九江市2014年高三二模英语试题

九江市2014年高三第二次模拟统一考试

英 语 试 题

第一卷（选择题 共115分）

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. ￡19.15.

B. ￡9.15.

C. ￡9.18.

答案是B。

1. What does the woman do? A. A teacher. B. A doctor. 2. What are the speakers talking about? A. The man’s sister. B. A film. 3. Where will the woman go first? A. To the post-office. B. To the dentist’s. 4. When will they get there if they leave by 8 o’clock? A. 8:00. B. 9:00. 5. Who was to blame in the accident?

A. The woman’s sister. B. The car driver. 第二节 （共15小题；每题1.5分，满分22.5分）

C. A policewoman. C. An actor. C. To the bookstore. C. 9:30. C. The woman.

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，每小题将给出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7题。 6. When will the woman see the movie? A. On Sunday. B. On Saturday. C. On Friday. 7. How much are the tickets? A. $10 B. $11 C. $13 听第7段材料，回答第8至9题。 8. Why does the man change the table? A. It’s not clean. B. It’s in the corner. C. It’s near the window. 9. What does the man order first?

A. A cup of fresh milk. B. A half-gallon of fresh milk. C. A half-gallon of fresh juice. 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。 10. What does the man want to learn?

A. Computer science. B. Driving. C. English. 11. How long does the course last?

A. For about 20 days. B. For about 30 days. C. For about 35 days. 12. What can we learn about the Training Center? A. There are classes in only audio training. B. There are 4 courses in the center.

C. Most of the classes are held in the morning. 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。

13. What will the woman take to pay for the party tonight? A. AA treat B. BB treat C. AB treat 14. What does ―AB treat‖ mean?

A. Dividing the bill according to sex.

B. Dividing the bill equally among all the men. C. Dividing the bill equally among all the women.

15. What percentage of the bill will the woman’s male friends pay tonight? A. 50% B. 70% C. 80% 16. How does the man find AB treat? A. Reasonable B. Funny C. Foolish 听第10 段材料，回答第17至20 题。

17. What percentage of people are right-handed according to the conversation? A. 85% B. 90% C. 95% 18. Which hand can new-born babies grasp objects with? A. Right hand. B. Left hand. C. Either of their hands. 19. What is RIGHT about monkeys according to the conversation? A. There are as many right-handed monkeys as the left-handed ones. B. There are more right-handed monkeys. C. There are more left-handed monkeys. 20. What can we know from the conversation?

A. Scientists know all the things that happened on the babies.

B. Scientists don’t know all the things that happened on the babies. C. The number of left-handed people is increasing.

第二部分：英语知识运用（共两节，满分45分） 第一节：单项填空（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）

从A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

21. －Could you help me with the math problem? －______ You must be barking up the wrong tree.

A. My pleasure. B. Take it easy. C. Why not? D. Are you kidding? 22. A person with a happy, easy-going ______ is more likely to succeed in the future.

A. nature. B. appearance. C. behavior D. attitude 23. Most of my new classmates are kind, but _________ is so good to me as Lucy.

A. someone B. everyone C. no one D. none

24. During the Spring Festival travel rush, almost all the cities adopted _____ measures to smooth the heavy traffic. A. compulsory B. temporary C. permanent D. traditional 25. So well ________ that she has won her first Australian Open title in Melbourne.

A. was Li Na performed B. Li Na has performed C. did Li Na perform D. Li Na is performing

26. Somehow this seems to Koreans to be _____. How could Ahn Hyun-Soo suddenly become a Sochi champion of Russia? A. out of place B. out of shape C. out of control D. out of question 27. John is strongly convinced that extra time spent studying now will _____ in the future. A. show off B. set off C. pay off D. take off 28. There would be additional work to be done _____ all the troops were ready.

A. until B. since C. before D. unless 29. Visit the old man this afternoon? If you _____, make sure you wear sunscreens to protect your skin. A. must B. can C. may D. shall 30. The police went to the suspect’s house and searched for _____ they could find to prove him guilty. A. Whoever B. Wherever C. Whichever D. Whatever

31. As soon as the gate was opened, the people around crowded into the supermarket and I got_____ from my friend. A. divided B. separated C. lost D. missed 32. －Why not open the windows to let ______ cool air in?

－I’d rather you didn’t. ______ air in our city is terribly polluted.

