天津市部分区 2019~2020 学年度第一学期期中练习
高三英语
本试卷分第 I 卷(选择题)和第 II 卷(非选择题)两部分,共 150 分.考试用时 120 分钟。
第 I 卷(选择题   共 115 分)
第一部分:听力(共两节,满分 20 分)
注意:做题时,先将答案划在试卷上。录音内容结束后,你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上
的答案转涂到答题卡上或填写到答题纸上。答在试卷上的无效。
第一节(共 5 小题;每小题 1 分,满分 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 三个选项中选出一个
最佳选项,并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后,你将有 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. Where is the boy's toy car?
A. On the table.       B. On the bed.       C. Inside the box.
2. When will the flight arrive in London?
A. At 1:00.      B. At 2:00.      C. At 3:00.
3. What is the woman?
A. A secretary.      B. A salesperson.       C. A social worker.
4. What are the speakers talking about?
A. The man's father.      B. The trip plan.      C. The man's bike.
5. Wby does the woman look troubled?
A. Because she has to leave her friend.
B. Because she doesn't like living in the dorm.
C. Because she can't manage to move house herself.
第二节(共 10 小题:每小题 1.5 分,满分 15 分)
听下面几段材料。每段材料后有几个小题,从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选项中选出一个
最佳选项,并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段材料前,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。每段材料读两遍。
听第 6 段材料,回答第 6 至第 8 三个小题。
6. What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Brother and sister.      B. Schoolmates.      C. Teacher and student.7. What makes the woman find it difficult to study at Oxford?
A. The learning style.      B. Large classes.       C. Heavy work.
8. What has the man been encouraged to do at school?
A. Answer questions.      B. Give opinions.      C. Memorize a lot.
听第 7 段材料,回答第 9 至第 11 三个小题。
9. What does the man mainly tell the woman?
A. Latest tours of New York.
B. Tips on visiting New York.
C. Some tourist attractions in New York.
10. What does the man advise people to do while visiting New York?
A. Make plans in advance.
B. Do much in a short time.
C. Visit the most famous place.
11. What should visitors avoid doing in New York?
A. Buying a bus pass.      B. Carrying much money.      C. Asking strangers questions.
听下面一段独白,回答第 12 至第 15 四个小题。
12. What language did the speaker learn from the teacher?
A. French.       B. German.       C. English.
13. What did the speaker's course book look like?
A. It was very modern.      B. It had a red back cover.      C. It was full of pictures.
14. How does the speaker feel about having classes?
A. Bored.      B. Tired.      C. Pleased.
15. What do we know about the speaker?
A. She knew a lot of French.
B. She had some lessons at home.
C. She has a talent for learning languages.
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。
16.——Do you mind if I open the window?——        it's too noisy outside.
A. Of course not.      B. Why not?      C. Go ahead.      D. I'd rather you didn't.
17.        the Internet has changed our life, not all of its effects have been positive.
A. Since       B. After       C. While       D. Unless
18. How excited they are! It seems that they       each other for years.
A. don't see       B. didn't see       C. haven't seen       D. hadn't seen
19. Scientists estimate that smoking reduces life expectancy by around 12 years        .
A. in common       B. in all       C. on the whole       D. on average
20. I'm afraid he's more of a talker than a doer,       is why he never finishes anything.
A. which       B. that       C. what       D. where
21.——Is there the movie Nezha on in the cinema tonight?
——There         be. I will phone the cinema and find it out.
A. might       B. would      C. need       D. must
22. Some tourists love to party there late into the night,        it difficult for locals to sleep.
A. made       B. making       C. to make       D. having made
23. After retirement, Mr. John        dancing, which he had always loved but had no time for.
A. took up       B. got up       C. held up       D. looked up
24. We are confident that the environment         by our further efforts to reduce pollution.
A. is improved       B. was improved       C. will be improved       D. had been improved
25. Doing your homework is a sure way to improve your test scores, and this is especially true 
         it comes to classroom tests.
A. after       B. since       C. before       D. when
26. Perhaps in the Lonji Rice terraces,              is most significant is the way in which people have 
worked in harmony with nature.
A. that       B. why       C. which       D. what
27. The basketball coach,as well as his team,                interviewed shortly after the match for their 
outstanding performance.
