湖北省部分重点中学2016-2017学年度上学期期末考试
英 语 试 卷
命题人:武汉中学
陶坤文
审题人:洪山高中
周尊咏
________________________________________________________
第一部分：听力（共两节，满分30分）
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。
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，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。
例：How much is the shirt?
A. ￡ 19.15B. ￡ 9.15C. ￡ 9.18答案：Bhat will the woman do this afternoon?
A. Go to the chess club.
B. Attend a meeting.
C. Watch a tennis match.
2. Which means of transport will the speaker take?
A. Subway. B. The Bus. C. The taxi.
3. What is the man doing?
A. Typing a 24-page letter.
B. Making 24 copies of a paper.
C. Introducing a photocopier to the woman.
4. What does the woman say about the money?
A. It is everything.
B. It is not important to her.
C. It should be earned through hard work.
5. Where are the speakers?
A. In a hospital. B. At school. C. In a park.
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，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。A. Satisfying. B. Disappointing. C. Just so-so.
7. Which sport did the girl watch on TV last night?
A. Football. B. Tennis. C. Swimming.
听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。’s company?
A. He likes working in a team.
B. He can learn a lot in his field.
C. He wants to work with his friends.
9. What does the man say about himself?
A. He learns quickly.
B. He prefers working alone.
C. He doesn’t like challenges.
听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。the relationship between the speakers?
A. Manager and employee.
B. Customer and repairman.
C. Customer and saleswoman.
11. What happened to the man’s TV set?
A. It was dropped on the ground.
B. The screen was broken.
C. It doesn’t work at all.
12. What will the shop do for the man?
A. Replace his TV.
B. Pay half of the repair fee.
C. Repair his TV immediately.
听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。A. A dream. B. A forest. C. A light.
14. Why does the man look bad?
A. She was frightened by someone.
B. She stayed up late last night.
C. She didn’t sleep well last night.
15. What do we know about the light?
A. It was a blue light.
B. It was changing all the time.
C. It looked like the face of an old woman.
16. What happened to the woman when she tried to run away?
A. She saw an old man.
B. She couldn’t move.
C. Her whole body shook.
听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。A. Patients. B. Travellers. C. Traders.
18. What do we know about American doctors?
A. They always have much to do.
B. They seldom stay in their offices.
C. They take better care of foreigners.
19. What should people do when they are seriously hurt and alone?
A. Call 911.
B. Ask the police for help.
C. Check with the hotel managers.
20. Why are people often sent to the hospitals?
A. To pay medical bills.
B. To receive health insurance.
C. To get better medical service.
第二部分：词汇知识运用(共两节，满分30分)
第一节：多项选择（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10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，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
例：To make members of a team perform better, the trainer first of all has to know their _____ and weaknesses.
A. strengths
B. benefits
C. techniques
D. values
答案：A21. There’s a ______ in our office that when it’s somebody’s birthday, they bring in a cake for us all to share.
A. tradition B. balance C. concern D. relationship
22. Don’t ______ to personal feelings, Jack. We will have to take the company’s policy into consideration.
A. give off B. give in C. give up D. give out
23. The trouble was that the reward was not always given to everyone, nor was it given to those who ______ it most.
A. reserved B. observed C. deserved D. served
24. Fast food representatives have argued that the regulation related to the diet is one’s own ______ choice and responsibility.
A. personal B. practical C. physical D. powerful
25. Professor John Smith is always very ______ to the reaction of the audience when he gives a speech in the lecture hall.
A. competitive B. attractive C. positive D. sensitive
26. Recently our class held a fierce ______ as to whether to raise the price of school meals or not.
A. bargain B. debate C. contest D. quarrel
27. I can ______ say that my Chinese and English are pretty good. I won prizes in speech competitions and composition contests several times in both.
A. certainly B. cheerfully
C. confidently D. carefully
28. Android Data Recovery Pro is a revolutionary new product designed to ______ deleted data from Android Phones, which will help you find deleted data as well as other data from your Android phone.
A. recover B. remove C. require D. replace
29. Two-fifths of people have reported that they get a sunburn ______ to “deepen” a brown skin, despite the fact that getting a painful sunburn just once every two years can increase the possibility of skin cancer.
