高考英語模擬題型答案

  近年來國內外對各類語言測試效度研究不斷出現,但對高考英語試題效度研究很少。下面是小編為你整理關於的內容,希望大家喜歡!

  高考英語模擬題型

  第Ⅰ卷

  第一部分 聽力 ***共兩節, 滿分30分***

  答題時,先將答案標在試卷上。錄音內容結束後,你將有兩分鐘的時間將試卷上的答案轉塗到答題卡上。

  第一節***共5小題;每小題1.5分,滿分7.5分***

  聽下面5段對話。每段對話後有一個小題,從題中所給的A、B、C三個選項中選出最佳選項,並標在試卷的相應位置。聽完每段對話後,你都有10秒鐘的時間來回答有關小題和閱讀下一小題。每段對話僅讀一遍。

  例:How much is the shirt?

  A.£19.15. B. £9.18. C. £9.15.

  答案是C。

  1. What does the man play?

  A. Musical instruments. B. Computer games. C. Sports.

  2. What will the woman probably do today?

  A. Attend the wedding. B. Eat out with the man. C. Go over her lessons.

  3. What’s the man’s major?

  A. Business. B. Journalism. C. International relations.

  4. Where does this conversation take place?

  A. At a bus stop. B. At the airport. C. At the railway station.

  5. What does the man mean?

  A. He has been to the restaurant many times.

  B. He intends to try a better restaurant.

  C. He heard about the restaurant from Tom.

  第二節***共15小題;每小題1.5分,滿分22.5分***

  聽下面5段對話或獨白。每段對話或獨白後有幾個小題,從題中所給的A、B、C三個選項中選出最佳選項,並標在試卷的相應位置。聽每段對話或獨白前,你將有時間閱讀各個小題,每小題5秒鐘;聽完後,各小題將給出5秒鐘的作答時間。每段對話或獨白讀兩遍。

  聽第6段材料,回答第6、7題。

  6. Who says organic food tastes better?

  A. The man. B. The woman’s friend. C. The woman.

  7. What does the woman suggest doing?

  A. Only buying organic products.B. Trying some organic vegetables. C. Asking Joe for advice about food.

  聽第7段材料,回答第8、9題。

  8. What does the woman think of washing clothes by herself?

  A. Not a big deal.B. Troublesome. C. Fun.

  9. Why will she take her clothes to the laundry tomorrow?

  A. It’s too tiring to hand-wash sheets. B. She just heard about the laundry.C. She has too much work to do.

  聽第8段材料,回答第10至12題。

  10. What happened to Tony today?

  A. His vacation in summer was cancelled. B. He was criticized by his boss. C. He lost his job.

  11. How did he feel about it?

  A.Sad but not surprised. B. Extremely angry. C. Astonished.

  12. What is he going to do?

  A. Wait to be called back to the company.

  B. Talk with his boss about his problems.

  C. Start to look for a new job.

  聽第9段材料,回答第13至16題。

  13. Where did chopsticks originate?

  A. In China. B. In Japan. C. In Korea.

  14. What kind of chopsticks are often used by ordinary Chinese people?

  A. Jade ones.B. Wood or bamboo ones. C. Plastic ones.

  15. Why did ancient kings and emperors use silver chopsticks?

  A. To show their wealth.

  B. To see if their food was poisoned.

  C. To show their power.

  16. What do Chinese people think knives and forks suggest?

  A. Gentleness.B. Violence. C. High quality life.

  聽第10段材料,回答第17至20題。

  17. What course is English Literature 201?

  A. A course on the works of William Shakespeare.

  B. A course on the history of English literature.

  C. A course on classics of English literature.

  18. When will the midterm exam be held?

  A. After Romeo and Juliet. B. Right after Macbeth. C. During Week 6.

  19. Which of the following is NOT on the list of books?

  A. Hamlet. B. Macbeth. C. Henry VI.

  20. What is the talk mainly about?

  A. Changes in homework assignments.

  B. The life of William Shakespeare.

  C. William Shakespeare’s masterpieces.

  英語試題第2頁***共12頁***

  第二部分閱讀理解***共兩節,滿分40分***

  第一節***共15小題;每小題2分,滿分30分***

  閱讀下列短文,從每題所給的四個選項***A、B、C和D***中,選出最佳選項,並在答題卡該項塗黑。

  A

  Mywife, daughter, and I moved into our home nine years ago and we spent a lot of time and energy in the yard to get it looking like the way it does today. We live on a corner, higher than street level, and the entire side of the yard is surrounded by a professionally built rock wall. The front of the house though is another story because instead of a wall along the sidewalk, the rocks appear to be just thrown up onto the dirt as if someone were in a hurry to finish.

