江苏省镇江中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期中考试英语试卷

江苏省镇江中学高二年级期中检测(英语) 命题人:方文慧 审题人:魏文娟 第一部分 听力(共两节,满分30分) 做题时,先将答案标在试卷上。录音内容结束后,你将有两分钟的时间将试卷上的答案转涂到答题卡 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。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 woman want to do? A. Leave the company. B. Call the manager C. Apply for ajob 2. Where does the conversation take place? B. Ina taxi. A. In the post office C. Ina hotel. 3. What are the speakers probably talking about? A.Aparty. B. Aholiday plan. C.Ameeting. 4. What did the man think of the movie? B.Boring. A. Interesting. C. Frightening 5. Why did Fred make a call last night? A. To borrow a sleeping bag B. To invite the man to the gym C. To get information about somebody 第二节听下面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. Why does Matt's family raise dogs? A. To guard the house. B. To help blind people C. To keep his mother company. 7. What pet does Matt's friend keep? B.Afish. A.Aspider. C.Asnake. 听第7段材料,回答第8至9题。 8. Why does the girl call the man? A. To express her love. B. To make an apology C. To discuss a meeting plan. 9. When will the girl return home? B. This Sunday A. This Friday C. Next Saturday 听第8段材料,回答第10至12题。 10. What is the probable relationship between the speakers? A. Boss and secretary B. Guide and tourist C. Driver and passenger 11. When will the man probably check in at the airport? B.At8:00 pm. A.At7:40 pm. C. At 10:00pm 12. How will the man get to the hotel in London? B.Bybus. A.By taxi. C. Bycar. 听第9段材料,回答第13至16题。 1 13. Who might the speakers be? A. Police officers B. Witnesses C. Victims. 14. What did the old lady say A. She didn't see anything B. The traffic lights broke down C. The red car was driving very fast 15. What were the kids doing when the accident happened? A. Crossing the street B. Playing in their front yard C. Standing on the street corner. 16. What caused the accident according to Mr. Bates? A. The red car B. The blue car C. The dog. 听第10段材料,回答第17至20题。 17. Who is GCsE designed for? A. Adult employees B. University students C. Teenagers about 16 years old 18. Which major subject is the hardest? A. Chemistry. B. Physics. C. French. 19. How many people took the religious studies exam last year? A.144.000. B.147,500. C. 149.800. 20. What does the research mainly show? A. The importance of GCsE. B. The development of GCsE C. The imbalance among GCsE subjects 第二部分 阅读(共两节,满分50分) 第一节(共15小题;每小题2.5分,满分37.5分) 阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D.四个选项中选出最佳选项。 A Community colleges offer low tuition, job-specific training and other benefits. Whether you're a high schoo student unsure of which colleges to apply to or someone considering going back to school, there are plenty of reasons to put community colleges on your list Lower Costs The most frequently cited benefit of community colleges is the relatively low cost of attendance. According to data from the College Board, community colleges cost, on average, about one-third of in-state tuition at four-year public universities A Path to a Four-year College Many four-year universities have transfer agreements with local community colleges. These agreements allow students who complete specific requirements to easily transfer into a four-year program at a nearby university. Transfer students can then earn a bachelor's degree while only having to pay two years of higher tuition. Flexibility Community colleges allow for flexible scheduling, making them a particularly good option for older students who are working professionals or parents. Many community colleges also allow high school students to take college-level courses during evenings or weekends 2 Workforce Training Community colleges tend to offer a wide range of career and technical education programs in fields like nursing or firefighting. The highly applied nature of these programs prepares students for entering the workforce From culinary( 享 任) arts to automobile mechanics, community colleges offer a broad selection of professionalized coursework that four-year universities often do not 21. Who are most likely to attend community colleges? A. High school students facing college choices B. Adults planning to work at high schools C. College students anxious to improve themselves D. Professionals eager for college-level courses. 