2022四川高考英语冲刺试卷及答案解析

2022四川高考英语冲刺试卷及答案解析

考试时间：120分钟  满分：150分

    注意事项： 1、本试卷分第I卷（选择题）和第II卷（非选择题）两部分。

    2、考生务必将自己的姓名、考号填写在答题卡上。

    3、作答时，将答案写在答题卡上。写在本试卷和草稿纸上无效。

    4、考试结束后．只将答题卡交回。

第Ⅰ卷（选择题  共95分）

第一部分： 听力（共两节，满分20分）

第一节（共5小题；每小题1分，满分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。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’s the probable relationship between the two speakers?

  A. Daughter and father.      B. Boss and employee.      C. Student and teacher.

2. What’s the time?

  A. 4:30.     B. 4:35.       C. 4:25.

3. What can we learn from the conversation?

  A. The man didn’t make any suggestions.

  B. The woman followed the man’s advice.

  C. The man didn’t want the woman to buy the air conditioner.

4. In what class did the student break the school rules?

  A. In chemistry class.        B. In biology class.         C. In physics class.

5. Who is Dame Morrison?

  A. Tom’s doctor.         B. Mary’s doctor.        C. Tom’s boss.

第二节（共15小题，满分15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。听每段对话或独白前，你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至8题。

6. Where is the flat?

  A. In the central part of the town.   B. Near a busy road.       C. Beside a park.

7. How much is the rent?

  A. 13 pounds a week.      B. 120 pounds a month.     C. 300 pounds a year.

8. What does the man think of the flat?

  A. He likes it very much.     B. He doesn’t like it.        C. He wants to see it first.

    听第7段材料，回答第9至11题。

9. Why are some doctors strongly encouraging arm exercises now?

  A. Because our arms are often too fat.

  B. Because our arms are often too soft.

  C. Because arm exercises can build up our health.

10. What will happen to your blood pressure when you do arm exercises?

  A. It’ll slow down.        B. It’ll rise up.         C.It’ll stay normal.

11. What should be done with arm exercises?

  A. Leg exercises.         B. Neck exercises.        C. Head exercises.

    听第8段材料，回答第12至14题。

12. What is John?

  A. A farmer.         B. A doctor.        C. A postman.

13. What can we learn about Fred?

  A. He had the largest farm in America.

  B. He grows cotton in his field.

  C. He will buy more fields next year.

14. What did the woman once do at her brother’s?

  A. She drank the milk.       B. She milked a cow.        C. She killed a cow.

    听第9段材料，回答第15至17题。

15. What has made working at home possible?

  A. Personal computers.     B. Communication industry.     C. Living far from companies.

16. Why do some people prefer working at home?

  A. To save time.      B. To get more jobs.     C. To make more money.

17. What might happen in the future?

  A. The British firm can move to Belfast.

  B. We might work at home for a foreign company.

  C. We can call Spain for the work.

    听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。

18. What is the passage mainly about?

  A. The development of air masses.

  B. Some reasons why the temperature of the air is always changing.

  C. The color of the clouds during the day or night.

19. What may affect the temperature changes?

  A. The quantity of clouds in the sky.

  B. The height of clouds in the sky.

  C. The temperature of the clouds.

20. What happens to the temperature when there are many clouds during the night?

  A. The temperature rises much.

  B. The clouds keep up the temperature.

  C. The clouds keep the air temperature from dropping much.

第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）

第一节 （共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）

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

A

    I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that

    I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.

    I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in, so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up, because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.

    One Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification（资格证书）if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got on a part-time course. I had to leave my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten.

    Now I’ve got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career, even if you aren’t top of the class at school.

21. What is the author’s present job?

   A. Working part-time in a college.     B. Taking care of children for a family.

   C. Helping children with their schoolwork.     D. Looking after children at a kindergarten.

22. When staying with the two girls’ family, the author ___________.

   A. was paid for extra work     B. often worked long hours

   C. got much help from her boss     D. took a day off every other week

23. Why did the author leave her first job?

   A. She found a full-time job.     B. She was fed up with children.

   C. She decided to attend a part-time course.     D. She needed a rest after working extra hours.

24. What has the author learned from her own experiences?

   A. Less successful students can still have a career.

   B. Qualifications are necessary for a career.

   C. Hard work makes an excellent student.

   D. One must choose the job she likes.

B

Winners Club

You choose to be a winner!

