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高二年級期中聯考英語試卷
考試時間：120分鐘 試卷總分：150分
第一部分 聽力（共兩節，滿分 30 分）
第一節 (共5小題；每小題1.5分，滿分7.5分)
聽下面5段對話。每段對話后有一個小題，從題中所給的 A、B、C 三個選項中選出最佳選項。聽完每段對話后，你都有10秒鐘的時間來回答有關小題和閱讀下一小題。每段對話僅讀一遍。
例：How much is the shirt
A. 19.15. B. 9.18. C. 9.15.
答案是C。
1. What drink will the man order
A. An apple juice. B. A tomato juice. C. A cold beer.
2. What do we know about Jack
A. He will work on the project.
B. He is not tough enough.
C. He has little patience.
3. Where does the conversation take place
A. At a subway station. B. At an airport. C. In a taxi.
4. What does the woman want to do
A. Have a rest. B. Go to the movies. C. Visit Jeff with the man.
5. What happened to the woman
A. She couldn’t find Mr. Beringer.
B. She was late for an interview.
C. She failed to get a job.
第二節(共15小題;每小題1.5分，滿分22.5分)
聽第6段材料，回答第6、7題。
6. What does the man want to reserve
A. A business suite. B. Two double rooms. C. Three single rooms.
7. When will the man check in
A. On December 16th. B. On December 19th. C. On December 23rd.
聽第7段材料，回答第8、9題。
8. Where do the speakers prefer to go
A. Hawaii. B. Europe. C. The Bahamas.
9. What will the speakers probably do next
A. Calculate the travel fees. B. Call their friends. C. Book their flight.
聽第8段材料，回答第10至12題。
10.What does the woman dislike about the play
A. The clothes. B. The acting. C. The set.
11. Who is the man’s old classmate
A. The actress. B. The director. C. The screenwriter.
12. When does the conversation take place
A. At the beginning of a play.
B. In the middle of a play.
C. At the end of a play.
聽第9段材料，回答第13至16題。
13. What did Landon succeed in doing
A. Managing his own business.
B. Completing a degree in Computer.
C. Getting into a college.
14. How much does Jason’s school charge per year now
A. $20,000. B. $40,000. C. $60,000.
15. What does the man think of college education
A. It costs less now. B. It isn’t necessary. C. It is meaningful.
16. What are the speakers talking about
A. What major to choose. B. Whether to go to college. C. How to pay for university.
聽第10段材料，回答第17至20題。
17. What should people do to rent a Nice Ride bike
A. Show the ID card. B. Download an app. C. Get the membership card.
18. What encourage more people to choose biking
A. The short supply of gas.
B. Concerns about the environment.
C. The request of the government.
19. Which country has the largest bike-share program
A. Australia. B. The US. C. China.
20. How does the US Department of Transportation support cycling
A. Build on-street bike lanes. B. Provide thousands of bikes. C. Start bike-share programs.
第二部分 閱讀(共兩節，滿分50分)
第一節 (共15小題:每小題2.5分,滿分37.5分)
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D四個選項中，選出最佳答案。
A
The Best Maldives Island for Your Travel Style
Every resort (度假地) in Maldives is its own private island but choosing the right one for you can be difficult. Want to kick off your Indian Ocean holiday in style Our guide will help you know what to look for in the hunt for your ideal island.
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi
You’ll never go hungry at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, which has 11 restaurants, including ones specializing in garden-to-table cuisine. There are regular food-themed events, too — our favorites include Arabian Night and the Twilight Seafood Barbecue.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives
Considered one of the best spots in the Maldives for honeymoons, the Four Seasons Resort Maldives has a huge range of room categories and offers a brilliant selection of packages, including Island Romance packages that feature fantastic extras designed with couples in mind.
Fairmont Maldives
There are numerous reasons to visit the Fairmont Maldives, including the fact that it’s a great place to learn about sustainability, whether it’s at the Sustainability Lab, where guests can turn discarded plastic bottles into jewelry or during excursions with marine biologists from a charity created to protect sea turtles.
