高效磨耳朵 | 最好的英语听力资源

2024年新高考二卷英语听力

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。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 did the woman do yesterday evening?
A.She watched TV.
B.She went shopping.
C.She attended a show.
2.What is the man’s suggestion?
A.Taking a rest.
B.Going for a coffee.
C.Having a snack.
3.What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A. A weekend plan.
B. A wedding invitation.
C. A business deal.
4.Where is Barbara going tonight?
A. To a gym.
B. To her grandma’s.
C. To the doctor’s.
5.What is Alex doing?
A.He’s having breakfast.
B.He’s feeding a cat.
C.He’s reading a book.

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。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 the conversation probably take place?
A. Ina fitness center.
B. Ina sports shop.
C. Ina clinic.
7.What does the man advise the woman to do?
A.Buy high-quality sportswear.
B.Keep working out regularly.
C.Avoid over-exercising.

听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8.Why does the man make the call?
A. To reserve a table.
B. To ask about a party.
C. To postpone a meeting.
9.What time should the man arrive on Friday evening?
A. At 5:30.
B. At 6:30.
C. At 8:00.
10.What is the man’s name?
A.Brown.
B.Anderson.
C.Howard.

听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11.Why does Sarah come to talk to Jacob?
A. To make an appointment.
B. To seek his advice.
C. To explain a decision.
12.How many people are there in Sarah’s group?
A.Three.
B.Four.
C.Five.
13.What is the relationship between the speakers?
A.Classmates.
B.Fellow workers.
C.Teacher and student.

听第9段材料，回答第14至16题。
14.How often does the band come to perform in the park?
A.Three times a year.
B.Once a year.
C.Every other year.
15.What kind of music will be played this evening?
A.Country music.
B.Jazz.
C.Rock and roll.
16.What will Jannie do next?
A.Catch a bus.
B.Listen to a lecture.
C.Go to the library.

听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
17.Why did the speaker go to the hotel?
A. To deliver a speech.
B. To arrange a conference.
C. To interview Mr. Rochester.
18.What did Mr. Rochester do soon after he bought the hotel?
A. He talked with the staff members.
B. He had the old carpets replaced.
C. He ran a six-month training project.
19.What did Susan do when she met Mr. Rochester the second time?
A.She was a cleaner.
B.She was a secretary.
C.She was a receptionist.
20.What does the speaker think is key to Mr. Rochester’s success?
A.Managing time efficiently.
B.Valuing human relationships.
C.Possessing a good memory.

参考答案
1-5BAABC 6-10ABACB
11-15CBABA. 16-20CBACB

音频原稿

Text 1
M;Did you watch the talent show on TV last night?
W:No. I missed it. I went with my mom to buy some clothes.

Text 2
W: I love this park. It's so beautiful.
M: It surely is. Are you tired? Shall we stop by the lake for a few minutes?
W:Good idea. Let's go to that cafe for a little refreshment.

Text 3
W:Tom,shall we invite the Smiths around for dinner this Sunday?
M:Sure, but I need to pack for Monday's business trip. What about Saturday?
W:Okay.

Text 4
M:Barbara,do you want to play table tennis with us tonight?
W:I'd love to, but I can't. I'm catching the last train to Denver to see my grandma. I need to take her to visit a doctor tomorrow morning.

Text 5
W: Alex,did you feed the cat this morning? I don't think she can wait.
M:All right , after I finish this chapter. I just can't let go of this book.

Text 6
M: Miss,do you need any help?
W:I want to get fit, but exercise doesn't seem to help.
M:What kind of exercise have you done before?
W:I did jogging now and then, but it was so boring. So I changed to weightlifting,but it was so demanding. And I was afraid of getting injured. So , I went bike riding.
M:Oh,I see. You need to be consistent. I suggest you do different kinds of exercise on one day or on different days of the week, This will help hold your interest, so you can keep coming back.

Text 7
W:Hello, Brown's Grill. How may I help you?
M:Hi, I’d like to book a table for Friday evening.
W:Okay. How many people are there in your party?
M:There will be six.
W:And what time would you like to come?
M:Let's say at, 6:30?
W:I'm afraid we don't have anything available then. We could seat you at 5:30 or 8 o'clock.
M:Oh, 8 o'clock is better.
W:Fine. May I have your name?
M:Yes.Its Anderson.
W:Thank you. Well see you on Friday. By the way, we've moved Howard Street.
M:Oh, yeah, I know. Thanks.