   The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account（交易账户）where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7—that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

   It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers.

No account keeping fees!

   You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!

Excellent interest rates!

   You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if

you make at least two deposits（储蓄）without taking them out in a month.

Convenient

   Teenagers are busy—we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone and the Internet, you can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!

Mega magazine included

    Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.

The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian(so we can organize that cool key-card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!

25. The Winners Club is a bank account intended for ________.

   A. parents               B. teenagers               C. winners               D. adults

26. Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?

   A. Special gifts are ready for parents.           B. The bank opens only on work days.

   C. Services are convenient for its members.      D. Fees are necessary for the account keeping.

27. If you want to be a member of the Club, you must ________.

   A. be an Internet user                                     B. be permitted by your parent

   C. have a big sum of money                                D. be in your twenties

28. What is the purpose of this text?

    A. To set up a club.                                      B. To provide part-time jobs.

    C. To organize key-cards.                            D. To introduce a new banking service.

C

    Bob Dylan, born on May 24, 1941, is an American songwriter, singer, artist, and writer. He has been influential in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his best-known work dates from the 1960s when his songs recorded social unrest, although Dylan disagreed with suggestions from reporters that he was a spokesman for his time. However, early songs such as “Blow in' in the Wind” and“ The Times They Are a-Chang in'” became important songs for the American civil rights and anti-war movements. Dylan’s mid-1960s recordings reached the top end of the United States music charts, but were criticized by others in the folk movement for their use of rock music.

    Words in Dylan’s songs have political, social, and literary influences. They wouldn’t follow pop music traditions but welcomed the beginning of a new culture. First inspired by the performances of Little Richard and the songwriting of Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, and Hank Williams, Dylan has enlarged and personalized musical genres(种类）. His success as a recording artist and performer has been central to his career, but songwriting is considered his greatest achievement.

    As a musician, Dylan has sold more than 100 million records, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has also received various awards, including eleven Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Award. He is only the second person to have won both the Oscar Award and the Nobel Prize. The other is George Bernard Shaw. In May 2012, Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. On October 13, 2016, Dylan was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for “having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”

29. What is the best title of this passage?

   A. Dylan’s Best-known Songs      B. Dylan’s Winning the Nobel Prize

   C. A Short Introduction About Dylan     D. Dylan’s Influence on Popular Music

30. Which of the following statements is TRUE about Bob Dylan?

   A. He has been influencing popular music and culture for almost 50 years.

   B. Several people have won both the Oscar Award and the Nobel Prize.

   C. Dylan admitted that his songs were about his age.

   D. Dylan’s greatest achievement is his popular songs.

31. Dylan got much inspiration from all these people except ________.

   A. Little Richard      B. George Bernard Shaw      C. Woody Guthrie     D. Hank Williams

D

    A characteristic of American culture that has become almost a tradition is to respect the self-made man—the man who has risen to the top through his own efforts, usually beginning by working with his hands. While the leader in business or industry or the college professor occupies a higher social position and wins greater respect in the community than the common laborer or even the skilled factory worker, he may take pains to point out that his father started life in America as a farmer or laborer of some kind.

    This attitude toward manual (体力的)labor is now still seen in many aspects of American life. One is invited to dinner at a home that is not only comfortably but even expensively furnished and in which there is every evidence of the fact that the family has been able to afford foreign travel, expensive hobbies, and college education for the children; yet the hostess probably will cook the dinner herself, will serve it herself and will wash dishes afterward; furthermore, the dinner will not consist just of something quickly and easily mixed from contents of various cans and a cake or a pie bought at the nearby bakery. Instead, the hostess usually takes pride in careful preparation of special dishes. A professional man may talk about washing the car, digging in his flowerbeds, painting the house. His wife may even help with these things, just as he often helps her with the dishwashing. The son who is away at college may wait on table and wash dishes for his living, or during the summer he may work with a group of workers on the highway in order to pay for his education.