A. on condition B. at present C. by accident D. on purpose
30. I am ______ with the history of China from the very beginning, and I know the ins and outs of many important events.
A. regular B. similar C. particular D. familiar
第二节：完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。’clock and then
33
to the post office. Then I stopped
34
at a shop in order to get some
35
fruit. We like to have some fruit to eat after our swim when we would feel tired.
I was driving along a high road on my way to the school. Over my road was another way for cars coming the other way. I was
36
so I put the bag of apples in the seat
37
me and started to eat one.
Suddenly I saw the cars in front of me start to move from side to side. I slowed down. Then
38
started to shake. I didn’t know what was happening,
39
something had gone wrong with my car. I drove
40
slower. I stopped the car and at the same moment the road fell onto the cars in front of me.
I found myself in the dark. I couldn’t move. The bottom parts of both my legs and my
41
were hurting badly and I couldn’t move them. All around me was
42
. But above me I could hear shouts and a lot of noise. Then I
43
what had happened. I had been in an earthquake.
For about two hours nobody came. Luckily I could
44
the bag of apples, so at least I had plenty to eat. Then I
45
people climbing towards me. A team of people had come to see if anyone was under the broken
46
. I called out! “I’m here!” I heard a shout, soon
47
climbed to the side of the bridge near my car, “How are you doing?” he asked. “Not too bad,” I said, “but my feet and legs
48
as if they’re broken.” “We’ll have you out of there just as
49
as we can,” he said. They didn’t get me out
50
the next morning. I had been in my car for 14 hours.
31. A. take up B. bring up C. pick up D. send up
32. A. swimmingB. shopping C. sightseeing D. skating
33. A. arrived B. came C. got D. gone
34. A. off B. away C. over D. up
35. A. dried B. fresh C. expensive D. cheap
36. A. happy B. excited C. surprised D. hungry
37. A. before B. below C. beside D. behind
38. A. my car B. my hands C. my feet D. the road
39. A. SurelyB. Perhaps C. Suddenly D. Quickly
40. A. much B. more C. a little
D. even
41. A. feet B. arms C. hands D. fingers
42. A. darkB. quiet C. cold D. noisy
43. A. was told B. found out C. discovered D. memorized
44. A. see B. hold C. catch D. reach
45. A. saw B. heard C. found D. recognized
46. A. railway B. road C. car D. trees
47. A. a stranger B. a friend C. my daughter D. a driver
48. A. appear B. look C. seem D. feel
49. A. fast B. easy C. soon D. possible
50. A. before B. since C. until D. after
第三部分：阅读理解(共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分)
阅读下列短文，从每篇短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
AAfter seven years of preparation, England kicked off the 2017 Summer Olympic Games on Friday. NBC estimates (估计) that 4 billion viewers tuned in (收看) from around the world to watch th opening ceremonies in London England.
Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle directed the opening ceremonies. The show cost $42 million and required 15,000 volunteers.
An Exciting Opening
Boyle’s ceremonies took audiences through a history of England. The performance began in the English countryside, continued with the building of factories and cities and ended up in the modern age, with performers texting and using cellphones.
Next, the athletes, coaches and officials from the 205 nations competing made their way into the stadium during the Parade of Nations. The ceremonies ended with the lighting of the Olympic flame and Paul McCartney, former member of the famous rock band The Beatles, singing the song “Hey Jude”.
Super Surprises
The opening weekend of competition took some unexpected turns. American swimmer Ryan Lochte surprised the world when he beat teammate Michael Phelps to win a gold medal in the 400-meter individual medley (混合泳). It was the first time Phelps did not win a medal in an Olympic race since 2000, when Phelps was 15.” I had a chance to put myself in a good spot, and I didn’t do it,” Phelps said after the race. “It’s pretty upsetting, but the biggest thing now is to try to get back and move forward.”
Even more surprising was China’s 16-year-old Ye Shiwen’s unbelievable performance in the women’s 400-metre individual medley. Ye set the first swimming world record this year, even swimming faster than men’s gold medalist, Lochte, during the final 50 meters of the race!
