2019-2020年高考仿真试题(二)英语试题

2019-2020年高考仿真试题（二）英语试题
本试卷分第I卷和第Ⅱ卷两部分，共12页。

满分150分。

考试用时120分钟。

考试结束后，将本试卷和答题卡一并交回。

注意事项：
1．答题前，考生务必用0.5毫米黑色签字笔将自己的姓名、座号、准考证号、县区和科类填写在答题卡和试卷规定的位置上。

2．第I卷每小题选出答案后，用2B铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑；如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。

3．第Ⅱ卷必须用0.5毫米黑色签字笔作答，答案必须写在答题卡各题目指定区域内相应的位置，不能写在试卷上；如需改动，先划掉原来的答案，然后再写上新的答案，不能使用涂改液、胶带纸、修正带。

不按以上要求作答的答案无效。

第I卷(共105分)
第一部分听力(共两节，满分30分)
该部分分为第一、第二两节。

注意：回答听力部分时，请先将答案标在试卷上。

听力部分结束前，你将有两分钟的时间将你的答案转涂到客观题答题卡上。

第一节(共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分)
听下面5段对话。

每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、c三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。

听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。

每段对话仅读一遍。

1．How many shirts does the man have?
A．5．B．6．C．7．
2．What does the man think of flying?
A．It is one of the safest ways．B．It is one of the easiest ways．
C．It is one of the quickest ways．
3．What is the man looking for?
A．His term paper．B．A web site．C．A job．
4．How will the man probably get to the Children's Hospital?
A．By car．B．By taxi．C．By bus．
5．What does the woman ask the man to do?
A．Leave for the post office right now．
B．Buy some stamps for her．
C．Post some letters for her．
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．Where does this conversation take place?
A．At an airport．B．At a seaport．C．At a railway station．
7．How soon will the man get on board?
A．In about 10 minutes．B．In about 20 minutes．C．In about 30 minutes．听第7段材料，回答第8、9、10题。

8．What colour of carpet does the man suggest? A．Blue．B．White．C．Cream．
9．What is the possible result the woman worries about?
A．She can't return the carpet if she doesn’t like it．
B．She can't decide the right colour for the carpet．
C．She can't afford the high price of the carpet．
10．Where does this conversation most probably take place?
A．In a store．B．In the street．C．In the woman's house．
听第8段材料，回答第11、12、13题。

11．What is the most probable relationship between the two speakers? A．Friends．B．Strangers．C．Neighbours．
12．What are the two speakers talking about?
A．Their habits．B．Their families．C．Their neighbours．
13．What is the man's trouble?
A．He can't give up smoking．B．He's often disturbed at night．
C．He has no house of his own．
听第9段材料，回答第14、15、16、17题。

14．What is the possible relationship between the two speakers?
A．Mother and son．B．Captain and player．C．Teacher and student．15．What is the woman's main purpose of talking to the man?
A．To learn what he does every day．
B．To help him to manage his time better．
C．To suggest making full use of his spare time．
16．How long does the man work at the supermarket every day?
A．2 hours．B．3 hours．C．4 hours．
17．What does the man agree to give up?
A．Doing a part—time job．B．Having football practice．
C．Working at the student center．
听第10段材料，回答第18、19、20题。

18．Where can people overhear others' talking by cell phone?
A．In the office，on a train，or in the subway．
B．In the office，on the bus，or in a car，
C．In the office，on a train，or in a car．
19．Why is overhearing others' phone call so annoying?
A．Because people don't know each other．
B．Because people make many mistakes．
C．Because such calls are more distracting．
20．In what case will the students make more mistakes according to the research? A．When they hear part of the conversation．
B．When they hear the entire conversation．
C．When they don't concentrate on the conversation．
第二部分英语知识应用(共两节，满分35分)
第一节语法和词汇知识(共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
从A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