A. Is       B. was      C. were      D. are
28. I go         when there's a game on near home, but usually I watch it on TV.
A. occasionally      B. constantly      C. eventually       D. frequently29. While she was in Paris, she developed a        for line art.
A. way       B. relation       C. taste       D. habit
30.——Do remember to see your grandpa tomorrow!
——           .
A. Heard it       B. got it      C. Made It       D. Taken it
第二节:完形填空(共 20 小题;每小题 1.5 分,满分 30 分)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从 31~50 各题所给的 A、B、C、D 四个选项中,选出
最佳选项。
One day it was raining heavily and nearing dusk. I was      31      for an appointment in a nearby 
city that I knew only by GPS, and now my phone had      32      .The usual interstate(州际公路)exits 
were closed, and I couldn't      33      because it was raining so much. I couldn't      34      how to get 
where I was going or how to let my partners know that I was    35    to make it on time.
I      36      at a McDonald's in a poor area of a town and walked up to what appeared to be a 
mother and her teen daughter. "I'm sorry," I said "but do you mind      37      I search a number on 
your    38    and make a call? I need to let them know I'm    39    ?”She handed me her phone and 
then told me I was      40      , she was about to turn it off because she didn't have enough      41      to 
pay her bill.
The young girl and the mother    42    to be clinging(依赖的)to each other and talked together as 
I made the      43      . I managed to get in touch with the people. They thankfully knew where I was 
and told me    44    to get there.
As I readied myself to leave, I      45      into my wallet. I didn't usually have      46      , but 
today I found a $20 bill. In gratitude, I      47      it into the mother's hand and then turned to leave 
quickly, because I didn't want it to be about me.
As I walked through the doors,I heard the mother      48      .Her daughter called after me and 
said, "You have no idea how you just    49    us."
I still think back to that day, even now, they had no idea how much they helped me, yet I was 
the one being thanked. It's funny how that    50    .
31. A. hungry        B. ready        C. late       D. nervous
32. A. started        B. died        C. charged        D. disappeared
33. A. find        B. sleep       C. leave        D. see34. A. figure out       B. make out        C. pick out        D. take out
35. A. possible        B. quick        C. unlikely        D. able
36. A. left B. stopped C. stood D. sat
37. A. as B. so C. or D. If
38. A. phone B. map C. picture D. book
39. A. scared B. anxious C. lost. D. gone
40. A. excited B. lucky C. worried D. upset
41. A. time B. effort C. energy D. money
42. A. wanted B. happened C. seemed D. prove
43. A. plan B. call C. decision D. point
44. A. how B. when C. why D. whether
45. A. put B. looked C. reached D. turned
46. A. change B. coins C. cards D. cash
47. A. passed B. pressed C. handed D. sent
48. A. talking B. listening C. crying D. laughing
49. A. helped B. moved C. troubled D. annoyed
50. A. pushes        B. goes       C. pays        D. works
第三部分:阅读理解(共 20 小题;每小题 2.5 分,满分 50 分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的 A、B、C、D 四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
A
Our restaurant guide editor, Flora Garaway, spent a great deal of time finding all these new and 
exciting  restaurants  for  you  to  enjoy.  She  also  put  on  25  pounds.  The  restaurants  are  all  located 
around the lake and are very easy to find. If you would like to read what people say, or leave your 
own comment, please visit our website (www.eatout.com). Also, online you can see the full-length 
of reviews for the following restaurants.
Dave's on-the- Lake(Italian)
A stone's throw from the lake, this newly opened Italian restaurant has all any restaurants could 
offer, from delicious meatballs to tempting garlic bread and prize-winning wine.
Espudo Cornello’s(Mexican)
This redecorated and well designed Mexican restaurant is my personal favorite. The fresh fish are caught daily from the lake and the pancakes are made with the finest ingredients. The chef has 
lived  and  worked  for  restaurants  in  the  Eldora  region  in  Mexico  for  20  years  before  opening  his 
-own restaurant here. Seating is outdoor, where you can contemplate the night views and breathe the 
fresh air coming from the lake as you dine. This is something that is not to be found anywhere else 
close to the lake. The best of salsa music plays while you eat.