22. Which is thought to be the biggest advantage of community colleges? A. Lower Costs B. A Path to a Four-year College C. Flexibility. D. Workforce Training 23. Which of the following can best describe the workforce training programs? A. Interesting. B. Time-consuming C. Practical. D. Demanding B As we grow up, it becomes natural for people around us to lose contact with the hobbies that once were dominant in their lives. While it's painful to accept this, the new reality becomes normal for most of us as we face new academic, adult and job responsibilities I've been dancing since I was four and I plan to continue dancing in college. However, I've always fearec that dancing will affect my study and eventually become a brilliant memory of my childhood. After learning abou Sommer Gentry's story, I had an answer Sommer Gentry, previously a professor of mathematics at the United States Naval Academy and a coach at the Naval Academy's Swing Dance Club, is currently a teacher at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Gentry and her husband also started a swing dance community to introduce non-dancers to swing dance Through teaching, Gentry was inspired to view dancing from an engineering point of view. She said,"I realized it is an engineering question: how do you dance well with someone? It'd be great to give people mathematical and engineering proofs that they have to dance the way I say." Gentry investigated the complex haptic(触 觉的) communication behind the moves in swing dance and showed that two persons could move in coordination (协调) with pure haptic communication, She entered an exciting area of research which is about engineering, psychology and human motor control. It's incredibly inspiring that Gentry was able to intertwine her academic work with her passion for dancing Gentry said, "It means that even when I'm dancing outside, I'm thinking about my research project." Gentry found that digging into her academic interest does not mean letting go of her other non-academic ones. Instead, she found a way to include both in her professional life. Just like me, Gentry is a mathematician and dancer, thus, her story resonates (引起共鸣) strongly with me, and I want to be like her in the future. 24. What did the author think of dancing before learning of Gentry's story? A. It was too challenging for her B. It'd gradually disappear from her life. C. It'd help develop her sense of responsibility D. It brought her an unpleasant childhood memory 25. What contributed to Gentry's studying dancing from the angle of engineering? A. Her interest in exploring engineering proofs. B. Her husband's need to promote his dance club C. Her desire to be an expert in medicine and health D. Her experience in teaching math and swing dance 3 26. What does the underlined word "intertwine" in Paragraph 5 probably mean? A. Hardly balance B. Carefully compare. C. Closely combine D. Successfully challenge 27. What does the last paragraph imply about the author? A. She has decided to change her major B. She will continue to pursue her hobby. C. She used to be Sommer Gentry's student D. She originally had little interest in engineering 乙 Both Roberto and Keith have a 45-minute commute(通勤) time from their homes to their workplace. When Roberto drives, he has realistic expectations of how others drive and how long the trip should take. Overall, he is able to adapt to any unexpected challenges he may face on the road. He rarely becomes angry. By contrast, Keith drives with a tendency for becoming angry easily, partly due to unrealistic expectations of other drivers, his quickness to personalize and feel threatened by the actions of others, and his inability to calm his anger. The difference between how Roberto and Keith experience their drive to work, especially with regard to getting angry, is influenced very much by their emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is crucial for helping individuals choose constructive over destructive anger. A key aspect of healthy anger is being able tc pause and reflect on, rather than react to, our thoughts, feelings, and senses associated with getting angry Self-regulation and empathy(同理心) are two important components of emotional intelligence, which can be a buffer(缓冲) against destructive anger. Self-regulation helps us to control our moods. Empathy helps us to recognize the humanity in others and ourselves Studies suggest that training in emotional intelligence can powerfully impact how anger is managed. This was supported by a three-year study of 476 young adults who showed reduced tendency of becoming angry after training. Children and adults can learn skills to boost their emotional intelligence and, by doing so, develop adaptability for dealing with various negative affect, including anger. Many workbooks offer skills in emotional intelligence to promote empathy and self-awareness regarding emotions and how they impact our beliefs and behavior. Clearly, through training, Keith would experience greater emotional flexibility that could support a more peaceful commute to work. I firmly believe that learning skills in emotional intelligence should be the focus in helping individuals more constructively manage this highly challenging and complex emotion. 28. What is the function of the first paragraph? A. To tell a true story B. To make a comparison C. To introduce the main topic D. To present an important finding 29. Which of the following is the main point of healthy anger? A. Thinking over the annoving situation. B. Taking action to deal with the awful situation C. Turning a blind eve to the unwelcome situation D. Expressing feelings about the disturbing situation 30 What is the author's attitude towards training in emotional intelligence? A. Tolerant B. Doubtful C. Negative D. Supportive. 