山东省潍坊市2012届高三下学期考前仿真模拟英语试题[五]

2012年普通高考英语仿真试题(五) 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。

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．What does the man think about Mr．Black?
A．He is angry．B．He is happy．C．He is disappointed．2．What is the woman going to do?
A．See a doctor．B．Attend a party．C．Go to work．
3．What is the man?
A．He is a safeguard．B．He is a fireman．C．He is a policeman．
4．What's the probable relationship between them?
A．Waiter and customer．B．Doorkeeper and visitor．C．Servant and hostess．5．What is the woman doing?
A．Making a suggestion．B．Offering advice．C．Asking for help．
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，各个小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。

每段对话或独白读两遍。

听第六段材料，回答第6至8题。

6．What are the speakers talking about?
A．Living．B．Traveling．C．Farming．
7．Where was the woman's father born?
A．In the city．B．In the countryside．C．In the town．
8．Why do the people on the man's farm make the seed by themselves?
A．They have special ways of planting．
B．They have special soil．
C．They have a lab on the farm．
听第七段材料，回答第9至11题。

9．What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A．H usband and wife．B．Employer and employee．
C．Teacher and student．
10．What are the kids doing?
A．They're killing animals．B．They're playing games．
C．They're hitting each other．
11．What can we learn from the conversation?
A．The kids often hurt their animals．B．There is a car crash outside．
C．The woman is worried．
听第八段材料，回答第12至14题。

12．How does the man want to send the mail?
A．By express mail．B．By ordinary mail．C．By registered mail．
13．How can the man make sure whether the letter has arrived?
A．By surfing the Internet．B．By making a call．
C．By coming to the office to inquire．
14．Where does the man want to send the cassettes?
A．To China．B．To America．C．To England．
听第九段材料，回答第15至17题。

15．What did the than buy at last?
A．Four pen sets．B．Four pens．C．A pen and a pencil．
16．What did the woman warn him not to do?
A．Not to buy four of anything for a Japanese．
B．Not to buy gifts for a Japanese．
C．Not to buy pen sets for a Japanese．
17．What can we learn from the conversation?
A．The man will go to Japan on business．
B．The man will go to Japan to see his relatives．
C．The man will live with a Japanese family for some time．
听第十段材料，回答第18至20题。

18．With whom do Polish people spend Christmas?
A．Friends．B．Their families．C．Other relatives．
19．Why do people in Poland have to taste all the disbes on Ch ristmas Eve?
A．Because if they don't do it，the one who cooks Will be unhappy．
B．Because they have to tell what dishes are on the table．
C．Because if they don't do it，they may have bad luck in the following year．
20．Where do the children find presents?
A．In their bedroom．
B．In the dining room．
C．In the room where there is a Christmas tree．
第二部分英语知识运用(共两节，满分35分)
第一节单项选择(共15小题，每小题1分，满分15分)
从A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

21．Paper cutting，traditional folk art form which originated in ancient China，was listed as world cultural heritage by the United Nations in 2002．
A．the；a B．a；the C．the；the D．a；a
22．However weak we are，we can still do something against the powerful nature so．long as we are prepared．
A．specially B．adequately C．physically D．equally
23．Hard work is no of an excellent school record．You have to adopt a flexible approach to your learning．
A．guarantee B．connection C．permission D．consequence
24．一I heard that you got an A in the chemistry exam．Well done!
一Thanks，I know that you a good job as well．
A．shouId haye done B．need have done
C．must have done D．could have done
25．Nowadays，skiing，being a sport, has become a big industry and a notable feature of leisure culture．
A．except for B．apart from C．far from D．due to
26．In spite of all has been said，quite a lot of people are still uncertain about the prices of housing in China．
A．that B．what C．which D．as
27．Nearly half a million immigrants，many of them English—speaking，in the country during the last quarter of the nineteenth century．
A．have arrived B．had arrived
C．arrived D．have been arriving
28．Encourage your children to try new things，but try not to them too hard．
A．draw B．strike C．rush D．push
29．Though the suspect refused to admit that he had stolen the precious diamond at first．he and admitted everything when he was shown the videotape．
A．broke up B．broke away C．broke down D．broke into
30．Cheer up!Everyone may haye periods in their lives everything seems tough．A．when B．where C．which D．that
31．In America．a friend's inviting you to a restaurant doesn't mean that he or she will pay for the meal you are told in advance．
A．unless B．if C．although D．until
32．Standins there，I could almost smell the rain coming．And it did．Suddenly the lightning flashed through the clouds，nearly me．
A．having blinded B．blinded C．blinding D．to blind
33．They found the remains of buildings under the sand，together with a lot of treas ures．
A．being buried B．buried C．to be buried D．buryin g
34．“Well done，John!Not a single mistak e in your exam paper this time!”said the teacher．
A．you made B．you have make C．had you made D．did you make
35．一What?You failed the driving test again!
一?
A．So what B．How come C．Why not D．What for
第二节完形填空(共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分)
请阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的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。