21．Weifang you see today is quite different city from what it was 10 years ago．A．The；a B．／；a C．The；／D．A；a
22．—Mum，I really think Dad should have a break and get relaxed．
—Yes．He too long．
A．read B．had read C．has been reading D．is reading
23．Living in a highly society，you definitely have to arm yourself with modern technology and skills．
A．petitive B．fierce C．attractive D．sensitive
24．Chinadaily. . cn is the largest English portal site in China，news，business information and learning materials．
A．to provide B．provide C．provided D．providing
25．Barack Obama delivered a speech to 500 local youths during his visit to China，many of were from Fudan University and Tongji University．
A．them B．whom C．which D．those
26．Let's find a place we can wait out the snowstorm．
A．where B．which C．what D．when
27．Zhao Benshan，whose overwork his health failure last year，failed to perform in the Spring Festival Gala on CCTV．
A．submitted to B．admitted to C．contributed to D．subscribed to
28．She got stuck in a terrible traffic jam on the highway to Shanghai，or she dinner with her family now．
A．will be having B．would be having C．is having D．was having
29．—You've got your flat furnished，haven't you?
—Yes．I some used furniture at the Sunday Market and it was a real bargain．
A．will buy B．have bought C．had bought D．bought
30．Studying abroad costs so much money that it is the reach of those with average ine．A．below B．over C．within D．beyond
31．William found it increasingly difficult to read，for his eyesight was beginning to ．
A．disappear B．fall C．fail D．damage
32．With the nuclear crisis worsening in Iran, the world's attention is fixed again on is called the Middle East．
A．which B．that C．what D．it
33．piano is her main focus，she's also great at guitar．
A．Since B．Once C．Unless D．While
34．Cheer up! Everyone may have periods in their lives everything seems tough．
A．which B．where C．when D．that
35．—Hey，you haven't been acting like yourself．Everything is OK?
—.
A．Sure, it is B．I'm fine，thanks C．That's good D．It's a pleasure
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和D)中选出最
佳选项、并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A man hired a taxi outside the airfield．The cab had a woolen carpet with 36 lace edges．On the glass partition that 37 the driver's seat was a copy of a famous painting．Its windows were all clean．The customer was very much 38 and said to the driver，“I've never seen a nicer 39 ．”“Thank you for your praise．”the driver answered 40 ．
“The car isn't mine，”said the driver．“It belongs to the pany．I used to be a 41 of cabs．When they returned，all of them were as 42 as garbage cans with cigarette butts and rubbish 43 here and there．On the seats and door-handles could be found something 44 like peanut sauce or, chewing gum．Why so? I thought if the car itself were very clean the passengers would most 45 be considerate and refrain from littering．”
“So when I got a 46 to be a taxi-driver，I began 47 my idea into practice-to tidy and 48 the car．Now before a new passenger gets on my car，I'd make a cheek and be sure it is in good order．When my car 49 after a day's work，it always remains 50 ．”
When doing a thing，one makes efforts and wants to see the result．To change others，one has to make twice the 51 but get half the result．To change oneself is the other way round-more fruit with less effort．One had better ask oneself why one makes 52 on others much more than on oneself．53 you take enough care to do as best you can for other people's sake，your efforts will yield results，If you 54 the inner world of your own，examine yourself and wipe out the dust and dirt，instead of fixing your eyes on other people，you will find a cheerful 55 for yourself and create a pleasant environment for others．
36．A．ugly B．exciting C．brilliant D．favorite
37．A．separated B．covered C．protected D．prevented
38．A．moved B．annoyed C．disappointed D．surprised
39．A．seat B．carpet C．garage D．cab
40．A．naturally B．smilingly C．hopefully D．firmly
41．A．driver B．cleaner C．repairer D．customer
42．A．attractive B．pleasant C．dirty D．clean
43．A．spread B．extended C．dotted D．1eft
44．A．funny B．busy C．sticky D．clumsy
45．A．likely B．willingly C．extremely D．regularly
46．A．permit B．1icense C．certificate D．passport
47．A．put B．take C．make D．get
48．A．provide B．drive C．decorate D．describe
49．A．speeds B．leaves C．arrives D．returns
50．A．spotless B．pretty C．bright D．dirty
51．A．progress B．effort C．attempt D．trial
52．A．suggestions B．ments C．demands D．decisions
53．A．Though B．While C．As D．If
54．A．look into B．look for C．look up D．look through
55．A．spirit B．mood C．mind D．sense
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
In America，Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort：brilliant beaches，a lively boardwalk，plenty of restaurants and nightspots，and amusement rides sure to appeal to kids．Many believe Virginia Beach is at its best in the off-season，when the town is less crowded but the weather is still mild．
Meanwhile，some safety tips should be followed，enjoying the happiness and excitement the beach offers．
The number l safety tip concerns ocean safety：pay attention to Flag conditions posted on the lifeguard stands．Lifeguards post a red flag to warn when the ocean water is dangerous．Take them seriously! Tourists from land-locked regions are particularly easily attracted by the magic of the waves．However，a calm ocean can bee risky without warning．Make sure you swim near a lifeguard．Swimming without lifeguard protection is almost five times as great as drowning at a beach with lifeguards．
