南通市2016届高三第三次调研测试
英 语 2016.05
本试卷分第Ⅰ卷(选择题)和第Ⅱ卷(非选择题)两部分。满分120分，考试时间120分钟。
第Ⅰ卷(选择题 共85分)
第一部分：听力(共两节，满分20分)
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. Where will the woman go?
A. A store. B. The school. C. The stadium.
( )2. Why is the man excited?
A. He bought new clothes. B. He gets a store discount.
C. The woman invited him to shop.
( )3. What does the woman suggest the man do?
A. Do some tests. B. Take exercise. C. Visit her at weekends.
( )4. What did the man do before the phone call?
A. He looked up a number. B. He asked his sister for a number.
C. He did an online search.
( )5. How much did the woman pay for the shoes?
A. $475. B. $522.5. C. $550.
第二节(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15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，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. What does the woman do?
A. She's a writer. B. She's a policewoman. C. She's a reporter.
( )7. What can we learn about the man's latest book?
A. It's a science fiction novel. B. It's the author's first best－seller.
C. It's based on a true story.
听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。
( )8. How much sunlight does the plant need?
A. A lot. B. Just a little. C. None at all.
( )9. What does the woman think of the plant?
A. It's very expensive. B. It's too difficult to keep alive. C. It's beautiful and perfect.
听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。
( )10. What does the man plan to do?
A. Move out of the city. B. Find a new job. C. Buy a house in the city.
( )11. What annoys the man about their location?
A. The neighbors. B. The noise. C. The air pollution.
( )12. How does the woman feel about moving?
A. She is eager to move. B. She prefers to move to another city.
C. She doesn't really want to move.
听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。
( )13. What music of Madonna makes the man want to dance?
A. Holiday. B. The 80s music. C. New music.
( )14. What does the woman advise the man to do?
A. Make new memories. B. Teach her something different.
C. Learn from her mistakes.
( )15. What does the woman think about school?
A. Studying is complicated. B. It's fun to do well.
C. Getting good grades is important.
( )16. What does the man mean in the end?
A. He will forget the past. B. The woman is right.
C. He will give up history.
听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
( )17. What is TaskRabbit?
A. A service company. B. An old company with new ideas.
C. A successful magazine that offers many services.
( )18. What could a TaskRabbit worker do?
A. Find you a job to do. B. Lend you money for rent.
C. Help you move your furniture.
( )19. Who founded the company TaskRabbit?
A. Leah Busque. B. Sally. C. Neighbours.
( )20. What inspired the founder of TaskRabbit?
A. Making millions of dollars. B. Finding ways to help the elderly.
C. Connecting neighbors to help each other.
第二部分：英语知识运用(共两节，满分35分)
第一节：单项填空(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
请认真阅读下面各题，从题中所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
( )21. — I sometimes call my son abroad, but it's expensive.
— Why do you waste money ________ you could easily use Wechat or QQ?
A. while B. unless C. until D. when
( )22. Alice went fishing in the company of her father early in the morning and she ________ life lessons along the way.
A. was learning B. has learned C. is learning D. had learned
( )23. Education is to change traditionally－minded individuals, typically those who are not prepared to ________， and to encourage critical thinking.
A. compensate B. accumulate C. investigate D. innovate[来源:Z+xx+k.Com]
( )24. I found my computer functioning much better, ________ a new operating system.
A. to install B. installing C. having installed D. installed
( )25. — I hope you'll make good efforts while I'm away.
— Be assured! You'll be amazed at what ________ accomplished when you get back.
A. will have been B. has been C. was D. would be
( )26. Echo is always complaining about her job as a cashier, but frankly it's ________ to have a job in these difficult days.
A. anything B. everything C. something D. nothing
( )27. — Jack has been out of consciousness since the accident. Will he come to himself, doctor?
— It's going to be tough but we anticipate that he will ________．
A. put through B. pull through C. put over D. pull over
( )28. She would be much healthier now ________ with that much pressure from work when young.
A. had she not burdened herself B. were she not burdened
C. should she not burden herself D. were she not to be burdened
( )29. There has been positive reaction to the proposal of helping the disabled, the impact ________ will be lasting especially for younger ones.
