office. 63_____________ a total box office of 4.1 billion yuan ($582 million) and counting, Ne Zha is the 64 best-_______________(receive) animated feature ever in China, and the fourth 65_____________ (large) theatrical release in the country’s box office history.
第三部分:英语知识考查
第一节:单词拼写: 根据下面各句中所给的首字母,在横线上填上一个词,使句子意思完整(每题0.5分,满分5分)
66. The air we breathe in is actually a m______________ of different gases, such as oxygen, hydrogen and so on.
67. A c_________________ of different factors may be responsible for the disaster.
68. The two boys share some s______________, for they both come from the north, both like playing basketball and both are good at English.
69. In the middle of the lecture, the topic was off the point without the a______________ of its speaker and he went on and on.
70. The lecture was beyond/above my c__________________, I mean, the lecture was Greek to me.
71. The a______________ of the cause of the accident sound reasonable and acceptable.
72. As you are writing your papers, I can lend you these books for r_______________.
73. It’s not u______________ for anyone to make mistakes, but it’s quite surprising for you to make this mistake.
74. After discussion, I’ll ask two of you to come to the front and give us a p______________ of your decision.
75. The lecture was both moving and i_______________ and we’ll never forget it.
第二节:根据句意,用适当的情态动词、虚拟语气填空(每题1分,满分10分)
76. It is raining heavily outside. You ____________ as well stay here for the night.
77. But for the timely help of the PLA man that day, you ___________________(kill) in the car crash.
78. I’m very busy with my Mid-term examination, or I _________________ (go) to see the movie with you.
79. While taking exams, a student ___________ never be too careful to get high grades.
80. ---- Tom has arrived. _____________ he come in to see you? ---- Yes, of course. Call him in.
81. Why are you here? It’s class time and you __________ be in the classroom now.
82. Had you studied harder at college, you _______________(get) a better job now.
83. You ______________(not) sit in this part. It’s for women and children only.
84. ---- Let’s go to see a film. ---- Why today. I’d rather we ___________ (see) a film tomorrow.
85. The old man treated the boy as if he _________ his own son.
第三节:非谓语动词填空(每题1分,满分10分)
86. I will use the rest of the time to do something _______________________________(remain, do) .
87. The Internet keeps us _______________ (inform) of what is going on in the world.
88. With much homework ______________(do), we’ll be very busy this Sunday.
89. We can hardly imagine there __________(be) life on the Moon.
90. ___________________(practise) for three months, he finally passed the driving test.
91. The great danger lay in _________________(not know) our shortcomings, so we must be careful with what we
are going to do.
92. If elected, he promised he would do all he could _______________(promote) public welfare.
93. ______________ (force) to eat in the school cafeteria every day made me sick.
94. Missing the first bus means ________________(wait) for another two hours.
95. I’ll go shopping this afternoon, Mr. Smith. Do you have anything ______________________(buy)?
第四部分:英语表达
第一节:写作: 阅读下面短文,根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。(满分20分)
A class pet can be an invaluable experience for elementary school children. The pet can teach responsibility, build a connection to the classroom, serve as a motivator, and be something for the children to love. If the teacher is willing to take on the added responsibility of caring for an animal in addition to all of the children in the classroom, a class pet can be a wonderful addition to a class.
Many factors need to be taken into consideration when choosing a class pet. It cannot be too big, as classrooms generally have limited space. Cost should also be considered since the teacher will likely have to pay for the pet, its food and its habitat. It must also be somewhat hardy (耐寒的). Each particular type of animal has its advantages and disadvantages, and a teacher must weigh these and make a decision about which one is right for his or her class.
Birds are physically more delicate (娇养) than many other animals. They will not survive in drafts (气流) and need a somewhat regulated temperature in their environment. Many birds are quite social and do best with other birds or when being handled routinely by people who can be appropriate with them. Young children are not likely to have the skill to handle a bird without harming it, making it a poor choice for a class pet.
Some reptiles(爬虫) are beautiful to look at but are delicate, afraid of cold, light sensitivity or poisonous and shouldn’t be handled by children. Others are more hardy but require expensive habitats. Most snakes eat rats and mice, which may be a frightening thing for small children to
witness.
A hardy fish, such as a betta, is a good low-cost option for a class pet. They are obviously not huggable or able to be caught by children. Besides, they are inexpensive, have relatively long life spans, and can be kept in a simple fish bowl.