31. What is the suitable title of the text? A. Friends Should Enjoy Peaceful Commute B. Drivers Need to Boost Their Emotional Intelligence 4 C. Emotional Intelligence Is a Buffer Against Destructive Anger D. Emotional Intelligence Has a Powerful Impact on People's Life D Carpenter is the lead author of a paper in Nature Reviews Psychology that examined more than 10o years of research on learning. "The benefits of spacing and retrieval practice have been confirmed over and over in studies in labs. classrooms, workplaces, but the reason why we're presenting this research is that these two techniques haven't fully caught on. If they were employed all the time, we'd see big increases in learning." said Carpenter. In the paper, Carpenter and her co-authors describe spacing as a strategy to learn in small amounts over time It's the opposite of cramming(塞 满) the night before an exam. In one study, medical students who received repeated surgery training over three weeks performed better and faster on tests 2 weeks and 1 year later compared to medical students who had the same training all on one day Carpenter says there isn't a universal rule about how much time to schedule between practice sessions. But research shows returning to the material after forgetting some-but not all-of the content is effective. Retrieval practice is a strategy that involves recalling what was learned previously. It can take many forms. including flash cards, practice tests and open-ended writing prompts, and helps learners recognize what they do and don't know. The paper's authors emphasize that people who check their responses for errors or get feedback right away learn even better. More than 2oo studies show people generally maintain more information for longer periods of time with retrieval practice compared to strategies that do not involve retrieval (e.g., re-reading a textbook.) The authors argue people who combine spacing and retrieval practice have the best chance of remembering information. "Forgetting is a very natural thing: you can't stop forgetting even if you try, but you can slow down forgetting by using retrieval practice and spacing." said Carpenter. Carpenter says she uses digital tools (e.g., online practice quizzes, clicker questions) to incorporate retrieval practice and spacing into her university courses, but there are other ways to bring these strategies into the classroom. 32. Why do the author and his group present this research? A. Because people don't accept the two techniques B. Because the two techniques haven't popularized C. Because people have much difficulty in learning D. Because the two techniques are taking little effect 33. How does Carpenter prove spacing is superior to cramming? A. By studying some cases. B. By receiving some training C. By applying some rules. D. By scheduling some time 34. What can retrieval practice help people to get? A. Self assessment B. Wide recognition. C. Positive response D. General strategies 35. What might Carpenter talk about in the following paragraphs? A. The benefits of spacing and retrieval practice B. Potential ways used to slow down forgetting C. Arguments about what to do to stop forgetting 5 D. Other university courses worth remembering 第二节 (共5小题;每小题2.5分,满分12.5分) 阅读下面短文,从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项 When the sun goes down in the evening and you are sitting outside at home, you may not be able to see many flowers in the yard without artificial lighting. 36 . That is the one you can enjoy by the light of the moon. 37 The plants with silver or multi-colored leaves, white or light-colored flowers, or flowers that open only at night are good choices for a moon garden. Another way to enjoy plants in the evening is to choose ones with a pleasing smell. Plant them along a walkway or near a seating area outdoors, where you can enjoy them up close or within view of a window. Select plants depending on season or temperature You can begin the garden early with early bloomers, like lily of the valley. Make the season last longer intc the autumn with late bloomers like chrysanthemum. In very warm places, try planting frangipani to fill your evenings with pleasure._38. Group your plants together For the best visual effect, plant in groups of three, five or seven of the same kind of plant. That is a good gardening method in general because it avoids creating a disorganized mixture of plants and flowers. But it is more important in a moon garden. 39. Add some small lights There is one more thing to increase how much you can see your moon garden-add some small lights that face the plants. 40 . Think about using other light-colored design elements as well, such as fencing, plan supports, stones, water features and glass balls A. Insects that visit flowers at night love them B. Plant some plants that show well in moonlight C. They will increase the appeal of your moon garden D. However, with some planning, you can have a moon garden E. You certainly don't want your single plants to get lost in the dark F. Find the plants that work best in your climate by talking with a local expert G. These plants can be seen after sunset and especially shine under a full moon 第三部分 语言运用(共两节,满分30分) 第一节(共15小题;每小题1分,满分:15分) 阅读下面短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。 