A. on which B. on whom C. of which D. of whom
( )30. What is expected of the 90's generation, who tend to spend most of their income every month, is ________ they should form a sense of saving.
A. when B. whether C. that D. how
( )31. It is widely accepted that the stock market usually reflects a country's economic ________．
A. function B. cooperation C. performance D. dependence
( )32. People's awareness of obeying the law is ________ to the guarantee of food safety.
A. sensitive B. superior C. loyal D. crucial
( )33. His way of addressing one hard problem last Friday ________ lead to the rise of another.
A. would rather B. may well C. shall D. need
( )34. — It is really boring to practise playing the piano every day.
— Come on, dear! The rewards you get are ________ the effort you put in.
A. in proportion to B. in addition to
C. in contrast to D. in regard to
( )35. — What luck! I failed in the driving test again.
— ________？ Did you make the same mistake?
A. What if B. How come C. Why not D. So what
第二节： 完形填空(共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分)
请认真阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Just the other day, a fierce storm hit our community. I looked out the window and witnessed a tree being __36__ by the fierce winds. The branches bent, and swayed(摇摆) back and forth, thanks to their __37__ to avoid breaking. The leaves desperately stuck to the branches because their life __38__ the tree. The powerful trunk that __39__ the tree upright bent slightly backwards
from the force in a battle to __40__ its position.
After the storm had passed, the tree gracefully returned to its __41__ position standing tall amongst the chaos. It managed to __42__ the storm. It didn't look the same as leaves had shed from its branches and the soil had loosened a bit, but what __43__ is that the tree won the fight for its life.
For a long time I couldn't understand why this tree __44__ my attention the way it did. As time passed, it became __45__ that it wasn't just about the tree but about the roots, which, although unseen, dig deep into the soil providing __46__ and nutrition. The roots allow the tree to be able to take a __47__ because they are there to support them.
I couldn't but ask myself how deep the roots are in my life. __48__， the next time you catch your kids __49__， when the job is driving you crazy, when you are underpaid and the __50__ is tight, and when the storms of life are raging, go back to your roots. Life is full of __51__. They will make you sway, make you __52__， make you lose some leaves but the deeper your roots the stronger you stand.
Faced with __53__ you might bend but don't break. No matter how hard the wind blows don't let life __54__ you into an uncomfortable position. Your __55__ lies in your roots.
( )36. A. crushed B. abused C. broken D. removed
( )37. A. height B. thickness C. flexibility D. outline
( )38. A. answered for B. depended on C. catered for D. touched on
( )39. A. held B. tied C. pulled D. raised
( )40. A. achieve B. reach C. establish D. maintain
( )41. A. current B. final C. original D. comfortable
( )42. A. explore B. avoid C. chase D. survive
( )43. A. counts B. differs C. concerns D. reveals
( )44. A. fixed B. transferred C. escaped D. caught
( )45. A. strange B. obvious C. possible D. reasonable
( )46. A. surroundings B. resources C. probablity D. stability
( )47. A. beating B. stand C. chance D. turning
( )48. A. However B. Therefore C. Nevertheless D. Besides
( )49. A. misbehaving B. struggling C. withdrawing D. misunderstanding
( )50. A. security B. deadline C. money D. community
( )51. A. surprises B. choices C. storms D. changes
( )52. A. smile B. bend C. hesitate D. advance
( )53. A. opportunities B. challenges C. tasks D. differences
( )54. A. trick B. argue C. force D. admit
( )55. A. courage B. ambition C. value D. strength
第三部分： 阅读理解 (共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Mount Cook National Park is home of the highest mountains and the longest glaciers. It is alpine(高山) in the purest sense—with skyscraping peaks, glaciers and permanent snow fields, all set under a star－studded sky.
Key Highlights
Although it includes 23 peaks over 3，000 metres high, this park is very accessible. State
Highway 80 leads to Mt Cook Village which is situated beside scenic Lake Pukaki and provides a comfortable base for alpine activities. Far from city lights, the stargazing here is magnificent—Aoraki Mount Cook National Park forms the majority of New Zealand's only International Dark Sky Reserve.