A. / ; the B. a; the C. /; / D. the ; /

33. When talking about the most popular Chinese Internet words in 2013, the first _____ comes into the mind may be ―tuhao‖.

A. what B. which C. one D. that

34. ―Give me a supportive point,‖ Archimedes once said, ―and a place to stand—and I _____ the world.‖ A. moved B. move C. will move D. would move

35. With several problems _____ to be solved, we still needed to hold another meeting as soon as possible. A. remained B. remaining C. remain D. to remain 第二节 完形填空(共20小题；每小题l.5分，满分30分)

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(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。

I was on a walk with a friend yesterday when I found an iPhone5s in a pile of snow. I picked it up and it still 36 ! I started looking through the name list and calling numbers to see 37 I could figure out whose phone it was. 38 , only one person answered and she didn’t 39 the number that I was calling from. She gave a(n) 40 of ―It is just so nice that you are trying to find out whose phone it is.‖

Since that lady didn’t know whose phone it was, my friend 41 that we go back to the street and the 42 that we found the iPhone5s in front of. I knocked on the door and two college-age people 43 . They hadn’t lost their phones, but as I told them the 44 and mentioned some names on the name 45 , the young man said that he also 46 those names and it must be the phone of one of their friends. 47 , both of the young men politely mentioned how 48 it was that I took the time to hunt for the owner. I really didn’t have anything to say, because in my 49 I was just doing the right thing.

I never considered 50 the phone—it wasn’t mine. I immediately tried to find out the owner, because that is 51 what I would want someone to do if either I or any of my family members lost phones.

Eventually the owner 52 , sincerely expressing a lot of thanks. I was very happy that the 53 part was that I didn’t say who I was—give my 54 , or number. I strongly felt that the purpose of helping others is not for 55 . Helping others is more than enough for me and it is the most endless joy of life.

36. A. phoned B. rang C. worked D. helped 37. A. how B. why C. when D. whether 38. A. Unluckily B. Hopefully C. Naturally D. Surprisingly 39. A. recognize B. accept C. consider D. check 40. A. decision B. opinion C. announcement D. sentence 41. A. said B. suggested C. ordered D. warned 42. A. station B. phone C. house D. gate 43. A. smiled B. appeared C. refused D. answered 44. A. point B. story C. service D. offer 45. A. paper B. report C. list D. information 46. A. forgot B. had C. stopped D. enjoyed 47. A. Then B. Instead C. However D. Therefore 48. A. eager B. wonderful C. clever D. kind 49. A. presence B. absence C. value D. mind 50. A. keeping B. repairing C. buying D. throwing 51. A. practically B. gradually C. exactly D. probably 52. A. got up B. picked up C. turned up D. kept up 53. A. worst B. strongest C. hardest D. best 54. A. name B. hand C. reason D. idea 55. A. companion B. success C. freedom D. return

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，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A

Tom was called off to dress for Sunday-school.

Mary gave him a tin basin of water and a piece of soap, and he went outside the door and set the basin on a little bench there; then he dipped the soap in the water and laid it down; turned up his sleeves; poured out the water on the ground, gently, and then entered the kitchen and began to wipe his face diligently on the towel behind the door. But Mary removed the towel and said:

―Now aren’t you ashamed, Tom. You mustn’t be so bad. Water won’t hurt you.‖

Tom was a little unsettled. The basin was refilled, and this time he stood over it, took in a big breath and began. When he

entered the kitchen presently, with both eyes shut and feeling for the towel with his hands, an honorable testimony of bubbles and water was dripping from his face. But when he came out from the towel, he was not yet satisfactory, for the clean territory stopped short at his chin and his jaws, like a mask; below and beyond this line there was a dark expanse of unirrigated soil that spread downward in front and backward around his neck. Mary took him in hand, and his flooded hair was neatly brushed, and its short curls formed into an elegant and regular general effect. Then Mary got out a suit of his clothing that had been used only on Sundays during two years -- they were simply called his ―other clothes‖ -- and so by that we know the size of his wardrobe. After he had dressed himself, Mary checked over and over again. Now he looked extraordinarily improved but uncomfortable. He was fully as uncomfortable as he looked; for there was a self-control about whole clothes and cleanliness that annoyed him. When Mary brought out the shoes, he lost his temper and said he was always being made to do everything he didn’t want to do. But Mary said, persuasively:

―Please, Tom – that’s a good boy.‖

So he got into the shoes howling. Mary was soon ready, and the two children set out for Sunday-school -- a place that Tom hated with his whole heart; but Mary was fond of it. 56. The first time Tom washed his face, he ______. A. dipped his face in the water B. poured water on his face C. wiped his face on the towel D. moved the towel on his face 57. Mary refilled the basin for Tom to wash his face, and he ______. A. washed his hair as well B. didn’t wash his neck C. brushed his teeth as well D. didn’t use the soap 58. It can be inferred that Tom’s other clothes were ______. A. measured to his wardrobe B. formed into general effect C. called his best clothes D. put to use at Festivals 59. When Mary said ―That’s a good boy‖, she really meant ―A good boy ______‖. A. always dresses himself properly and neatly B. never has curled hair. C. always washes his face with water D. never loses his temper. 60. What will we read about next? A. How Tom hated the school. B. How Mary loved the school. C. What annoyed Tom at the school. D. What happened at the school

B

Firefighters had largely tamed a tower of flame and smoke that covered the sun and drove thousands from their homes in the foothill suburbs northeast of Los Angeles, but a week of dangerously windy wildfire conditions and a year of historic dryness meant that this fire and predictable ones to come remained a major threat.

By nightfall Thursday, the wildfire that swept through about 2 1/2 square miles of brush in the San Gabriel Mountains and destroyed five homes early in the day had its progress stopped and was 30 percent contained. More than 700 firefighters were on the scene, along with 70 engines and a fleet of helicopters and air tankers dropping water and retardant(阻止物).

But the National Weather Service said a red-flag warning of extreme fire danger in effect much of the week would remain in place until Friday evening because of low humidity and the chance of the region’s infamous Santa Ana winds bursting to 30 mph in the foothills and valleys.

Some 3,700 people from Glendora and Azusa evacuated at the height of the fire. Glendora residents were allowed to return home Thursday evening, but homes in Azusa remained under evacuation orders. It wasn’t clear how many remained empty.

Fire engines would stay in all the endangered neighborhoods through the night and helicopters were available to fly after dark if it became necessary. Nighttime bursts brought a few flame-ups, but they remained within fire lines.

Two firefighters had minor injuries and a woman trying to fight the fire near her home suffered a minor burn. Seventeen structures were damaged, including homes, garages, barns and other buildings. At least 10 renters were left homeless when the fire destroyed rental units on the historic grounds of a retreat that once was the summer land of the Singer sewing machine family. Statues of Jesus and Mary stood unharmed near the blackened ruins. However, the main, 1920s house was spared.

Three men in their 20s, including a homeless man, were arrested on suspicion of irresponsibly starting the fire by tossing paper into a campfire in the Angeles National Forest, just north of Glendora. They said they were trying to keep warm and the wildfire appears to have been an accident. They could face state or federal charges. 61. What’s the purpose of the first paragraph? A. To introduce the topic.

B. To arouse readers’ interest.

C. To summarize the main idea. D. To share the writer’s opinion 62. What do we know about the fire? A. It lasted a week. B. It started on a Thursday. C. It grew wilder at night. D. It flamed up high at first 63. What led to the outbreak of the fire? A. Low humidity. B. Windy fire conditions. C. No timely warning. D. Careless campers. 64. The underlined word ―evacuated‖ in Paragraph 4 probably means ______. A. swept B. burst C. fled D. endangered 65. The three young men were arrested because _______. A. they were homeless B. they were to blame for the fire C. they wanted to keep warm by the fire D. they started the fire deliberately

C

Many people focus on physical fitness, but few know that brain fitness is also something you can work on. In fact, you can exercise your brain as often as you work out your arms or abs--and the results can be positive and empowering. It’s helpful to think of your brain as you work out a muscle. To improve your brain, you can’t simply repeat the same exercises over and over. Just as lifting a two pound weight will no longer challenge you, so will repetitive exercises such as crosswords or Sudoku. Once you master easy exercises, you must move on to harder ones in order to push your brain—like your muscles—to a new level.

Scientists once believed that your mental abilities were fixed in adulthood. Now that studies on neuroplasticity have shown just the opposite, millions of people around the world have adopted the new practice of brain training.