Like most people, I have to work for a living. We have a bank loan, and other 41 we have to pay. But I certainly don't have a 9-5 42 . I decided long ago that I could not 43 fixed working hours for a big company and I certainly wasn't suitable to 44 in an office day in and day out. I work 45 as a writer, garden designer, and sustainability consultant. Many days, I work long hours, but I have a lot of 46 and control over everything. I have found my 47 -what I really want to do. But I fully appreciate that most people are not in such a 48 position and some of them have no choice but to 49 the work they do not like. Therefore, many people feel 50 in their jobs even when they are not really stuck at all Finding sustainable solutions and a better quality of life means 51 long and hard about what you really want to do, and how you can 52 that goal. Working for yourself is beneficial on 53 levels: you save time, you save money, and you can potentially 54 your carbon footprint. Consider this: Management consultancy firm WsP found working from 55 can help reduce your carbon footprint in the summer months 6 B. rents C. bills 41. A. wages D. fines B. job C. workout 42. A. habit D. trip 43. A. arrange C. avoid B. resist D. bear B. compete 44. A. arrive C. sit D. communicate 45. A. dully B. occasionally C. cooperatively D. independently B. flexibility C. burden 46. A. judgement D. doubt B. style C. pressure 47. A. routine D. passion B. promising C. profitable 48. A. fortunate D. permanent 49. A. submit to B. leave out C. make for D. depart from B. relaxed C. engaged 50. A. interested D. trapped C. worrying B. thinking 51. A. complaining D. arguing 52. A. reach C. discover B. ignore D. switch 53. A. special B. multiple C. high D. spiritual 54. A. decrease B. record C. calculate D. increase B. reality 55. A. nothing C. home D. office 第二节 (共10小题;每小题1.5分,满分15分) 阅读下面短文,在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 The gugin, China's oldest stringed instrument, has existed for over 3.oo0 years. The earliest piece, 56 (unearth) in Hubei province in 2016, dates back to the Zhou Dynasty The body of a gugin is made of wood and seven strings of silk, but unlike its seemingly simple appearance, it takes over a hundred working procedures 57 (make) the instrument, including material selection, painting and tuning. It is _58 extremely demanding job. The gugin, along with the game of Go, calligraphy and painting, 59 (expect) to be mastered by noblemen and scholars in ancient China. The most distinguished gugin 60 (music) was Yu Boya in the Spring and Autumn & Warring States Periods. As he played the gugin in the mountains, a woodcutter named Zhong Ziqi heard it and understood exactly _61 was expressed in the music. This deep understanding formed a strong bond 62 them, and they became close friends. This is the famous tale behind the guqin masterpicce, High Mountains, Flowing Water, 63 has been passed down through generations and is considered one of the greatest compositions in Chinese guqin music. Nowadays, there are fewer than one thousand well-trained guqin players and perhaps no more than fifty 64 (survive) masters. The original several thousand compositions have 65 (significant) declined to a mere hundred works that are regularly performed today 第四部分 写作(共两节:满分40分) 第一节(满分15分) 假如你是某国际学校学生李华,你校校报正在为12月即将举办的科技节征集英文口号(slogan),要求 主题积极向上,不超过10个英文单词。请你根据该要求投稿,内容包括; 1. 介绍你的口号: 2.预祝活动成功。 注意: 1.写作词数应为80左右 2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。 Dear editor, Yours. Li Hua 第二节(满分25分) 阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段,使之构成一篇完整的短文。 The emergency doctor stood at the foot of my husband's hospital bed, holding the test results and a diagnosis -Acute Myeloid Leukemia(骨愉 白 血 病). He said to my husband, "Well move you to the leukemia floor You'll be here at least a month." A month! My mind started spinning. My mom had fought breast cancer. My aunt had lung cancer. Both had died. But neither had been in hospital for a month! Exactly how bad was my husband's diagnosis? And how were we going to struggle for a month? It was March. The end of a school year was approaching. My days with my high school students were limited. How could I prepare four weeks of lesson plans and hand them over to a substitute teacher? A month! Could we afford being in the hospital that long? Our insurance was good, but we'd still have to pay our part of the medical expenses. My meals wouldn't be covered, and parking was so expensive My head couldn't do the math. I drove home, filled with countless worries. Even though the parking pass would be a significant discount, I couldn't help but feel bothered by the cost throughout the drive The next morning, I packed the car with everything needed for our hospital stay and headed to school to see my students. Because we live in a small community, they would have heard about my husband's diagnosis. I would assure them that my husband would be fine, and that I would be fine, too. I'd encourage them to be their best selyes for the substitute and for me--while I was on family leave When I entered my classroom, the chatter stopped. I put on a smile and continued to my podium(讲 台) Sitting on top was a green envelope with "Mrs. Sargent" written on it. I looked over the frames of my glasses at twenty-eight faces, some smiling, some trying to resist. "What is this?" I asked. I picked up the envelope, and continued,"You guys..." 