Mountaineers regard the area to be the best climbing region, while less skilled adventurers find plenty of satisfaction with the mountain walks that lead to alpine tarns, herb fields and spectacular glacier views. Encounters(遇到) with cheeky kea (mountain parrots) are part of the fun.
Key Activities
Mountain walks
There are 10 short walks beginning near the village. All tracks are formed and well marked. The Red Tarns Track, Kea Point and the Hooker Valley Track each take around two hours return. For more experienced alpine hikers, there are three mountain pass routes—over the Mueller, Copland and Ball passes.
Glacier viewing and skiing
Helicopters and ski－planes provide access to the park's fabulous glaciers. The Tasman Glacier is an excellent choice for intermediate skiers, while the Murchison, Darwin and Bonney glaciers promise excitement for advanced skiers. From October until May, you can explore the Tasman Glacier's terminal lake by boat.
Mountaineering
Climbing Mount Cook remains the ultimate challenge, but there are many other peaks to tempt experienced climbers. Tasman, Malte Brun, Elie de Beaumont, Sefton and La Perouse are local favourites.
Key Tips
·Climbers don't require permits, but are requested to complete a trip intentions form.
·Local guides are available for climbing, walking and glacier skiing.
·Winter climbing is an extreme sport—only recommended for well－prepared, experienced mountaineers.
·The weather can change very suddenly—be prepared for heavy rainfall, snow and/or high winds.
·The park has an airport serving domestic commercial flights and scenic flight operators.
( )56. Which is one of the characteristics of Mount Cook National Park?
A. It is so－called alpine and hard to reach.
B. It provides star－shining night skies for visitors.
C. It attracts less skilled visitors to all alpine activities.
D. It appeals to adventurers mainly for finding cheeky kea.
( )57. If you are a visitor to the park, you should ________．
A. properly evaluate your own experience and skill
B. get your permit prepared before you start to climb
C. hire local guides to help you to train for climbing
D. choose Darwin glacier to ski on as an intermediate skier
B
A report released this month found that grouping children by ability is on the rise again—teaching students in groups of similar ability has improved achievement for fast and slow
learners alike—and who wouldn't want bright kids to be able to move ahead, or strugglers to get the help they need?
But for most kids, labels(标签) applied early in life tend to stick, even if they are wrong.
Sorting school children by ability has long been controversial. In some countries, especially in Asia, school－wide tracking(分流) remains normal. Children are tested and placed in different schools that direct them toward professional or vocational careers. Movement between the tracks is rare.
School－wide tracking decreased in U．S. schools in the 1960s and 1970s. It never died out, though. Sorting students into separate tracks for math at about junior high school age continues to be common, and other forms of tracking persist as well.
Unlike tracking, which means sorting students into separate classrooms, ability grouping happens within classrooms. When done according to the latest research, it has proven to promote achievement.
Ability grouping is changeable and temporary. Within classrooms, students might be divided into different learning groups dealing with materials of different levels. Any students who master concepts can move upward between groups, and the student groups might look different from subject to subject and unit to unit. For instance, a student who stands out in language arts might be at an average or slower level in math. A student who flies through multiplication tables might need extra help with fractions. Students who lag in reading can be pulled out of the classroom in small groups for practice with a tutor until their reading improves.
Research shows ability grouping within classes has more positive benefits than tracking. However, that must be weighed against the challenges involved. In many regular classrooms, the differences between student ability levels are very big. That presents challenges for teachers and low－performing students to constantly compare themselves with students who seem to fly through school with ease.
The rigid ability groups and tracking of the past are still with us in many schools. Likely, labels are applied with more caution than in the bad old days when some teachers gave reading groups not－so－secret code names like “Bluebirds” “Robins” “Crows” and “Buzzards”. But kids still know.
( )58. Why is grouping children by ability becoming popular again?