The most popular of these brain training products is made by the San Francisco-based Lumosity, which employs a team of in-house neuroscientists with degrees from Stanford and UC Berkeley. Realizing that brains need more sophisticated programs and guidance to grow and change, Lumosity’s scientists work with an experienced team of game designers. Together they’ve developed a fun, effective online brain training program that measures, tracks, and adapts to your progress so you’ll always be challenged. Lumosity’s training system and 40+ games are based on well-studied tests used in clinical neuropsychology research.

In a 2013 Stanford study, a treatment group of 21 breast cancer survivors used 12 weeks of Lumosity training to work on processing speed, mental flexibility, and working memory tasks. On average, those who trained improved on tests of these abilities, compared to a group that did not train with Lumosity. There is even some first round evidence suggesting that Lumosity may be beneficial to normal, healthy adults. In a 2011 study by Lumosity and San Francisco State University researchers, 13 people who did Lumosity training over 5 weeks improved on tests of brain performance compared to a group that did not train. On average, those who trained improved working memory scores by 10% and attention scores by 20%.

Training can take just a few minutes a day, but the rewards can make a difference in many aspects of life. The goal of brain training is not to improve game scores: it’s to improve the underlying core abilities that those games rely on. Lumosity is one of the first and most popular brain training programs in existence. There’s a small fee to use the full product, or new users can start a free trial.

66. What is the best title for the passage? A. Brain training can make a difference. B. Brain training—a new science. C. Brain training can keep you fit. D. Brain training—an open online course. 67. In order to improve our brain, we can ______.

A. do the same exercises day after day B. challenge it with harder exercises day by day C. work out crosswords every day D. adapt to physical change

68. According to the passage, what is Lumosity?

A. It is a team of in-house neuroscientists. B. It is a team of experienced game designers. C. It is an online brain training program. D. It is a clinical brain training research. 69. In Paragraph 4, the writer gives so many figures to ______. A. explain the cause of Lumosity B. clarify the principle of Lumosity C. confirm the process of Lumosity D. show the effect of Lumosity 70. It seems to us that the passage is exactly ______. A. an ad. B. a survey. C. a questionnaire. D. a quiz.

D

Best bike-sharing cities in the world

When Citi Bike rolled onto the streets of New York this Memorial Day, it was treated as a national event and even international media took notice. In advance of the launch, one blog post on Le Monde’s website claimed, ―Bike share to conquer America.‖

The next major development was in Copenhagen, which introduced a coin-operated system in 1995 called Bycyklen, or ―City Bike.‖ For 17 years, these bikes zipped through the streets of Denmark’s capital until the program was shut down late last year—it’s getting an upgrade to third generation technology.

Sponsored by media giant Clear Channel, the French city of Rennes brought the next generation of bike share to the world in 1998 by replacing coin operation with card access and electronic booths. From there the technology has progressed, picking up GPS and real-time tracking along the way, and has spread throughout Western Europe—and the world.

According to the Bike Sharing World Map, maintained by DeMaio and Russell Meddin of Bike Share Philadelphia, there are 553 bike share programs in operation worldwide and another 193 in planning or under construction.

And they’re not just in Europe and North America. The worldwide leader in bike sharing, as measured by the number of bikes, is China. According to data collected by the Earth Policy Institute, 20 of the 25 largest bike share programs are Chinese. Its largest one, in the city of Wuhan, has twice the number of bikes as all of France’s shares combined.

Although most of the systems share several characteristics—bikes with low theft value, electronic docking stations, ranked payment scales—different cities are trying different ways to make bike sharing work.

Take a look at Hangzhou, China, this city of 6.2 million near Shanghai, and you’ll see what just may be the best bike share in the world. Although now second on the planet (and China) by size, the Hangzhou Public Bicycle system is one of the densest shares, and probably the most extensively used one, anywhere, largely because of its mixing into public transport: a single card grants access to subway, bus, ferry, taxi and bike share. Residents and tourists alike can put down a deposit of 200 Chinese Yuan (about $33) and ride for an hour for free in this scenic city on the Yangtze Delta. Each additional hour is the equal of only $0.15—one reason why riders put in a quarter-million rides a day. By 2020 it’s projected to have 175,000 bikes. 71. What does the blogger mean by the underlined part ―Bike share to conquer America.‖?