Heritance Aarah
Heritance Aarah recently opened its Live Maldivian Village Museum, which focuses on 4,000 years of Maldivian history. Guests can learn about the art of coral stone carving and find out why locals are known as some of the world’s best boat builders.
To ensure you experience the Maldives’ best bits, schedule a holiday every month without fail. We’re joking, but you get the point: think what you want to see and do, and brush up on the different areas’ seasonal selling points.
21. Who are the target readers of the article
A. Sports lovers. B. Travel enthusiasts.
C. Wilderness explorers. D. Travel agents.
22. What do you know about the four islands recommended
A. They are the first four most-visited sites.
B. They have their own unique characteristics.
C. They are just tailored for young couples.
D. They feature absolute peace and tranquility.
23. Why does the author make suggestions in the last paragraph
A. To persuade you to journey to Maldives. B. To urge you to start a holiday early.
C. To remind you not to miss selling points. D. To help you choose the ideal island.
B
On a Saturday afternoon, you find most kids outside playing games. Kids are made for the outdoors, with their endless energy and the easy way in which they make friends. It's not different for Kameron, an ordinary, fun-loving 7-year-old girl who loves to draw out the world’s longest hopscotch(跳格子)on the sidewalk.
In between jump-rope games, basketball shootouts and skateboard races, Kameron takes time to do something special for her elderly neighbors. Kameron’s neighborhood is home to a good mix of young families and elderly neighbors whose children have long since left home. Kameron first started waving to them. Most of them smiled back.
Then Kameron decided that some of them needed a little pleasure. So she ran home, took her violin and made the rounds. “Can I play you a song ” she asked, after knocking on the door.
Gustav smiled wide. He has beautiful white hair and a soft accent(口音). He grew up in Scandinavia and is a wood finisher. His wife Vivian has a smile that fills their tiny home. She stood awkwardly, and had difficulty moving about. It looked terribly uncomfortable. Vivian has had muscular dystrophy(肌肉萎縮) for over 20 years.Gustav is her full-time caregiver.They’ve replaced their daily walks with afternoon drives,but even those are getting too difficult for Vivian.
Gustav let Kameron in, and Vivian took hold of both their arms and pulled to her chair. On the table beside her was a photo of her with Gustav when they were young and energetic, traveling around Europe,Egypt and Iceland. In the photo, Vivian is very beautiful, and Gustav is handsome.
“Want me to play your favorite song ” Kameron asked. Of course,” Gustav answered. It was the only song Kameron knew.
The small violin rested seriously under Kameron’s chin(下巴). She played as best she could.Vivian beat her leg to keep rhythm (節奏)for Kameron. Gustav held Vivian’s other hand. It was not the performance that was moving, but the memories it brought.
24. Why is Kameron special compared with other kids
A. She likes playing outside. B. She cares about the elderly.
C.She has plenty of energy. D. She can draw on the sidewalk.
25. Why did Kameron knock on the couple’s door
A.To ask for praise by singing a song. B. To learn the violin from them.
C. To cheer them up with music. D.To make money by playing the violin.
26. What did the couple use to do every day
A.Go for a walk. B. Make a drive.
C.Stay at home. D.Do woodworking.
27. What is the most moving for the couple
A. The love between them. B. Vivian’s attitude to the music.
C.Kameron’s performance. D. Thinking back to past experiences.
C
She's dived in Iceland and Indonesia, gone hiking in Africa and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. So when Cindy Abbott saw a television special on Qomolangma, she knew that would be her next adventure.
Abbott, 51, contacted a coach about how to train for the climb. But five months later, she suddenly lost the vision in her left eye.
Losing her eyesight was another symptom (癥狀) that doctors could not explain in her 15 years of living with Wegener's granulomatosis, a rare disease that affects one in 30, 000 people. “The blindness was a good thing in a way because I got diagnosed ( 診 斷),” said Abbott, who lives in Orange County, California.