A. Because most teachers do not like slower learners.
B. Because grouping children should be done early in life.
C. Because it is academically beneficial to different learners.
D. Because fast learners can move ahead without teachers' help.
( )59. By saying “Movement between the tracks is rare.”in Paragraph 3, the writer really means ________．
A. tracking children is normal in Asia
B. school－wide tracking has decreased in US
C. professional and vocational careers are unrelated
D. sorted students can hardly change schools
( )60. The examples in Paragraph 6 are used mainly to illustrate ________．
A. a good language learner promises to be good at maths
B. a student might join different groups for different courses
C. ability grouping benefits gifted students more than slow ones
D. ability grouping presents no challenge for those slow students
( )61. What might be the challenge in regular classrooms for teachers?
A. Students' different levels. B. Students' low performance.
C. Constant self－comparison. D. Application of not－so－secret code.
C
Microsoft just finished a three－month experiment operating an underwater data center. A server rack(服务器支架) with the power of about 300 PCs was placed into a water－tight(防水) steel container and lowered into the ocean off the coast of central California.
The unusual experiment was launched because current data centers are unpleasantly inefficient. They're built where energy and land are cheap (not close to where people actually live). And they waste so much energy cooling their massive computers. The ocean can solve those problems. The cold ocean floor sufficiently cools the computing components inside the pod. And since most people live near the ocean, placing data centers under water could potentially increase the speed at which customers could access the information stored in Microsoft's cloud.
The experiment was so successful that Microsoft operated the underwater data center for 75 days longer than it had planned to. The next step is to get a larger pod, with about four times the computing power, under the ocean for testing. Unlike the first experiment, the next pod will also be equipped with turbines, which will transform the ocean's currents into electricity. It's not clear when, if ever, underwater data centers will become a possible product. “Our first experiment was like dipping our pinkie toe in the water, and now we're going for the big toe，” said Lee, corporate vice president of Microsoft Research.
Microsoft is still analyzing the environmental impacts of the study. Data centers are both hot and loud, which could have damaging effects on ocean life. Microsoft found that the noise its underwater data center produced was drowned out by nearby shrimp and crabs. The data centers are also built from recyclable materials, and Microsoft believes that the total carbon footprint of underwater data centers will be “dramatically lower” than current land－based centers.
Given the growth in the cloud, industry analysts believe that most of the world's data centers have yet to be built. But building a data center takes at least two years—an eternity in the fast－developing tech industry. As a result, Microsoft builds its data centers with the future in mind, installing far more computing power and space than it currently needs.
Lee believes that going under water can shift the building of data centers from construction projects to manufacturing jobs. “What if we could mass－produce these pods on an assembly line？” he thought. “We could deliver a data center, from conception to operation, in 90 days. That's dramatically different than what's happening today.”
( )62. What is the advantage of an underwater data center?
A. It can be lowered to the ocean floor easily.
B. It can cool computing components automatically.
C. It can be built close to the place where people live.
D. It can make information easily accessible to people.
( )63. We can infer that the underwater data centers ________．
A. cause little harm to the ocean life B. are more environmentally friendly
C. change the course of ocean currents D. are easy to build in large quantities
( )64. The underlined word “eternity” in Paragraph 5 means “________”．
A. an extremely long time B. an extended period
C. a seemingly short time D. a fruitful period
( )65. The passage tries to inform readers that ________．
A. an experiment was made in operating a data center
B. Microsoft will mass－produce pods on an assemble line
C. Microsoft succeeded in putting a data center underwater
D. underwater data centers are more efficient than land－based ones
D
My father's family is not a musical family. They are a family of words. My brother has my father's dark hair, his love of a good argument. I take after my mother. From her I inherited a curious nature, a sense of adventure, bright red hair. I did not, contrary to her hopes, inherit a talent for the piano. That fact was established beyond doubt after unsuccessful attempts to draw music from me.
The piano lessons began when I was four. My mother was convinced that I would be a child Mozart. She found the ideal teacher—Madame Oblenka, a strict Russian woman, whose pursed lips were enough to frighten a wild horse into submission. Madame Oblenka, who expected a little Mozart, was not very delighted to find a little girl banging her fists(拳头) on the keys.
I tried to please her. “Feel the music，” she urged. I “felt” it and winced(退避) my ears—for what is more unpleasant than a series of wrong notes played continuously? She “felt” my music, too, which is why she always left with an angrier expression than when she came.
