★祝考试顺利★
注意事项：
1. 答卷前，考生务必将自己的姓名、准考证号填写在试题卷和答题卡上，并将准考证号条形码粘贴在答题卡上的指定位置。
2. 选 择题的作答：每小题选出答案后，用统一提供的2B铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其它答案标号。答在试题卷、草稿纸上无效。
3. 完成句子和短文写作题的作答：用统一提供的签字笔直接答在答题卡上对应的答题区域内。答在试题卷、草稿纸上无效。
4. 考生必须保持答题 卡的整洁。考试结束后，请将本试题卷和答题卡一并上交。
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。
1. What will be the discount if the man buys 100 units?
A. 5% discount. B. 10% discount. C. 20% discount.
2. What are the two speakers doing?
A. Learning driving. B. Practicing typing. C. Surfing the Internet.
3. Where does the woman live now?
A. In New York. B. In Chicago. C. In Boston.
4. What is the woman doing now?
A. Making copies. B. Working for Mr.Brown. C. Typing a letter.
5. What will the woman do this evening?
A. Meet her grandparents. B. See her grandparents off. C. Travel with grandparents.
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，各个小题将给出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至8题。
6. What does the woman want to know?
A. The best way to go to New York. B. The quickest way to go to New York.
C. The cheapest way to go to New York.
7. How much does it cost the woman to go to New York by bus?
A. 5 dollars. B. 15 dollars. C. 50 dollars.
8. What do we know from the conversation?
A. It takes about 5 hours to go to New York by bus.
B. The woman wants to go to New York by bus.
C. The woman prefers to go to New York by train.
听第7段材料，回答第9至11题。
9. What are the two speakers talking about?
A. Their study problems. B. Their holiday travel plans. C. Their future plans.
10. What does the man plan to do for the moment?
A. He plans to go to France for his MBA study.
B. He is going to travel around the world.
C. He wants to go to Beijing.
11. Why does the man want to change his mind?
A. He would prefer to go to Beijing as well.
B. He doesn’t want to be controlled by his parents.
C. He can decide on his own future.
听第8段材料，回答第12至14题。
12. What does the woman enjoy most during the journey?
A. The beautiful scenery. B. The amazing food. C. The kindhearted people.
13. Where does the woman most probably live in?
A. Australia. B. Canada. C. America
14. What is the probable relationship between the two speakers?
A .Friends. B. Husband and wife. C. Guide and tourist.
听第9段材料，回答第15至17题。
15. Why does the man look depressed this morning?
A. He failed in a power test yesterday. B. He was disturbed while watching TV.
C. He missed about 30 minutes of a program.
16. What was the immediate cause of the power failure?
A. His mother’s use of the washing machine.
B. His father’s turning on the microwave oven.
C. His watching TV for long hours.
17. What will the man probably do tonight?
A. Watch a ball game on TV. B. Take part in a basketball final.
C. Ask his neighbor to check the power.
听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18. Where was the speaker reading a newspaper?
A. In her living room. B. In front of the door. C. In the garden.
19. How many elderly ladies came to the speaker’s?
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5.
20. What was the man’s response when he saw the ladies sitting in his house?
A. Shocked. B. Very happy. C. Very angry.
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。
21. Take a r egular holiday away from home to relax yourself from the pressure of your work, even if you are living on a tight ______.
A. certificate B. catalog C. budget D. commitment
22. American artist Jeremy Telford made a room with balloons．He got the from Bag End in the Lord of the Rings, which is a hole in the ground where a Hobbit（霍比特人）lives in the film．
A. inspiration B. compliment C. occupation D. regulation
23. Although taking wedding photos has become more popular among graduating students, many students it requires both money and courage.
A. acknowledge B. assess C. forecast D. deny
24. Program such as Chinese Idol, and The voice of China, which are from US and UK
Shows, have been making the headlines these months.
A. adopted B. adapted C. transformed D. translated
25. In making a scientific experiment, one should not be _____ by temporary setbacks but should stick to doing it hopefully.
A. cast down B. put away C. taken in D. put out
26. Even though computer screens don’t radiation, the stress from staring over long periods can cause harm to your vision.