Text 8
W:Jacob, do you have a minute now?
M:Sure.
W:Well, it's not easy to say, but I have to tell you - you're not in our group for the class project.
M :Sarah , what do you mean? You know I'm always in a group with you.
W: I know. It's just that this time... this time we made the group differently, And,because you were late. We've already made the group. See, there are four of us already!
M:so? We can't be a group of five?
W:Well, Professor North said there should be no more than four people in each group. It’s not about you or your work or anything like that.
M:Okay, but please count me in next time.

Text 9
M:Hey, Jannie. Where are you going?
W: To the library.
M:There is a music concert in Victoria Park at 4 o'clock. Do you want to go?
W:Yes. Professor Darwin's lecture is canceled. I'm free this evening.
M:Great. The band plays pretty good music. For the last 3 years, I have never missed it.
W:How long ago did the band start playing in the park?
M: I think it was 5 years ago. Every year they arrive in the first week of July and play for a week. You're sure to enjoy this evening. There will be good country music.
W: My favorite is rock and roll. But I have to say that country music can be quite beautiful sometimes.
M: I like all kinds of music, especially jazz. Oh Jannie, we have to go now.
W:Why?There's plenty of time.
M:Many people are heading to the park. The traffic will be terrible.
W:All right. But I have to return these books first.
M:Okay. I’ll be waiting for you at the bus station.

Text 10
W:Good morning, everyone. This lesson is a part of our leadership series. Let me start by sharing a story of Richard Rochester, one of the most successful businessmen in Britain. Years ago, I was given the task of organizing a conference in the south of England. I chose a five-star hotel owned by Rochester as the venue. Susan, the receptionist, helped me arrange everything perfectly. Once when we were chatting, l asked Susan if she'd ever met Mr. Rochester. She said yes. Shortly after Mr. Rochester bought the hotel, he made an appointment to see the hotel manager. When he arrived,the first person he met was Susan, who was cleaning the carpet. He chatted with Susan for 30 minutes before keeping his appointment with the manager. He spent all day at the hotel talking with each member of the staff, from the top guy to the lady who cleaned the toilets. Six months later, Mr.Rochester paid another visit. Susan had been promoted to receptionist, but he recognized her immediately and addressed her by name. He even remembered that she had a little girl and what her name was. Now, I don’t believe that Richard Rochester has that good memory. He must have written a lot of notes after first visit and read them over again before that second visit. It's time consuming,but it shows the importance he places on human relationships, I think that’s one of the secrets of his success.

William Shakespeare by Jennifer Bassett

单词提示

1.Scottish 苏格兰人

原文

Chapter 8: A Scottish king for England.

