高三英语第一学期第三次联考
英 语
总分150分
第Ⅰ卷(三部分,共115分)
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 probable relationship between the two speakers?
A.Teacher and student. B.Husband and wife.
C.Doctor and patient.
2.When will they meet again?
A.On Sunday. B.On Saturday. C.Not known.
3.What is true about Mary and Jack?
A.They spent a week having honeymoon.
B.They went on their honeymoon a week after their wedding.
C.They thought a honeymoon of one week was too short.
4.What's John's opinion about his boss?
A.Terrible. B.Rude. C.Fair.
5.Why didn't the woman see the movie last night?
A.She had to stay with her cousin at home.
B.Her cousin just stopped to buy something.
C.She had already seen it before.
第二节（共15小题；每题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5秒钟的时间阅读各个小题；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.What is the relationship between the two speakers?
A.Workmates. B.Wife and husband. C.Neighbors.
7.What will the woman do if the telephone tings7
A.Call the man home. B.Answer the phone. C.Go to the neighbor' s.
8.How can we describe the man?
A.He' s angry. B.He' s disappointed. C.He's excited and anxious.
听第7段材料，回答第9至11题。
9.When does the man start his winter holidays?
A.Both the second and third week of January.
B.Either the second or third week of January.
C.Neither the second nor third week of January.
10.What sport is the man's favorite sport?
A.Skating. B.Surf-skiing. C.Skiing.
11.Why doesn't the woman like to spend her weekend with the man?
A.Because she likes to stay at home.
B.Because she dislikes the cold weather.
C.Because she doesn't like any outdoor sports.
听第8段材料，回答第12至14题。
12.Where is Mary going?
A.Home. B.To the park. C.Waiting for a bus.
13.Why doesn't Mary like walking through the streets?
A.It' s too cold. B.The park is too far. C.It isn't interesting.
14.When does the conversation take place?
A.Late in the morning. B.Late in the afternoon. C.Early in the morning.
听第9段材料，回答第15至17题。
15.What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A.A high school. B.A French teacher. C.A teaching post.
16.Where is the high school?
A.In France. B.In England. C.In Scotland.
17.What does the man think of the job?
A.Interesting. B.Boring. C.Disappointing.
听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18.Which part of a baobab tree can be used to make ropes?
A.Leaves. B.Trunk. C.Skin of the tree.
19.Which of the statements about the baobab tree is correct?
A.Its empty trunk can be used by people to store things.
B.Its flowers can turn into a kind of cucumber.
C.Its leaves and branches can keep the rain water cool and clean.
20.Which of the following can be the best title for this text?
A.The baobab——unusual but useful
B.The baobab——a tree that people can make good use of.
C.The baobab——a strange tree that can make ropes.
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,选出可以填人空白处的最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
21.—Have you ever heard of Mr. Read ?
—Yes , he is_________________reporter .
A.a famous young Australian B.a famous Australian young
C.an Australian famous young D.a young Australian famous
22.—Does he speak English or Russian?
—He speaks_____________, but his native language is French.
A.all B.both C.neither D.any
23.___________, I have to put it away and focus my attention on study this week.
A.However the story is amusing B.No matter amusing the story is
C.However amusing the story is D.No matter how the story is amusing
24.I can't concentrate ________my work________ the noise loud outside.
A.on...with B.in...for C.on...because D.with...with
25.They suggested that the professor___________just now__________chairman of the meeting.
A.referring to...was made B.referring to...be made
C.referred to...be made D.referred to...was made
26.Companies must consider how they __________data so that their employees can find it fast.
A.classify B.recognize C.store D.accumulate
27.Jack__________my letter, otherwise he would have replied before now.
A.mustn't have received B.shouldn't have received
C.can't receive D.couldn't have received
28.—We really enjoyed ourselves at the party. Thanks again, Mr Williams.
— ___________. Just drop in whenever you feel like it.
A.With pleasure B.My pleasure C.Nice to meet you D.Never mind
29.The party last night was_______success. We sang and danced until it came to______ end at 12:00.
A.a...an B.a...the C.the…an D./...an
30._________its low cost, the appeal of iron as a building material lies in its strength, its resistance to fire, and its potential to span vast areas.
A.Other than B.Apart from C.Except for D.Rather than
31.Mr Johns holds strong views against video games and the closing of all reaction facilities for such games.