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver，impolite waiter，rude boss，or an insensitive employee 36 your day?
One day I was in a taxi and we headed 37 the airport．We were driving in the 38 lane when suddenly a black car drove out of a parking space right in front of us．My taxi driver
slammed on his 39 ，slid sideways，and at the very last moment our car stopped and 40 the other car by just inches!The driver of the other car looked around and started 41 at us．My taxi driver just 42 and waved at the guy．And I mean he was really 43 ．So I asked，“Why did you just do that?This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospi tal!”This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call“The Law of the Garbage Truck”．He explained that many people are like garbage trucks．They run around full of 44 ，full of frustration，full of anger，and full of disappointment．As their garbage 45 up，they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on 46 ．Don't take it personally；Just smile, wave，wish them well，and move on．
Believe me．You'll be 47 ．Don't take their garbage and 48 it to other people at work, at home，or on the streets．Life's too short to wake up in．the morning with 49 . The mark of your success is how quickly you can refocus on what's 50 in your life，Roy Baumeister，a psychology researcher from Florida State University，found in his extensive research that you 5l bad things more ofter than good things in your life，you store the bad memories more easily，and you 52 th em more frequently．
Therefore，love the people who treat you right and ignore the ones who don't．Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you 53 it!
When you follow“The Law of the Garbage Truck”, you take back control of your life! You make room for the good by 54 go of the bad．Have a marvelous，garbage-free day! The seeds you plant today 55 the harvest you will reap tomorrow．
36．A．enrich B．obtain C．spare D．ruin
37．A．through B．to C．in D．for
38．A．latter B．right C．opposite D．free
39．A．window B．door C．brakes D．seat
40．A．knocked B．overtook C．missed D．lost
41．A．laughing B．throwing C．glancing D．yelling
42．A．wondered B．ignored C．smiled D．guessed
43．A．friendly B．angry C．tired D．disappointed
44．A．expectation B．passengers C．garbage D．goods
45．A．turns B．piles C．holds D．pushes
46．A．roads B．children C．you D．dustbin
47．A．upset B．happier C．pitiful D．frightened
48．A．eontribute B．share C．explain D．spread
49．A．surprise B．pleasure C．doubt D．regrets
50．A．funny B．important C．strange D．embarrassing
51．A．remember B．forget C．value D．appreciate
52．A．recalI B．exchange C．enjoy D．imagine
53．A．inspire B．take C．mend D．notice
54．A．letting B．consisting C．making D．dreaming
55．A．distinguish B．deserve C．deliver D．determine
第三部分阅读理解(共20小题，每题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，并在答题纸上将该选项标号涂黑。