32. From Paragraph 1, we know that in America ________.

  A. people feel painful to mention their fathers as laborers

  B. people tend to have a high opinion of the self-made man

  C. people can always rise to the top through their own efforts

  D. college professors win great respect from common workers

33. According to the passage, the hostess cooks dinner herself mainly because ________.

  A. she can hardly afford servants                B. servants in America are hard to get

  C. she takes pride in what she can do herself      D. it is easy to prepare a meal with canned food

34. The expression “wait on table” in the second paragraph means “________”.

  A. wait to place the table       B. keep accounts for a bar

  C. work in a furniture shop          D. serve customers in a restaurant

35. Which of the following may serve as the best title of the passage?

  A. A Respectable Self-made Family.          B. The Development of Manual Labor.

C. Characteristics of American Culture.         D. American Attitude Toward Manual Labor.

第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）

根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。选项中有两项为多余选项。

How to Make Friends

    Friendship is a very important human relationship and everyone needs good friends. Good friendship has many benefits. It offers companionship, improves self-worth and promotes good health. There are times in our lives such as when we have recently moved into a new town, or changed our jobs or schools. Such changes often leave us without a friend.   36   But for many of us the process is difficult and requires courage. Below are some helpful suggestions on how to make and keep friends.

    1. Associate with others.

    The first step to making friends is associating with other people. You can go to public places to

    meet new people. Besides, you will need to make yourself known by becoming an active member of

    such places.

    2. Start a conversation.

    Starting a conversation is the second most important step in making new friends.   37   You can

    always start the conversation. Being able to make small talk is a very useful skill in relating with

    other people.

    3.   38

    Choosing friends with common interests is important in building friendship as these interests would

    always bring you and your friend together. Hanging out will always be a pleasant experience.

    4. Let it grow.

    It is a good thing to stay in touch. However, try not to press your new friend with calls, messages or

    visits as this would likely wear him or her out and finally you may lose your friend.   39   The best

    friendships are the ones that grow naturally.

    5. Enjoy your friendship.

    The best way to enjoy your friendship is to allow your friends to be themselves.   40   Try not to

    change them from who they are to what you want them to be. Become the kind of friend you will

    want your friend to be to you.

    A.  Be cheerful.

    B.  Do things together.

    C.  Do not wait to be spoken to.

    D.  Try not to find fault with your friends.

    E.  Making new friends comes easy for some people.

    F.  For a friendship to develop you need to stay in touch.

    G.  So you will need to give your friend time to react to you.

第三部分：英语知识运用（共四节，满分55分）

第一节  完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

    阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从41-60各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

   The first time I remember noticing the crossing guard was when he waved to me as I drove my son to school. He  41  me with a puzzle— all because he waved to me like someone does  42  seeing a close friend. A big,  43  smile accompanied his wave. For the next few days I tried to  44  his face to see if I knew him. I didn’t. Perhaps he had   45  me for someone else. By the time I came to accept the  46that he and I were strangers, we were greeting each other warmly every morning like old friends.

    Then one day the  47  was solved. As I   48  the school he was standing in the middle of the road49   his stop sign. I was in line behind four cars.  50  the kids had reached the safety of the side walk, he lowered his sign and let the cars  51  . To the first he waved and  52  in just the same way he had done to me over the last few days. The kids already had the window down and were happily waving their reply. The second car got the same  53  from the crossing guard, and the driver, a stiff-looking(表情刻板的) businessman, gave a brief, almost  54  wave back. Each following car of kids on their way to school55   more heartily.

    Every morning I continued to watch the man with   56  . So far I haven’t seen anyone  57  to wave back. I find it interesting that one person can make such a(n)   58  to so many people’s lives by doing one simple thing like waving and smiling warmly. His  59  armed the start of my day. With a friendly wave and smiling face he had changed the  60  of the whole neighborhood.