Will's father died in September 1601.
In his last years, John Shakespeare was a happy man.
His son was famous, and the Shakespeare family was important again in Stratford.
But there weren't many children in the family.
Will's sister Joan was married and had a little boy, but Will's brothers didn't have any children.
Susanna,Will's older daughter was now 18.
And Will said to her one day, “We must find you a husband soon, Susanna.”
But Susanna shook her head.
“Oh,I don't want to be married, father, thank you.”
We all smiled at that, because there was already a young man who was often a visitor at New Place.
That was John Hall, a clever young doctor.
Will liked him.
Back in London, the theatres were always full.
And actors were now important people in the city.
Will and I were now living in very fine lodgings in Silver Street with the Mount Joy family.
The Globe and the Lord Chamberlain's Men were doing very well, and the older actors in the company were making money and buying houses and land.
But some people still thought that actors were dangerous, wicked people.
Then Queen Elizabeth died on 24 March 1603 at Richmond.
I remember the day well.
The theatres were closed.
You can't have plays when a queen is dying, and we were all at Henry Condell's House.
He and John Hemings lived very near our lodgings in Cripplegate.
We were all very worried.
The new King of England was James I.
He was already King of Scotland, and he had a young wife Queen Anne of Denmark,and three young children.
But what was he like? Would he be a good king?
And most importantly, did he like plays?
“If King James doesn't like plays,” said Henry Condell, “we're finished.”
There are already a lot of Puritans on the London City Council, and they love to close the theatres down.
Henry always looked at the black side of everything.
“Well,he's written a lot of books himself,” said Will, “perhaps he'll be interested in plays too. We'll just have to wait and see. We didn't have to wait long.”
On 19 May, I was underneath the stage in the Globe.
I was trying to mend a broken door in the floor of the stage.
We used this door when a ghost came on or went off in a cloud of smoke.
Suddenly,I heard feet running across the stage.
I looked up through the hole and saw Will and John Hemmings and Richard Burbage.
They were all very excited.
“Listen to this, Toby.” said Will.
He was holding a piece of paper in his hand.
“It's a letter from King James from today. We are the King's men, we're working for the King himself, and he wants to see all the plays. We're going to have new red coats to wear when we go to court.” Richard said.
And John said, “He's going to pay us £20 for every play at court. What do you think about that, Toby?”
We were all laughing and smiling now.
“Well,John,” I said, “if we are so rich, can I have a new door? I can't mend this one again, it's too old.”
That summer, the plague came back.
By July, 1000 people were dying every week in London.
One of them was the little son of Will's friend Ben Johnson.
By the end of the year, there were 33000 dead.
In England, the theatres closed and the king's men went on tour.
Will and I spent the summer at Stratford.
When Christmas came, the King's men put on a lot of plays at court.
The King was at Hampton Court Palace that year, which was outside London well away from the plague.
I couldn't go, because I fell off my horse one day and broke my leg.
Stupid thing to do, I had to stay at home, but Will told me all about it when he came back.
“The new king and queen like to enjoy themselves, Toby.” he said, “They are a happy family. Prince Henry, who's nine is a very nice little boy, and his sister Elizabeth is beautiful. Little Prince Charles is only two.”
He was silent for a minute, perhaps he was thinking about Hamnet, then he went on.
“Queen Anne likes plays very much. She likes music and dancing too. She showed her legs in one dance.
“My word,” I said, “things like that never happened at court in Queen Elizabeth days.”
“We live in different times, Toby. A lot of things are going to change, but change only comes slowly.”
The King's men went from one success to another at the King's court.
At Christmas 1604, there were 22 plays, and 8 of them were Wills.
In 1605, there were 13 plays at court and 10 of them were Wills.
We always did the plays at the Globe first before we took them to court.
Will was writing more slowly now, but during these years, he wrote some of his best plays—Othello Macbeth and King Lear.
That was a sad, dark play.
When King Lear carried his dead daughter Cordelia onto the stage, well, every man,woman, and child in the Globe was crying. It's true.
Richard Burbage played Lear, of course, what an actor he was.