Though many expected to see American gymnast Jordyn Wieber take home gold in the women’s all gymnastics final, Wieber did not qualify (使具有资格) for the event. Only two gymnasts from each country can qualify, and Wieber was beaten by teammates Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman.
With the Games just getting under way, there are likely many more surprises. What else will surprise fans around the world? You’ll have to watch to find out!
51. The underlined phrase “kicked off” in Paragraph 1 means ______.
A. started B. attended C. held D. celebrated
52. What did the opening ceremonies mainly show us?
A. Britain’s city views.
B. Britain’s film and music stars.
C. Britain’s rich history.
D. Britain’s advanced technology.
53. What surprised audiences during the opening weekend of the London Olympic Games?
A. Michael Phelps took second place in the 400-meter individual medley.
B. Ryan Lochte defeated Michael Phelps and won a gold medal.
C. Ye Shiwen swam faster than men’s gold medalist throughout the final.
D. Jordyn Wieber was beaten by her teammates in the all-around gymnastics final.
54. What is the best title for the text?
A. Let the Games Begin
B. London Olympics Opening Ceremonies
C. London, the City to Host the Most Olympics
D. The Olympic Moments that Surprised the World
B
Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $ 10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to “speak” with their teachers, their classmates and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees — anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable (便携式) computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”
55. The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to ______.
A. connect them to libraries
B. search the Internet
C. work only at home
D. use for their schoolwork
56. Which of the following is true about Westlake College?
A. All teachers use computers.
B. 1500 students have laptops.
C. It is an old college in America. [
D. Students there can do everything.
57. The underlined phrase “a window on the world” in the last paragraph means that students can ______.
A. attend lectures on information technology
B. get information from around the world
C. travel around the world
D. have free laptops
58. What can we infer from the passage?
A. We don’t know the result yet.
B. The program is not workable.
C. The program is too expensive.
D. The program is terrible.
C
To face the music
Like every language, American English is full of special expressions, phrases that come from the day-to-day life of the people and develop in their own way. Our expression today is “to face the music.”
When someone says, “Well, I guess I’ll have to face the music,” it does not mean he’s planning to go to the concert. It is something far less pleasant, like being called in by your boss to explain why you did this and did that, and why you didn’t do this or that. Sour music indeed, but it has to be faced. At sometime or another, every one of us has had to face the music, especially as children. We can all remember father’s angry voice, “I want to talk to you!” and only because we did not obey him. What an unpleasant business it was!
The phrase “to face the music” is familiar to every American, young and old. It is at least 100 years old. And where did this expression come from? The first explanation comes from the American novelist, James Fenimore Looper. He said, in 1851, that the expression was first used by actors while waiting in the wings to go on the stage. When they got their cue (提示) to go on, they often said, “Well, it’s time to face the music.” And that is exactly what they did---facing the orchestra which was just below them. And an actor might be frightened or nervous as he moved on to the stage in front of an audience that might be friendly or perhaps hostile, especially if he forgot his lines (台词). But he had to go out. If he did not, there would be no play. So the expression “to face the music” came to mean “having to go through something, no matter how unpleasant the experience might be, because you knew you had no choice.”
Other explanations about the expression go back to the army. When the men faced inspection by their leader, the soldiers would be worried about how well they looked. Was their equipment clean, shinny enough to pass inspection? Still the men had to go out and face the music of the band as well as the inspection. What else could they do?
Another army explanation is more closely related to the idea of facing the results and accepting the responsibility for something that should not have been done. As for example, when a man is forced out of the army because he did something terrible, he is dishonored. The band does not play. Only the drums tap a sad, slow beat. The soldier is forced to leave, facing such music as it is and facing the back of his horse.