A.assists B.acknowledges C.advocates D.admits
32.Many people say they have seen Unidentified Flying Objects, which，they believe,________alien spaceships.
A.are B.is C.have D.has
33. It is unlikely that the disease will be________from animals to humans.
A.delivered B.transported C.infected D.transferred
34.I would have gone to visit him in the hospital had it been at all possible, but I________fully occupied the whole of last week.
A.was B.had been C.am D.have been
35.Jack is making up his mind to get a ticket for the concert_________it means standing in a queue all night.
A.as if B.even if C.in case D.as long as
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,掌握其大意,然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项(A,B,C,D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
How many different kinds of emotions do you feel? You may be 36 to find that it is very hard to specify（详细说明） all of them. Not only 37 hard to describe in words, they are difficult to 38 . As a result, two people rarely 39 all of them. However, there are a number of 40 emotions that most people experience.
When we receive something that we want, or something happens 41 we like, we usually feel joy or happiness. Joy is a positive and powerful emotion, 42 for which we all strive. It is natural to want to be happy, and all of us 43 happiness. As a general 44 , joy occurs when we reach a 45 goal or obtain a desired object.
46 people often desire different goals and objects, it is 47 that one person may find joy in repairing an automobile, 48 another may find joy in solving a math problem. Of course, we often share 49 goals or interests, and therefore we can experience joy together. This may be in sports, in the arts, in learning, in raising a family, or in 50 being together.
When we have difficulty 51 desired objects of reaching desired goals we experience 52 emotions such as anger and grief(痛苦). When little things get in our way, we experience 53 frustrations(受挫) or tensions. For example, if you are dressing to go out 54 a date, you may feel frustration when a zipper(拉链) breaks or a button falls off. The more difficulty you have in reaching a goal, the more frustrated you may feel and the more angry you may become. If you really want something to happen, and you feel it 55 happen, but someone or something stops it, you may become quite
angry.
36. A.shocked B.astounded C.surprised D.bewildered
37. A.the emotional feelings are B.are emotional feelings
C.the emotional feelings is D.is the emotional feeling
38. A.list B.recognize C.arrange D.understand
39. A.agree B.agree on C.agree to D.agree with
40. A.necessary B.vital C.essential D.basic
41. A.if B.what C.that D.when
42. A.one B.the one C.very one D.only one
43. A.search to B.search of C.search D.search for
44. A.practice B.rule C.law D.sense
45. A.desired B.desirous C.prospective D.fascinated
46. A.For B.When C.Since D.Being
47. A.understanding B.understood
C.to understand D.understandable
48. A.however B.if C.while D.even though
49. A.same B.common C.positive D.different
50. A.just B.purely C.right D.even
51. A.of obtaining B.in obtaining
C.with obtaining D.for obtaining
52. A.bad B.unpleasant C.uneasy D.negative
53. A.little B.unnecessary C.less D.minor
54. A.on B.in C.for D.to
55. A.will B.shall C.should D.would
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,D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
(A)
Traveling can be a way to gain life experiences, especially during Spring Break — a week long school vacation in the United States. But what if you're a student and don't have enough money for a trip? Don't worry. Here are some useful suggestions.
●Save: This probably is the most important preparation for traveling. Cut expenses to fatten your wallet so you'll have more choices about where to go and how to get there.
●Plan ahead: Don't wait until the last minute to plan your trip. Tickets may cost more when bought on short notice. Giving yourself several months to get ready can mean security(安全) and savings.
●Do your homework: No matter where you go, research the places you will visit. Decide what to see. Travel books will provide information on the cheapest hotels and restaurants.
●Plan sensibly: Write down what you expect to spend for food and hotels. Stick to your plan or you may not have enough money to cover everything.
●Travel in groups: Find someone who is interested in visiting the same places. By traveling with others you can share costs and experiences.
●Work as you go: Need more money to support your trip? Look for work in the places you visit.
●Go off the beaten path: Tourist cities may be expensive. You may want to rethink your trip and go to a lesser-known area. Smaller towns can have many interesting activities and sights.
●Pack necessary things: The most important things to take are not always clothes: Remember medicine in case you get sick and snacks in case you cannot find a cheap restaurant.
●Use the Internet: The Net can help to save money. Some useful websites include www. Travelocity. com, www. bargains-lowest fare. com and www. Economic travel. com.