  We did the best we could with what we had to work with and called this area our “rock garden”. Whenever we had leftover flowers or plants, Denise or I would stick them out front, just to bring some color to the area. We would do all of the yard work on our own, even the tiring weed-pulling.

  Last summer I had reached the end of the rock garden and found a tiny little plant that I could not immediately identify, I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise claimed that she didn’t either. We decided to let it continue growing until we could figure out what it was.

  Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the mystery plant, it appeared to be a Sunflower with a tall skinny stalk***莖,杆*** and only one head on it. I decided to baby it along and weed around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something unusual. The Sunflower had not started where I saw the stalk begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun.

  That’s when I realized that if a tiny little Sunflower didn’t let a big rock stand in its way of developing, we too have the ability of doing the same thing. Once our environment begins to see that we believe in ourselves like that little Sunflower, we can attain the same nourishment***營養*** and growth as well.

  Stand tall like the Sunflower and be proud of who and what you are and the environment will begin to support you. You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to reach your desires.

  21. We can know from the first paragraph that _______.

  A.the author finished building his home hurriedlyB. the author’s family have lived in this home for nine years

  C. the author’s home is made of rock walls D. there is a wall along the sidewalk

  22. The author found it unusual that_______.

  A. the mystery plant turned out to be a Sunflower B. the Sunflower had a tall stalk and only one head

  C. the Sunflower grew under and around a big rockD. the Sunflower had started where the stalk was seen

  23. Which of the following best describes the Sunflower?

  A. Brave and stubborn.B. Confident and persistent.C. Optimistic and modest.D. Mysterious and devoted.

  24.What can be inferred from this passage?

  A. Human beings are able to remove obstacles. B. The universal truth made the sunflower survive.

  C. A big rock blocked out the sunlight of the sunflower. D. We can achieve success as long as we are self-confident.

  B

  It is not only praise or punishment that determines a child’s level of confidence. There are some other important ways we shape our kids—particularly by giving instructions and commands in a negative or positive choice of words. For example, we can say to a child “Don’t run into traffic!” or “Stay on the footpath close to me.” In using the latter, you will be helping your kids to think and act positively, and to feel competent in a wide range of situations, because they know what to do, and aren’t scaring themselves about what not to do.

  Actually, it is all in the way the human mind works. What we think, we automatically rehearse. For example, if someone offered you a million dollars not to think of a blue monkey for two minutes, you wouldn’t be able to do it. When a child is told “Don’t fall off the tree,” he will think of two things: “don’t” and “fall off the tree”. That is, he will automatically create the picture of falling off the tree in his mind. A child who is vividly imagining falling off the tree is much more likely to fall off. So it is far better to use “Hold on to the tree carefully.”

  Clear, positive instructions help kids to understand the right way to do things. Kids do not always know how to be safe, or how to react to the warning of the danger in negative words. So parents should make their commands positive. “Sam, hold on firm to the side of the boat” is much more useful than “Don’t you dare to fall out of the boat?” or worse still “How do you think I’ll feel if you drown?” The changes are small but difference is obvious.

  Children learn how to guide and organize themselves from the way we guide them with our words, so it pays to be positive.

  25.Positive choice of words helps kids to _________.

  A. do things carefullyB. learn in different situations

  C. improve their imaginationD. build up their confidence

  26.What can we infer from Paragraph2?

  A. One can’t help imagining what is heard. B. A child will act on what is instructed.

  C. A child will fall off the tree when told not to.D. One won’t think of a blue monkey when given money.

  27.Which of the following commands helps kids to be safe?

  A. Fasten your seat belt.B. Don’t play by the lake.

  C. How do you think I’ll feel if you get hurt?D. Don’t you dare to walk through the red light?

  28.The main idea of the passage is that _________.