There is no cure for Wegener's granulomatosis. But her diagnosis did not mean the end to her dream of climbing Qomolangma. Instead, Abbott continued her training climbs. She decided to make her Qomolangma climb an awareness and fundraising campaign for Wegener's granulomatosis and other rare diseases.
“We have no drugs that are specific for our diseases,” said Abbott. “There's no money in the drug companies to research to make a drug.”
Abbott said this adventure is not just about the physical challenges. “When you get up on that mountain it's only about half physical, and the rest mental, because of the suffering, the extreme days, the extreme environment and being away from your family,” said Abbott.
“It was just the most amazing feeling,” said Abbot in a satellite phone call after reaching the peak. “You look out and know that you're on top of the world.”
Making her way down was even more treacherous than reaching the top. Sight problems meant she climbed down the ice wall practically blind. And aside from that, she suffered only some minor injuries and frostbite (凍傷).
Abbott returned to Southern California about a week after reaching the top of Qomolangma. But she won't be home for long. Next up: taking her husband on a diving trip.
28. What do we know about Abbott when she was 51
A. She became blind in her left eye suddenly.
B. She decided to be a professional adventurer.
C. She was fired from her job as a climbing guide.
D. She was invited to record a TV program on Qomolangma.
29. Why did Abbott decide to climb Qomolangma
A. To build friendships with other climbers.
B. To draw public attention to rare diseases.
C. To realize her husband's childhood dream.
D. To carry out research on Wegener's granulomatosis.
30. What does the underlined word “treacherous” mean in paragraph 8
A. Exciting. B. Important. C. Boring. D. Dangerous.
31. Which of the following words can best describe Abbott
A. Brave and honest. B. Humorous and friendly.
C. Positive and strong-minded. D. Knowledgeable and nature-loving.
D
A beautiful three-story home sits at the corner of 10th and Center streets on the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) campus in Atlanta. From the outside, it appears just like any other home, but inside, Georgia Tech researchers are testing and developing new devices to find out which can make the home safer — and smarter — for older adults.
The house is actually a living lab, called the Aware Home, and research conducted there has revealed many top home-related concerns among older adults — unattended cooking, water left running, TVs left on ... and doors left unlocked.
Now, some in-home technologies are in development — or on the market — to address those concerns.
One new device called Inirv React connects your stove (爐具) to a sensor ( 傳感器) in your home and a smartphone app. The sensor will automatically turn the stove off if it no longer detects (探測) movement around the appliance after a certain period of time. You can also turn the stove off using your smartphone.
Devices of the future are expected to collect and use data to become smarter, according to Elizabeth Mynatt, a professor at Georgia Tech. “They will learn more about your habits, your likes, your dislikes, your routines, when you're most likely to forget to take your medicine, what are the aspects of your health that need the most attention,” she said.
With any technology, “most people ask that question, ‘How invasive (侵擾的) is it ’... But what we hear from older adults is that they value the safety that the technology provides for them,” Mynatt said.
75-year-old Albert Bolet of Atlanta thinks most older adults are typically ready to bring technology into their homes. “People have the misguided impression that seniors are opposed (對立的) to technology,” said Bolet. “We do understand wireless technology, and we understand how these things will make things easier. Being independent is most important in the mind of anybody that gets to be our age or older.”