By planning sensibly, even students can enjoy the travel. Your travel experiences will be remembered for a lifetime.
56.This passage is about _______.
A.how to plan your travel B.how to travel with enough money
C.how to make your travel interesting D.how to get life experiences
57.Before your trip, the first thing you should do is _______.
A.to make a plan of the route B.to get information in the Internet
C.to save money by spending less D.to buy tickets in advance
58.The writer advises you _______.
A.to share costs with any other people B.not to go to well-known places
C.not to visit dangerous places D.to buy anything you want to buy
59.During your trip, _______.
A.you need more shoes than clothes
B.you shouldn't look for work all the way
C.you can gain valuable life experiences
D.you should forget to do your homework
(B)
All over the world mention of the British education suggests a picture of the "public school", and it suggests in particular the names of certain very famous institutions-Eton, Oxford and Cambridge; but people do not always realize what place these situations occupy in the whole educational system. Oxford and Cambridge are universities each having about 12 000 students out of a total of over 250 000 students at all British universities. Eton is a public school, and the best known of the public schools, which in spite of their names, are not really public at all, but independent and private secondary schools taking boys from the age of thirteen to eighteen years. The public schools in reality form a very small part of the school system of secondary education of Great Britain; only about one out of forty English boys goes to a public school, and one out of 1500-to Eton.
Apart from the so-called public schools there is a complete system of state primary and secondary education, which resembles in its general form the state education in most other countries. All children must, by law, receive full-time education between the ages of five and sixteen. Any child may attend, without paying fees, a school provided by the public authorities, and the great majority attend such schools. They may continue, still without paying fees, until they are eighteen. The public schools, although unimportant numerically, have been England's most peculiar and characteristic to educational methods, and they have an immense influence on the whole of English educational practice and on the English social structure.
60.What was the purpose of the author to write the passage?
A.It was to tell people the difference between Eton on the one hand and Oxford and Cambridge on the other.
B.It was to tell people what the public schools in Great Britain are like.
C.It was to tell people something about Britain educational system.
D.All of the above.
61.Which of the following British child is allowed to go to a public school in Great Britain?
A.A thirteen-year-old girl. B.A five-year-old girl.
C.A thirteen-year-old boy. D.A five-year-old boy.
62.Why does the author say that the so-called public school Eton is not "public"?
A.Because no girls are admitted in Eton.
B.Because parents have to pay fees for their children at Eton.
C.Because it belongs to the few, numerically unimportant schools in Britain.
D.Because only one fortieth of British boys go to Eton.
63. The mention of British education outside Great Britain suggests a picture of public schools in that country probably because _____ .
A.the whole of English educational practice has been greatly influenced by them.
B.some of them are as famous as the universities Oxford and Cambridge.
C.these public schools are quite different in form from the public schools in any other countries.
D.there are famous schools like Eton among them.
(C)
Suicide has been a cause of concern in most societies for a long time. The classical Greeks, for example, required people who wanted to kill themselves to get permission from the senate. While this law is not without humor by today's standards, it clearly shows an awareness of the problem in times gone by. In today's society, suicide is much more prevalent than we want to admit. Why do people try to take their own lives?
The motives for suicide can be categorized into areas such as a failure, wrath (暴怒), the need for attention, stress, and so on. However, the qualities of a person who wants to take his own life change from person to person, making it difficult to depict (描写) the typical victim. To make the problem even more involved, people will often camouflage (掩盖) their true feelings, thus causing their friends to disregard problems that should be viewed as serious.
In the United States, a network of centers has been created to attempt to prevent suicides. People who are bitter, worried, or depressed are encouraged to contact workers at these centers. These workers, often trained volunteers, offer kindly advice to the callers, trying to help the callers to see that suicide as a solutions to problems is an illusion .the accomplishments of these centers, insofar as their effectiveness to reduce suicide is concerned, air minimal. However, they have helped a lot of people with a wide variety of problems. So, in the somewhat amorphous (难以名状的) area of man helping his fellow man, they are certainly a success.
64.Which of the following statements is true according to the article?
A.The classical Greeks did not know the existence of suicide.
B.Suicide has always been prevalent in all parts of the world.
C.In today's society, there are quite a number of people who commit suicide.
D.Nowadays suicide is not as common as it was in the past.