A. give off B. give in C. give up D. give away
27. We need a (n) _______ team leader who can really motivate the members to work harder.
A. considerable B. cautious C. dynamic D. conventional
28. The preschool children who watch TV programs with violent scenes are more likely to have sleep problems than those who watched programs fo r the age.
A. accurate B. fantastic C. delicate D. appropriate
29. China needs to strike a balance between maintaining a ______ fast and stable development and economic structural adjustment.
A. relatively B. seemingly C. approximately D. environmentally
30. There is no need for you to go on a diet; you are only slightly overweight ______ your height.
A. in case of B. in relation to C. in return for D. in response to
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。
While waiting to pick up a fri end at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to 31 his family.
First he moved to his youngest son as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. 32 they separated, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”
Then the man stood up, gazed in the 33 of his oldest son and said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.
After several 34 , he turned to his wife and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and 35 to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I 36 remember seeing.
For an instant they 37 me of newlyweds(新婚夫妇), but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment and gathered my courage to 38 ask, “Wow! How long have you been married?”
“Almost twelve years.” he replied, 39 breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man 40 turned and looked at me,. “Two whole days”
Two days? I was 41 . By the intensity of the greeting, I had 42 he’d been gone for at least several weeks — if not months. I know my expression 43 me. Hoping to stop our conversation politely and continue with my 44 for my friend, I said almost immediately, “I hope my 45 is still that passionate after twelve years!”
The man suddenly 46 smiling. He looked me straight in the eye, and with power that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a 47 person. He told me, “Don’t 48 , friend …decide!” Then with wonderful smile, he and his family turned and left together.
I was still watching that special family walk just out of sight when my friend 49 to me and asked, “What are you looking at?” Without 50 , and with a curious sense of certainty, I replied, “ My future!”
31. A. greet B. hug C. comfort D. appreciate
32. A. As B. Before C. Because D. Since
33. A. mind B. eyes C. heart D. head
34. A. months B. hours C. moments D. weeks
35. A. proceeded B. managed C. pretended D. promised
36. A. never B. already C. ever D. almost
37. A. remembered B. reminded C. warned D. informed
38. A. nervously B. strangely C. casually D. excitedly
39. A. on B. after C. without D. by
40. A. directly B. finally C. cautiously D. deliberately
41. A. shocked B. frightened C. delighted D. discouraged
42. A. assumed B. planned C. realized D. decided
43. A. discovered B. overlooked C. betrayed D. withdrew
44. A. research B. control C. search D. reach
45. A. marriage B. relatives C. family D. friends
46. A. continued B. kept C. stopped D. tried
47. A. different B. reliable C. wonderful D. perfect
48. A. remark B. imagine C. hope D. quit
49. A. called on B. dropped in C. came up D. waved at
50. A. hesitation B. decision C. difficulty D. intention
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。
A
Peo ple often say that money talks. They mean that a person with a lot of money can say how he or she wants things done. But it is not easy to earn enough money to gain this kind of power.
Ask anyone in business. They will tell you that it is a jungle out there. The expression probably began because a jungle is filled with wild animals and unknown dangers that threaten people.
People in business have to be careful if they are to survive the jungle out there. They must not be led into making bogus investments. Bogus means something that is not real.
Nobody is sure how the word got started. But it began to appear in American newspapers in the 1800s. A newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts, said the word came from a criminal whose name was Borghese. Borghese wrote checks to people although he did not have enough money in the bank. After he wrote the checks, he would di sappear. So, people who were paid with his checks received nothing. The newspaper said Americans shortened and changed the criminal’s name Borghese to Bogus.
People trying to earn money must be also aware of the risk of being ripped off. A writer for a magazine said he first saw the expression used in 1971. It was on a sign that a student carried during a protest demonstration at a university. The message on the sign was that the student felt cheated.
To be successful, a person in business works hard and tries to get down to brass tacks. This expression means to get to the bottom or the most important part of something. For example, a salesman may talk about his product without saying the price. You get down to brass tacks when you say, “it sounds good, but how much does it cost?”
Word expert Charles Funk thinks the expression comes from sailors on ships. They clean the bottom of a boat. When they have removed all the dirt, they are down to the copper pieces that hold the ship together. So, if we get down to brass tacks, we can prevent ri p-offs and bogus ways of earning money in that jungle out there. And, some good luck will help, too.