翻译

第八章：苏格兰国王入主英格兰

1601年9月，威尔的父亲去世了。
在最后的岁月里，约翰·莎士比亚过得很幸福。
他的儿子声名远扬，莎士比亚家族在斯特拉特福也重新恢复了声望。
不过，家族里的子嗣并不算多。
威尔的姐姐琼结了婚，生了个小男孩，但威尔的弟弟们都没有留下后代。
威尔的大女儿苏珊娜当时已经18岁了。
有一天，威尔对她说：“苏珊娜，我们得赶紧给你找个丈夫了。”
但苏珊娜摇了摇头。
“哦，我不想结婚，父亲，谢谢您。”
听到这话，我们都笑了，因为已经有个年轻人经常来“新地”做客了。
他叫约翰·霍尔，是个聪明的年轻医生。威尔挺喜欢他的。
在伦敦，剧院总是座无虚席。
演员们在城里也成了有头有脸的人物。
我和威尔当时住在银街的芒乔伊一家，住处非常气派。
环球剧院和“宫内大臣剧团”的生意红红火火，剧团里的老演员们都赚了钱，纷纷购置房产和土地。
不过，仍有一些人认为演员是危险、邪恶的人。
1603年3月24日，伊丽莎白女王在里士满宫驾崩。
那一天我记忆犹新。
剧院全都关门了。
女王弥留之际，谁也不能演戏。我们当时都聚在亨利·康德尔的家里。
他和约翰·赫明斯住得离我们位于克里普尔盖特的住处很近。
我们心里都忐忑不安。
英格兰的新国王是詹姆斯一世。
他原本就是苏格兰的国王，有一位年轻的妻子——丹麦的安妮王后，还有三个年幼的孩子。
但他是个怎样的人呢？他会是个好国王吗？
最重要的是，他喜欢看戏吗？
“如果詹姆斯国王不喜欢戏剧，”亨利·康德尔说，“我们就全完了。”
伦敦市政委员会里已经有很多清教徒了，他们最喜欢干的事就是关闭剧院。
亨利总是把事情往最坏的方面想。
“嗯，他自己就写过不少书，”威尔说，“也许他对戏剧也会感兴趣。我们只能走着瞧了。”
我们并没有等太久。
5月19日那天，我正待在环球剧院的舞台底下。
我正在修补舞台地板上的一扇破门。
每当鬼魂在烟雾中出场或退场时，我们就会用到这扇暗门。
突然，我听到舞台上有一阵急促的脚步声。
我透过洞口往上看，看到了威尔、约翰·赫明斯和理查德·伯比奇。
他们全都激动万分。
“托比，你听这个。”威尔说。
他手里拿着一张纸。
“这是国王今天刚下达的信件。我们现在是‘国王剧团’了，直接为国王陛下效力，他想看我们所有的戏。以后我们进宫时，都要穿上崭新的红色制服了。”理查德说。
约翰接着说：“在宫里每演一出戏，他要付给我们20英镑。托比，你觉得怎么样？”
我们全都开怀大笑起来。
“好吧，约翰，”我说，“既然我们现在这么有钱，能给我换扇新门吗？这扇旧门我实在修不好了。”
那年夏天，瘟疫再次爆发。
到了7月，伦敦每周都有1000人丧生。
威尔的朋友本·琼森的小儿子就是其中之一。
到了年底，死亡人数达到了3万3千人。
在英格兰，剧院纷纷关闭，“国王剧团”只好去外地巡演。
那个夏天，我和威尔是在斯特拉特福度过的。
到了圣诞节，“国王剧团”在宫廷里演了很多出戏。
那年国王待在伦敦城外的汉普顿宫，远离瘟疫的侵扰。
我没能去成，因为我有一天从马上摔下来，摔断了腿。
真是件蠢事，我只能待在家里。不过威尔回来后把一切都告诉了我。
“托比，新国王和王后都很懂得享受生活，”他说，“他们是个幸福的家庭。9岁的亨利王子是个非常讨人喜欢的小男孩，他的姐姐伊丽莎白公主十分美丽。小查尔斯王子才两岁。”
他沉默了一会儿，也许是想起了哈姆内特，然后继续说道：
“安妮王后非常喜欢看戏。她也喜欢音乐和舞蹈。在一次跳舞时，她还露出了小腿呢。”
“天哪，”我说，“在伊丽莎白女王时期，宫里可从来没有过这种事。”
“时代不同了，托比。很多事情都会发生改变，只是改变总是来得很慢。”
“国王剧团”在国王的宫廷里接连取得成功。
1604年的圣诞节，宫廷里一共演了22出戏，其中有8出是威尔写的。
1605年，宫廷里演了13出戏，威尔的占了10出。
我们总是先在环球剧院上演新戏，然后再进宫表演。
威尔现在的创作速度慢了下来，但在这些年里，他写出了一些他最杰出的作品——《奥赛罗》、《麦克白》和《李尔王》。
那是一出极其悲伤、阴郁的戏。
当李尔王抱着死去的女儿考狄利娅走上舞台时，环球剧院里的男女老少全都在哭泣。我发誓这是真的。
饰演李尔王的当然是理查德·伯比奇，他真是一位伟大的演员。

81.
I watch TV every day.
我每天都看电视。

82.
I don't know if he'll come to the party or not.
我不知道他是否会来参加聚会。

83.
I remember playing football here last year.
我记得去年在这里踢足球。

84.
Did he study English yesterday?
他昨天学英语了吗？

85.
What time does your husband get up?
你丈夫什么时候起床?

86.
Do you have an email address?
你有电子邮箱吗？
87.
There were no interesting movies this year.
今年没有什么有趣的电影。

88.
Which of the four seasons do you like the best?
四个季节中你最喜欢哪一个？

89.
Go straight down this road and turn right at the post office.
沿着这条路直走，然后在邮局右转。

90.
It's time to go to bed.
该去睡觉了。

听前提示
一、每期提供10个单词，每个单词都会有2-3个例句，方便理解记忆。
二、每个单词和句子都会重复5遍，其中第2遍为慢速，有助于识别。
三、本材料的整体难度较低，可以用来听力磨耳朵和单词查漏补缺。

Day 178

1771.
Profit
n.利润，收益v.有利于

The school is not run for profit.
这所学校不是为了营利而开办的。
The film made $1,000,000 in profit.
这部电影赚了100万美元的利润。
This new investment will multiply our profit.
这项新投资将使我们的利润倍增。

1772.
Program
n.（计算机）程序；计划v.编写程序

The program is designed to reform prisoners.
该计划旨在改造囚犯。
Would you like to contribute to the program?
你想为该计划做出贡献吗？
Please note that this program is not suitable for children.
请注意，此计划不适合儿童。

