江苏省泰州市2021届高三上学期1月期末调研测试 英语(含答案)

泰州市2020～2021学年度第一学期期末调研测试

高三英语试题

(音频下载地址：jsgkxzx@ 密码：20082008)

2021．01

本试卷分选择题和非选择题两部分。满分150分，考试用时120分钟。

第一部分 听力(共两节，满分30分)

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 is the man worried about?

A. The exam. B. The paper. C. The train tickets.

( )2. Why are the man's cheeks red?

A. He is sick. B. He feels embarrassed. C. He fell down and injured.

( )3. What is the woman?

A. A doctor. B. A firefighter. C. A police officer.

( )4. What are the speakers talking about?

A. The time to announce the news.

B. The students to attend the meeting.

C. The trip to take on Monday.

( )5. Where will the man go later this afternoon?

A. To a supermarket. B. To Bill's house. C. To a hospital.

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。

( )6. What did the woman do this morning?

A. She stayed at home. B. She had an interview. C. She bought a chocolate cake.

( )7. What does the man want the woman to do next?

A. Take a shower. B. Buy some desserts.

C. Tell him about her interview.

听第7段材料，回答8、9题。

( )8. How will the woman go to New York City?

A. By air. B. By train. C. By car.

( )9. What does the man want to do?

A. Relax at home. B. Visit museums with his family.

C. Spend a week on the beach.

听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。

( )10. What is the woman?

A. A director. B. A student. C. A movie star.

( )11. Which part of the movie did the woman say could be improved?

A. The plot. B. The acting. C. The lines.

( )12. What did the man think of the woman's review?

A. It was boring. B. It was shallow. C. It was thorough.

听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。

( )13. What can we know about the speakers?

A. They are grandparents. B. They both love fancy events.

C. They always buy gifts for each other.

( )14. When did the competition first come to China?

A. In 2014. B. In 2016. C. In 2019.

( )15. How does the man probably feel about the horse racing?

A. He is pretty excited about it. B. He wants to learn more about it.

C. He really dislikes it.

( )16. Who will the woman go to the event with?

A. Her husband. B. Her friend. C. Her sister.

听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。

( )17. Where is the speaker giving the speech?

A. In a park. B. In a museum. C. In a government building.

( )18. Why did Simon travel to Europe as a young man?

A. To find a job. B. To get education.

C. To help his family's business.

( )19. How long has Simon stayed in Europe?

A. For five years. B. For eight years. C. For three years.

( )20. What do people in Central and South America think of Simon?

A. They consider him as a national hero. B. They don't identify with his

dreams.

C. They forget about him today.

第二部分 阅读(共两节，满分50分)

第一节(共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

A

China is famous for its various hot pots, but the Japanese also love this delicious cuisine,

where hot pots are known as nabemono. Here're four tasty versions worth eating.

Shabu-Shabu

Many types of hot pots exist, but one of the most popular in Japan is called Shabu­Shabu.

Featuring thinly sliced cuts of meats, fish and vegetables, the dish, whose name imitates the sound

“swish swish” as the food is cooked in the boiling pot, is said to have been created in Osaka in

the 1950s. The food is typically dipped in a sauce with a citrus(柑橘) flavor.

Chankonabe

Since the late 1800s, Chankonabe has been served to sumo(相扑) wrestlers looking to gain

weight. Interestingly, there is no fixed recipe for this style of hot pot. In other words, any type of

meat and vegetables can be thrown in. It's served in large portions, often with other food such as

fried chicken so that sumo wrestlers can keep their significant body weight.

Mille-Feuille Nabe

A less fattening Japanese hot pot that has an attractive visual element is Mille-Feuille Nabe.

Made with mostly pork and cabbage, it's easy to prepare since this hot pot requires fewer

ingredients(原料) than other kinds of nabemono. The remaining soup can also be enjoyed with

steamed rice or noodles.

Yaminabe

Yaminabe is a dining experience like no other. Everyone brings their own ingredients to add to

the pot, but with their eyes covered, they don't know what else is being added. Therefore, no one

knows exactly what they're picking out of the pot. Sounds like the ultimate surprise, doesn't it?

That's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to nabemono. These hot pots are just the start

of a wonderfully delicious nabemono journey!

( )21. Where does Shabu-Shabu get its name from?

A. The taste of the meat as it's eaten. B. The town called Osaka in the 1950s.

C. The sound of food boiling in the pot. D. The flavor coming from a citrus sauce.

( )22. According to the text, what kind of nabemono are the people in the right picture

probably eating?