41. A. hit      B. disappointed           C. presented          D. bored

42. A. on      B. from                 C. during            D. about

43. A. false     B. shy                  C. apologetic         D. bright

44. A. research     B. study               C. recognize         D. explore

45. A. praised      B. blamed             C. mistaken          D. respected

46. A. conclusion     B. description           C. direction         D. introduction

47. A. argument     B. disagreement          C. mystery     D. task

48. A. visited         B. approached     C. passed             D. left

49. A. drawing back    B. putting on              C. handing in         D. holding out

50. A. Once     B. Before              C. Unless           D. While

51. A. In      B. through             C. out              D. down

52. A. cried     B. cheered             C. smiled           D. gestured

53. A. idea            B. reply               C. notice          D. greeting

54. A. awkward     B. angry               C. pleasant         D. patient

55. A. came           B. replied      C. hurried         D. appeared

56. A. surprise         B. disappointment       C. interest           D. doubt

57. A. fail            B. try                 C. wish             D. bother

58. A. offer     B. sacrifice            C. promise           D. difference

59. A. effectiveness     B. cheerfulness         C. carefulness         D. seriousness

60. A. trends     B. opinions        C. rules     D. feelings

第二节 词汇测试（共5小题，共5分）

根据句意，从A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

61. One of the natural ________in 2016 is the earthquake on August 24, which shook Italy, killing at least

   120 people.

   A. catastrophes      B. attractions      C. failures            D. barriers

62. At weekends, students in most schools can choose to wear their ________ clothes instead of their

   school uniforms.

   A. formal            B. casual            C. cautious           D. annual

63. In the north of our city lies a ________ garden, where visitors can see many kinds of plants.

   A. botanical           B. biological         C. geographical        D. physical

64. Those bamboos outside the restaurant are not real. I mean they are ________.

  A. awesome          B. authentic          C. artificial           D. available

65. We should ________our time wisely so that we can finish more work in our study.

   A. advocate          B. brake             C. bounce            D. allocate

第II卷（非选择题  共55分）

第三部分：英语知识运用（共四节，满分55分）

第三节 语法填空（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）

    阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

   It must have been about two in the morning when I returned home. I tried to wake up my wife by ringing the doorbell, but she was fast asleep, so I got a ladder from the shed (工棚)in the garden, put it66   the wall, and began climbing towards the bedroom window. I was almost there  67  a sarcastic（讽刺的）voice below said, “I don’t think the windows need cleaning at this time of the night.” I looked down and nearly fell off the ladder when I saw a policeman. I immediately  68  (regret) answering in the way I did, but I said, “I enjoy cleaning  69  (window) at night.”

   “So  70  I,” answered the policeman in the same tone. “Excuse my interrupting you. I hate to interrupt a man when he’s busy working,  71  would you mind  72  (come) with me to   73station?”

  “Well, I’d prefer to stay here,” I said. “You see. I’ve forgotten my key.”

  “Your what?” he called.

   “My key,” I shouted.

    74  (fortunate), the shouting woke up my wife  75  opened the window just as the policeman had started to climb towards me.

第四节 单词拼写（每小题1分，满分10分）

    根据句意和汉语意思提示或者首字母提示，在横线上写出恰当的单词，使句意通顺连贯。76. When we finish reading a book, we are asked to write a s________ of the story, telling about the main

    idea of the story.

77. Many Chinese students work extremely hard in order that they can be ________(录取）into their

   ideal universities.

78. On Teachers’ Day, we went back to our ________(以前的）schools to see our teachers.

79. The whole playground was excited with the audience cheering ________(热情地）for the athletes.80. Who can ________(翻译）this poem into English?

81. Do you see any s________ and differences between the two Asian countries?

82. Chengdu usually i________the tourists so much that they find it hard to say goodbye.

83. More and more young people are coming into big cities to work, leaving many villages and farms

   a________.

84. What’s your ________(解释）for your being late again this morning?

85. I will a________ it very much if you can come here on time tomorrow.

第四部分  写作（共两节，满分35分）

第一节  短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）

    假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有 10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

    注意：1．每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

    2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Dear Mike,

    I’m glad to know that you had an interest in Chinese food. Here I’d like to tell you something about them. Chinese food is famous with its wide variety. The food in one area can be easy told from that in another. For example, Shanghai food, a little bit sweet, differ from Sichuan food that is rather hot. However, every kind of the Chinese food is worth trying, because each has a delicious taste and good for health. Since the restaurant in China usually serves special dish of different areas, you can enjoy various Chinese foods whenever you are. I’m looking forward to meet you here so that I can tell you more about Chinese food at table.