1773.
Progress
v./n.进步，进展；前进

I'll send you a progress report.
我会给你发一份进度报告。
We are making slow but steady progress.
我们正在取得缓慢但稳步的进展。
I'm amazed at her rapid progress in English.
我对她在英语方面的快速进步感到惊讶。

1774.
Project
n.工程，项目v.投射；规划

I'm proud to be a part of this project.
我很自豪能参与这个项目。
Do you have any information about the project?
你有关于这个项目的任何信息吗？
She is responsible for designing the entire project.
她负责设计整个项目。

1775.
Promise
v.允许，答应n.承诺；希望

It won't hurt, I promise.
我保证，它不会受伤。
I promise you I'll help you.
我向你保证我会帮你的。
I promise you I will wait for you to return.
我向你保证我会等你回来。

1776.
Promote
v.升职，晋升；促销，推广

She deserves to be promoted.
她应该得到提升。
I got promoted to manager yesterday.
我昨天被提升为经理了。

1777.
Promotion
n.提拔，晋升；促销，推销

He deserves a promotion.
他值得晋升。
Let's celebrate your promotion.
让我们庆祝你的晋升。
I just got a promotion and a raise.
我刚得到晋升和加薪。

1778.
Prompt
v.促使，导致 adj.迅速的，立刻的

Prompt payment will be appreciated.
如能及时付款，将不胜感激。
Thank you for your prompt reply.
感谢您的及时回复。

1779.
Pronounce
v.发（音），读（音）；表态

How do you pronounce this word?
这个词怎么发音？
This word is difficult to pronounce.
这个词很难发音。
Very few people can pronounce my name correctly.
很少有人能正确地念出我的名字。

1780.
Pronunciation
n.发音方法，读法；发音

Your pronunciation is excellent.
你的发音很棒。
I'd like to improve my English pronunciation.
我想提高我的英语发音。

2024年新课标一卷英语听力

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。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 Kate doing?
A. Boarding a flight.
B. Arranging a trip.
C. Seeing a friend off.

2.What are the speakers talking about?
A. A pop star.
B. An old song.
C. A radio program.

3.What will the speakers do today?
A. Go to an art show.
B. Meet the man's aunt.
C. Eat out with Mark

4.What does the man want to do?
A. Cancel an order.
B. Ask for a receipt.
C. Reschedule a delivery.

5.When will the next train to Bedford leave?
A. At 9:45.
B. At 10:15.
C. At 11:00.

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。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.What will the weather be like today?
A. Stormy.
B. Sunny.
C. Foggy.
7.What is the man going to do?
A. Plant a tree.
B. Move his car.
C. Check the map.

听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8.Why is Kathy in California now?
A. She is on vacation there.
B. She has just moved there.
C. She is doing business there.
9.What is the relationship between Tom and Fiona?
A. Husband and wife.
B. Brother and sister.
C. Father and daughter.
10.What does Kathy thank Dave for?
A. Finding her a new job.
B. Sending her a present.
C. Calling on her mother.

听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11.How did Jack go to school when he was a child?
A. By bike.
B. On foot.
C. By bus.
12.What is Jack's attitude toward parents driving their kids to school?
A. Disapproving.
B. Encouraging
C. Understanding.
13.What is the problem with some parents according to the woman?
A. Overprotecting their children.
B. Pushing their children too hard.
C. Having no time for their children

听第9段材料，回答第14至17题。
14.Why did Marie post her kitchen gardening online at first?
A. To keep records of her progress.
B. To sell home-grown vegetables.
C. To motivate her fellow gardeners.
15.Why does Marie recommend beginners to grow strawberries?
A. They need no special care.
B. They can be used in cooking.
C. They bear a lot of fruit soon.
16.What is difficult for Marie to grow?
A. Herbs.
B. Carrots.
C. Pears.
17.What is Marie's advice to those interested in kitchen gardening?
A. Aim high.
B. Keep focused.
C. Stay optimistic.

听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18.What is “Life of Johnson”?
A. A magazine column.
B. A TV series.
C. A historical novel.
19.What is Johnson famous for?
A. His acting talent.
B. His humorous writing.
C. His long sports career.
20.When did Johnson join Sports Times?
A. In 1981.
B. In 1983.
C. In 1985.