59. How many explanations are mentioned about the phrase “to face the music” in the passage?
A. 1. B. 2. C. 3. D. 4.
60. What does the phrase “to face the music” really mean?
A. To face the stage.
B. To face the back of the horse.
C. To face one’s leader or father.
D. To face something far less pleasant.
61. Which of the following occasions is the one we may have to face the music?
A. When we are playing basketball in the playground.
B. When we are making a speech before a lot of people.
C. When we are having a party at ease with our teachers.
D. When we are talking with somebody in secret.
62. The underlined word “hostile” in the third paragraph means ______.
A. unfriendly B. dislike C. unkind D. unnecessary
D
One might expect that the ever-growing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but good for the countries that receive the holiday-makers. Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the long-term future of the holiday industry. Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere. And every month another rock-bound Pacific island is advertised as the “last paradise (天堂) on earth”. However, the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy. In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of seaside holidays, over-crowded beaches and the concrete jungles of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal.
Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most. In recent years, Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund developments in health and education. Its forests, full of wildlife and rare flowers, were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise. In fact, the nature all too soon felt the effects of thousands of holiday-makers traveling through the forest land. Ancient tracks became major routes for the walkers, with the consequent exploitation (开发) of precious trees and plants.
Not only can the environment of a country suffer from the sudden growth of tourism. The people as well rapidly feel its effects. Farmland makes way for hotels, roads and airports; the old way of life goes. The one-time farmer is now the servant of some multi-national organization; he is no longer his own master. Once it was his back that bore the pain; now it is his smile that is exploited. No doubt he wonders whether he wasn’t happier in his village working his own land.
Thankfully, the tourist industry is waking up to the responsibilities it has towards those countries that receive its customers. The protection of wildlife and the creation of national parks go hand in hand with tourist development and in fact obtain financial support from tourist companies. At the same time, tourists are being encouraged to respect not only the countryside they visit but also its people.
The way tourism is handled in the next ten years will decide its fate and that of the countries we all want to visit. Their needs and problems are more important than those of the tourist companies. Increased understanding in planning worldwide tourism can preserve (保护) the market for these companies. If not, in a few years’ time the very things that attract tourists now may well have been destroyed.
63. What does the author indicate in the last sentence of Paragraph 1?
A. The Pacific island is a paradise.
B. The Pacific island is worth visiting.
C. The advertisement is not convincing.
D. The advertisement is not impressive.
64. The example of Nepal is used to suggest ______.
A. its natural resources are untouched
B. its forests are exploited for farmland
C. it develops well in health and education
D. it suffers from the heavy flow of tourists
65. Which of the following determines the future of tourism?
A. The number of tourists.
B. The improvement of services.
C. The promotion of new products.
D. The management of tourism.
66. The author’s attitude towards the development of the tourist industry is ______.
A. optimistic B. objective C. doubtful D. negative
Personal computers and the Internet give people new choices about how to spend their time.
Some may use this freedom to share less time with certain friends or family members, but new technology will also let them stay in closer touch with those they care most about. I know this from personal experience.
E-mail makes it easy to work at home, which is where I now spend most weekends and evenings. My working hours aren’t necessarily much shorter than they once were but I spend fewer of them at the office. This lets me share more time with my young daughter than I might have if she’d been born before electronic mail became such a practical tool.
The Internet also makes it easy to share thoughts with a group of friends. Say you do something fun, see a great movie perhaps---and there are four or five friends who might want to hear about it. If you call each one, you may tire of telling the story.
With E-mail, you just write one note about your experience, at your convenience, and address (述说) it to all the friends who you think might be interested. They can read your message when they have time, and read only as much as they want to. They can reply at their convenience, and you can read what they have to say at your convenience.
E-mail is also an inexpensive way to stay in close touch with people who live far away. More than a few parents use E-mail to keep in touch, even daily touch, with their children off at college.
We just have to keep in mind that computers and the Internet offer another way of staying in touch. They don’t take the place of any of the old ways.