A. Shabu­Shabu.

B. Chankonabe.

C. Mille­Feuille Nabe.

D. Yaminabe.

( )23. Where is this text most likely from?

A. A food and travel blog. B. A history textbook.

C. A Japanese cookbook. D. A news website.

B

The government of India has announced that it will replace the single­use plastic cups used

for tea in 7，000 train stations around the country with traditional clay cups called kulhads. This

will reduce the amount of waste thrown away every day, thus helping further the government's goal

of making India free from single­use plastics, and it will provide much­needed employment for

two million potters.

Jaya Jaitly, a politician and handicrafts expert, has advocated since the early 1990s for clay

cups to be reintroduced in train stations. She explained that employing potters to provide these cups

was a way to support them at a time when they lost jobs due to “new Internet technology”．

It is reported that a potter's average monthly income will increase from $34 to $135 a month.

The government is distributing electric wheels to those who do not have them and funding a switch

from wood-fueled to gas-fueled kilns(窑炉) in villages that already have gas devices for cooking.

Jaitly said this would reduce smoke pollution.

She also said that one reason why earlier efforts to reintroduce kulhads failed was that the

government was unwilling to accept non­standardized sizes and shapes of cups. This time they will

have to accept it because the handmade pieces cannot possibly be the same, particularly with

production being so scattered(分散). Variation in appearance is a small price to pay for the

environmental benefits.

This is happy, hopeful news from India, a country that has long struggled to deal with plastic

waste, partly because of its huge population and inadequate waste processing infrastructure across

vast rural regions. This policy is an excellent example of getting at the root cause of a problem and

fixing it, rather than just trying to clean up the mess afterward. To use the bathtub metaphor(比喻)

that's commonly cited when talking about plastic pollution, this is like turning off the plastic­producing tap, instead of wasting time trying to mop up the overflow, wishing it would go away.

( )24. What is special about the policy announced by Indian government?

A. It promotes awareness of traffic issues.

B. It collects enough revenue to fight poverty.

C. It promises to be eco­friendly and favorable.

D. It rids India of the long­term unemployment.

( )25. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A. Jaya Jaitly is a short­sighted politician and economist.

B. Advances in Internet technology cost potters their jobs.

C. Clay cups were first introduced in Indian railway stations.

D. Potters were employed at stations to get financial support.

( )26. What effort does the government make for the potters?

A. It raises their monthly income.

B. It offers new cooking devices to them.

C. It standardizes the size of clay cups for them.

D. It provides funds for them to upgrade their devices.

( )27. Which of the following is similar to the bathtub metaphor?

A. Put the cart before the horse. B. Treat the foot when the foot hurts.

C. Stop the boiling by taking off the fire. D. Kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

C

For years I hadn't known much about gardening. I grew up in the countryside but got hooked

on music and drawing and put a great deal of effort into books. As a teenager, the fields beyond my

home became a green barrier to the big city I so longed to be part of. I was always full of life, free

from worries.

Breaking up with Josh changed everything. I felt so lost and alone. Yet I didn't turn to

gardening for recovery straight away. That summer I went to a dozen festivals, danced my way

through sleepless weekends and relied on kind friends. But none of them worked for long.

Then one day I walked to the balcony, seeing sunflowers blooming brightly in the wind. They

made me realize that plants always carried on. “How small my heartbreak is in the grand scheme

of things，” I said to myself. I had no idea where I'd end up living, but I could rely on those cycles

of growth, decay(衰退) and renewal. There was something enormously comforting in that.

Gradually, the need for green space became a habit that changed my life. When I was staying

with friends, I'd hunt out parks. Within a couple of months, I'd signed up as a volunteer at a local

community garden and would get there early on Sunday mornings, as if it were

my__own__kind__of__church．

It's not surprising that being outdoors and surrounding myself with nature helped me through

this difficult time. Studies by the Royal College of Physicians have found that gardening can lower

blood pressure, relieve anxiety and depression, boost mood, and burn calories.

Fifteen months later, I found a new home, nestled in a patch of south London woodland. I

have 30 houseplants in total and my balcony blooms all year around, so it feels like both an

oasis(绿洲) and somewhere to think.

Life is still sometimes frustrating. Difficult things still happen. But these days I know how to

treat myself: I make sure I go outside, breathe in, look at what's growing, and I always feel better.