Bull Dog's (English Fish and Chips)
This restaurant is one of the successful chains now operating in the country. Several types of 
fish are available for you as well as a good selection of salads for healthier choice. Hand cut chips 
made from local potatoes make it even more 'appealing. A main course comes with 2 free drinks. It's 
definitely good value for money and very tasty too.
51. What can we learn about the restaurant guide editor?
A. She saw a lot of Mexican people.
B. She tasted a lot of food for work.
C. She did not really enjoy eating out.'
D. She was late in publishing her article.
52. According to Paragraph 2, Dave's-on-the-lake       .
A. is far away from the lake
B. has been the most successful chain
C. is a well furnished Mexican restaurant
D. can offer prize-winning wine to customers
53. What is special about Espado Cornelio's restaurant?
A. I t has outdoor seating.              B. Its food is delicious.
C. The fish arc caught weekly.          D. It Is close to the big buildings.
54. What can we know about Bull Dog's?
A. It provides fish mainly for customers on a diet.       B. It offers free drinks for dinner.
C. It has a wide selection of meat.                    D. It is not good value for money.
55. The underlined word "contemplate" In Paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to       .
A. remember        B. recognize       C. enjoy        D. draw
B
Let  me  explain  a  bit  by  telling  you  where  the  challenge  came  from.  I  have  many  things  in common with my dad, like music taste and sense of humour, but sadly reading isn't one of them. I 
can happily spend a whole day curled up with a book but my dad can't read a book for longer than 
about  5  minutes.  He  reads  emails,  websites  and  documents  for  work,  but  not  books.  I  think  that 
sitting down to read for just 15 minutes a day is a good, way to relax. Giving yourself a goal or a 
challenge is a good way to change a habit or achieve something, so why not try to create a new habit 
of reading?
I know lots of people would rather relax on their computers or in front of the TV. Everyone is 
different  and  has  their  own  interests,  but  I  think  there  are  lots  of  benefits  from  reading,  which 
screen-based activities (games, films, TV) don't have.
One thing I personally love about reading, is being transported to another world. I often forget 
the time or thing that are going on around me! Reading is a great way to switch off before you go to 
bed, so you can truly relax. I know you can be transported to a different world in a film or a TV 
show, but I think books do it better. While watching a film, I often talk to my flatmates, send texts, 
or paint my nails. A book, on the other hand commands your full attention.
Reading gives you the chance to get to know hundreds of new people! It also teaches you to see 
things from other people's point of view, and understand other people's decisions or opinions, With a 
book,  you  can  hear  everything  a  character  is  thinking  or  feeling——you  really  can  be  inside 
someone else's head!
So give it a go! Take 15 minutes when you're waking up, going to bed, eating lunch, or having 
a coffee. If you read a lot, why not try 15 minutes of an English book, or pass the challenge on to 
someone else? Good luck, and happy reading.
56. What can we learn about the author's father from Paragraph I?
A. He is kind-hearted.               B. He lacks humour.
C. He has a gift for singing.          D. He doesn't like reading.
57. Why is the author fond of reading?
A. Because she bears too much pressure.
B. Because it benefits her a lot.
C. Because it's the best way to kill time.
D. Because she hates to be in front of the TV or computers.
58. What is the difference between reading and watching TV according to the author?A. Reading needs more attention than watching TV does.
B. Watching TV makes one more relaxed than reading does.
C. Reading can widen people's interest while watching TV can't.
D. Watching TV brings one to a different world while reading doesn't.
59. How does the author develop Paragraph 4?
A. By listing benefits of reading books.           B. By shown the urgency of reading books.
C. By analyzing various characters in books.       D. By stressing the convenience of reading.
60. What's the best title for the text?
A. Reading helps to relax                B. Is reading really challenging?
C. The 15 minute reading challenge       D. The gap between my father and me
C
Trees  often  grow  to  appear  strong,  which  might  make  it  hard  to  believe  that  they're  easily 
harmed on the Inside. But that is the case, according to a worldwide survey of more than 200 types 
of  trees.  Researchers  studied  the  inner  part  of  the  trees  and  found  that  most  don't  have  a  built-in 
safety net 吐 hat would allow them to survive a serious drought.
"I think this is a really big deal." ecologist David Breshears said. He says it and other studies 
"keep pointing to: ‘Whoa, our forests are really fragile."'