32. What is the Aware Home
A. A smart house. B. A research lab.
C. A nursing home. D. A science museum.
33. What will Inirv React do when it senses no movement around a stove for long
A. Turn the stove off directly. B. Give out a warning sound.
C. Activate a sensor in the house. D. Send a message to a connected phone.
34. What will future smart home devices be like according to Mynatt
A. They will provide medical advice. B. They will be more like caregivers.
C. They will become more personalized. D. They will replace caregivers in most cases.
35. What did Albert Bolet say about most seniors
A. They are willing to use smart home devices.
B. They find it hard to keep up with new technology.
C. They prefer a simple life without technology.
D. They are becoming more dependent on the Internet.
第二節（共5小題；每小題2.5分，滿分12.5分）
閱讀下面短文，從短文后的選項中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項為多余選項。
How to Study at Home Effectively
Studying at home is comfortable and relaxing. However, it can be difficult to study at home effectively. Watching TV, eating snacks or looking through social media may take you away from your study. 36 .
37
Students of all ages should get at least eight hours of sleep every night. It's the best way to ensure that the brain is refreshed and ready to process all of the information during the day. A full night's sleep is especially important the night before a test.
Study at the right time
38 . Some people are night owls (夜貓子) while others prefer the morning. Don't try to force yourself to study when your brain isn't at its best. Try to study when you are the most energetic, so that you are able to gain more information.
Have a fixed study area
Whether it's the kitchen table or the desk in your bedroom, it is necessary to create a fixed study area. Try to reserve (預留) your bed for sleeping and avoid studying in it. 39 . And keep your fixed study space organized so you can put more time into studying instead of looking for a pen or other things.
Create a timetable
Creating a timetable helps to organize your time. It is especially useful when you have different subjects to study. 40 . Set reasonable limits for how much time you spend studying each day, and break your study time into manageable periods of time.
A ．Get a good night's sleep
B ．Focus on important information
C ．Studying in bed can make you feel sleepy
D ．Here are a few ways to help you be effective
E ．Make sure that your study space is large enough
F ．Every student has his/her own daily highs and lows
G ．Write your schedule down so you can refer to it often
第三部分 語言運用（共兩節，滿分30分）
第一節 （共15小題：每小題1分，滿分15分）
閱讀下面短文，從每題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。
Manuela Ribeiro has a healthy addiction. It’s 41 . A few months ago, the 30-year-old teacher decided it was time to put her 42 to good use. She signed up on the website Bookalokal, and now welcomes 43 into her Brussels flat twice a week for dinner parties.
Ribeiro 44 ?35 per person for what is usually a three-course meal that can last up to three hours. For Ribeiro, it has become a perfect platform for 45 her hobby of buying food, 46 new recipes and holding dinner parties.
“It’s a great opportunity to share my passion for food and to 47 new people,” said Ribeiro. Sometimes she prepares traditional Brazilian dishes 48 her native home; other times she 49 dinner courses with her favorite beers.
The platform has enabled Ribeiro to realise her dream with a great deal of freedom, as 50 to a restaurant where the service is 51 , the menu is known in advance, and the meal is expected to be no 52 .
“But it’s also a great 53 , for it can sometimes take days to 54 a single event,” Ribeiro said. “This platform is not only 55 for professional cooks, but also for those willing to discover new experiences.”
41．A．reading B．traveling C．cooking D．teaching
42．A．hobby B．energy C．education D．money
43．A．coworkers B．students C．relatives D．strangers
44．A．pays B．charges C．owes D．raises
45．A．pursuing B．choosing C．discussing D．changing
46．A．passing on B．trying out C．going over D．taking down
47．A．hire B．help C．meet D．train
48．A．in addition to B．in return for C．in honor of D．in line with
49．A．replaces B．tastes C．orders D．pairs
50．A．compared B．related C．subject D．vital
51．A．invaluable B．impersonal C．unsuitable D．unprofessional
52．A．surprise B．end C．need D．problem
53．A．lesson B．pleasure C．success D．challenge
54．A．celebrate B．record C．attend D．organise
55．A．selected B．reserved C．evaluated D．requested
第二節 （共10小題：每小題1.5分，滿分15分）
閱讀下面短文，在空白處填入1個適當的單詞或括號內單詞的正確形式。
These days, it is not unusual for 10-to 12-year-olds to publish their own websites or for second and third graders 56 （begin）computer classes. At the same time, computer games are becoming increasingly popular as major publishing houses continue to develop 57 （education）computer programs for children in preschool. Also, technological know-how has become a 58 （require）for most jobs in an increasingly digital world, as the computer has become a common tool in most 59 （profession）
The Digital World is a set of volumes 60 aim to describe how digital systems influence society and help readers understand the nature of digital systems and their many interacting parts. Each volume in the set explores 61 wide range of material, explains the basic concepts of major applications of digital systems, 62 discusses the influences they have on everyday life. Because the number of possible topics 63 （be）practically limitless, we focus on a sample of the most interesting and useful applications and tools and explain the basic principles of technology. Readers 64 （encourage）to continue exploring the digital world with the guidance of 65 （we）Further Resources section featured in each volume.