( )28. Which can best describe the author in her teenage years?

A. Stubborn but innocent. B. Diligent and carefree.

C. Productive and optimistic. D. Ambitious but selfish.

( )29. What actually drew the author to gardening?

A. It reminded her of the childhood.

B. It helped her ease negative feelings.

C. It broke down the barrier to the big city.

D. It relieved the symptoms of sleeplessness.

( )30. The underlined part in Paragraph 4 probably refers to ________．

A. praying to God in the church

B. the need for green space in life

C. hunting out as many parks as possible

D. the voluntary work in the community garden

( )31. What does the text focus on?

A. Cure of nature. B. Curse of fate.

C. Obstacle to peace. D. Openness to change.

D

It goes without saying that many Western wedding customs are completely different from

those of Asian cultures. Some are so rooted in history that many Westerners have no idea whether

they even exist.

Traditionally, June has been the most popular month for people to get married. One reason is

that June 1 was the date of an ancient Roman festival celebrating the marriage of the god Jupiter

and his wife Juno. Another reason will likely astonish you. Centuries ago, taking a bath was not as

common as it is today. Some people took a bath only once a year, typically in May. Since June was

a time most wedding guests would not be too smelly, that month was preferred.

Another wedding custom is for the bride to “wear something old, something new, something

borrowed, and something blue”. Having something old is said to protect the newlyweds' future

baby, while the new item shows optimism for the future. Meanwhile, something borrowed is meant

to bring good luck, and something blue is a promise of being faithful. Lesser known is the fact that

the bride is also supposed to have a sixpence in her shoe for prosperity(兴旺). Interestingly, in

Sweden, brides are given two coins before getting married—one gold from her mother and the

other silver from her father—also to put in her shoes. These fascinating customs show just how

important certain wedding traditions are in Western cultures.

The concept of the “white wedding”，in which the bride wears a white wedding dress, is a

familiar one. It is thought, mistakenly though, that this is a tradition that developed in ancient times

and originates from the belief of white being a symbol of purity. Actually, the custom of brides

wearing this color dates back less than 200 years and is attributed to the wedding of Queen Victoria.

The queen's choice of white for her wedding was unusual for the time as other colors, especially red,

were much more common.

After news of Victoria's highly publicized wedding to Prince Albert spread, not just around the

United Kingdom, but to other nations including the United States, women began following in her

footsteps and wearing white dresses at their wedding ceremonies. With white being the choice of a

powerful royal figure like Queen Victoria, the color became associated with wealth, nobility, and

the fashion­conscious.

( )32. Based on the text, June has been a popular month to get married probably because

________．

A. Queen Victoria married Prince Albert in June of 1840

B. June is the month in which Romans recall the soul of gods

C. some people didn't take a bath before May in ancient times

D. it is considered to be the luckiest time of year to get married

( )33. Which of the following wedding customs is said to protect an unborn child?

A. Wearing something old. B. Wearing something blue.

C. Wearing a shoe with a coin in it. D. Wearing something borrowed.

( )34. What can we learn from the “white wedding” mentioned in the passage?

A. The white wedding dress is a symbol of purity and nobility.

B. Red rather than white was once popular in English weddings.

C. Queen Victoria wore white in the hope of breaking old customs.

D. The custom of the white wedding started thousands of years ago.

( )35. What might be the best title for the text?

A. Routines of marriage ceremonies. B. Highlights of traditional weddings.

C. Reflecting on old traditions. D. Exploring western wedding customs.

第二节(共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分)

阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

It's no secret that as the colder months roll in, the chances of getting sick start to increase.

Winter is the worst time to get sick. __36__ Luckily, there's plenty that we can do to prepare

ourselves for the cold season.

Keep a packet of tissue in your bag, so that you can sneeze on a tissue instead of your hands.

__37__ It's also always nice if you can be the person that your friends can count on when they need

a tissue—that's always appreciated even in random events such as going to a public bathroom that

ran out of toilet paper.

You may consider it wise to avoid walking in the cold weather, or after dark since the sun goes

down so early. Actually this is probably the worst thing you can do because the main way to stay

healthy is to eat healthy foods and work out. __38__

You're probably not getting as much sleep as you should. Sleeping six hours every night?

Sleep twice as much as you usually do. Even if you can't fall asleep, try to lie down and rest in

silence. __39__ It's hard to believe, but mental health and physical health are a lot more connected

than you might think.