51. Why do people say money talks?
A. Because the rich tend to decide a thing. B. Because money can tell us something.
C. Because it is hard to earn much money. D. Because everyone loves to have money.
52. My uncle is in a jungle out there, which means .
A. he will fight against wild animals B. he is interested to go through a jungle
C. he will face many difficulties soon D. he is a success in his own business
53. When you ask how much it cost, it means .
A. you declare you won’t be cheated B. you get down to the real issues
C. you care nothing about the quality D. you are always caring about money
54. It can be inferred from the passage that .
A. many English words have their interesting stories
B. brass is a necessary piece of equipment of a ship
C. many businessmen have been cheated in life
D. Charles Funk has created many interesting words
B
I bought a Paul Smith shirt three months ago. For those who don’t know, Paul Smith is an English designer brand.
His shirts cost about 1,000 yuan and upwards. I paid 50 yuan for my colorful shirt from a street vendor in Beijing.
Of course my shirt was a knockoff, a cheap copy of the brand. After a few washes, little balls formed on the surface of the thin material.
Do I care? Not at all. You get what you pay for.
I have to admit I hate shopping. I don’t care enough about spending money on clothes. I have other priorities.
In You Are What You Wear, US writer Jennifer Baumgartner says people’s clothes tell a story about their personality.
She writes: “The clothes you choose to wear provide important information about you as a person: your approximate education level, your income, social status and even your level of self-esteem (自信).” When I started work as an undercover crime reporter, I had to shop for jeans and a hoodie (连帽衫) in order to fit in with a rough and ready (世故的) social group.
I bought the hoodie in a charity shop. My daughters were shocked. They thought I looked bad, but I knew my disguise was perfect.
Elizabeth L. Cline thinks she knows best when it comes to cheap clothes in her book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. She expresses sadness that clothing has been turned into a good that is thrown away after being used once or twice.
She looks down her nose at cheap fashion and longs for the good old days when department stores sold quality clothes at high prices.
I don’t agree. At least people now can choose what to wear without breaking the bank.
55. The underlined sentence in the article meant that .
A. I don’t mind spending money on clothes
B. there’s not much point spending money on clothes
C. it is too much trouble to spend money on clothes
D. I never spend money on clothes
56. From the text we can infer that the author’s disguise .
A. immediately won the admiration of his daughters
B. turned out unsuited to his plan
C. proved that clothes can’t show a person’ s true personality
D. had something to do with his income
57. The author mentions Elizabeth L. Cline’s book to .
A. express his anger at the poor quality of clothes
B. show his disagreement with her idea
C. show his dislike for how people treat their clothes
D. support her attitude toward spending money on clothes
58. Which of the following might be the best title for the story?
A. The variety of clothes B. You are what you wear
C. High cost of cheap fashion D. You get what you pay for
C
It’s five minutes before the exam and you are in a state of panic. You just have to pass it, but how? You didn’t even open the book the night before and you hear a voice in your head saying “Cheat, cheat ...” So what are you going to do, ignore it and fail or go for it? It’s a tough decision many students must make.
Most young people believe that cheating is wrong. However, they have cheated at least once in their high school years. So, why do they do it? Are they too lazy to study? Perhaps, it’s not as simple as that. According to some experts, one main reason why students cheat is that they see their friends get away with it. It’s an easy way out. They avoid embarrassment and their parents’ anger for not doing well in an exam. Another reason is that students think it’s OK to cheat if the subject isn’t important for their future career. What’s more, most students have to put up with the pressure of getting into university. They need to get good marks to carry on with their studies. This means that there will always be students who will do anything for a better mark.
It has never been easier to cheat than it is today. With all the technology available, students needn’t cheat by looking over their shoulders anymore. They use mobile phones to send answers to each other during a test. There is also the Internet. With hundreds of websites, students don’t have to worry because they can find lots of material which they can copy and use in projects. There are even tips on the art of cheating in exams.