第四部分 寫作（共兩節；滿分40分）
第一節 （滿分15分）
假如你是李華，上周你校開展了一場主題為“人工智能(AI)與我們的生活”的演講比賽，請為校英文報寫一篇報道,內容包括：
1.比賽目的； 2.比賽的過程與結果； 3.比賽的影響和意義。
注意:
1.寫作詞數應為 80個左右；
2.請按如下格式在答題紙的相應位置作答。
AI and Our Lives: An Inspiring Speech Contest
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
閱讀下面材料，根據具體內容和所給段落開頭語續寫兩段，使之構成一篇完整的短文。
It was my birthday that day, and my grandfather gave me a gift—a piggy bank. It had an opening through which one could put money in, but the opening was not big enough to reach in and get the money out. The only way to get the money was to break the piggy hank open. My grandfather explained that was the whole idea. And he added. “The piggy bank would help save your money so that, at the end of the year, you might have enough for that bike you dreamed about.” He asked if I would put some of the money he gave me into the piggy bank. I agreed immediately and promised sincerely, “I wouldn’t break it open until I could afford my dream bike.”
Whenever my grandfather gave me some pocket money, he would say, “This is for spending. But you can save some and put it in the piggy bank if you want to save it up.” When he gave me larger amounts, it was clear for me to save the extra money in the piggy bank. For some time, this worked fine. I loved shaking the piggy hank and hearing the sound of the coins. As it became heavier, I grew more excited, dreaming about buying my new bike, and all the adventures I could have on it.
Whenever I wanted to take some money from the piggy bank to buy delicious ice-creams or beautiful presents. I would imagine riding my bike on the street, and thinking of that, my thoughts about buying those things went away. So for almost three years. I had only put money into the piggy hank without taking any out. I thought I wouldn’t break my piggy bank for anything. Bat one day something unexpected happened. I saw a piece of news on the television that a serious earthquake had happened in a nearby province. As many houses were destroyed, a lot of children became homeless. Seeing their shabby clothes and crying faces. I was sleepless that night. Staring at my piggy bank. I was thinking about what I could do with it.
注意：
1．續寫詞數應為50左右；
2．請按如下格式在答題卡的相應位置作答。
(
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
)The next morning. I took out my piggy bank and shook it.
Hearing the noise. my grandfather came over.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
高二年級期中聯考英語參考答案
第一部分 聽力（共兩節，滿分 30 分）
1-5 ACCAB 6-10 BABAB 11-15ABABC 16-20 BCBCA
21-23.BBD 24-27BCAD 28-31ABDC 32-35BACA 36-40 DAFCG
21-25.BBDBC 26-30. ADABD 31-35CBACA
完形填空： 41-45．CADBA 46-50．BCCDA 51-55．BADDB
語法填空：
to begin 57．educational 58．requirement 59．professions 60．that/which
61．a 62．and 63．is 64．are encouraged 65．our
應用寫作
AI and Our Lives: An Inspiring Speech Contest
Last week, an exciting speech contest themed "AI and Our Lives" was held in our school. Its purpose was to help us understand AI better.