__40__ What we eat has a dramatic impact on our overall ability to defend against viruses and

infections. Ensure that you maintain a diet that's high in fruits and vegetable, which can help

support your immune system.

A. If the person beside you is sneezing, offer him a tissue.

B. It's even more dangerous now in the time of COVID­19.

C. Yes, even that walk to the grocery store counts as exercise.

D. That's the best way to avoid spreading viruses everywhere.

E. Another important component in keeping you healthy is nutrition.

F. Stress can affect your immune system and make it easy to catch a cold.

G. Regular exercise is the best thing you can do to ensure a healthy immune system.

第三部分 语言知识运用(共两节，满分30分)

第一节 完形填空(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)

阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

In this season of giving thanks, we are supposed to discover the secrets of the happiest and

most appreciative people. However, I find myself __41__ to see the blessings in life, focusing on

what doesn't go perfectly. __42__， I found a cure for this “illness”， one that seems to be

infectious.

My __43__ took place just before Thanksgiving. At the time, I was reading my daughter

Traci's page on Facebook where I noticed the __44__ for my “disease”. Traci had accepted a

friend's challenge to start a journey of __45__．

Her first two posts were __46__ in her family life—grateful for a hard­working __47__；

blessed to have caring parents. But it was her third post that made my heart stop: “I'm thankful my

husband didn't __48__ daughter Hailey and me this morning！”

Traci explained she had knelt at the bottom of their steep driveway to tie Hailey's shoe. Her

husband, Eddie, thinking that both had left home, drove backwards from the __49__. They were out

of __50__ in his rear­view and side mirrors, and Traci never heard him coming in their __51__，

new car. Then, within only inches of his __52__ wife, Eddie noticed the bright pink of her

sweatshirt, when she __53__ her position.

The incident reminded me that __54__ minor complaints, we have a wonderful life. Even

when Thanksgiving is past, I still plan to continue this thankfulness journey. I think it can change

an attitude to __55__．

( )41. A. pleased B. challenged C. motivated D. confused

( )42. A. Naturally B. Gradually C. Fortunately D. Frankly

( )43. A. discovery B. coincidence C. legend D. adventure

( )44. A. symptom B. account C. schedule D. treatment

( )45. A. thankfulness B. forgiveness C. cooperation D. investigation

( )46. A. uncommon B. typical C. ridiculous D. contradictory

( )47. A. husband B. friend C. colleague D. editor

( )48. A. bring up B. wake up C. watch over D. run over

( )49. A. garage B. basement C. kitchen D. lounge

( )50. A. reach B. range C. mind D. sight

( )51. A. fancy B. noisy C. quiet D. private

( )52. A. hiding B. bowing C. trembling D. kneeling

( )53. A. secured B. shifted C. swapped D. strengthened

( )54. A. in spite of B. in terms of C. in case of D. in place of

( )55. A. concentration B. gratitude C. sympathy D. friendship

第二节(共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The Ant Forest initiative was launched by the Alipay app in 2016. __56__ about 200 million

trees planted on 182，700 hectares of land, it has helped to __57__(efficient) avoid almost 7.9

million tons of carbon emissions.

The initiative is in line with the Chinese government's strategy of transforming the nation into

a “Green Economy”. __58__(accomplish) this objective, China has been taking aggressive action

in expanding its green coverage.

For example, the “Great Green Wall” was initiated in the northern region to restrict the

__59__(expand) of the Gobi Desert. The Forestry Administration's monitoring report mentioned

that desert lands __60__(shrink) by 24，240 square kilometers in the past decade. Moreover, China

only has a small percentage of vegetated area(植被面积). __61__， it has contributed to the

increase in the world's green leaf area by almost 25% in the last two decades.

Our planet is at a tipping point, __62__ may result in natural disasters unless urgent actions

__63__(take) immediately. Here, Alipay Ant Forest shows that it is possible to rely on digital

technology for a better and __64__(green) future. Several more initiatives, from not just China but

all across the globe, __65__(be) under way towards a sustainable future of the planet.

第四部分 写作(共两节，满分40分)

第一节 应用文写作(满分15分)

假定你是校英文报记者李华，报纸“Heroes in Harm's Way(身边的抗疫英雄)”一栏拟介绍你校张医生，请你写一封电子邮件，邀请他接受你的采访，内容包括：

1. 写邮件的目的；

2. 邀请原因；

3. 采访计划。

注意：

1. 写作词数应为80左右；

2. 请在相应位置作答。

Dear Mr. Zhang，

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Yours sincerely，

Li Hua

第二节 读后续写(满分25分)

阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The first time we set eyes on the beautiful dress “Big Red”， father, mother and I were

walking slowly through the freshly fallen snow on our way to Hubble's Hardware store on Main

Street.