Obviously, if you get caught cheating, you fail the exam or the subject. But it doesn’t really matter whether you get caught or not. What’s important is that it’s wrong. You mustn’t cheat because cheating is a lie. It deceives (欺骗) people into thinking you know more than you actually do. How can you be proud of something you have achieved through cheating? In the end, it’s not about deceiving your teachers and your parents, but ab out fooling yourself that you can do something you really can’t.
59. The tough decision that many students have to make before an exam is .
A. whether to cheat or not B. what to do if they fail
C. how to cheat D. how to keep calm
60. According to the experts, why do some students cheat?
A. The subjects are important for their future. B. They are too lazy to study.
C. Cheating can help them please their parents. D. Their friends ask them to cheat.
61. The worst thing about cheating is that .
A. you cheat others and yourself B. you can get caught and fail
C. you give others a bad impression D. your teacher will inform your parents
62. Which sentence best summarizes the whole text?
A. Cheating can be explained but not excused.
B. Technology has made cheating easier.
C. Students cheat to get i nto university.
D. Cheating is a social and psychological problem.
D
Matt Haimovitz is 42 and a renowned cellist (大提琴手) in the world. He rushed into the classical music scene at the age of 12 after Itzhak Perlman, the famed violinist, heard him play.
But nothing in his family history explains where Haimovitz got his extraordinary tal ent. And that’s typical, Ellen Winner, a professor says.
“People are fascinated by these children because they don’t understand where their talent came from. You will see parents who say, ‘I wasn’t like this, and my husband wasn’t like this.’ It seems to sometimes just come out of the blue,” Winner says.
It’s not clear whether a prodigy’s （天才）brain is any different from the brains of other children, in part because there have been no study comparing the brains of prodigies to those of average people.
“But I believe that anything that shows up so early, without training, has got to be either a genetic or some other biological basis,” Winner says. “If a child suddenly at the age of 3 goes to the piano and picks out a tune and does it beautifully, that has to be because that child has a different brain.”
Children who are extremely gifted tend to be socially different, too, Winner says. “They feel like they can’t find other kids like themselves, so they feel strange, maybe even like a freak, and feel like they don’t have anybody to connect with. On the other hand, they also long to connect with other kids, and they can’t find other kids like themselves.”
As Haimovitz got older, he became frustrated. He wanted to play other kinds of music but felt constricted by the image and the expectations of the boy prodigy who played classical music and filled concert halls.
“When you start that early, you suddenly start to grow up in public, and I wanted to experiment,” Haimovitz says.
So he took his cello into punk rock clubs and coffee houses. He played Bach, Haydn and Hendrix. “ My teacher was Leonard Rose, and we never played any 20th-century music. He didn’t like it. But once I was exposed to James Marshall “ Jimi” Hendrix, Miles Dewey Davis El and others, I couldn’t really turn back. I wanted to know more,” he says.
63. According to some parents, prodigies’ extraordinary talent .
A. comes unexpectedly B. is inherited from parents
C. results from hard work D. is trained in early times
64. Winner seems to agree to the fact that ____.
A. average people have their particular brains
B. biology is the base of a different brain
C. a prodigy’s brain is superior to those of others
D. genes play an important role in a prodigy
65. According to the text, gifted children are .
A. lonely B. easy-going C. innocent D. social
66. The last paragraph is mainly about how Haimovitz was trying to .
A. build up his friendship B. play different kinds of music
C. set up the image of a prodigy D. perform classical music creatively
E
As a professor I have grown accustomed to the opinion regarding American education. We are repeatedly told that American schools are failing, that colleges are not teaching, and that the students of today are not as good as the students of the past.
There are, of course, problems with the education system. Because of economic inequality some schools are significantly better than others and the ideas of equality of education and equality of opportunity are cruel jokes. However, the mere fact that there are some serious problems does not mean that all the dire claims are true.
One stock (陈腐的) claim is that America has fallen behind the world in education in terms of performance on various tests. While the fact that America is behind other countries is a point of concern, there are at least three points worth considering here. The first is the above-mentioned economic inequality which will tend to result in poorer performance when taking the average for America. The second is that many countries have put considerable effort into improving their education systems and hence it is worth considering that America’s decline is also due to the improvement of others. The third is the matter of the measures— do they, in fact, present an accurate picture of the situation? I am not claiming that the data is bad. I am merely raising a reasonable concern about how accurate our picture of education is at this time.