67. The purpose of this passage is to ______.
A. explain how to use the Internet
B. tell the merits (价值) and usefulness of the InternetC. describe the writer’s joy of keeping up with the latest technology
D. introduce the reader to basic knowledge about personal computers and the Internet
68. The use of E-mail has made it possible for the writer to ______.
A. spend less time working
B. work at home on weekends
C. have more free time with his child
D. work at a speed comfortable to him
69. According to the writer, E-mail has an obvious advantage over the telephone because the former helps one ______.
A. reach a group of people at one time conveniently
B. keep one’s communication as personal as possible
C. pass on much more information than the latter
D. get in touch with one’s friends faster than telephone
70. The best title for this passage is ______.
A. Computer: New Technological Advances
B. Internet: New Tool to Maintain Good Friendship
C. Computers Have Made Life Easier
D. Internet: a Convenient Tool for Communication
第四部分：书面表达(共两节，满分50分)
第一节：完成句子（共10小题；每小题2分，满分20分)
阅读下列各小题，根据汉语提示，用句末括号内的英语单词完成句子，并将答案写在答题卡上的相应题号后。
例：______ was that the young player performed extremely well in the table tennis tournament. (delight)
令球迷欣喜的是那位年轻的球员在乒乓球锦标赛中表现得极为出色。
答案：What delighted the fans/made the fans delighted
71. They are living with their parents for the moment because their own house _________________. (rebuild)
他们目前和他们的父母住在一起，因为他们自己的房子现在正在重建。
72. There is no doubt __________________ his injury in time for the race next week. (recover)
毫无疑问，他会及时恢复伤痛并参加下星期的比赛。You’ll see the hospital on your left. (go)
沿着这条路走三个街区，然后右转，你会看到医院就在你的左边。
74. During his last lecture, the scientist ___________________ easier to explain the theory to those with some background knowledge. (find)
在那位科学家上次的讲座中，他发现，对那些有一些背景知识的人，更容易解释这个理论。
75. —Have you seen the film White Deer Plain?
—Of course, I have. It was in our village in 2017 __________________. (make)
—你看过电影《白鹿原》—当然看了，这部电影是2017年在我们村拍的。
Since February last year in the United States of America, ten Shotgun Weddings __________________ each month. (hold)
美国自从去年二月份以来，每个月都会举行10场枪支婚礼。Only when he thought of his lovely daughter _________________ his future during the hard days. (hopeful)
在那艰苦的岁月里，只有想到他那可爱的女儿，他对前途充满希望。
It was an exciting moment for these football fans this year, _____________ __________ the World Cup for the first time in years. (win)
今年对于这些球迷来说，这是一个激动人心的时刻，多年来他们所支持的球队第一次赢得了世界杯。
80. Xi’an is one of the few cities ____________________ as good as before. (remain)
西安是仅有的几个城市之一，它的城墙保持得和以前一样完好。
第二节：短文写作（共1题；满分30分)假设你是张华，班里从外地转来一名同学李明，他一时无法融入新的班集体中，感到很苦恼。请根据下列要点用英语给他写封信：
1.帮他分析原因2.给他提出建议3.陈述你帮助他的具体打算Dear Li Ming,
I’m sorry to know that you feel uncomfortable at your new class.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best regards.
Yours truly,
Zhang Hua
湖北省部分重点中学2016-2017学年度上学期高一期末考试
英 语 答 案
听力
1~10
BACCA
ABBAC
11~20
ABACB
BBAAC
多项选择
21~30
ABCAD
BCADD
完形填空
31~40
CADAB
DCAC
41~50
ABDDB
BADCC 阅读理解 51~54
ACBA
55~58
DBCA
59~62
CDBA
63~66
CDDB
67~69
BCAD
完成句子
71. is being rebuilt
72. that he will recover from
73. Go along/down the/ this road
74. found it/found (that) it was
75. that it was made
76. have been held
77. was he hopeful about / did he become/feel hopeful about
78. in which / where we interviewed
79. when their (supporting) team won
80. whose city walls remain
短文写作
(One possible version)
Dear Li Ming,
I’m sorry to know that you feel uncomfortable in your new class. One of the reasons, I think, is that you might be too shy to talk confidently with your classmates. Maybe you are afraid that your classmates will make fun of your accent. Therefore it is natural for you to feel lonely occasionally.
I believe, with your effort, that you can manage to overcome these difficulties. To start with, you can talk with people around you, and be brave to ask them questions that you don’t know. Besides, comparing notes with your classmates frequently is a good way for you to make new friends.
In our spare time, I’ll invite you to play basketball or go to some parties. Also, I’d like to introduce my good friends to you.
I hope you can adapt to the new school life as soon as possible.