A
The bicycling craze came in when we were just about at the right age to enjoy it．At first even“safety”bicycles were too dangerous and improper for ladies to ride, and they had to have tricycles．My mother had(I believe)the first female tricycle in Cambridge；and l had a little one，and we used to go out for family rides，all together；my father in front on a bicycle．and my poor brather Charles standing miserable on the bar behi nd lny mother．I found it very hard work．pounding(轰隆隆行进)away on my hard tyres；a glorious，but not a pleasurable pastinle．Then, one day at lunch, my father said he had just seen a new kind of tyre，filled up,with air，and he thought it might be a success．And soon after that everyone had bicycles，ladies and all; and bicycling became the smart thing，and the lords and ladies had their pictures in fhe papers，riding along in the park，in straw hats．
My mother must have fallen off her bicycle ptetty often，for I remember seeing the most appalling cuts and bruises(青肿)on her legs．But she never complained，and always kept these accidents to herself．However，the great Mrs．Phillips，our cook,always knew all a hout them；as indeed she knew practically everything that ever happened．She used to draw us into the servants' hall to tell us privately：“Her Ladyship had a nasty fall yesterday；she cut both her knees and sprained her wrist．But don't Iet her know I told you．”So we never dared say anything．Similar little accidents used to occur when，at the age of nearly Seventy，she insisted on learning to drive a car．She never mastered the art of reversing(倒车)，and was in every way an unconventional and terrifying driver．Mrs．Phillips used then to tell us：“Her Ladyship ran into the back of a milk-cart yesterday；but it wasn't much hurt”；or“A policeman stopped her Ladyship because she was on the wrong side of the road；but she said she didn't know what the white Line on the road meant，so he explained arld Let her go on．”Mrs．Phillips must have had an excellent Intelligence Service at her command，for the stories were always true enough．56．Women did not ride bicycles at first betause .
A．bicycling demanded too much hard work
B．bicycling was considered unsafe and unladylike
C．they preferred to ride tricycles
D．tricycles could carry young children as well
57．How did the writer feel about tricycles?
A．They were very hard to ride．
B．Riding tricycles was an enjoyble arnusement．
C．They were not as fast as bicycles．
D．They were not proper for women to ride．
58．Cycling became popular when .
A．the writer's father popularized it B．air-filled tyres began to be used
C．noble people started enjoying it D．newspapers had pictures of cyclists
59．The writer admired Mrs．Phillips because .
A．she was the best cook they had ever had
B．she was in command of all the setvants
C．she could keep secrets
D．she had an outstanding ability to gather information
60．The writer's mother often had car accidents because .
A．she could not control the car well B．she was very old then
C．she ignored the traffic signs D．she behaved too proudly
B
Eating a diet high in processed food(加工食品)increases the risk of depression，research suggests．What's more，peopie who ate plenty of vegetables，fruit and fish actually had a lower risk of depression，the University College London team found．
Data on diet among 3，500 middle-aged civil servants(公务员)were compared with their emotional state five years later，a British journal reported．They split the participants into two types of diet--those who ate a diet largely based on whole food，which inc!udes lots of fruit，vegetables and fish，and those who ate a mainly processed food diet，such as sweetened desserts，fried food，processed meat，refined grains and high fat dairy products After accounting for factors such as gender，age，education，physical activity，smoking habits and chronic(慢性的) diseases，they found a significant difference in the future depression risk with the different diets．Those who ate the most wholefood had a 26％lower risk of future depression than those who ate the least wholefood．By contrast，people with a diet high in processed food had a 58％higher risk of depression than those who ate a diet low in processed foods．
Study author Dr. Archana SinghManoux pointed out there was a chance the finding could be explained by fl lifestyle factor they had not accounted for．
There was a paper showing a Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk of depression，but the problem with that is if you live in Britain，the likelihood(可能性)of you eating a Mediterranean diet is not very high．
Dr．Andrew McCulloeh，chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation，said，this study adds to an existing body of solid research that shows the strong links between what we eat and our mental health．
He added people's diets were becoming increasingly unhealthy．The UK population is consuming less nutritious，fresh produce and more saturated(含饱和脂肪酸的)fats and sugars．61．The text is mainly about .
A．the increasingly unhealthy diet of the UK population
B．the link between processed food and depression
C．the relationship between physical and mental health
D．fl healthy diet largely based on wholefood
62．What do we know about the participants?
A．They are of different ages from young to old．
B．They have been eating fl less heal thy diet these years．
C．Most of them prefer wholefood to processed food．
D．Those who ate wholefood generally were happier in the long term．
63．What can we learn from what Dr．Archana Singh Manoux said?
A．It is difficult for most British people to have a Mediterranean diet．
B．The Mediterranean diet is the most healthy in the world．
C．Many studies have been done on the Mediterranean diet before．
D．The Mediterranean diet is not good for depression．
64．Dr．Andrew McCulloch agrees that .
A．our diets are closely related to our mental health
B．the present study needs more facts and other information
C．the UK population will become ill in the near future
D．more saturated fats and sugars s hould be taken in
65．Why might the author have written this text?
A．To tell people what a healthy diet actually is．
B．To prove people’s diets are increasingly unhealthy．
C．To encourage people to cut down on proceased food．
D．To introduce some experts on the research team．
C
It seems that some people go out of their way to get into trouble．That's more or less what happened the night that Nashville Police Officer Floyd Hyde was on duty．
“I was on the way to a personal—inj ury accident in West Nashville．As I got onto Highway 40，blue lights and sirens(警笛)going，I fell in behind a gold Pontiac Firebird that suddenly seemed to take off quickly down the highway．The driver somehow flustered at the sight of me．He was going more than a hundred miles an hour and began passing cars on the shoulder．”
But Hyde couldn’t go after him．Taking care of injured people is always more important than worrying about speeders，so the officer had to stay on his way to the accident．But he did try to keep the Fi rebird in sight as he drove，hoping another nearby unit would be able to step in and stop the speeding car．As it．turned out，keeping the Firebird in sight was not that difficult．Every turn the Pontiac made was the very turn the officer needed to get to the accident scene．Hyde followed the Pontiac all the way to his destination。