  A. praise makes kids confidentB. right instructions keep kids safe

  C. positive instructions guide kids D. clear commands make kids different

  C

  Crossing your legs is an extremely common habit; most people don't even notice that they're doing it when they sit down. While you may find it comfortable to sit with one knee crossed over the other, it might be causing health problems that you are not aware of.

  A study published in Blood Pressure Monitoring stated that sitting with your legs crossed can increase your blood pressure. The reason for this is that the blood in your legs has to work against gravity to be pumped back to your heart and that crossing one leg over the other increases resistance, making it even harder for the blood to circulate. This causes your body to increase your blood pressure to push the blood back to the heart. You won't feel any immediate effects, but repeated, drawn-out increases in blood pressure can cause long-term health issues. So, planning to sit for a long period of time? Don't keep your legs crossed.

  Crossing your legs at the knee can also cause pressure on the major nerve in your leg that passes just below your knee and along the outside of your leg, explains Richard Graves, a medical expert. This pressure can cause numbness and temporary paralysis ***麻痺*** of some of the muscles in your foot and leg, preventing you from being able to raise your ankle—what we know as that “pins and needles” sensation. While the feeling of discomfort may only last a minute or two, repeatedly crossing your legs until they feel numb can cause permanent nerve damage.

  So next time you sit down, try to get yourself in the habit of sitting with both of your feet on the floor. Not only will it help your posture and stability, but it will also save your health in the long run.

  29. What can we learn about crossing one's legs?

  A. It is a very bad social habit. B. It can do harm to people's health.

  C. It is usually practiced deliberately. D. It can make others feel uncomfortable.

  30. According to the study, sitting with your legs crossed can______.

  A. affect your blood pressure B. resist gravity effectively

  C. lead to heart attacks easily D. improve the function of legs

  31. In the third paragraph “pins and needles” probably means______.

  A. being highly flexible B. being a little tired

  C. serious muscle injuries D. slight sharp pains

  32. What is the main purpose of the text?

  A. To compare common habits. B. To evaluate effects of an experiment.

  C. To give readers some advice.D. To introduce research methods.

  D

  Each time Chinese New Year is approaching, preparations are underway around the world. Here are some Chinatowns for those outside of China wishing to mark the day.

  London

  Although it may not be as large or as long-built as others, having only become a center for the Chinese community during the 1950s, London’s Chinatown is a perfectly formed little firework that knows how to see in the year with a bang. Decorated with red lanterns ***燈籠***, previous years have seen shows with acrobatics ***雜技***, martial arts ***武術***, dance and opera nearby.

  San Francisco

  San Francisco’s Chinatown is perhaps the most famous in the United States. The city was the main entry-point for Chinese who had crossed the Pacific to the USA during the early 19th century. Between the Grant Avenue and the Stockton Street, this historic area is a local treasure, attracting more visitors per year than the Golden GateBridge.

  Bangkok

  With an about 100-year-old history, the Thai capital’s Chinatown contains complex streets offering all kinds of tasty treats, clothes, toys and antiques. Sunday market days are such a good time to get the full atmosphere of the neighborhood. The area is also known for its gold dealers, whose shops line the road.

  Mauritius

  Found in Port Louis, this Mauritian Chinatown shows the island nation’s rich multicultural diversity. Established in the early years of the 20th century by settlers from China, its tiny shops and restaurants serve locals and visitors. During the Chinese Spring Festival, the most exciting sight is the Dragon Dances on Rue Royale when Chinese musicians and dancers perform the traditional Lion dances through the streets.

  33. According to the text, which of the following has the longest history?

  A. London’s Chinatown. B. SanFrancisco’s Chinatown.

  C. Mauritius’s Chinatown. D. Bangkok’s Chinatown.

  34. What’s special about Bangkok’s Chinatown?

  A. It is crowded with Chinese restaurants. B. It is the major entrance for the Chinese.

  C. It is well-known for its gold business. D. It is where you can enjoy fireworks.

  35. If you want to enjoy the Dragon Dances, you can go to ______.

  A. Rue Royale in Port Louis, Mauritius. B. the Sunday market in Bangkok.

  C. the Grant Avenue in San Francisco. D. the Chinese community in London.

  第二節***共5小題;每小題2分,滿分10分***

  根據短文內容,從短文後的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中的兩項為多餘選項。

  Keeping Safe in Your House During a Fire

  Though you may not think you’ll ever fall victim to a house fire, it’s better to be prepared to avoid panicking. To increase your chances of survival, just follow these steps.