Best regards.
Yours truly,
Zhang Hua
听力录音:
Text 1
M: Are you coming to watch the tennis match this afternoon?
W: Sorry, I can’t. I have a student government meeting.
M: Student government? I thought you were joining the chess club this term.
W: I do that, too.
Text 2
M: The fishing place is an hour’s bus ride away. Want to go by bus?
W: Are there any other choices?
M: We can go by taxi, but I think it’s unnecessary and expensive. Is the subway going in that direction?
W: Oh, yes. That may be a good choice.
Text 3
M: It can do 24 pages a minute, so it’s really fast.
W: Great. But I don’t know how to operate it.
M: Just lift this and put what you want to copy in here. Make these choices. Then press the Start button.
Text 4
M: What is your greatest hope?
W: Er…to have as much money as possible. Money isn’t everything, but if you have enough money you can do a lot of things.
M: Yes. But we can’t only talk about money and refuse to work hard.
W: Right. The only way we make money is through hard work.
Text 5
M: Well, Mrs Brown, what seems to be the problem with little David?
W: He went to the park after school yesterday and then started to cough.
M: Let me have a check. Unbutton his clothes, please.
Text 6
M: Did you see the English-Italy football match yesterday? It was great. Much better than the swimming last weekend.
W: I missed the swimming anyway. I wanted to watch the football after the tennis finished but my parents had visitors so I had to turn it off.
M: Bad luck.
W: Yeah, and the tennis wasn’t very good either. I didn’t enjoy it.
Text 7
W: Did you see our job ad over the Internet or in a newspaper?
M: Over the Internet. There are a lot of things out there.
W: Why would you like to work for a company like ours?
M: Well, from what I have researched I think working with your company would be very challenging and would also give me the opportunity to learn with experts in my field.
W: What other qualities do you have?
M: Well, apart from the experience that I have, I also feel that I’m a quick learner who can work in a team or alone.
W: Do you know anyone who works in the company at the moment?
M: Yes, I have several friends who are working here.
Text 8
M: Good afternoon. I would like to speak with the manager, please.
W: Why? What’s your problem?
M: Well, I just picked up a TV at your store yesterday afternoon and when I was taking it out of the car it sort of accidentally fell. It looks OK, but the picture is pretty unclear. Do you think I can have someone look at it or get it changed?
W: OK. I will talk to the manager about it right now. Please wait a moment.
M: OK. Thank you.
…
W: Well, we can have someone repair it for you, but as it was caused by you, I’m afraid you have to pay for half of the repair fee, and we will pay the other half.
M: That will be fine. Thank you.
Text 9
M: Hello, Helen. You look bad. Is everything OK?
W: Oh, hello, Tom. Yes, I’m fine, thanks. I’m just a bit tired this morning, that’s all.
M: Why’s that? Did you stay up last night?
W: Not at all, but I had this dream and it woke me up, so I didn’t get much sleep. I dreamt that I was walking through a forest at night. I couldn’t see anything.
M: That sounds frightening.
W: In my dream I saw a white light behind some trees. It was a strange light, because it seemed to get bigger and then smaller, as if it was alive. At first I just stood where I was, but then the light seemed to move towards me and I could see something in it, like the face of an old man. I tried to run away, but my feet felt very heavy and I couldn’t even walk. That’s when I woke up. I was shaking all over.
M: How awful! I’ve had dreams like that, too.
Text 10
M: Welcome to the United States, ladies and gentlemen. Now I’d like to tell you what you should do when you become ill. If you feel sick and want to see a doctor, check with the manager of your hotel. They may call a doctor for you. American doctors are busy all the time, and it may be difficult to see the doctor immediately, especially if you are well enough to go to the doctor’s office. If you have difficulty explaining what is troubling you in English, your tour guide may be able to help you.
You may also go to the nearest hospital, especially if you require immediate attention. If you are seriously hurt and alone, call 911 and the operator there will get help for you. Don’t be frightened if you’re taken to the hospital. In the United States, people are often taken to hospitals so that doctors can use the special machines and services for tests and treatment. Unfortunately, the United States does not have a national system of health insurance to help pay medical bills.