Once, when I was ten, I managed to record one of my own rehearsals(练习). In order to escape my practice sessions, I would close myself behind the door of the piano room, put on the tape recording, and read until the tape had finished. That method worked for a week, until my mother began to wonder why I always missed the same B－sharp. She knocked on the door, and, receiving no answer, came in to check on me and found that I had fallen asleep while the tape of my performance played on and on.
I was twelve when my parents finally acknowledged that my hidden talent was not about to emerge(显现) any time soon. My mother, refusing to admit defeat, told me to pick another instrument. “Choose anything you want, Honey，” she said, assuming that freedom of choice would inspire devotion. I thought long and hard and chose the drums. My parents, sensitive to noise, would be less than overjoyed by a daily bombardment of playing. I imagined my father in his study, cotton wads in his ears.
I worked my way through several other instruments before my mother hit on another idea. Maybe I wasn't meant to be an instrumentalist. Realizing that drama might be more suited to my talents, Mom took me to a drama teacher. However, he put me backstage, painting scenery. Once I recovered from my sense of injury, I realized the wisdom of his choice. I loved the active, practical backstage world, and I discovered that I had a knack for constructing and painting. I loved the challenge of taking our scanty(贫乏的) supplies and using them to make something beautiful. Imagining a scene and then seeing it emerge before me—this, to me, was close to magic.
I'm a sculptor now, and every day I experience afresh the joy of being fully absorbed in the act of artistic creation. It's a wonderful, blissful(乐而忘忧) feeling. I realize that my parents, in their misguided attempts to interest me in music, were trying to give me this feeling. And now I feel grateful. Perhaps they went about it in the wrong way, but their hearts were in the right place.[来源:Z。xx。k.Com]
( )66. Madame Oblenka always felt angry because ________．
A. the author was too young to play the piano well
B. the author often pointed out the wrong notes of her
C. the author kept banging on the keys unconsciously
D. the author's performance was far from satisfactory
( )67. Which of the following best reveals the author's attitude towards piano practice?[来源:学|科|网]
A. She tried to make the piano teacher pleased.
B. She recorded her performance for improvement.
C. She played the recording instead of practising.
D. She repeated the same mistake in practising.
( )68. Why did the author choose the drums as a musical instrument?
A. She was eager to free herself from piano lessons.
B. She was reluctant to play an instrument.
C. She was confident of handling them.
D. She was fond of beating drums.
( )69. The author's mother can be best described as ________．
A. devoted and stubborn B. encouraging and independent
C. helpful and considerate D. hardworking and generous
( )70. We can learn from the passage ________．
A. parents should encourage their children to create art
B. the ordinary backstage work can help one succeed
C. you can only get better at something if you practice
D. art should be treated as a joy rather than a burden第Ⅱ卷(非选择题 共35分)
第四部分：任务型阅读(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)
请认真阅读下面短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填1个单词。
Social Networking and Its Effect
Social networking has become an unquestionable part of our everyday lives. Those who have a life on the Internet do not always realize that they are losing their connections with the real world. Nowadays, a reputation online is more important. Some are even finding a way to make a living online. Social media seems to have quite the impact, especially on teenagers.
Years ago, before social networking existed, friends would go out and have a good time, and popularity in high school would be something of importance to a lot of people. Today, popularity means having a lot of followers on Twitter or Tumblr. Tumblr has its own way of creating “celebrities”. Users are considered “Tumblr famous” if they have a high number of followers. Websites make us think that greatness is achieved just because thousands of strangers are familiar with your face. Popularity is not about having a lot of friends anymore; it is just about being known for absolutely nothing.
Social networking has its positives, considering it allows us to connect with friends and
family in a matter of seconds. Although this is extremely useful, it is also destroying our ability to make real life conversations. People are attacked over the Internet, but do not say a word to each other in person. Social media is preventing us from standing up for ourselves the way we should be. Facebook limits our conversations that we have with people, which is why it is always better to strike up a conversation in person instead of through a computer screen. Social networking destroys the true meaning of human interaction.
Teens are finding new ways to make a living out of advertisements that they post on their social networking pages. Social networks allow them to make money without even getting up off the couch. Being out in the real world and working creates ways to communicate and is a crucial part of life, but that will be destroyed if young teens think it is okay to just make money through social media. Social networking makes things easier, but that does not always mean that it makes things better.