  1. React as soon as you hear your smoke alarm go off. On hearing your smoke detector or alarm going off and seeing a fire, exit your home as safely as possible. 36

  2. Safely exit through doors. If you don’t see smoke at the door, open it slowly and pass through it after making sure the door feels cool. If there is a fire preventing you from exiting the room, close the door.

  3. Protect yourself from smoke inhalation***吸入***. Get low to the floor and crouch or crawl on your hands and knees to avoid the smoke. 37 Cover your nose and mouth if you have to walk by or through a heavily smoke-filled room.

  4. 38 If your clothes catch fire, immediately stop what you’re doing, drop flat to the ground, and roll around until you put the fire out.

  5. Prevent the smoke if you can’t get out. 39 Close your door and cover all vents***通風口***and cracks***縫隙***around it with cloth or tape to keep the smoke out.

  6. Call for help from a second story window. 40 You can take a sheet or something else---white preferably---and hang it out the window to signify that you need help when the first responders get there.

  A. If you can’t escape your home, don’t panic.

  B. Stop, drop, and roll if your clothes catch fire.

  C. You are probably a lot safer by closing doors.

  D. Escape from a second story window if you can.

  E. Smoke inhalation causes people to become unconscious.

  F. Do not try to get your phone, valuables, or your other important possessions.

  G. If you are trapped in your second story room, get to an area where people can find you.

  第三部分英語知識運用***共兩節,滿分45分***

  第一節 完形填空 ***共20小題;每小題1.5分, 滿分30分***

  閱讀下面短文。從短文後各題所給的四個選項***A、B、C和D***中,選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項,並在答題卡該項塗黑。

  Adventure is in my blood. And I had been considering how I was going to celebrate my high school graduation. I didn’t just want a small41 in the backyard. I started thinking about doing a solo***單獨的*** 42 somewhere out of the ordinary. I took out 43 and drew the 1,500-mile route along which I would be 44 from the northernmost point in Norway to the southernmost section of Sweden. When I 45 my plans with my dad, he 46 as I thought he would. Because I get my adventurous 47 from him, he was all for it.

  I had only been away from my 48 three days now, but there was an inner 49 going on inside of me. Part of me was homesick and doubting whether I 50 could make it. The other part of me was ready to 51 to myself and my family that I could do it by myself.

  On the road, I met another 52 who was quite a bit older than I was. He had started his journey 53 by bike at the southern part of Norway and had just finished. I could tell he had a great sense of 54 . It encouraged me not to55 .

  As I listened to my 56 artists on my MP4 player, I pedaled ***踩踏板*** with my feet. There was 57 around me for miles. 58 , that wasn’t entirely true. There were mosquitoes--- millions of them. My arms were so dotted with 59 that they looked like a topographical map ***地形圖***. But, however 60 it would be, nothing could stop my advance towards the destination. As you know, adventure is in my blood.