Never swim alone．Many drownings involve single swimmers．When you swim with someone else，if one of you has a problem，the other may be able to get help，including signaling for assistance from others．
Don't fight the current．The facts show that some 80％of rescues by lifeguards at ocean beaches are caused by currents．These currents are formed by surf and gravity，because once surf pushes water up the slope of a beach，gravity pulls it back．This can create concentrated rivers of water moving offshore．If you are caught in a rip current，don't fight it by trying to swim directly to shore．Instead，swim parallel to shore until you feel the current relax，then swim to shore．Most rip currents are narrow and a short swim parallel to shore will help bring you to safety．56．When ing to Virginia Beach，children can enjoy the happiness of .
A．walking on the road made of wood B．joining the nightspots
C．having interesting rides D．skiing in the sea
57．Many people believe the best time to visit Virginia Beach may be .
A．after autumn school term beginning B．in the slimmer vacation
C．during the Christmas holiday D．in the cold winter
58．Swimming in the sea you'd better not swim .
A．with a friend B．within the sight of the lifeguard
C．with the current D．as far as you like
59．From the passage，we can know .
A．one in five persons swimming in the sea is drowned
B．if one with lifeguard were drowning，five persons without lifeguard would be
C．some 80％people drowning by the currents are rescued by lifeguards
D．some 20％drowning by the currents are rescued by life guards
60．The passage mainly tells us .
A．some safety tips when swimming in the sea
B．the happiness and excitement the beach offers
C．Virginia Beach has all the elements of a classic seaside resort
D．the dangers for tourists from land-locked regions to swim in the sea
B
Like any good mother，when Karen found out that another baby was on the way，she did what she could to help her 3-year-old son，Michael，prepare for a new baby．They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl，and day after day，night after night，Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's stomach．
Finally，Michael's little sister is born．But she is in serious condition．With alarm in the night，the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal(初生的)intensive care unit at St．Mary's Hospital，Knoxville，Tennessee．The days go by．The little girl gets worse．The pediatric(儿科的)specialist tells the parents，“There is very little hope．Be prepared for the worst.”
Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot．They have fixed up a special room in their home for the new baby，but now they plan a funeral．Michael，keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister，“I want to sing to her，”he says．
Karen makes up her mind．She will take Michael whether they like it or not．If he doesn't see his sister now，he may never see her alive．
She dresses him in an oversized suit and marches him into ICU．He looks like a walking laundry basket，but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and shouts，“Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed．Never disturb patients here．”The mother rises up strongly and said，“He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!”
Karen leads Michael to his sister's bedside．He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle to live．And he begins to sing．In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old，Michael sings：“You are my sunshine，my only sunshine，you make me happy when skies are gray．．．”Instantly the baby girl responds．The pulse rate bees calm and steady．
The next day，the very next day，the little girl is well enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine called it“the miracle of a brother's song．”The medical staff just called it a miracle．Karen called it a miracle of God's love!
Never give up on the people you love．
61．What may the underlined words“the infant”refer to?
A．The baby．B．Karen．C．Mary． D．Michael．
62．What do we know about the little sister after she was born?
A．She was driven to St．Mary's shop．
B．A doctor came to see her in her house．
C．She was very thin and couldn't speak．
D．She was in great danger．
63．Why did Karen firmly let little Michael see his sister in ICU?
A．Because he could make his sister alive．
B．Because his sister would be sent to a far hospital．
C．Because his sister was going to die soon.
D．Because his father wanted to take him away．
64．What do we know about the head nurse?
A．The head nurse was careful．B．The bead nurse was rude．
C．The head nurse was responsible．D．The head nurse had no sympathy．
65．What is the general idea of the text?
A．A boy's singing saved his sister's life．
B．The little girl is well enough to go home．
C．Michael's little sister is born with a serious disease．
D．No children are allowed to enter the intensive care unit．
C
A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International．Baby Nargis was born at 07：25 local time(01：55GMT)in Mall village in India's Uttar Pradesh state．Plan International says Nargis has been chosen symbolically as it is not possible to know where exactly the seven billionth baby is born．In addition to baby Nargis in India，Bangladesh，the Philippines and Cambodia have all identified seven billionth babies．The United Nations estimated that on Monday 31 October．the world's population would reach seven billion．Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia．At the same time，low birth rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages．
Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October xx．They predict nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century．China's population of one and a third billion is currently the world's largest．India is second at 1．2 billion．But India is expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around 2025．India will also have one of the world's youngest populations．Economists say this is a chance for a so-called．demographic dividend．India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations．But economists say current rates of growth，although high，may not create enough jobs．Also，the public education system is failing to meet demand and schooling is often of poor quality．Another concern is health care．Nearly half of India's children under the age of five are malnourished(营养不良).
Michal Rutkowski，the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank, says reaching seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action．He says，“I think the bottom line of the story is that the public policy needs to bee really，really serious about sex equality and about access to services—to fight against malnutrition，and to provide for access to health services，water and schooling．”
60．What is true about the world's seven billionth person?
A．Baby Nargis is not the only child chosen as the seven billionth baby.
B．Baby Nargis has been chosen carefully so it is exactly the seven billionth baby．
C．Three countries have all declared Baby Nargis as the seven billi011th baby.
D．The United Nations declared Baby Nargis as the world's seven billionth person．
67．Which of the following problems do many European countries worry about?
A．Labor shortage．B．Poor health care．
C．Not enough jobs．D．Schooling of poor quality．
68．According to population experts，how long will it take for population to grow from six billion to nine billion?
A．About 12 years．B．About 40 years．C．About 50 years．D．About 110 years．69．What does the underlined phrase“demographic dividend”in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A．Possibility of lower birth rate．
B．Benefit gained by working young people．
C．Chances for more employment．
D．Disadvantages caused by aging population．
70．Which of the following public policies does Michal Rutkowski call on?
A．To encourage late marriage．B．To reduce world's population．
C．To gain economic equality．D．To improve health and education．
D
How often do you sit still and do absolutely nothing．The usual answer these days is“never”．or “hardly ever”．As the pace of life continues to increase，we are fast losing the art of relaxation．Once you are in the habit of rushing through life，being on the go from morning till night，it is hard to slow down．But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body．Stress is fl natural part of everyday life．There is no way to avoid it, since it takes many and varied forms-driving in traffic，problems with personal relationships are all different forms of stress．Stress，in fact，is not the“baddy”it is often reputed to be．A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life．It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health．
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual．Some people are not afraid of stress，and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities．Others lose heart at the first sight of unusual difficulties．When exposed to stress，in whatever form，we react both chemically and physically．In fact we make a choice between “fight”or “fright”and in more primitive days the choice made the difference between life and death．The crisis we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme，but however little the stress，it involves the same response．All the energy is shifted to cope with the stress．It is when such a reaction lasts long，through continued exposure to stress，that health bees endangered．Such serious conditions as high blood pressure and heart disease have established links with stress．Stress in some people produces stomach disorders，while others experience tension headaches．Since we cannot remove stress from our 1ires，We need to find ways to cope with it．71．People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because .
A．they are working harder than they used to
B．they are often too busy to find the time
C．they are not clear of how to relax by themselves
D．they are suffering from the effects of stress
72．What is implied but not stated in the passage?
A．The art of relaxation can greatly help people bear stress．
B．People in primitive days know certain ways to deal with stress．
C．If one gets into the habit of relaxing every day he can overe stress easily．
D．Stress can lead to serious health problem if one is exposed to it for too long．
73．The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 suggests that ．
A．stress is not always a bad thing for people
B．stress has a bad reputation of causing ill health
C．stress is not so terrible as people often believe it to be
D．stress is always harmful to people all the time
74．According to this passage，which of the following statements is true?
A．Relaxation in life only benefits us mentally．
B．Different people can stand different amounts of stress.
C．All the stress can lead to poor performance．
D．Large amounts of stress is important to people's lire．
75．What is the writer's attitude to stress according to the passage?
A．Stress as well as relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body．
B．Stress should not be rid pletely from the life．
C．Stress produces both positive and negative effects on people．
D．People usually work better under stress if they are healthy．
第Ⅱ卷(共45分)
第四部分书面表达(共两节，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，并根据短文后的要求答题(请注意问题后的字数要求)。