   Best wishes.

                                                  Yours sincerely,

                                                    Bruce

第二节  书面表达（满分25分）

    假如你叫李华，新学期开学两个月了，你的英语老师要求你在英语课堂上用英语和同学们交流一下你到新学校后的感受。交流内容要求包括以下要点：

    1、校园环境和教学设施；

    2、师生给你的印象；

    3、给学校的两点建议。

    注意：1、词数100词左右；

    2、信的开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入词数；

    3、内容可适当发挥，要注意行文连贯。

Hello, everyone,

    I’m honored to stand here to tell you something about my school life in the past two months.

   Thank you!

英语试题参考答案

I卷 （共95分）

第一部分 听力:（每小题1分，满分20分）

1~5  BCCBC     6~10  ABCCB  11~15  ABCBB  16~20  ABBAC

第二部分 阅读理解：（每小题2分，满分40分）

    第一节 (每小题2分，满分30分）

    21~24  DBCA     25~28  BCBD    29~31  CDB     32~35  BCDD

第二节 七选五 （每小题2分，满分10分）             

36~40  ECBGD

第三部分 英语知识运用:（共四节，满分55分）

    第一节 完形填空：（每小题1.5分，满分30分）

    41~45  CADBC    46~50  ACBDA   51~55  BCDAB  56~60  CADBD

    第二节 词汇测试：（每小题1分，满分5分）             61~65  ABACD

    II卷 （共55分）

第三部分 英语知识运用:（共四节，满分55分）

    第三节：语法填空（每小题1分，满分10分）

    66. against     67. when     68. regretted   69. windows       70. do

    71. but     72. coming     73. the      74. Fortunately     75. who

    第四节 单词拼写（每小题1分，满分10分）

    76. summary    77. admitted    78. previous   79.enthusiastically/warmly

    80. translate    81. similarities  82. impresses   83. abandoned     84.explanation

    85. appreciate

第四部分 写作：（共两节，满分35分）

    第一节：短文改错（每小题1分，满分10分） ks5u

    86. had 改为have       87. them改为 it   88. with改为 for     89. easy改为 easily ks5

    90. differ改为 differs   91. 去掉the     92. good前加 is     93. dish改为 dishes

    94. whenever改为 wherever            95. meet改为 meeting ks5u

    第二节 书面表达 （满分25分）  One possible version:

 Hello, everyone,

    I’m honored to stand here to tell you something about my school life in the past two months.Our school is very beautiful with a woody garden, where we can take a walk, breathing the freshair and enjoying the pleasant scenery. The advanced equipment in the classroom is just brilliantand it helps our teachers make their classes lively and interesting. My classmates are so excellentand diligent that I have to work extremely hard to keep up with them. Fortunately, my teachersand classmates are all friendly and enthusiastic. I have already made several new friends here.

    However, the food in the cafeteria is very poor and I hope it can get improved. Besides,weare extremely busy doing homework every day. How I wish we could have more time for physicalexercise! (116 words)

    Thank you!

听力材料：

(Text 1)  

W: I’d like to have a day off, if I may.

M: I’d rather you didn’t, because there is too much work to do in the office.

(Text 2)  

M: Excuse me. What time is it, please?

W: It’s half past four according to my watch, but it gains five minutes.

(Text 3)  

W: I wish I hadn’t bought the air conditioner.

M: Pity you didn’t think of that before you bought it. If only you listened to me.

(Text 4) 

W: Don’t you have any good news?

M: No. Yesterday I had to stay after school because I was talking during my biology teacher’sclass.

(Text 5)

M: Hello, Mary! This is Dame Morrison from the office. I’m calling to see how Tom is doingtoday.

W: Oh, hello! Mr Morrison. The doctor said he’d be able to go back to work tomorrow.