65.Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a motive for suicide?
A.Insanity. B.Pressure. C.The need for attention. D.Great anger.
66.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.people who want to take their own lives often disguise their feelings.
B.It is difficult to describe what kind of people tend to commit suicide.
C.Suicide has been a problem in most societies since ancient times.
D.People who commit suicide all share certain characteristics.
67.The third paragraph mainly tells us that ___________________.
A.a network of centers has been quite effective in reducing suicide.
B.a network of centers has been quite effective in reducing suicide.
C.people are making efforts to help those who tend to commit suicide and in a way, they are successful.
D.in the United States, people who want to commit suicide call a network of centers to get help.
(D)
Leaving a tip in a restaurant has become a custom in most countries. The word "tip" came from the Latin word "Gratis", meaning free. Tips are defined as small gifts of money for service in addition to the payment due.
Believe it or not, the practice of tipping has a little interesting history. The custom can be traced back to the Roman era. The Romans were the first civilization to use coins. It is possible that the word "tip" came from the word stipend. Strips in Latin means gift. A more common belief is tips were first given in the 18th century England. A popular coffee house equipped each table with a coin box. The label of each box read: "To insure promptness." Dropping a coin into the box would result in quick service. Also, the first letter of each word is T.I.P.–tip.
In America and Europe it is customary to tip anywhere from 10% to 20%. Taxi drivers, waiters in restaurants, waitresses in lounges, hotel boys, doormen, and disco coat check girls, all expect a little something. People working at these jobs usually receive a low basic salary. Tips are quite necessary to supplement their income. Today most people decide the size of tip according to the quality of the service. If the service is good ,most people are quite happy to leave a tip.
The world is full of big spenders and people who act like big spenders. Surprisingly, rich people are not "big tippers" unless entertaining guests. It is no use showing off if nobody is there to watch, right? Many throw money around like water to impress a group of friends out for an evening "on the town". People who usually cannot afford it are the biggest tippers in front of their friends. It is all part of the show to prove a certain level of social success. Nobody wants to look cheap, stingy, or poor in front of their friends. Over-tipping also gives some satisfaction just to see the waiter's reaction.
For whatever reason, tipping will continue to be practiced in most countries. Tipping does have its place in our modern society. It will also remain a somewhat personal expression of gratitude.
68.What is the meaning of the word "gratis" according to the passage?
A.free of obligation B.free of charge C.plenty in time D.free from tax
69.Which of the following statements is true?
A.Most people think that tips originated in England.
B.Most people think that tips originated in Rome
C.Today most people decide the size of tips according to their mood.
D.According to the author, the practice of tipping does not have an interesting history
70.How to understand the sentence "The world is full of big spenders and people who act like big spenders."?
A.All people in the world have a lot of money.
B.No one in the world has a lot of money.
C.Many people spend a large sum of money every day.
D.The number of people who either have a lot of money or who pretend to be rich is great.
71.Why are people who cannot afford tipping the biggest tippers in front of their friends?
A.Because they have a lot of money.
B.Because they sympathize with taxi drivers, waiters in restaurants, waitresses in lounges and disco coat check girls, etc.
C.Because of their vanity(虚荣).
D.None of the above.
(E)
The increase in the price of oil has brought the world to its senses. Scientists are searching for a suitable alternative (替换) but so far in vain. They are considering how they can make better use of the two other major fuels, coal and natural gas, but they have found that neither can take the place of oil in their economics. In recent years there has been a growing concern for the environment and coal is not a popular fuel with environmentalists. Natural gas, the purest of the three fuels, is also the most limited in supply.
The answer would seem to lie in nuclear power stations. They need very little fuel to produce enormous amounts of power and they do not pollute the atmosphere. Their dangers, however, are so great and the cost of building them are also high. Not only could one accident in a nuclear power station spread as much radioactivity as a thousand Hiroshima atom bombs, but the radioactive waste from these stations is extremely dangerous.
Scientists have recently turned their attention to natural sources of energy: the sun, the sea, the wind and hot springs. Of these the sun seems the most promising source for the future. Houses have already been built which are heated entirely by solar energy. However, solar energy can only be collected during daylight hours, and in countries where the weather is unreliable, an alternative heating system has to be included.