A. Bike share is a national event. B. Bike share attracts international media. C. Bike share is popular in America. D. America is a kingdom of bikes. 72. In 1995 citizens in the French city of Rennes can get access to bike share ______.

A. by putting coins into the system B. by inserting a card into the system C. by showing ID card to the booths D. by boarding the docking station 73. Which of the following countries has the most bikes? A. America. B. Denmark. C. France. D. China. 74. Which of the following statements is TRUE about bike share?

A. No thief will steal bikes. B. The payment is the same among cities. C. Any city has her own way to operate it. D. There is no competition between cities. 75. If you tour in Hangzhou you can find the bike share there is ______. A. the most advanced in the world B. a most successful example C. free for local people D. available at scenic spots

第II卷 （非选择题，共35分）

第四部分：写作（共两节，满分35分）

第一节：阅读表达（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）

阅读下面短文并回答问题，然后将答案写到题后相应的位置上（请注意问题后的词数要求）。

[1] Mother’s Day is a holiday that’s supposed to celebrate the precious relationship between a mother and her child. If you have a strong desire to buy her a gift for that Day, I’ve come up with some ideas that will work for you to show your mom how much you value that relationship.

[2] Spend time with your mom. Most moms I know want to hear from their kids more than they do. You can even do this if you live far away from your mom. Give her a call at times and ask her about herself, how her days are going and what she’s feeling. Focus on hearing her heart. After all, this is the woman who birthed you...maybe knowing her will help you know yourself better, and that’s never a bad thing.

[3] Write down your memories of her. Many moms love to know what their kids remember from childhood and how they distinguished the things that happened then. Make a list of these for your mom and give it to her. Or, tear each memory off in a strip, fold it up and put it in a jar. Give her the sealed jar for Mother’s Day, and she can pull out a memory every day until they’re gone.

[4] Take photos with her. Was your mom one of those people who has every family event for the last 30 years documented in extensive photographic detail? Then spend some time getting pictures taken with her. Take her to a favorite park or garden, or do it in your own backyard. Your poses can be silly or quiet, but no matter how they turn out, taking them will make your mom’s day.

[5] Clean her house. I know a few people who like to clean, but even they can find it overwhelming when life gets busy. So pick up a bucket and a mop and show mom that you really do remember all her lessons on cleaning the house. Although it takes up your time, every little thing you’ve done is meaningful for your mom.

76. What’s the main idea of the passage? (no more than 8 words)

___________________________________________________________

77. Why does the writer advise you to spend time with your mom? (no more than 10 words) ___________________________________________________________ 78. What is sealed in the jar? (no more than 7 words)

___________________________________________________________ 79. How can you act while taking photos with your mom? (no more than 8 words) ___________________________________________________________ 80. What is conveyed in the last paragraph? (no more than 8 words)

___________________________________________________________

第二节 书面表达（满分25分）

距离高考剩下不到100天的时间了，紧张的备考已经拉开序幕，但是很多同学还不知如何处理学习、健身、休息与高考备考之间的关系。请根据这一话题写一篇英语短文，谈一谈你对这一问题的看法和建议。

注意：

1.词数120字左右，开头语已为你写好； 2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

How to Get Prepared for the College Entrance Exams

The College Entrance Examination is drawing near. _______________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

命题及审稿：吴平 蔡银保 曹宝春 杜晓雯 胡玲玲 黄辉 袁飞华

九江市2014年高三第二次模拟统一考试

英语试题参考答案及听力材料

一、听力

1—5 B C B B B 6—10 A C C B C 11—15 C C C A B 16—20 A C C A B

二、单项选择

21-25 D A D B C 26-30 A C C A D 31-35 B A D C B

三、完形填空

36-40 C D A A B 41-45 B C D B C 46-50 B A B D A 51-55 C C D A D

四、阅读理解

56-60 C B B A D 61-65 C D D C B 66-70 A B C D A 71-75 C A D C B

五、阅读表达

76. Ideas to show your care for Mother’s Day/ What we can do for the mother’s day?/ How to celebrate the mother’s day

77. Because knowing her will help you know yourself better. 78. Strips with memories of your mom. 79. You can take any pose you like.