Another stock claim is tha t American students are doing badly on standardized tests. While there is clearly value in assessment, it is reasonable to consider whether or not such tests are a proper and adequate measure of education. It is also worth considering whether the puzzle with these tests is itself causing damage to education. That is, as teachers teach for the test and students learn for the test, it might be the case that what is being taught is not what should be taught and what is being learned is not what should be learned.
67. According to the professor, many people’s attitude towards American colleges is .
A. negative B. positive C. approving D. indifferent
68. What does the underlined word “dire” in the second paragraph mean?
A. Exact or precise. B. Extremely serious or terrible.
C. Fair or objective. D. Long and boring.
69. Judging by the text ,the claims are centered on .
A. what should be taught in the American classroom
B. fair judgment of American education
C. American students’ performance on tests
D. an accurate picture of American colleges
70. The passage is written mainly to .
A. defend American education
B. show dissatisfaction with American education
C. explain why American students do badly on tests
D. offer advice on American education reform
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。
71. to do what others think impossible! (fun)
去做别人认为不可能的事情真是有趣！
72. As our office building ______________, we rent a hotel room for the meeting.(decorate)
因为我们的办公楼正在装修，我们只好到一家旅馆租了一个房间开会。
73. _________________ if the regular customers were not coming to eat in his restaurant. (happen)
如果那些常客都不来他的餐馆用餐，一定是发生了什么可怕的事。
74. Time was up, I could do nothing ______________ the exam papers to the teacher.(hand)
时间到了。我别无选择只好把试卷交给了老师。
75. There are many examples of ______________ their addiction to the Internet after receiving education in our training course.(rid)
在我们的培训课上接受教育之后，学生们摆脱了网瘾的事例很多
76. I wondered ____________ reading the book that I lent to you , so I called you this morning. (finish)
我想知道我借给你的那本书你是否已经看完了，所以今天早上我给你打了电话。
77. House prices vary from place to place and are usually high ______________ (there)
房子的价格根据地方不同而不同，通常在有名校的地方会很高。
78. The reform of College Entrance Examination will begin with English, whose result is not so satisfying ____________. (expect)
高考改革将从英语学科开始，其结果也不像预期那样令人满意。
79. The 31st Olympic Games will be held in Rio De Janeiro, from July 27 to August 12,2016,
All athletes will compete for medals. (during)
第三十一届奥运会将于2016年7月27日至8月12日在里约热内卢举行，在此期间所有的运动员将为奖牌而战。
80. Waiting on both sides of the street __________ who wanted to see the famous singing star. (excited)
等候在街道两旁的是激动的歌迷，他们想一睹这个著名歌星的风采。
第二节：短文写作（共1题；满分30分）
目前我国中学生的健康状况越来越差，这使父母、学校和专家感到忧虑。为解决这一问题，有些人提出将体育纳入高考。请结合实际谈谈你的看法。
注意：①文中不得透露个人姓名和学校名称； ②可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；③ 词数不少于120。
天门市2014年高三年级四月调研考试
英语参考答案及评分标准
72. is being decorated
73. Something terrible must have happened
74. but hand in
75. students/students’ getting rid of
76. if/whether you had finished
77. where there are famous schools
78. as (we )expected / as it was expected
79. during which time
80. were excited fans
第二节：短文写作（共1题；满分30分）
The fact that high school students are currently experiencing a sharp decline in health has aroused wide concern among parents, schools and experts. To have this problem solved, some people propose that PE be included as a subject in the College Entrance Examination.
I’m against the idea because it is by no means practical. Setting up standards for the exam alone may well be a hard task. It is far beyond our ability to manage such a nationwide exam in the sports field.
However, good health is an essential foundation of learning. Only when one is in good health can he guarantee efficient learning.
Therefore, it is schools’ responsibility to help develop their students’ awareness of the importance of keeping fit. Moreover, schools should provide sufficient sports facilities for their students to have regular exercise.
听 力 材 料
Test1
M: Hmm, how much is this chair?
W: It’s 20 dollars.
M: Could you give me a discount?