At that point he found another unit had already arrived at the accident scene．His help wasn't needed．Now he was free to try to stop the driver of the Firebird，who by this time had developed something new to panic about．“Just about that time，”Hyde says，“I saw fire coming out from under that car，with blue smoke and oil going everywhere．He'd blown his engine．Now he had to stop．”
“After I arrested him，I asked him why he was running。

He told me he didn't have a driver's license．”
That accident cost the driver of the Firehird plenty-a thousand dollars for the new engine-not to mention the charges for driving without a license，attempting to run away, and dangerous driving．
66．The meaning of“flustered”in Paragraph 2 is related to .
A．shame B．hate C．anger D．fear
67．Why did the driver of the Firebird suddenly speed down the highway?
A．Because he was racing with another driver on the road．
B．Because he realized he had to hurry to the accident scene．
C．Because he thought the police officer wanted to stop him．
D．Because he wanted to overtake other cars on the shoulder．
68．Which of the following statements is true?
A．Someone else was taking care of the injured person．
B．The Pontiac reached its destination at the accident scene．
C．Hyde knew where he was going by following the right car．
D．The policeman was running after a speeder on Highway 40．
69．The driver of the Firebird .
A．took a wrong turn on the way B．had some trouble with his car
C．was stopped by the police officer D．paid for the expenses of the accident
70．What is probably the best title for the article?
A．Losing His Way? B．Going My Way?
C．Fun All the Way? D．Help on the Way?
D
European Work Experience Program(E．W．E．P．)is an independent British organization which began in 1991 in the city of London．E．W．E．P．provides the opportunity for students from the 25 countries of the European Union and nationals(公民)from Norway，Iceland，Switzerland and Liechtenstein to live in England，to gain work experience，to practice their English and to get a better insight into the British social and eulturallife．
To apply you must meet the following requirements：
*Preferred age: 18 to 28 years old
*Be able to work in the UK for a period of at least two months．
*Must have a good knowledge of English．
*Due to work permit restrictions，European Work Experience Program Ltd will only select you if you are a European Union Member or national from Norway，Iceland，Switzerland and Liechtenstein．
European Work Experience Program Ltd will find you a suitable job and an accommodation．A representative of E．W．E．P．will be available during your stay to help you and you will get a 24-hour help line service during your stay．The TOTAl fee for our services is ￡264.63(394.35 Euros)．
Should you require any further information，please contact us：
European Work Experience Program Ltd
Unit 1，Red Lion Court, Alexandra Road
Hounslow，Middlesex，TW3 1JS
United Kingdom
Tel: 44 208 572 2993
Fax：44 208 572 1114
E—mail：sales@ewep．com
71．What's the purpose of writing the text?
A．To introduce a new program in England．
B．To attract more students to work in England．
C．To describe the working conditions in England．
D．To make clear the requirements for students working in England．
72．Which of the following is NOT the purpose of the program?
A．To get a lot of work experience．
B．To improve their English rapidly．
C．To have better understanding of the British culture．
D．To make more money in Britain．
73．If you apply for the program．you .
A．must be 18 to 26 years old
B．must be able to speak at least three languages
C．must be nationals from the countries mentioned in the text
D．should have some working experience in a foreign country
74．You can get in touch with E．W．E．P．by the following ways EXCEPT by .
A．making a teJephone call B．sending the organization a fax
C．writing an e-mail to the organization D．going there in person by air
75．Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A．European Work Experience Program Was set up in the 19th century．
B．You'll work in the UK for at least two months if you attend the program．
C．You can get a 24-hour help from a representative during your stay．
D．You don't have to hand in 394.35 Euros after you have got a job in Britain．
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)
阅读下面的短文，并根据短文后的要求答题(请注意问题后字数要求)。