The colorfully decorated window display held the best toys ever and some other things. And

they were all placed pleasantly beneath the breathtaking dress of Big Red. Mother's eyes were

glued to the massive flame of red satin(绸缎), dotted with twinkling stars.

“My goodness，” she managed to say in dreamlike wonder. “Would you just look at that

dress！” Then, totally out of character, mother unexpectedly danced on the slippery sidewalk.

Beneath the heavy, grey wool coat that she had worn every winter for as long as I could remember,

mother lost her balance and fell clumsily. Father quickly caught her.

Her cheeks redder than usual, mother blamed dad for laughing. “Oh, stop that！” she ordered,

as my father swept the snow from her coat. “What a silly dress to be displayed there in the window

of Eaton's！” she shook her head in disbelief. “Who on earth would want such a brightly-colored

dress? It is too expensive.” As we continued to walk down the street, mother turned back for one

more look. “My goodness! You'd think they'd display something that a person could use！”

Christmas was around the corner and the red dress was soon forgotten. Mother was not the one

to wish for, or spend money on, things that were not practical. “There are things we need more

than this，” she'd always say, or, “There are things we need more than that.”

Father, on the other hand, liked to buy things whenever the budget allowed. Of course, he'd get

a scolding for his occasional spending like this, but it was all done with the best intention.

On our last trip to town before Christmas, we were driving up Main Street when mother

suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “Would you just look at that！” She pointed excitedly as Dad

drove past Eaton's. “That big red dress is gone，” she said in disbelief. “It's actually gone.”

注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；

2. 请在相应位置作答。

Dad looked quickly and smiled, “Yes, it is not

there! ”________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

I'll never forget that Christmas morning when father handed mother a

box.________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

英语参考答案及听力材料

听力

1～5 BBCAC 6～10 BCACB 11～15 ACAAC 16～20 CBBAA

阅读

第一节

21～23 CDA 24～27 CBDC 28～31 BBDA 32～35 CABD

第二节

36～40 BDCFE

语言知识运用

第一节

41～45 BCADA 46～50 BADAD 51～55 CDBAB

第二节

56. With 57. efficiently 58. To accomplish 59. expansion/expanding 60. had shrunk

61. However 62. which 63. are taken 64. greener 65. are

写作

第一节

Dear Mr. Zhang，

I'm Li Hua, and I'm writing to inquire if you would be willing to accept an in­person interview

on Heroes in Harm's Way.

As you're a widely admired person, I'm greatly amazed by your medical knowledge and

perseverance demonstrated in the unexpected crisis. So in the interview, I would be asking some

questions about what inspires you to make a determined doctor, and the full list of questions is

attached to this email. I expect it would take no longer than two hours.

Look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely，

Li Hua

第二节

Dad looked quickly and smiled, “Yes, it is not there！” “Who'd be fool enough to buy such

an expensive dress？” Mother questioned, shaking her head with a little disappointment crossing

her face. I quickly stole a glance at Dad. His eyes were flickering as he made faces towards me.

Mother cast another glimpse out the rear window while we rode on. “It'” she whispered. I

was almost certain that I detected a trace of thirst in her voice. Soon, Christmas arrived as we

expected.

I'll never forget that Christmas morning when father handed mother a box. Mother opened it

to find a package containing the red dress. With trembling hands she touched the elegant material

of the dress, Big Red. Her face was as bright as the lights that twinkled on our tree in the corner.

“You shouldn'” came her faint attempt at scolding. Father laughed, helping mother slip

the marvelous dress over her shoulders. As sweet music enveloped the room, Big Red worked its

magic deep into my heart.

听力材料

Text 1

W: What is making you so worried? The exam or the train tickets?

M: Neither. I've been preparing for the exam for a week. I'm worried about the paper. You

know, there is a time limit for it, but I haven't collected enough information.

Text 2

W: Are you feeling all right? Why are your cheeks all red?

M: Don't ask. I just fell down in front of my entire class! Everyone was laughing at me. I feel

so silly.

Text 3

W: Are you a doctor? Is there an emergency?