Modern inventions have speeded up people's lives amazingly．Motor cars cover a hundred miles in lithe more than an hour，aircraft cross the world inside a day，while puters operate at lightning speed．Indeed，this love of speed seems never ending．Every year motor cars are produced which go even faster and each new puter boasts(吹嘘)of saving precious seconds in handling tasks．All this saves time，but at a price．When we lose or gain half a day in speeding across the world in an airplane，our bodies tell us so．We get the unfortable feeling known as j et lag；our bodies feel that they have been left behind in another time zone．Again，spending too long at puters results in painful wrists and fingers．Mobile phones also ，according to some scientists；too much use may put harmful radiation into our brains，a consequence we do not like to think about．
However，what do we do with the time we have saved? Certainly not relax，or so it seems．We are so accustomed to constant activity that we find it difficult to sit and do nothing or even just one thing at a time．Perhaps the days are long gone when we might listen quietly to a story on the radio，letting imagination take us into another world．
There was a time when some people's lives were devoted simply to the cultivation(耕耘)of the land or the care of cattle．No multi tasking there；their lives went on at a much gentler pace，and in a familiar pattern．There is much that we might envy about a way of life like this．Yet before we do so，we must think of the hard tasks our ancestors faced：they farmed with bare hands，often lived close to hunger，and had to make tools from wood and stone. Modern machinery has freed people from that primitive existence.
76．What's the passage mainly about?(within 10 words)
77．List the difficulties our ancestors met according to the text．(within 15 words)
①
②
③
78．Fill in the blank in the 2nd paragraph with proper words or phrases．
79．Why do we make new products more and more time-saving according to Paragraph 1 of this passage?
80．Translate the underlined sentence in the 3rd paragraph into Chinese．
第二节写作(满分30分)
假设你是李华，因家庭贫困，就读高中以来一直受到美国友人Carter先生的热心资助。