Over 20 students actively participated in the contest. They shared ideas on AI's effects on jobs, study and daily lives. After tough judging, the top three contestants were selected.
This contest, widely regarded as a huge success, not only deepened our understanding of AI but also motivated us to explore its great potential, preparing us for the challenges and opportunities in the digital age.
讀后續寫
【答案】參考范文：
The next morning, I took out my piggy bank and shook it. “There should be a lot of money in it. This is years of my savings,” I said to myself. I was about to break it and withdraw money when my mina came back to the bike I wanted to buy, and I hesitated. However, thinking of the look in the eyes of the children hoping for help in the earthquake, I grabbed the piggy bank and threw it to the ground. Suddenly, the piggy bank broke into pieces and the coins rolled all over the floor.
Hearing the noise, my grandfather came over. I explained to him what had happened. Having known my thought, he fondly touched my head and said, “Good boy, you did the right thing. Grandpa is proud of you.” He continued, “My dear grandson, you deserve that bicycle. As a bonus, let’s buy that bike together now.” “Thank you, Grandpa,” I was overwhelmed with happiness. From that day on, you would always see me riding my bike on the street, leaving my hearty laughter behind.
下水文一
Paragraph 1: The next morning, I took out my piggy bank and shook it. The sound of the coins was louder than ever. I had saved so much money, and now I had a choice to make. I could either buy my dream bike or help the children who had lost everything in the earthquake. I thought about the smiling faces of the children I had seen on the news, their hopelessness and fear. I knew what I had to do. I took a deep breath and decided to break the piggy bank.
Paragraph 2: Hearing the noise, my grandfather came over. He looked at me with a puzzled expression. I explained to him what I had seen on the news and why I had decided to break the piggy bank. He listened carefully and then smiled. “I’m proud of you,” he said. “You’ve learned the true value of money and the importance of helping others.” With his support, I felt even more confident in my decision. I knew that my dream bike would wait, but the children needed help now.
下水文二
Paragraph 1: The next morning, I took out my piggy bank and shook it. The sound of the coins was like music to my ears, but it was also a reminder of the difficult choice I had to make. I had saved for so long, and now I had the chance to help those in need. I thought about the children who had lost their homes and how much they needed support. I knew that my dream bike could wait, but these children couldn’t. With a heavy heart, I decided to break the piggy bank.
Paragraph 2: Hearing the noise, my grandfather came over. He looked at me with a mix of surprise and concern. I told him about the earthquake and how much I wanted to help the children. He listened intently and then nodded. “You’ve made a wise choice,” he said. “Sometimes, the greatest gifts we can give are the ones that come from our hearts.” His words gave me strength. I knew that breaking the piggy bank was the right thing to do, and I felt a sense of peace knowing that I was making a difference.
聽力文本：
Text 1
M: Amy, do you feel like a cold drink
W: I’d like a tomato juice. And can I have a piece of that cake
M: OK. I’ll have some too, with an apple juice. You find us a table and I’ll queue up to buy it.
Text 2
W: Jack has some of the qualities, but he’s not exactly what we need.
M: What do you mean
W: For this project we need someone who is just as tough, but a lot more patient.
Text 3
W: Can you drive at top speed, please I have a flight to catch at 2:30.
M: I’m afraid traffic at this time of the day is heavy. You should take the subway.
W: Well, can you drop me off at the nearest station, then
M: Sure.
Text 4
M: Do you want to come to the movies with Jeff and me, Donna We’re going to see Spider-Man: Homecoming.
W: Uh, I don’t really want to see that movie. Besides, I’m too tired to go anywhere. Say hi to Jeff, though.
Text 5
M: Miss, just calm down. Tell me who you’re here to see.
W: I have a job interview with Mr. Beringer, but my car broke down on the way, and I was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago!
Text 6
W: Star Suites. Vera Simpson speaking.
M: This is Alan Johnson. ⑥I’d like to book two rooms for three nights.