  41. A. meeting B. party C. conversation D. game

  42. A. flight B. interview C. tripD. performance

  43. A. instructions B. newspapers C. magazines D. maps

  44. A. walking B. flying C. biking D. running

  45. A. shared B. compared C. prepared D. changed

  46. A. agreed B. sighed C. left D. cried

  47. A. stories B. skills C. spirits D. hobbies

  48. A. hotel B. school C. office D. home

  49. A. activity B.battle C. request D. discussion

  50. A. naturally B. really C. usually D. reasonably

  51. A. turn B. reply C. adapt D. prove

  52. A. driver B. bicyclist C. jogger D. pilot

  53. A. alone B. slowly C. patiently D. worriedly

  54. A. humor B. direction C. balance D. satisfaction

  55. A. calm down B. give up C. speed up D. break down

  56. A. favorite B. personal C. professionalD. successful

  57. A.anything B. everybody C. nobody D. everything

  58. A. Firstly B.Fortunately C. Eventually D. Actually

  59. A. wounds B. cuts C. bites D. burns

  60. A. difficult B. confusing C. complex D. boring

  第II卷

  注意:將答案寫在答題卡上。寫在本試卷上無效。

  第三部分英語知識運用***共兩節,滿分45分***

  第二節:***共10小題;每題1.5分,共15分***

  閱讀下面材料,在空白處填入適當的內容***1個單詞***或括號內單詞的正確形式。

  World Read Aloud Day is celebrated each year on the first Wednesday of March. It 61 ***start*** by the LitWorld.org website in 2010 and has now reached 65 countries.Theaim is to encourage people worldwide who cannot read to enjoy the benefits of a book. The website asks everyone 62***celebrate*** the day by taking a book, finding an audience, and reading out aloud. It is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write 63***belong*** to all people.

  The website asks 64***visit***to join in the movement to reduce 65 number of illiterate ***不識字的*** people in the world. It is66 ***absolute*** necessary to help those who cannot read. The website says, “It's time to start by reading aloud to 67 might like it. Share a book with a child who might need it, share a story with someone who would treasure it, listen patiently68 someone else's story as they share with you.” The United Nations says, “Literacy involves a variety of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge, 69 to participate fully in society.” In that way, World Read Aloud Day does help make a 70 ***different***.

  第四部分寫作***共兩節, 滿分35分***

  第一節:短文改錯 ***共10小題;每小題1分,滿分10分***

  假定英語課上老師要求同桌之間交換修改作文,請你修改你同桌寫的以下作文。文中共有10處語言錯誤,每句中最多有兩處。每處錯誤僅涉及一個單詞的增加、刪除或修改。

  增加:在缺詞處加一個漏字元號***∧***, 並在此符號下面寫出該加的詞。

  刪除:把多餘的詞用斜線***\***劃掉。

  修改:在錯的詞下劃一橫線, 並在該詞下面寫出修改後的詞。

  注意:1.每處錯誤及其修改均僅限一詞;

  2.只允許修改10處, 多者***從第11處起*** 不計分。

  Nowadays many people drive instead of taking a bus or walking to work. It causes more traffic accidents. As the student, what can we do to guarantee our safe? First of all, the traffic rules must be strict obeyed. When we cross streets, wait until the traffic light turn green. Next, don't forget walk on the pavement. Finally, I think it very dangerously to wear headphones while walking or cycling. Since we can't pay enough attention on the traffic around us, so accidents may happen. Taking good care of ourselves and don't let our parents worry about them.

  第二節:書面表達***滿分25分***

  假定你是高三學生李華。三月初你在上買了一雙鞋,打算送給媽媽作為“三八”婦女節的禮物。但是,收到貨後發現存在若干問題。請你就此給消費者協會寫一封投訴信。

  要點如下:1. 介紹購物情況;

  2. 反映存在問題;

  3. 提出解決方案。

  注意:1. 詞數100左右;

  2. 可以適當增加細節,以使行文連貫。

  Dear Sir/ Madam,

  I am one of your customers.

  Yours,

  Li Hua

  

  第一部分:

  1. C 2. C 3. A 4. B 5. C 6. B 7. B 8. A 9. A 10. C

  11. A 12. C 13. A 14. B 15. B 16. B 17. A 18. C 19. C 20 A

  第二部分:

  21. B 22. C23. B 24. D 25. D 26. A 27. A 28. C 29. B 30. A

  31. D 32. C 33. B34. C35. A36. F37. E38. B 39. A40. G

  第三部分:

  41.B 42.C 43.D 44.C 45.A 46.A 47.C 48.D 49.B 50.B

  51.D 52.B 53.A 54.D 55.B 56.A 57.C 58.D 59.C 60.A

  61. was started62. to celebrate63. belongs 64.visitors 65. the

  66. absolutely 67. whoever 68. to 69. and 70. difference

  第四部分:

  短文改錯:

  Nowadays many people drive instead of taking a bus or walking to work. It causes more

  traffic accidents.As the student, what can we do to guarantee our safe?First of all, the traffic rules

  a safety

  must be strict obeyed. When we cross streets, wait until the traffic light turn green.Next, don't

  strictly turns

  forget∧ walk on the pavement. Finally, I think it very dangerously to wear headphones while

  to dangerous

  walking or cycling. Since we can't pay enough attention on the traffic aroundus,so accidents

  to

  may happen. Taking good care of ourselves and don't let our parents worry about them.