Social networking affects young lives and causes teens to grow up differently from how their older relatives have. They rely on their blogs and pages to communicate with people, keep up with the latest trends and enjoy their separate little world. Social media has ruined how life should be: fun, adventurous and exciting. Instead, it has turned most teenagers into anti－social couch potatoes. There needs to be a break from social networking so young people can once again live a real life in the real world.
Title: Social Networking and Its Effect
Introduction
Our daily lives are (71)______ connected to social networking, which has great impact in different aspects
Populairty online
●For high school students today, popularity is (72)______ by the number of followers they have on Twitter or Tumblr
●Popularity online concerns nothing but the (73)______
The (74)______effects
of social networking
●Online (75)______ occurs among people who actually do not know each other
●Facebook makes it (76)______ likely for people to communicate in person
The impacts on
teenagers
●Social networking allows teens to make money by (77)______ online
●Teens make money without communicating in the real world, which is not necessarily a (78)______ thing
●Teens (79)______ themselves from society, addicted to a virtual world
●Social networking (80)______ teens from living a fun, adventurous and exciting life
第五部分：书面表达(满分25分)
请阅读下面文字及图表，并按照要求用英语写一篇150词左右的文章。
Since 2014, the goal of building a “nation of readers” has been included in the annual Report on the Work of the Government. Just ahead of World Book Day, the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication has issued its findings in a survey of Chinese reading habits. Chinese people read on average about eight books in the year 2015, a slight increase compared with that in the previous years.
However, things are quite different among teenagers. Below is a chart which shows the number of books read by Chinese under age 17 in the years of 2014 and 2015 respectively(分别地)．
【写作内容】
1. 用约30个字单词概述上述文字及图表的主要内容。
2. 结合上述信息，简要分析可能导致青少年图书阅读量下降的原因。
3. 结合自身实际，就如何提高青少年的图书阅读量提几点建议(不少于两点)。
【写作要求】
1. 写作过程中不能直接引用原文语句。
2. 作文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。
3. 不必写标准。
【评分标准】 内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适当。
____
2016届高三模拟考试试卷(三)(扬州、南通)
英语参考答案及听力材料
听力
1～5 ABBAA 6～10 CCBCA 11～15 BCAAC 16～20 BACAC
单项填空
21～25 DADCA 26～30 CBACC 31～35 CDBAB
完形填空
36～40 BCBAD 41～45 CDADB 46～50 DABAC 51～55 CBBCD
阅读理解
56～57 BA 58～61 CDBA 62～65 DBAC 66～70 DCBAD
任务型阅读
71. closely/tightly 72. determined/decided 73. face 74. negative 75. violence/attack
76. less 77. advertising 78. good 79. shut/separate/withdraw 80. discourages/prevents/stops/keeps/blocks
书面表达
One possible version：
Despite the fact that the Chinese generally read more books compared with the previous years, the past year witnessed a significant decline in the number of books read by those under age 17, especially the middle school students.
Quite a few things give rise to the problem. Due to the fierce competition, the load of study for middle school students gets heavier and heavier as their grade advances, leaving little time for reading. What's worse, electronic devices and various forms of entertainment have taken what little there is of their spare time.
To deal with the problem, we ourselves should know the significance of reading for our growth and develop a good reading habit. For me, I will try to take part in various reading activities to enhance my enthusiasm in reading. Moreover, I will make plans for reading on the monthly basis. Only in this way can I read and enjoy more books.
听力材料
Text 1[来源:学.科.网]
M: Would you like to drop by the football stadium and watch a game with me?
W: Sorry, I already have plans. I'm taking a break from school to check out a new shop with a friend of mine. Maybe another day.
Text 2
M: I just got a job at Macy's!
W: Really?
M: It doesn't pay much, but I get a 40% store discount. Now, I can buy some new designer clothes. Do you want to go shopping with me? You are so stylish, so you can help me pick things out.
W: I'd love to! I'll be your personal shopper.
Text 3
M: I've been very worried, and I don't know why I've been so sick.