W: I’m happy to help. ⑦We have a special on our business suites from December 23rd to 25th.
M: ⑦That sounds attractive, but we need to check in about a week before that. ⑥And we only need a couple of simple double rooms.
W: OK. We’ve got plenty of those. When will you arrive
M: ⑦We’ll be arriving late on the 16th, but our checkout will be early on the morning of the 19th.
W: Very well, Mr. Johnson. We’re open twenty-four hours a day, so you’re welcome to check in at any time.
Text 7
W: We’re planning a trip for right after we graduate, and I’m asking everybody where they would like to go most. Any thoughts
M: I’ve always wanted to go somewhere hot like Hawaii. I’d love to just lie on the beach, have a drink… just relax, although I suppose that staying in one place might get boring after a while. ⑧How about a trip through Europe
W: You’re not the first person to say that. ⑧To be honest, I kind of agree with you. If we were to go to the Bahamas, say, I wouldn’t complain. ⑧But Europe sounds more attractive.
M: Well, as it happens, I spoke with a bunch of our friends last night. All of them began by saying the same thing we did about beaches and stuff. In the end, everyone agreed that they’d rather have a more diverse experience.
W: Well, I think we have our destination. Now we just need to get our plane tickets.
M: Hold your horses (別忙，耐心點). ⑨We need to calculate the cost first.
Text 8
M: ⑩ So, are you enjoying the performance so far
W: Well, you must admit the clothes are beautiful and the set is wonderful, ⑩but the acting is a bit boring. What do you think
M: I think you’re a bit particular. The actor in the lead role is very professional. I suppose the music could be a bit better, though.
W: Do you know anyone in the play
M: Actually, the woman playing Ophelia is an old classmate of mine.
W: Really Is that why you wanted to come to the play
M: That’s only a part of it. I absolutely admire this director. Every play he works on turns out great. I’ve seen quite a few other plays that he directed. They are really wonderful. By the way, after the play, there is a big party for the actors and their friends. My friend has invited us. Do you want to go
W: Sure. Oh, look! They are weakening the lights. I think we should go back to our seats for the second half of the play.
M: You are right.
Text 9
W: Do you think I should go to college, Mike
M: Of course, Brenda! Why not
W: Well, my friend Landon started his own computer software business right out of high school. He didn’t go to college, and he made a million dollars!
M: OK, congratulations to him. But that success story is not common. People should receive as much education as they could.
W: But college is so expensive nowadays. When my brother Jason went to school, his fees were maybe twenty thousand dollars a year. His same school is charging twice that amount now!
M: That’s nothing! New York University costs much more!
W: See! That’s what I mean! Is it really worth the money
M: Listen, I agree that education is too expensive, but college life is such a beautiful part of one’s life. Besides, students can borrow money from the bank.
W: But if everyone suddenly can’t pay back the money, then we’re all influenced!
Text 10
W: Right in front of the Minneapolis Central Library, a row of green bikes sits parked in a special stand. Each bike is designed with the logo “Nice Ride”—the name of the city’s bike-share program.
Nice Ride bikes are a lot like the library books that people come here to borrow. To rent a bike, you simply use your membership card at a Nice Ride bike station. Members can rent one of 1,200 bikes from 138 stations throughout Minnesota’s (明尼蘇達州) largest city. People use the Nice Ride bikes to go to work, to go out on business, or just to enjoy the city’s many bike paths.
The rise of bike-share programs like Nice Ride is encouraging more people than ever to choose biking over driving. Increasing gas prices and concerns about the environment have also gotten people to travel by bike. Bike-share systems are found around the world in cities like London, Paris, Barcelona, and Melbourne, Australia. The largest program with 70,000 bikes is in Wuhan, China. To make roads friendlier to non-motorists, the US Department of Transportation has invested more than a billion dollars in cycling in recent years. The money went toward building thousands of miles of on-street bike lanes (道路內自行車車道) called greenways.

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