W: A discount? Well, it depends on the size of the order. If you buy 50 units, I will give you a 5% discount; if you buy 100 units or more, I will give you a 10% discount.
M: Sounds good. OK, I’ll take 100.
Test2
M: How do you reach it?
W: Just type in www.yahoo.com----and you are here.
M: Thank you. Let me try.
Test3
M: Do you enjoy life in Chicago?
W: No, I don’t .I’m planning to move to New York or Boston. But I have never regretted my earlier decision.
Test4
M: Make thirty copies for me and twenty copies for Mr. Brown.
W: Certainly, Sir. As soon as I finish typing the letter.
Test5
M: Shall we go to the theater this evening?
W: Oh, sorry. I’m afraid I can’t. I’m seeing my grandparents off at the railway station at 8:45.
Test6
M: Good morning, Madam. Can I help you?
W: Ah, yes. I want to go to New York and I’m not so sure of the best way to get there.
M: Well, you could get there by the long-distance bus. It’s only 15 dollars.
W: Mm…that’s not bad . How long does it take me to get there?
M: It takes you about 10 hours.
W: 10 hours?
M: Well, yes. But you can go at night , so you might get some sleep anyway.
W: oh, no . I never sleep sitting up. I think I’d better take a train.
Test7
W: Do you have any plans for your future?
M: Er…for the moment I plan to go to France for my MBA.
W: That’s great! I’d very much to go Beijing. Maybe I’ll find a job there.
M: That’s not bad. But I may change my mind.
W: What? Are you kidding? It’s such a good chance to go abroad.
M: You know my father is there. If I go there, my mom goes with me. I have to live with them.
W: You mean you have no freedom? But so many students envy your chance.
M: I see , but I envy you. You have your own say on your future while I am sort of controlled by my parents.
W: Poor you! Anyway ,I think what your parents do is all for your own good.
Test8
W: How nice it is to be home again with all of my family!
M: Did your journey turn out as well as you had hoped it would be?
W: All trips have good and bad points, but this one had mostly good ones.xkb1.com
M: Did you have something you enjoyed the most?
W: My favorite thing was the amazing food.
M: Were the people receptive to having visitors?
W: You could tell that some people didn’t have a favorable view of Americans.
M: Did you get me a souvenir!
W: Of course I brought you something!
M: Oh, what a beautiful T-shirt! Next time I am going to be the one to go away, and you can stay home and feed the dog!
Test 9
W: You don’t look happy this morning.
M: I had never expected this would have happened to me. We had a power failure at home last night.
W: How come? Did anyone in the family do anything wrong?
M: You have guessed it. It was all my father’s fault.
W: what did he do?
M: I was just watching a wonderful football feature program on TV when the lights suddenly went out.
W: Why was that?
M: You see, we’d just had our dinner. My mother was washing my jeans in the washing machine. And the air conditioners were on in both rooms. I was in my room watching TV.
W: What was your father doing then?
M: He wanted to warm his tea in the microwave oven. He plugged it in and the fuse broke. And everything stopped all of sudden.
W: Your next-door neighbor is an electrician, isn’t he?
M: Yes .Luckily, he happened to be at home. He came and fixed it up. But it was half an hour later. I had already missed a lot.
W: It was an annoying experience for a sports fan like you. But don’t miss the basketball final this evening. Make sure there is no power failure tonight.
Test10
It was a quiet Sunday afternoon and I was reading a newspaper in the garden, expecting a couple of hours of peace and quiet. I heard a bus arriving at the end of the garden, and then I heard a loud knocking on the door. I went out, and there were 4 elderly ladies wearing their Sunday dresses and carrying their handbags, looking very happy and friendly. And they said, “Well .We are sorry, we hope we are not late, but we couldn’t find the house very easily,” and clearly they thought that it was the right place to be. And then one of them said very helpfully, “Well, your husband was very kind to invite us to tea.” So I thought. “Goodness, my husband must have gone mad and forgotten to tell me.” So I asked them into the house and they sat down and started talking happily. Then when my husband appeared they didn’t speak to him, I thought this was surprising because they said they had been invited by him. And he looked a bit shocked to see them sitting there. And then we quickly discovered that it was the wrong husband and they were, in fact, expected at a house on the other side of the village.