80. Every little thing will make a difference./

What you’ve done for your mom is meaningful. 六、书面表达

【参考答案】

The College Entrance Examination is drawing near. However, most students of senior three don’t know how to connect rest, doing exercise with study. In their eyes they should sacrifice their rest time in order to get high scores, which results in poor health and low efficiency of learning. (48)

Just as a famous saying goes: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. we should be aware that nothing is more valuable than health which is a foundation of success. Therefore, on the one hand, we should make preparations for the exam fully and systematically. On the other hand, we should relieve stress by means of relaxation and doing sports. (111)

In conclusion, only when we have adequate rest and doing some sports can we study more efficiently. (128)

听力材料：

Text 1

M: Jane, shall we go now?

W: I’m sorry I’ll be a little later than usual. I have to operate on a patient immediately. He’s badly injured in an accident. Text 2

W: I hate to say it. But Jacky isn’t doing well in the film.

M: Well, I think he’s only playing a different type of role. My sister thinks he is still the best. Text 3

M: Can you stop by the post-office and get me some envelopes?

W: Well, I am not going to stop by the post-office, but I can buy you some at the book-store after I see the dentist. Text 4

W: What time does the film start?

M: At 9:30. If we leave by eight o’clock, we should be able to get here half an hour before the film. Text 5

W: My sister went into hospital yesterday. M: What’s the matter with her?

W: She was crossing the street when a car went through a red light and hit her. Luckily, she wasn’t seriously hurt. M: Let’s buy some flowers and pay her a visit.

Text6

W: I’d like to reserve two tickets on Saturday, the 10th. M: For which movie, Madam?

W: Um…for Dark and Stormy Night, please. M: I’m sorry, that show is sold out. W: Well, how about the 11th?

M: Yes, Madam, we do have tickets for that show. W: Are there any seats left in the middle?

M: Yes, but they’re not next to each other. If you want them together, we still have seats in the front and at the back. W: The front row sounds good. How much are the tickets? M: $13 in total.

W: Okay. Can I use my credit card? Text 7

M: Excuse me, we’d like another table for our meal. W: I beg your pardon.

M: We need another table. We have a lot to discuss. This table is too near the window. W: I see. Is the table in the corner suitable for you? M: That’s ok.

W: May I have your order, sir?

M: Wait for a moment, my friend hasn’t turned up. W: Can I bring something to drink for you? M: OK. I’d like a half-gallon of fresh milk. W: Just a moment, please. Text 8

M: Good morning, madam.

W: Good morning. May I help you?

M: Yes, I’d like to get some information about the summer course at the English Training Center. W: What can I tell you?

M: Can you tell me the starting and finishing time of the course, please? W: OK. The course begins on July 15th and runs until August 20th. M: What course will we study?

W: Well, you will have listening, speaking, reading and writing courses. There are classes in audio—visual training as well. M: Oh. And what time will the classes be held?

W: Well, most of them are in the morning. There are only a few classes in the afternoon. M: That’s all. Thank you. Text 9

W: We will have a party tonight.

M: Take more money on you in case of the cost. W: We will take AB treat. It won’t cost me much.

M: AB treat? You mistook AA treat for AB treat, I think. W: Not really. You know the meaning of ―AA‖ treat?

M: Sure, it means dividing the bill equally among all the dinners. W: Now ―AB treat‖ has become a fashion among young people. M: You mean it’s a new way to pay for a party. W: Right, you know men often drink more wine.

M: I see. The diners pay for the party according to sex? W: You guessed it.

M: How much should a man pay?

W: Males now choose to pay a bigger part of the bill, say 70 percent.

M: While female friends dining with them pay the rest? Sounds reasonable! W: Right, so the ladies don’t spend much on that. Text 10

Which of your two hands do you use most? Very few of us can use both of our hands equally well. Most of us are right-handed. Only about five people out of a hundred are left-handed. New-born babies can grasp objects with either of their hands, but in about two years they usually prefer to use their right hands. Scientists don’t know why this happens. They used to think that we inherited this tendency from our animal ancestors, but this may not be true. Monkeys are our closet relatives in the animal world. Scientists have found that monkeys prefer to use one of their hands more than the other—but it can be either hand. There are as many right-handed monkeys as there are left-handed ones. Next time you visit the zoo, watch the monkeys carefully. You’ll see that some of them will prefer to swing from their right hands and others will use their left hands. But most human beings use their right hands better and this makes life difficult for those who prefer to use their left hands. We live in a right-handed world.