Studies like this one are particularly worrying about climate change. The average temperature 
of the planet is rising. Scientists predict that warming will cause changes in rainfall patterns. That 
could lead to longer, more severe droughts in many regions around the world. As a result, the trees 
that now grow there could face a serious threat.
When drought strikes, trees begin to fail in the xylem(木质部), special tissue made of many 
tiny,  strawlike  tubes.  This  tissue  makes  it  possible  for  a  tree  to  draw  water  from  the  ground  and 
deliver it to the leaves. During times of drought, tiny air bubbles can develop in the tubes. Too many 
bubbles block the flow of water——and lead to certain death for the tree.
Brendan Choat, a plant physiologist, worked on the new study along with 23 other researchers. 
All together the scientists studied 226 tree species in 81 different sites around the world. Choat said 
that this study is the first to look at all forest types and find so many species living on the edge. Of 
the 226 different types of trees Choat and his colleagues studied, 70 percent lived close to the point 
where  a  serious  drought  would  stop  water  transport.  Trees  that  flower,  such  as  maples  and  oaks, were  more  vulnerable  than  conifers  ( 针 叶 树 ),  which,  including  pines  and  firs  have  evergreen, 
needlelike leaves.
Plant ecologist Bettina Engelbrecht said that in the interest of conservation, scientists can't just 
concentrate on a few species. "We have to worry about them all."
61. The first paragraph implies that trees        .
A. can live through a drought.
B. have the ability to protect themselves
C. are worth a great deal of money
D. are weak as a matter of fact
62. What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A. The drought.        B. The tube.        C. The water       D. The xylem.
63. What does Choat think of the study?
A One-sided.        B. Fruitless.        C. Time-consuming.        D. Meaningful.
64. According to Bettina, what should scientists do?
A. Care about the trees that flower.
B. Pay attention to all species of trees.
C. Find out why pines and firs are strong.
D. Study the trees living on the edge of death.
65. What can be the best title of the text?
A. Serious drought is a threat to most trees
B. Trees face death due to lack of protection
C. Global warming reduces the number of trees
D. Trees reflect the change of the global climate
D
Like  a  tired  marriage,  the  relationship  between  libraries  and  publishers  has  long  been  dull. 
E-books,  however,  are  causing  heartache.  Libraries  know  they  need  digital  wares,  but  many 
publishers are too cautious about piracy(盗版)and lost sales to co-operate. Among the big six, only 
Random House and Harper Collins license e-books with most libraries.
Publishers are wise to be nervous. Owners of E-readers are exactly the customers they need: 
book-lovers with money. If these people switch to borrowing c-books instead of buying them, what then? Electronic borrowing is awfully convenient. Unlike printed hooks, which must be checked out 
and returned to a physical library miles from where you live, book files can be downloaded at home. 
The tiles disappear from the device when they are due.
E-lending is not simple, however. There are lots of different and often incompatible(不兼容
的 )e-book  formats,  devices  and  licenses.  Most  libraries  use  a  company  called  OverDrive,  which 
secures rights from publishers and provides E-books and audio files in every format. Yet publishers 
and libraries are worried by OverDrive's global market dominance, as the company can control fees 
and  conditions.  Publishers  were  annoyed  when  OverDrive  cooperated  with  Amazon,  the  world's 
biggest  online  bookseller,  last  year.  Owners  of  Amazon's  Kindle  E-reader  who  want  to  borrow 
E-books from libraries are now redirected to Amazon's website, where they must use their Amazon 
accounts to secure a loan.
According to Pew, an opinion researcher, library users are perfect for market for Amazon. Late 
last  year  Amazon  Introduced  its  Kindle  Owners'  Lending  Library,  which  lets  its  best  customers 
borrow free one of thousands of popular books each month.
Library supporters argue that book borrowers are also book buyers and that libraries are vital 
spaces for readers to discover new work. Many were cheered by a recent Pew survey, which found 
that more than half of Americans with library-cards say they prefer to buy their e-books.