高一英语参考答案
1-10: ABACA, CACCB 11-20: BAACB, CBCAB 21-30: BABDA, BCBCA 31-40:CACBD, DEAFG
41-55: BDAAB, DACCB, BDCAC
短文填空
56. to hit 57. a 58. followed 59. as 60. tells
61. that 62. becoming 63. With 64. received 65. Largest
单词拼写
1. mixture 2. combination 3. similarities 4. awareness 5. comprehension
6. analyses 7. reference 8. unusual 9. presentation 10.impressive
情态虚拟
1. may/might 2. would/could/might have been killed 3. would go 4. can 5. Shall
6. should 7. would/could get 8. mustn’t 9. saw 10. Were
非谓语
1. remaining to be done 2. informed 3. to do 4. being
5. Having practiced 6. not knowing 7. to promote 8. Being forced
9. waiting 10. to be bought
写作
A class pet is a wonderful addition to the class, which can develop children’s responsibility, build a connection and act as a motivator. (要点1) But many factors need considering when choosing a class pet, including its size, cost, advantages and disadvantages. (要点2) Birds and reptiles are a poor choice because they are delicate and easy to be harmed by children. (要点3) A hardy fish can be an ideal class pet, for it’s cheap, long-lived and easy to raise. (要点4)
附:录音原稿
(Text 1)
W: I really want to go to the beach this weekend. The weatherman said it’s going to be warm.
M: Good. I hope it doesn’t cool off. You know that the weather in California is really changeable. One minute it’s hot, and then the next minute it’s cold.
(Text 2)
M: Do you have an order number there, Mrs. Garcia?
W: Yes. It’s TP12FS.
M: One moment, please. Ah, yes. I see the problem. TP12FS is the correct number for the purple teapot. The yellow one you wanted is TP12SF.
(Text 3)
W: So, Martin, what have you been up to? Anything new?
M: Well, these days I am writing a book about Cuba. It is interesting but I’m so busy that I don’t have time to do anything else.
(Text 4)
W: I was so lucky to get a ticket to the concert last night. It was great fun. I went with my father.
M: What did you do after the concert?
W: I went straight home because I had to finish my homework. OK, Tim. I have to go. See you in class tomorrow.
M: Bye. Anyway, I have to go home and finish my homework.
(Text 5)
M: Look, that’s me when I was eight or nine in the photo, holding a model train engine.
W: Was it part of that train set you’ve still got in your room?
M: Yeah, my father and I built all that together. We used to spend hours playing with it.
(Text 6)
W: Hey, Brad. You didn’t take the envelope that was on the kitchen table, did you?
M: No, why? Do you want to send a letter?
W: Well, actually my new PIN number was in that envelope.
M: You’re kidding me, are you?
W: No, I’m not. I left it here this morning.
M: Go and ask Jill. Maybe she’s seen it.
(Text 7)
M: Hello, Sarah. Good to see you again. Welcome to the company.
W: Thank you. I know you asked me to come in a little later on my first day, but what time do I normally start work?
M: Well, the office opens at 8:30 and the team starts work at a 9 o’clock meeting.
W: What happens after the meeting?
M: We take a break at 10:30. My assistant Mia makes coffee for us all. Then it’s time to call customers and make sales.
W: That sounds good.
(Text 8)
M: Hey, Tina. This is Sam. How’s it going?
W: Pretty good, Sam. How are you?
M: Great! Do you want to go to the movies tonight?
W: Sorry, we don’t go out on Saturdays. Tom and I always stay at home and watch TV.
M: That’s OK. Is Tom there now?
W: Yes, but he is talking on his cell phone with his sister, Julie. Do you remember her?
M: Yes, of course. She lives in Seattle right now, right?
W: Right, but she’s in town now. She stays with a friend for a few days.
M: That’s nice. Tell her I say hello.
W: Sure.
(Text 9)
W: Hello, Ben! How was your weekend?
M: Great, thanks! I visited York with Helen and the kids. York is a really beautiful historic city and there are lots of old buildings. And my friend booked us a really nice hotel.
W: Oh? What did you do while you were there?
M: Well, we visited the old castle on Saturday. I love history and the kids enjoyed exploring all the different rooms. And we visited the museum on Sunday. It’s so interesting. You can see what the town looked like in the past.
W: What did you do on Saturday evening?
M: I wanted to go to a football match, but there were no tickets. So we went to see a movie instead. The kids liked it, but I didn’t. It was boring, to be honest.
W: What did you do for food?
M: Helen likes trying new food different from Italian food. So we planned to go to a Thai restaurant. Helen enjoyed it, but the kids didn’t like the food, so we walked to a Chinese restaurant, further along the street.
(Text 10)
M: Hi, I’m Chris from Florida. Last year, I moved to London, where I’m working for an American company. It’s been a big change, and there have been lots of things to get used to. For example, in the U.S. we drive on the right, while here in Britain I’ve had to get used to driving on the left.
What else? Well, the weather in Florida is usually great, so I’m used to lots of sunshine, and I used to sunbathe a lot. In London it rains so much. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it, and I always remember to take my umbrella with me.
Food in England is different, too. In America, I used to eat a lot of Mexican food. Here in England, people love Indian food, so I’m getting used to the different tastes. At the company where I work, it’s quite different. I used to work from 9 a.m. till 11 p.m. I hated working so late. Here in England, I start at 8:30 a.m., but finish at 5 p.m. On Friday evening English people like to go to the club with friends, but in America I used to go to the gym. I love sports.
Is there anything else? Some of the words are different. The subway is called the “underground” in London, and British people call the fall “autumn”.