However, many scientists are optimistic (乐观的) that new ways of generating large amounts of energy will be successfully developed, but at the same time they fear the consequences. （2）If the world population goes on increasing at its present rate, we may, in fifty years' time, be burning up so much energy that we would damage the earth's atmosphere. By raising the temperature of the atmosphere, we could melt the Arctic and Antarctic ice-caps and change the pattern of vegetable and animal life throughout the world——-a frightening possibility.
72.The main reason why coal can not replace oil is that ________________________.
A.it is more expensive than oil B.it is a heavy pollutant
C.it is limited in supply D.it is of little economic value
73.According to the author, which of the following energy sources is most likely to take the place of oil?
A.Solar energy. B.Coal and gas.
C.Atomic energy. D.None of the above.
74.What worries scientists most is that we would ______________.
A.burn up all energy supply B.find no alternative source of energy
C.increase the population at a high rate D.damage the earth's atmosphere
75.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to this passage?
A.Scientists have succeeded in finding a suitable alternative.
B.Scientists have tried several sources of energy but none of them is a suitable alternative.
C.Scientists are confident that they will eventually solve the energy problem.
D.Scientists are trying their best to find a potential source of energy.
第Ⅱ卷(共两节,满分45分)
第四部分：书面表达（共2节．满分45分）
第一节阅读表达（共5小题；每小题3分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文并根据要求回答后面的题目。
The world’s first subway was built in London in 1863. At the time, the government was looking for a way to reduce traffic problems in the city of London. The poor areas of the city were so crowded with people that it was almost impossible for horse carriages (the taxis of those days ) to get around . The city officials were interested in trying to make it possible for workers to live outside of London and travel easily to work each day . If people had a cheap and convenient way that they could depend on to get to and from work, they would relocate their homes outside of the city. This would help ease the pressure of too many people living in the poor parts of London. From these problems, the idea of the London Underground, the first subway system, was born .
The plans for building the Underground met with several problems and delays, but the first track was finally opened in January 1863. A steam train pulled the cars along the first underground track which was six kilometers (3.7 miles ) long. About 30,000 people got on the subway the first day . Riders were treated to comfortable seats (standing up while the train was moving was not al- lowed ) and pleasant decorations inside each of the cars. However, the smoke from the engine soon filled the air in the tunnels with ash and soot, as well as chemical gases. Fans had to be put in the tunnels later to keep the air clean enough for people to breathe. Even with its problems, riding the Underground did become popular. It carried nine million riders in its first year.
Modern subways have come a long way since the early days of the London Underground. Today there are 94 large underground rapid transit systems around the world. The busiest of these subway systems is the Tokyo Metro which opened in 1927. This efficient subway has two billion riders per year, and “pushers ” work on the platforms during busy traffic hours to help push riders onto trains. At times, subway cars have been packed with up to 300 people! Shopping malls built in high traffic stations where riders move from one train to another have also helped the popularity of subways in Tokyo. Stations like the famous Ginza Sugo Eki Ginza Consolidated Station include underground department store, supermarkets, restaurants, and specialty shops. Shoppers never have to go above ground!
76.What is the best title for this passage?(Please answer within 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________
77.What doesn't "Shoppers never have to go above ground!"mean? (Please answer within 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________
78.What problems led the British government to build the London Underground? (Please answer within 10 words)
_______________________________________________________________________________
79.Which sentence can be replaced by the following?
Although there were such problems,people loved to take subways.
_______________________________________________________________________________
80.Translate the underlined sentence into Chinese.
_______________________________________________________________________________
第二节:书面表达(满分30分)
假如你是李勇，担任学校英文报纸English Corner的编辑。该报打算开办"校园报道"。你为此写则100单词左右的征稿启事。该版的主要栏目与相关内容要求如下:
| 开设栏目 | 内容 |
| 说说你我 | 校园内新闻趣事 |
| 怎么了 | 对不当之事提出意见 |
| 透视 | 剖析事理，发表看法 |
| 我身边 | 个人经历 |
| 关注 | 介绍学校重要活动 |
注意:来稿内附照片； 所有内容与学校有关；系自己作品；稿件可投入学校大门口的信箱 或发电子邮件到:englishcorner2005@ sina.com.