Giving gifts is not a normal part of Britain business culture．Indeed，British business colleagues are qoite likely to feel embarrassed to receive any gift at all．The only exception would be at the conclusion of a desl when it might be appropriate to give a unique souvenir to mark the occasion. Such items might be gold，silver，or porcelain with a suitable inscriptiop．A-gain，to avoid embarrassment on the part of the recipient，the object must be restrained, tastefuI，and not too expensive．
Small gifts such as a lpen Or a book would be suitable gifts of genuine gratitude，and flowers or wine suffice to thank junior colleagues for their services．
Ahernatively，it will often be appreciated if you invite your hosts，or others yoU wish to thank，out for a meal or tO the theatre．
It is always good form to buy a round of drinks for your colleagues after work．This is also the most common way of celebrating someone's birthday．
Business gifts are never exchanged at Christmas but it may be appropriate to send a card，particularly as an．expression of thanks to your business associates but also as a means of maintaining valuable contacts．Bear in mind that the UK postal services was founded at about the same time as the old railways so ensure that your cards are mailed in good time．If you are invited to a British home，it is standard practice to bring wine，flowers or chocolate for your hosts．The usual European warnings apply when giving flowers：no red roses or white lilies．
If you know that you are going to stay with a family，it is a good idea to bring something ．If you are unprepared，then your time in your host's house should allow you to think of something the y would really appreciate even if you have to mail it from home on your return．
76．What's the best title of the passage?(within 8 words)
77．How do colleagues often celebrate each other's birthday in Britain based on the passage?(within 15 words)
78．Fill in the black in the last paragraph with proper words．(within 5 words)
79．Is it always appropriate to bring flowers when you visit a British home?Why?(within 15words)
80．Translate the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 into Chinese．
第二节写作(满分30分)
最近，你们学校的个别学生因为不适应学校的生活，感到压力很大，很苦恼，甚至产生了退学的想法。

你们班为此要组织一次关于“How to deal with stress”的演讲。

请你就此写一篇演讲稿，发表一下你个人的见解。

演讲稿主要内容应包括：
1．增加自信；
2．学会放松，体育锻炼是最好的放松方法；
3．向家人或朋友倾诉。

注意：1．可适当增加细节，使文章通顺；
2．词数：120～150。

2012年普通高考英语仿真试题参考答案（五）
第I卷
听力部分
1—5 AABAC 6—10 CBBAB 11—15 CABAC 16—20 ACBCC
单项选择
21—25 DBACB 26—30 ACDCA 31—35 ACBDA
完形填空
36—40 DDBCC 41—45 DCACB 46—50 CBDDB 51—55 AABAD
阅读理解
56—60 BABDA 61—65 BDAAC 66—70 DCABB 71—75 BDCDB
第II卷
阅读表达
76. Business gift giving in the UK
77. They often have a drink with their colleagues after work./They usually buy a bound of drinks for their colleagues after work.
78. from your own country/from your own home.
79. No, it isn’t. Because red roses and white lilies are not welcome.
80.唯一例外的是在一笔生意谈妥时，赠送一份独特的纪念品来纪念这一时刻也许会是适宜的行为。