答案
1-5 CBACA 6-10 ABBBC
11-15 BCAAC 16-20 BCABC

听力原文

Text 1
M: Thanks for the wonderful weekend,Kate.
W: That’s okay. Bob and I are glad you came to see us.
M: Oh, I have to go in. My flight will take off soon. Do contact me when you’re in Sydney.
W: Sure, we will.

Text 2
W: Paul, listen to the radio. It’s “You’ve Stolen My Heart” — one of the songs played at our wedding.
M: Yeah, how beautiful! It’s been popular for almost two decades.

Text 3
W: David, forget about Mark. His aunt is in town, so he can’t go with us today.
M: Oh, what a pity! It’s the last day of the art show.

Text 4
W: How may I help you?
M: I bought a desk and asked for it to be delivered to my house this Friday.
W: Yes, what’s the problem?
M: I need to have it delivered this Saturday.

Text 5
W: Next, please.
M: Oh, hi, I missed my 9 o’clock train to Bedford. Do I have to buy another ticket?
W: No. The next train leaves at a quarter to ten at Platform 11.
M: Thank you.

Text 6
W: Honey, (6)have you checked today’s weather forecast?
M: Yes, it’s cold and wet. There is a warning for strong winds up to 100 kilometers per hour.
W: What are we going to do then?
M: Nothing much. Just stay indoors. There is a risk of falling trees and power lines.
W: Right.
M: And the low temperatures could bring snow to the forest area.
W: I hope it’s over quickly.
M: Well, it won’t get better until late Wednesday. Anyway, I have to move the caraway from the trees.
W: Yeah, you cannot be too careful.

Text 7
W: Hello, Dave. This is Kathy from sunny California.
M: Hi, Kathy. You finally called. How was the move? All settled in?
W: Sorry, I hadn’t called sooner, but it’s been a busy month.(8)We’re slowly getting things set up in our new home.
M: Yeah, I understand. How are Jeff and the children?
W: Jeff is doing well with his new job.Tom has made many new friends here and has a lot to do. Fiona is fine, though she misses her grandma. By the way, thank you for looking in on my mother from time to time. I call her every week, but it isn’t the same as seeing her.
M: No problem. Betty and l are friend snow. How is the weather there?
W: It’s nice and warm, and we are able to spend some time every week on the beach with the children.
M: That’s great.

Text 8
W: Jack, how did you get to school when you were in primary school?
M: I lived close to my school, so I walked every day. Why?
W: Well, I remember that when we were kids, we often walked, rode a bike or caught the bus to school. Few of us were dropped off at the school gate by our parents.
M: I see what you mean. These days you can see traffic jams around schools at drop-off and pick-up times, but it’s hard to blame the parents. They have good reasons for driving their kids to school, mostly to do with safety and convenience.
W: You have a point there, but it could also mean children are missing out on much needed exercise and other life skills. Some parents are just being over-protective with their children learning nothing, but living in fear of everything. Studies have found that children who spend more time outside tend to be healthier, better adjusted and better at dealing with stress.

Text 9
M: So Marie, your kitchen garden looks excellent. What made you turn to social media to record your vegetable growing?
W: Initially, I used the online platform as a diary, something to look back on, giving me a sense of achievements and keeping me motivated and moving forward. As time went by, other gardeners and like-minded people began to follow my progress, too.
M: I know you grow lots of fruit on your land. Which would you recommend to beginners as the best to grow?
W: Strawberries would be a good choice.They produce a lot of fruit in their first season.
M: That’s cool. Well, do you have plans to try new or any particular crops next year?
W: Next season I will be adding some pear trees to the fruit area. I will be adding more herbs which I can use in the kitchen. And, after a couple of years of failure, I will try growing carrots again.
M: What advice would you offer someone thinking of doing kitchen gardening?
W: Have a plan of what you want your kitchen garden to look like. Don’t be too discouraged if things don’t go according to plan. Learn from your mistakes and move on. There is always next season.

Text 10
M: Welcome to Meet the Author. Well, many readers of Sports Times turn to the last page of their magazine first in order to read Jacob Johnson’s weekly article under the title “Life of Johnson”.The articles along with his novels and essay collections have earned Johnson the reputation as “one of the funniest humans on the planet”. Johnson began writing about sports as a second year student at the University of Colorado, covering high school volley ballgames for his hometown newspaper. After graduating in 1981, he moved on to work at the Denver Weekly for 2 years and the Los Angeles Post for 2 more years before landing at Sports Times. He has been voted National Sports Writer of the Year 11 times. So now let’s welcome the funny man with serious talent, Jacob Johnson.