  Take us

  書面表達:

  一、評分原則

  1.本題總分為25分,按5個檔次給分;

  2.評分時,先根據文章的內容和語言初步確定其所屬檔次,然後以該檔次的要求來衡量,確定或調整檔次,最後給分;

  3.詞數少於80和多於120的,從總分中減去2分;

  4.評分時應注意的主要內容為:內容要點、應用詞彙和語法結構的數量和準確性及上下文的連貫性;

  5.拼寫與標點符號是語言準確性的一個方面。評分時,應視其對交際的影響程度予以考慮。英、美拼寫及詞彙用法均可接受;

  6.如書寫較差以致影響交際,將分數降低一個檔次。?

  二、各檔次的給分範圍和要求

  第五檔完全完成了試題規定的任務。

  —覆蓋所有內容要點。

  —應用了較多的語法結構和詞彙。

  —語法結構或詞彙方面有些許錯誤,但為盡力使用較複雜結構或較高階詞彙所致;具備較強的語言運用能力。

  —有效地使用了語句間的連線成分,使全文結構緊湊。完全達到了預期的寫作目的。

  21~25分

  第四檔完成了試題規定的任務。

  —雖漏掉一兩個次重點,但覆蓋所有主要內容。

  —應用的語法結構和詞彙能滿足任務的要求。

  —語法結構或詞彙方面應用基本準確,些許錯誤主要是因嘗試較複雜語法結構或詞彙所致。

  —應用簡單的語句間連線成分,使全文結構緊湊。達到了預期的寫作目的。

  16~20分

  第三檔完成了試題規定的任務。

  —雖漏掉一些內容,但覆蓋所有主要內容。

  —應用的語法結構和詞彙能滿足任務的要求。

  —有一些語法結構和詞彙方面的錯誤,但不影響理解。

  —應用簡單的語句間連線成分,使全文內容連貫。整體而言,基本達到了預期的寫作目的。

  11~15分

  第二檔未恰當完成試題規定的任務。

  —漏掉或未描述清楚一些主要內容,寫了一些無關內容。

  —語法結構單調,詞彙專案有限。

  —有一些語法結構或詞彙方面的錯誤,影響了對寫作內容的理解。

  —較少使用語句間的連線成分,內容缺少連貫性。資訊未能清楚地傳達給讀者。

  6~10分

  第一檔未完成試題規定的任務。

  —明顯遺漏主要內容,寫了一些無關內容,原因可能是未理解試題要求。

  —語法結構單調、詞彙專案有限。

  —較多語法結構或詞彙方面的錯誤,影響對寫作內容的理解。

  —缺乏語句間的連線成分,內容不連貫。資訊未能傳達給讀者。

  1~5分

  0分0分未能傳達給讀者任何資訊:內容太少,無法評判;寫的內容均與所要求內容無關或所寫內容無法看清。

  Dear Sir / Madam,

  I am one of your customers. I ordered a pair of shoes for my mum as a gift on Women’s Day .To my disappointment, there are the following problems.

  To begin with, it didn’t arrive on schedule, which missed the Women’s Day. Besides, not only is it the wrong size but it is also of wrong color. What bothers me most is the quality of the shoes. They are not made of genuine leather, which give off bad smell. I am not satisfied to have received such poor service, and I am qualified to ask you to handle it. I hope you can either return my money or deliver a new pair to me.

  Looking forward to your reply.

  Yours,

  Li Hua

  聽力原文材料

  Text 1

  W: Do you play any musical instruments?

  M: Uh, no. I only play sports.

  Text 2

  M: Would you like to go to my friend’s wedding with me?

  W: To tell you the truth, I really can’t go anywhere because I’m going to have a final exam tomorrow.

  Text 3

  W: What kind of news do you usually follow?

  M: International news, because I am now studying business so I need to know what’s going on in the world.

  Text 4

  W: It’s so nice to have you here.

  M: I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long.

  W: No. How was the flight?

  M: It was quite smooth.

  Text 5

  M: This restaurant seems good, doesn’t it?

  W: So, you’ve never eaten here either? Why did you bring me here then?