M: No,

W: It's against the law to cross the street when the light is red.

M: I apologize, officer. I was in a hurry to get to the fire station for my work.

Text 4

W: We have already decided for a trip. Are you announcing the news today or tomorrow?

M: I'll do it at Monday's meeting. I am sure students will be excited about it.

Text 5

M: I want to visit Bill. I heard he will have an operation tomorrow. Do you know what room

he is in?

W: He is in Room 406. Visiting hours are from 4：00 p．m. to 7：00 p．m., so you've still got

a couple hours.

M: Thanks. I'll go to see him after I pay for these groceries.

Text 6

M: Where were you this morning?

W: Did you forget? I had my interview. I wanted to make a good impression, so I went in a

little early. I was too nervous to stay at home.

M: Oh! I wish I had remembered. I would have asked you to bring back my favorite chocolate

cake from the city. The ones here aren't any good.

W: Seriously? You're not even going to ask me how my interview went.

M: I'm sorry, honey. But don't you think it's just the best chocolate cake you've ever eaten? So,

how do you think you did?

W: I'm going to take

Text 7

W: I just bought a ticket to New York City. I'm so excited!

M: Good for you! Traveling is so much fun. I love discovering new places and new people.

When are you leaving?

W: Next week. I'm taking a flight that leaves at 8：00 p．m. and arrives early the next morning.

It was cheaper. Hopefully, I'll be able to sleep on the plane.

M: I wish I could go with you! New York City is a magical place. You can visit some great

museums there. You will have so much fun.

W: I hope so. I'm going to visit my brother who lives there. I will stay with him for a week and

then take the train down to Washington, D. C. Then we will rent a car to go around.

M: That sounds like a great vacation. I'm looking forward to a week at the beach for my

summer vacation with my family. I just want to relax.

Text 8

W: I just watched the new Leonardo DiCaprio drama. I found it kind of troubling.

M: Unbelievable! What could be the trouble with a Leonardo DiCaprio movie? He is one of

the best actors of his generation. He's nearly a living legend. Was it bad acting, a bad story, or what

else?

W: It was none of those. It's just that, well, he's older now and has lost some of his youthful

attraction.

M: So, you're telling me he's not as cute and you don't like him as much. Wow, that is shallow,

especially when it comes from a film and media student. What about the movie though? How was it,

in your professional opinion?

W: It was OK, but a little boring. The acting and lines were just fine, but the plot could have

been better. The characters solved their problems too easily. Even though it did have a surprising

ending, I felt it was totally unsatisfying.

M: It is really hard to please you. Thorough review, though. You're on the way to becoming a

famous film reviewer. Once you get past the surface, you are really thoughtful.

Text 9

M: Sandra, I bought you a gift for your birthday.

W: Alan, you know we don't buy gifts for each other anymore. That's what our children and

grandchildren are for—giving presents!

M: I know, but I couldn't pass this up. It's a ticket to the horse races in Shanghai.

W: What?

M: Yeah! I know you've been expecting to go, ever since the international event came to China

in 2014. I was too late to buy tickets before they sold out in 2016. Now it's 2019, and it's time you

got your wish!

W: This is such a nice surprise! Thank you, my dear! I never would have guessed you'd do

something like this! You hate fancy events like this.

M: Oh, I do. That's why I'm not going. You wouldn't have fun with me there, either. I would

just be complaining the whole time.

W: But I can't

M: That's why you're going with your sister Anne. I bought a ticket for her, too. You ladies

will have a great time.

W: A double surprise! I can't wait to tell her! She loves watching the competitions on TV.

What a wonderful gift from my thoughtful husband!

Text 10

Welcome to the National Museum of Venezuela. I am your tour guide. I hope you are prepared

to learn about Venezuela's most famous son, Simon Bolivar. Bolivar was born in 1783. He came

from a wealthy family that wanted the best for him and the country. He was sent to Europe, first to

Spain and later to France, to attend some of the best schools in the world. He returned home after

five years with new ideas about how to improve the lives of all Venezuelans. He wanted to use

these ideas to help his people and create a government that worked to help lift all people up. He

was able to help create the first union of independent nations in South America, called the Gran

Colombia. This included the future states of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, Bolivia, Peru, and

Ecuador. He helped inspire people to achieve their dreams and improve their lives. He is still a

national hero to this day. If you go to any country in Central or South America today, you are likely

to find a statue of Simon Bolivar somewhere in a park, museum, or government building.