M: Please tell him there is no hurry. I’ve had David Johnson take his work for the time being.

(Text 6)  

W: Hello!                               M: Is that 103-5647?

W: Yes, it is.                              M: I’m calling about the flat.

W: Yes?                                 M: Where is it?

W: It’s in the center of the town.              M: Is it on a busy road?

W: Yes, it is. But it’s opposite a park.          M: Which floor is it on?

W: The sixth floor. It has a lovely view.        M: How many bedrooms does it have?

W: It has two bedrooms and one bathroom.      M: Is the living room big?

W: No, it’s small, but it has a large kitchen.     M: It sounds nice. How much is the rent?

W: 30 pounds a week.                      M: Umm. When can I see it?

W: This afternoon, if you like.               

M: Fine. See you about four, then. Goodbye!W: Goodbye!

(Text 7)  

M: Now some doctors are strongly encouraging arm exercises.

W: Arm exercises? Is that because arms are too fat or too soft?

M: Actually that’s not the main reason. They say that arm exercises can make you physicallyhealthy.

W: But I was told that arm exercises could raise your blood pressure.

M: Yes, but the article I read suggests some ways to make up for that.

W: Really? How?

M: By adding leg exercises, so that the arms don’t do all the work.

W: And in return I’m sure that there’s a good chance of losing weight.

M: Sounds right to me.

W: So what exercises do the experts suggest?

M: They mentioned quite a few exercises, but one of the more popular ones is cycling.

W: Good. I will try that.

(Text 8)

M: Are you going to have a holiday this year, Mrs Young?

W: Yes, we are thinking of visiting my brother Fred, who’s a farmer.

M: Farming’s a very nice job, although farmers have to work hard. They have to get up at five in

   the morning.

W: Well, John, as a doctor, you’re quite used to getting up in the night. Well, as a matter of fact, Ihave just received a letter from Fred. Will you please turn the light on? The daylight isn’t goodenough for reading.

M: OK.

W: Fred says here that his corn is ready for harvest. And he’s thinking of buying some more fieldsnext year.

M: Oh, he must be doing well.

W: Oh, yes, I think he is. He’s proud of having the largest farm in Kent.

M: I expect you’re looking forward to seeing him.

W: Yes, and I shall have some outdoor exercise.

M: You know, when I was young, I was quite good at ploughing.

W: Last time I was at my brother’s, I once tried my hand at milking a cow. The result was terrible!I’ll never forget the pitiful look on that cow’s face!

(Text 9)

M: Miss Dermott, let me ask you straight away. Do you think, within a few years, many peoplecould work at home instead of working in offices?

W: Oh, yes. It’s happening now. You see, the communication industry has made much progress inthe last ten years.

M: And how do these people manage to work? I mean, what equipment do they have at home?

W: Well, they have a television set, a computer, a printer and a telephone to connect with othercomputers.

M: Oh, I see. Surely there are some advantages in being able to work at home.

W: Yes. Working at home, people don’t have to spend a lot of time getting to and from their workplaces. The rush hours, as everyone knows, are the worst times of day to travel. Millions ofpeople spend their working lives getting up early to avoid the rush hours.

M: Ah yes, I see. What do you think about the conditions of home-workers?

W: Oh, let me tell you what might happen. In the future a British firm in London, for example,might employ clerks in Belfast, or a Paris company could have their secretaries in Spain, andthen just use a telephone to call around for the work.

(Text 10)

There are two main reasons why the temperature of the air is always changing. One reason is thatthe air around you moves in from somewhere else. Air usually moves in large bodies called airmasses. Some air masses move in from the north. These air masses usually have colder air thatcauses the temperature to drop. Air masses also move in from the south. They usually havewarmer air that causes the temperature to rise.

Temperature changes during the day or night can be great or small. This depends partly on howmany clouds are in the sky. When there are many clouds during the night, they act like the coverson your bed. They blanket the earth and keep the air from losing much of its heat. The temperatureusually does not drop much during such the night. When there are many clouds during the day,some of the sun’s energy will not reach the earth and the temperature usually does not rise muchon such a day.