  M: Tom recommended this place to me. He said he had eaten here many times and had never been disappointed.

  Text 6

  W: Let’s get some organic vegetables. My friend Lucy says they really do taste better.

  M: Maybe, but they’re also more expensive. I was talking to Joe at work about this. I mean, yeah, he buys organic food, but his salary is so much higher than mine.

  W: OK, let’s do this. We’ll get some organic tomatoes, just to give them a try. Then we’ll see how we like them and go from there. Anyway, the price is only 20% higher than regular tomatoes’.

  Text 7

  M: Why don’t you take your clothes to the laundry?

  W: Good idea. Where is it?

  M: It’s about 500 yards from here by the shortcut through the square. You’ve never been there before?

  W: No. I always hand-wash my clothes. If you wash them every day it’s not much trouble at all. But tomorrow, I’ll have to change my sheets.

  M: Do you know the place I mean?

  W: I think so. It’s just next door to the tailor’s.

  M: That’s right. Be sure to take some quarters along.

  W: I will. Oh, I’m so sleepy. Good night.

  M: Good night.

  Text 8

  M: Oh, I just got some bad news today.

  W: What happened, Tony?

  M: Today the boss called me into his office and told me they had to lay me off. That means I’m out of work.

  W: Oh! I am so sorry. You really liked working there.

  M: Yeah, well, it’s not all bad news. There’s still a small chance that the company will call me back in the summer if the work picks up. You never know what’ll happen. They might need me then.

  W: Oh, this is so sudden, isn’t it?

  M: Well, sort of. Two other employees lost their jobs last month. I had a feeling I might be the next in line. You know. I’ve only been working there for ten months. If they’re going to lay someone off, it’s always going to be the newer employees first.

  W: Oh, what are you going to do?

  M: Well, I plan to go to some interviews.

  Text 9

  W: Hi, Mr. Lee, I am a reporter from the New York Times. It will be great if you can tell me some information about chopsticks, such as their origin and the materials they are made from.

  M: Good question. Chopsticks originated in China, but they are widely used in many Asian countries. Chopsticks may be made of any of the following materials: bamboo, wood, gold, silver, ivory, or plastic, and they may be either round or square. Some chopsticks are decorated with colored pictures. Ordinary chopsticks used in Chinese homes are made of wood or bamboo. In ancient times, the rich used jade or gold chopsticks to display their wealth. Many kings and emperors used silver chopsticks to see if their food had been poisoned.

  W: OK, thank you. And I’d like to know why Chinese people use chopsticks. Why not knives and forks, like Americans?

  M: Oh, that is a good question. I think Chinese people choose chopsticks, rather than knives and forks, because Chinese people, under the influence of Confucianism, have traditionally considered knives and forks as symbolizing a type of violence. On the other hand, chopsticks reflect gentleness and kindness. And maybe Chinese food simply seems to taste better when eaten with chopsticks.

  Text 10

  Good afternoon. My name is Helen Smith and I am the teacher for this course on William Shakespeare. This is English Literature 201, the works of William Shakespeare. Now, on your desk there is a list of the homework assignments for the course. Before we begin talking about the life and times of William Shakespeare, I’d like to go over the homework assignments. Uh, there are one or two mistakes and a couple of changes. Let’s start at the beginning. The first week is OK. But for Week Two, please read pages 1 to 78 of Macbeth, not 1 to 55. OK? Have you got that? For Week Two, read 1 to 78 and Week Three 79 to the end. Now, uh, I’d also like to change the order of what you read. We’re going to do Henry V before Romeo and Juliet and the midterm. So Week Four is Henry V, pages 1 to 59 and Week Five is Henry V, pages 60 to the end. Week Six is the midterm. No change there. Week Seven we’ll do Romeo and Juliet, pages 1 to 85 and Week Eight, 86 to the end. On Week Nine, we’ll begin the final work of the course, Hamlet. Please change pages 1 to 69 to pages 1 to 93. And for Week Ten, pages 94 to the end. And finally, the dates of the last two weeks are wrong. Thanksgiving is on November 21st; so there is no class then. The starting date for Week Ten is November 28th and the starting date of Week Eleven, that’s the week of the final exam, is December 5th. Now let me go through the changes again...