参考词汇:征稿启事 Invitation to contribute 透视insight
参考答案：
1-05 CCBCA 06-10 BACBC 11-15 BBCAC 16-20 BACCA
21-25ABCAC 26-30 ADBAB 31-35CADAB 36-40CAABD
41-45CADBA 46-50CDCDA 51-55 BDDCC 56-60ACBCB
61-65CCACA 66—70DCAAD 71-75CBDDA
阅读表达
76. Subway then and now
77. Shopper can buy what they want in underground malls.
78. Overcrowding and traffic jams
79. Even with its problems, riding the Underground did become popular.
80. 如果人们有了一个能够用来上下班、又便宜、又方便的方式，他们就愿意在城市外面重新安家了。
书面表达：
参考范文：
[录音材料]
[Text 1]
M:Now what seems to be the trouble, Mrs. Stephens?
W:I've been very weak lately, and last night I had some chest pain.
[Text 2]
M:See you the coming Saturday, Mary.
W:Saturday? Why? What' s happening7 I' m going away for the weekend.
[Text 3]
M:I heard that Mary and Jack got married.
W:That' s true. They were married on Oct. 1st, but they didn't leave on their honeymoon for a week.
[Text 4]
W:What do you think of your new boss, John?
M:Well, he' s full of praise when you do well. But when you make a mistake, you' d better watch out.
[Text 5]
M:Did you see the movie in the cinema last night?
W:I would have seen it, but my cousin stopped by for a visit. I hadn't seen her for more than a year.
[Text 6]
M:Was that the telephone ringing?
W:I don' t hear anything.
M:I thought I heard it ring two or three times.
W:Sometimes when the windows are open, you can hear the neighbor's phone.
M:Well, I' m expecting an important phone call, and I don ' t want to miss it.
W:Is it anything I should know about?
M:Not really. It has something to do with work and doesn't really affect us here at home.
W:Well, why don' t you go ahead and do what you want to do outside? I'll call you if the phone rings.
M:Thanks. I think I will. I've been waiting so long now. I' m getting nervous. I need to breathe in some fresh air outside.
[Text 7]
W:When do you take your winter holidays?
M:I usually take it during the second or third week of January.
W:Do you like to ski?
M:Yes, I love to go skiing.
W:Where do you go?
M:I go to a hotel in the mountains.
W:Is it far from here?
M:It' s about a hundred miles away.
W:Does it get cold?
M:Oh, yes! It gets very cold. It snows a lot.
W:Do you go alone?
M:A couple of my friends usually go with me. Do you want to come along some weekend?
W:No, not me. I don' t like cold weather.
M:I really like it. I love snow!
[Text 8]
M:Hello, Mary. Why are you standing here in the cold wind?
W:I' m waiting for a bus, but the buses are very full at this time of the day.
M:Where are you going? This isn't your way home. You must take a bus from the other side of the street to go home.
W:I' m not going home now. I' m going for a walk in the park. I always like to go for a walk before lunch.
M:Then why aren't you going there on foot? Why are you going by bus? Why not walk from here to the park, too? It isn't very far.
W:Oh, no, Bill. It isn' t very interesting to walk through the streets; in fact, it' s very boring. So I always take bus No. 3.
[Text 9]
W:Er, well, I think there is a job that could well interest you.
M:Really?
W:Yes. It's at a high school in North London.
M:Oh, yes.
W:Yeah. They' re looking for a French teacher.
M:Oh, that sounds interesting. How much do they pay?
W:Well, I seem to remember they mentioned something in the area of twenty-five thousand a year.
M:Uh, huh.
W:And, well, I think the job, you know, includes the normal teaching hours, I suppose you' d have a thirty-five-hour week.
M:Oh, really? When does the job start?
W:Er, well, you know, at the beginning of September.
[Text 10]
In West Africa and Australia, there exists an unusual tree called the baobab. It's a strange-looking tree. Its huge trunk sometimes measures as much as ten metres in diameter. It is thicker at the bottom than at the top. The branches near the ground are very long; those near the top are very short. It may look strange, but it is extremely useful. Its leaves are good to eat. Its white flowers turn into cool juicy fruit which tastes rather like cucumber. There are such strong fibres in the skin of the trunk that people can make rope and cloth from them. When a baobab gets old, its trunk becomes empty inside. An old tree's empty inside space can be huge enough to hold many people. The local people even build their houses inside these trunks. When it rains, water collects in the trunk and remains cool and fresh because of such a lot of leaves and branches.