新年来临之际，请给远在美国的Carter先生写一封信，信中包括：
1．问候Carter先生并表达感激之情；
2．介绍自己高三以来的学习生活情况以及新年的打算；
3．祝福Carter先生，希望他能来中国。

注意：
1．词数120~150；
2．开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Mr. Carter,
How I miss you and your family! Stepping into the New Year , I’m writing to
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua.
xx年普通高考英语仿真试题参考答案（二）
第I卷
听力部分：
1—5 CACBC 6—10 ACCAB 11—15 ACBCB 16—20 BACCA
单项选择：
21—25 ACADB 26—30 ACBDD 31—35 CCDCB
完形填空：
36—40 CADDB 41—45 BCDCA 46—50 BACDA 51—55 BCDAB
阅读理解：
56—60 AADBC 61—65 ADCCA 66—70 AACBD 71—75 DCABC
第II卷
阅读表达：
76. Modern technology and its influence.
77.①farming with bare hands.
②living close to hunger.
③making tools from wood and stone.
78. have their danger/ have bad effects on us
79. Because our love of speed seems never ending.
80.那些我们可以聆听电台里的音乐，让思绪飞扬的时代已经远去了。

写作
One possible version:
Mr. Carter,
How I miss you and your family! Stepping into the New Year, I’m writing to express my thanks and share with you my school life and my New Year resolution.
But for your generous help, I couldn’t enjoy a wonderful school life now. I’m on good terms with the teachers and my fellow classmates here. Also, I am getting along well with my study. Actually, I’m making progress. Ever since Senior Three, I’ve been working harder. My goal is to major in physics, which I’m always fascinated with , so I will spare no effort to be admitted into my dream university in the New Year. I want to pass your kindness on by devoting myself to the world of science.
Words seem to fail me every time I try to express my thanks to you , and I’ll keep my promise and not let you down. Please be my guest anytime at your convenience. Wish you and your family good health and lots of happiness in the New Year!
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua 附：听力录音稿
(Text 1)
W: Every time I see you, you are wearing a different shirt.
M: That’s because I have one for every day of the week.
(Text 2)
W: I hate flying. It is such a terrible thing although it’s the quickest way of travelling.
M: Well, if you ask me, flying is one of the safest ways of travelling.
(Text 3)
M: Did you pick up the paper for me today? I really want to check the job section.
W: I know. It’s over there. There’s not much happening though. Maybe you should look up the Net instead.
(Text 4)
M: Excuse me, Madam, could you tell me which bus goes to the Children’s Hospital?
W: There’s no bus going there. You’d better call a taxi. It is a little bit far from here.
M: OK. Thank you!
(Text 5)
M: I think it’s time for me to go now as I have to drop in at the post office to get some stamps.
W: If you are going to the post office, would you mind posting some letters for me?
M: Of course not.
(Text 6)
W: Good morning. Your ticket, please? Set your suitcase upright and I’ll check it through.
M:OK.
W: And where would you like to sit?
M: Make it a window seat.
W: Uh-huh, here you go. I’m sorry, but there will be a 20-minute delay, so your flight will be boarding in about half an hour.
M: I sure hope that’s the only delay. Oh, where are my baggage checks?
W: They’re here with your ticket, sir.
M: Uh, thanks.
(Text 7)
M: Hi, Jane. Where are you going?
W: I’m not sure. I want to redecorate my living room.
M: Really? Have you decided what colours to use?
W: Well, not yet. I’m thinking about white walls and light blue furniture. But I can’t decide what kind of carpet to get.
M: I think you should look for cream colours to go with the wall.
W: I worry about expensive things like that. I’m afraid I won’t be able to take it back if I decide I don’t like it.
M: There’re a few carpet stores just ahead. Why not ask them about that?
W: That’s a good idea. I’m glad I ran into you today.
(Text 8)
M: Hi! Janet, you look tired. What’s wrong?
W: Oh, I have this neighbour, and his dog barks all night long. It’s driving me mad.
M: Try talking to him.
W: Yeah, I guess. He’s kind of unfriendly. That’s all. What are your neighbours like?
M: OK, except two. One is in the flat below mine, and he smokes and the smoke es right into my bedroom. Ugh! It’s terrible. And if I talk to him , he’s really rude.
W: Well, if I were you , I’d move house.
M: Uh-huh. The other has these wild parties at night, like four or five times a week.
W: Well you know what I’d do if I were you ?
M: What?
W: I’d go and join the party!
(Text 9)
M: You wanted to see me about my grades, Mrs. Lange?
W: Yes. Sit down, Paul. You’re not doing well with your studies. Is the work too difficult?
M: The work isn’t hard; it’s just that I don’t have much time to study these days. Besides playing on the school football team, I’m doing a part-time job and working at the student center.
W: Well , Paul, you probably just have to manage your time better. Tell me about your daily life. M: Well, I get up at about eight and start classes at nine o’clock.
W: When do you work at the student center?
M: From noon to one. I hardly even have time to eat my lunch.
W: And you have practice after school?
M: Every day. I have football practice from three to four and then work part-time at the supermarket from five to eight.
W: So you do your homework after that?
M: Usually I’m too tired to start right away. I watch TV from about nine o’clock and then do my homework from about eleven to one.
W: One o’clock in the morning ! Paul, you’d better stop playing football or stop working at the supermarket. Your schoolwork is more important.
M: But I love playing football, Mrs. Lange. I guess I have to stop my work.
(Text 10)
Have you ever wondered why overhearing a cell phone conversation is so annoying? American researchers think they have found the answer.
Scientists at Cornell University say that whether in the office, on a train or in a car, only half of the conversation is overheard, and this draws more attention and concentration than when overhearing two people talking.
“We have less control to move away our attention from half a conversation(or half a dialogue) than when listening to a dialogue,”said Lauren Emberson, a co-author of the study that will be published in the journal Psychological Science. “Since half a dialogue really is more distracting and you can’t tune them out, this could explain why people are irritated.”
Emberson also said that in such a situation people try to make sense of snippets of conversation and predict what speakers will say next. “When you hear half of a conversation, you get less information and you can’t predict as well, ” she said. “It requires more attention.”
The finding by Emberson and her co-author Michael Goldstein are based on research involving 41 college students who did concentration exercises, like tracking moving dots, while hearing one or both parties during a cell phone conversation. The students made more errors when they heard only part of the conversation than when they overheard the entire dialogue.。