写作
Boys and girls,
At present, it is a fact that we students are experiencing much stress. Thus, we should know how to deal with stress. As to this, I’d like to share my views with you.
First, believe in ourselves. Be confident when faced with many difficult situations. Second, learn to relax. The best way to relax is to take part in physical activities regularly, which can help us stay in shape. Besides, a healthy body can give us much energy to face the busy school life. Third, talk with our family members or friends, from whom we can get some valuable advice. Finally, make a reasonable plan. It will remind us what to do every day in an orderly way, thus reducing our stress.
In a word, only of we handle stress properly can we lead a pleasant school life. Thanks for your listening.
附：听力录音稿
（Text 1）
M: Is Mr. Black angry?
W: I don’t think so. If he were, he’d tell us.
(Text 2)
W: David, could you look after the children for me while I go to the doctor’s? The only appointment I could get is at eleven o’clock.
M: All right. But I have to leave at one o’clock. I’m going to a party in the afternoon.
(Text 3)
W: You must enjoy danger. I mean, you wouldn’t be a fireman if you weren’t brave, would you? M: I don’t know about that. I had a very frightening experience quite recently.
(Text 4)
M: Good afternoon, Madam, would you like to sit beside the window? You can enjoy the sea and the mountains.
W: I’d prefer to sit alone, but I suppose this will do. Have you a menu, please?
(Text 5)
W: Tom.
M: Yes?
W: Please give me a newspaper, will you? I want to look through today’s ads.
M: Here you are.
(Text 6)
W: It is the first time that I have come to the field at this time of year. How promising the crops are!
M: You mean that you’ve never been in the cuntryside before?
W: Yes. In fact both my parents were born in the countryside.
M: If so, you may know something about planting.
W: Yes. Because I saw my grandparents plant cabbages the other day. It is really a difficult job. M: There are several things to do, such as turning over the soil, watering the field and putting some powder in and so on. But the most important is choosing the best seed.
W: Do you make i t by ourselves because the soil on our farm is quite different for that of other lands.
W: Do you have any program to run your farm in your own way?
M: Yes. We plan to make our farm into a lab to make the best cabbage seed.
(Text 7)
W: Henry, what on earth are those kids doing?
M: I don’t know. Maybe they’re just playing games.
W: Isn’t there something funny going on ? All I can hear is guns and car crashing.
M: Oh, my dear, never be so fussy. It’s just a game.
W: It is too violent. The kids will grow up thinking that hurting people is OK.
M: Come on! I think people worry too much about that kind of thing. After all, you never see our kids hitting each other or maltreating our animals.
W: But I see them playing war and they all want toy guns and weapons.
M: Don’t be so critical. Boys will be boys. They need time to relax.
(Text 8)
M: I want to send this express mail please. It’s got to get there tomo rrow.
W: San Diego. No problem. It will be delivered by noon tomorrow. If you want it left at the address, even if there is no one there to sign for it , check this little box on the label.
M: No, it’s a big office. There’ll be someone there.
W: If you want to be sure it arrives there on time, call this 800 nubmer. I’ll write it down for you, and give them the number from your receipt. We can track the letter every step of the way by computer.
M: Oh, that’s wonderful. Now I need a fifty dollar money order, and a stamped-envelope and a padded-envelope.
W: How big a padded-envelope?
M: Just big enough to hold these cassettes I’m sending to China.
(Text 9)
W: Can I help you?
M: Yes, I’m looking for a gift for the Japanese family I’m going to stay with. What do you recommend?
W: Pen sets are always a good gift.
M: Yes, let’s see. There’re sets with a pen and a pencil, and bigger sets with four pens.
W: Don’t give a set of four pens to a Japanese. In fact, don’t give four of anything.
M: Why is that?
W: The Japanese word for “four” sounds like the word for “death”. It means bad luck.
M: Thanks a lot. In that case, I’ll take the single pen and pencil set.
W: Good choice. These sets make very good gifts. After all, pens write in any language.
M: Right.
(Text 10)
People in Poland tend to spend Christmas with their families, and most important point of Christmas is Christmas Eve supper. The whole family just sits around the table and there are twelve traditional dishes on the table and you’re supposed to taste them all because if you don’t try any of them, you may have bad luck in the following year. Well, before everybody sits down to eat the supper, we just break wafers for each other, wishing each other good luck. When the supper is over, the children go to the other room where the big Christmas tree stands and they find some Christmas presents under the Christmas tree. And after supper the whole family just sits around the table singing Christmas songs and waiting for midnight, when they go to chourch.。