66. It can be inferred from paragraph I that          .
A. libraries and publishers face the same problem of e-books' piracy
B. libraries are eager to keep strong relationship with publishers
C. most publishers are hesitant to cooperate with libraries
D. several big publishers have sold E-books to libraries
67. Why are publishers worried that people will switch to electronic borrowing?
A. Book sales may drop sharply because of convenient electronic borrowing.
B. There are lots of different and incompatible E-book formats available.
C. There is no time limit for the book files downloaded on the device.
D. E-books must be checked out and returned to libraries regularly.
68. What do we learn about Over Drive?
A. It has the privilege to offer readers various brands of E-readers.
B. It distributes E-books and audio files to publishers.C. Its market control threatens publishers and libraries.
D. It devotes itself to improving conditions of e-book market.
69. We can learn from the passage that         .
A. E-books can be lent at libraries as many times as you like
B. OverDrive distributes E-books and audio files to publishers
C. over half of Americans are borrowing E-books from libraries
D. Amazon is adopting measures to win more customers
70. What is the best title for the text?
A. The Hopeful Future of Publishing Business
B. Libraries and E-books
C. The Dull Relationship between Libraries and Publishers
D. The Close Cooperation between OverDrive and Amazon
第 II 卷(非选择题   共 35 分)
第四部分:写作(共两节,满分 35 分)
第一节:阅读表达(共 5 小题;每小题 2 分,满分 10 分)
阅读下面短文,并按照题目要求用英语回答问题。
"I wish that in one instant I could tell you of my safe arrival, but we are 3,000 miles apart and 
must  wait  for  long  weeks  to  hear  from  each  other.  "Samuel  Morse  was  20  when  he  wrote  this 
sentence in a letter to his mother in 1811. He was in London studying art. She was at the home in 
Charlestown, Mass, USA, where he had been born. Perhaps it was at the moment of writing the letter 
that young Morse first had the desire to bridge space with flying words. This desire was later to give 
the world the electric telegraph.
Samuel  returned  in  1815  to  work  on  history  painting  much  admired  in  Europe.  Morse 
completed an oil painting The House of Representatives, expecting that this would bring him fame. 
But  there  was  hardly  any  demand  in  the  United  Stated  for  history  painting,  and  he  unwillingly 
started to support himself by painting portraits. He was often close to poverty during his career as an 
artist.
During a voyage from Europe to America in 1832, Morse met Thomas Jackson, a scientist who 
had  recently  attended  lectures  on  electricity  in  Paris.  Conversations  with  Jackson  made  the  artist 
believe that an electrical current could be used for communication. During  the  rest  of  the  voyage  he  worked  excitedly  on  drawings  for  his  plan.  After  his  arrival  at 
home, he abandoned his artistic career to give his full attention to the project.
Morse had an fertile mind but little knowledge of electricity. He did years of work and study to 
perfect his invention. In 1837 he applied for a patent on The American Electromagnetic Telegraph. 
Finally,  in  1843  the  United  States  Congress  provided  30,000  to  build  a  line  from  Washington  to 
Baltimore.
In  May  1844  the  first  message  was  flashed  over  this  wire.  Newspapers,  railroads,  and 
businesses quickly found use for the telegraph, which for the first time created a global community.
71 .What did Morse find after returning from Europe in 1815? (no more than 8 words)
                                                                               
72. What does the underlined word "fertile" mean? (no more than I word)
                                                                               
73. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?(no more than 8 words)
                                                                               
74. How does the author organize the passage? (no more than 4 words)
                                                                               
75. What do you think can make a person succeed in a certain field?(no more than 20 words)
                                                                               
第二节:书面表达(满分 25 分)
76.假定你是李津,是校学生会主席。请给你校来自英国的外教 Peter 写封邮件。邀请他下周在
你校每周一期“世界各地”论坛(Places around the world forum)发表演说,介绍英国首都伦敦。
邮件主要内容包括:
1:简介“世界各地”论坛;2.发出邀请:3.演说主题;4.期待回复。
注意:
1.词数不少于 100;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
Dear Peter,
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                               
Yours
Li Jin天津市部分区 2019~2020 学年度第一学期期中练习
高三英语参考答案
1-5 BCACC 6-10 BABBA 11-15 BCACC
16-20 DCCDA 21-25 ABACD 26-30 DBACB
31-35  CBDAC 36-40 BDACB 41-45 DCBAC 46-50 DBCAD
51-55 BDABC 56-60 DBAAC 61-65 DCDBA 66-70 CACDB
71. Americans had little interest in history painting.
72. Creative/Clever/Original/inventive.
73. How Morse got the idea for his invention.
74. In order of time.
75. To achieve success in a field, one must work hard and have interest in it.
One possible version:
Dear Peter,
My name is Li Jin. I'm the chairman of the Students' Union of our school. Have you heard 
about the forum “Places Around the World" of our school? It's held in the lecture hall of our 
school every Friday afternoon. Each week a lecturer is invited to make a speech about one city 
in the world. We'd like to invite you to give us a lecture about London next Friday. We'd like 
you to tell us something about London's history, culture, people., foods, places of interest and 
so on so that we can have a better idea of London. We would be greatly honored if you could 
accept our invitation.
Looking forward to your reply!
Yours sincerely.
Li  Jin
天津市部分区 2019~2020 学年度第一学期期中练习
高三英语听力稿
(Text 1)
M: My room is pretty, isn't it? Look, I study on this table. I put my toys in this box.
W: Is your new toy car inside the box too?M: Of course not. It is on my bed. I play with it before bedtime.
(Text 2)
M: Excuse me. What time docs the flight get into London?
W: Well. it's 2:00 now so I will arrive in an hour. Would you like some drink, sir?
M: Some coffee, thanks.
(Text 3)
M: You look sad, L aura. What's wrong?
W: 1 hate being a secretary making and answering phone calls. And I’m tired of preparing 
reports for the sales manager. I's boring. I really like to do some social work.
(Text4)
W: Wow! Your bike looks much better than I remember. Is it new?
M: No. It’s my old bike. My dad fixed it after he heard about our plan to go cycling.
(Text 5)
M: You look a bit troubled!
W: Yes. I'm supposed to move out of my dorm, but my friend just called to say that he had 
something important to do and that he couldn't make it here.
M: That's not a problem. I can lend you a hand.
(Text 6)
M: What's wrong with you? 
W: I'm finding studying at oxford quite hard. 
M: You're telling me there's so much work. 
W: It's not the work——but everything’s so different In China, generally we have large 
classes,  but  we  don't  have  classes  after  that.  And  mostly,  our  teachers  tell  us  what  we 
should do, so I'm not used to asking questions or discussing things.
M: You have to memorize a lot, don't you?
W: Yes, but I'm good at that.
M: You're lucky. There's so much to remember studying law!
W:  Yes,  well,  we've  been  trained  to  do  that.  But  we  don'  t  have  so  much  training  in 
thinking, such as giving your opinion and then proving it.
M: Yes, I suppose that's what our teachers have always encouraged us to do.
(Text 7)
W: So what should people do to make their visit to New York safe and pleasant.?
M:  Don't  try  to  do  too  much  in  a  short  time.  That's  very  important.  You  should  start 
planning before you get here. You ought to decide beforehand which places you most want 
to visit.
W: Are there any good tours available?
M:  Yes.  There  are  many.  Some  companies  offer  bus  tours  that  stop  at  all  the  tourist 
attractions. You can buy a bus pass. And you should visit our website to find out about the latest tours.   W: I see. And is New York a safe city for visitors?
M: It's safer than many cities in the world. But you should still be careful. For example, 
don't go out on your own at night. And never carry much money on you. Oh, and don't be 
afraid  to  ask  strangers  questions.  New  Yorkers  are  actually  friendly.  They  are  happy  to 
give directions.
(Text 8)
W:I'm Lee Minwoo from South Korea. When I was little I was very interested in English. 
I  learned  English  at  school.  There  was  a  good  teacher  who  was  not  a  native  English 
speaker.  He  taught  French  and  German,  but  he  really  spoke  English  quite  well.  It  was 
funny because I was the only student in his class —— it was really a private lesson. I had 
an  excellent course  book.  I still keep  a copy  of  it.  The front  cover  was  red with  a lovely 
picture,  and  it  was  very  modern.  Learning  English  was  quite  easy  for  me  because  the 
teacher was so good and he helped a lot. Also, I’m quite good at learning languages. It was 
really enjoyable to have classes. I loved the sound of the words. I felt really proud when my 
spelling improved day by day and I could read a short story. In middle school, English was 
still my favorite subject. I even stayed in America for one year as an exchange student. I 
learned a lot there, not only English but different cultures.