W: Don't worry. Do some running, see me in a week, and let me know if things change. I'll
run some tests on you if you're still not feeling well.
Text 4
W: Hello, this is Susan Spears...
M: Oops, I'm so sorry. I must have called the wrong Susan Spears. My sister－in－law is American, not British. I'll have to check the phone book again.
Text 5
W: How do you like my Jimmy Choo shoes? They were only $475, and since I paid with my Macy's credit card, I saved an extra 10%!
M: Those are too pricey. I've only heard about people on TV wearing them. Okay, you saved 10%, but you still spent almost $500!
Text 6
W: Good morning. I'm from The New York Times Book Review. Could I ask you some questions about your latest book?
M: Sure. Take a seat What would you like to know?
W: First, I've heard that your latest book is based on a true story.
M: That's correct. It's a murder mystery based on actual murders that took place in Florida several years ago. The main character—a police officer—is based on the man who tried to solve the case.
W: I really like your books. I've just finished this one. I read it from cover to cover in a single day. Congratulations on making the best－seller list yet again!
M: Thank you.
Text 7
M: This is a very special and expensive plant. It's from Brazil.
W: It's so beautiful. I think I'm going to buy this plant. How much sunlight does it need?
M: Put it near a window, but don't put it in direct light. Also, when the plant grows flowers, make sure you don't let it get too cold!
W: I am not very good at taking care of plants, but this one looks so perfect that I'm going to be very careful.
Text 8
M: I'm sick of living in the city. It seems like there is always a car alarm going off through the streets! It's so noisy!
W: I know, but I still love living here. I can walk to work, the store, and my favorite café every day. Everything is so close! Would you give that up just for less noise?
M: I'm beginning to think so. Another thing that annoys me is parking the car. Sometimes I have to drive around for 30 minutes to find a spot!
W: I wish your job was closer. Then we could just get rid of the car and not worry about parking it.[来源:学,科,网]
M: And it is getting expensive to rent an apartment. I heard that rents will continue to increase in the next several years. We could buy a big house and save money in the long run if we moved somewhere else.
W: I would like to have enough room for a dog and a home office. I guess that is the only thing that would get me out of the city.
M: Well, keep thinking about it! I'm ready to move.
Text 9
M: Madonna's music is still good, don't you think? Holiday is my favorite. It always makes me want to dance when I hear it.
W: She has some new music, too. Have you heard it? You might like it even better. Why do you always go back in time when there is new music out there to listen to?
M: The 80s music makes me remember the fun times we had in high school!
W: Hmm. You wouldn't drive while looking out your back view mirror the whole time, would you?
M: Uh... no, of course not.
W: Then why do you live your life with memories of the past on your mind all the time? How can you make new memories when you are hanging onto the old ones? At least make room in your brain for a few new experiences...
M: I see what you mean. It's just that things seemed so much easier back then.
W: Well, sure. You're living yesterday and today in one day. That's complicated. If you stop worrying about what you did in the past, you'll have more energy to devote to something new. Doesn't that sound easier?
M: I guess. So, we shouldn't study history, either?
W: That's different. We have to get good grades in school if we want to get into a good college. But as far as what we do in our everyday lives, it's all about the here and now.
M: That's a pretty cool way to look at it...
Text 10
If you are like millions of busy people, you want to get your work done, so you can do the things that you enjoy the most. That's what TaskRabbit, a new service company, helps people do. TaskRabbit uses the Internet and smartphones to quickly find people in your neighborhood to do the tasks for you. For example, if you are throwing a surprise party and you need someone to pick up the ice cream cake and your aunt Sally, but you don't have time to drive around, a tasker will do it for you! TaskRabbit employees are hired and screened by the company. They have specific services in which they specialize. Need help hanging a painting? Need someone with a pickup truck to help you move? There is a tasker out there to help you. The taskers are generally well－educated people. Out of all the taskers, about 70% hold bachelor's degrees, 20% hold master's degrees, and 5% hold PhD degrees. Some people have turned their work for TaskRabbit into a full－time job as well. Leah Busque, who ran out of dog food one day, founded TaskRabbit in 2008. She based it on the idea of “neighbors helping neighbors”. Since then, the company has received $37.5 million in funding.
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