注意: 1.续写词数应为150左右; 2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。 When I opened the envelope, coins and dollar bills fell out-fives, tens, twenties. As an adult in the room, I felt guilty and unwilling to accept these teenagers' hard-earned money, but I decided to accept it.1 高二英语期中试卷答案 2023.11 第一部分 听力（满分 30 分） 第一部分：听力（共两节 20题 满分 30分 每题 1.5分） 1-5 CBABA 6-10 BCACA 11-15 BCACB 16-20 BCABC 第二部分：阅读理解（满分 50 分） 第一节 阅读短文(共 11 小题；每小题 2.5 分，满分 37.5 分) 21-23 AAC 24-27 B DCB 28-31 CADC 32-35 BAAB 第二节（共 5小题；每小题 2.5分，满分 12.5分） 36. D 37. B 38. F 39. E 40. C 第三部分 语言运用 (共两节，满分 30分) 第一节 (共 I5小题:每小题 1分,满分 15分) 41-45 CBDCD 46-50 BDAAD 51-55 BABAC 第二节 (共 10 小题;每小题 1.5 分，满分 15 分) 56. unearthed 57. to make 58. an 59. was expected 60. musician 61. what 62. between 63. which 64. surviving 65. significantly 第四部分 写作 (共两节, 满分 40 分) 第一节 (满分 15 分) Dear editor, Knowing that our school newspaper is collecting English slogans for the Science& Technology Festival to be held in December, I’m writing to recommend mine, which I believe can fully reveal the theme. “Science and technology brightens our life” is the one I choose since technological advances have brought us tremendous benefits. For instance, we’re now living comfortably and conveniently in houses equipped with various intelligent home appliances. Besides, our working efficiency has been dramatically increased with the help of the Internet. I would appreciate it if you can take my slogan into account. Wish this festival a huge success! Yours, Li Hua 一、内容要点 1. 简要介绍一下活动； 2. 介绍你的口号； 3. 预祝活动成功。 注意事项： *开头简要介绍一下活动，如果写了“即将举行的科技节”，没说具体在 12月份，不扣分。 *考生提出的英语口号，主题要积极向上，且不超过 10个英文单词。（如果口号不符合要求，酌情扣 分） *写作素养好的学生会写期待被录用。如果写了期待被录用，文章内容会更丰富。不写，不扣分。 2 第二节 (满分 25 分) 范文: When I opened the envelope, coins and dollar bills fell out-fives, tens, twenties. At that moment, my throat tightened with emotion and I understood the meaning behind their excited faces. An overwhelming sense of pride from them washed over me. Should I take it?My brain was spinning fast. Seeing the money that the students raised, I couldn’t help but wonder another question: How had these kids collected so much money? I could even imagine the countless hours they had spent working odd jobs, determined to save every penny to help me. Therefore, deep within my heart, there was a firm voice. “I can’t take it ?” As an adult in the room, I felt guilty and unwilling to accept these teenagers hard-earned money, but I decided to accept it. I tightly held up the cash and my voice trembled as I told them how I was bothered by the cost of parking. “Kids, you just covered my parking cost for the month.” But that’s not the real reason why I accepted it. With tears of gratitude welling up in my eyes, I hugged each student tightly. More important than the envelope was the kindness in their hearts and the lesson they had taught themselves: how wonderful it feels to meet someone’s needs and to make a difference. Through their small act of kindness, these teenagers have shown me their growth and they are not ignorant children, but young individuals with wisdom and kindness in their hearts. 听力原文 Text 1 找工作 W:Are you calling for a manager in your company? M: Yes, we still have some positions left: the sales manager, the HR manager and the quality manager. Which one would you like to apply for? Text 2 打车去宾馆 W: I’d like to go to Hotel Stratford on the 5th Avenue, please. M: There’s some road work going on near the post office, so I’ll have to take a different route. The map says it will be around 20 minutes. Text 3 参加聚会 W:Are you having a good time? M: Sure. Thanks again for inviting me. W: No problem. I just wish more people could have come. Text 4 看电影 W: I saw the funniest movie last night! It’s called Bad Teacher. M: Oh, I saw that in the movie theater last weekend. I actually walked out in the middle of it! Text 5打电话借睡袋 W: I forgot to tell you that Fred called last night to borrow your sleeping bag. M: Oh, I saw him at the gym this morning and he didn’t say anything. So he must have asked somebody else. Text 6 养宠物 W: Matt, do you have a pet? M: Yes, in fact, in my mom’s house we have three pets—two dogs and a cat. My family actually raises dogs for helping blind people. W: Oh, wow, that’s cool. Um, why do people keep pets? M: I guess the most important thing is companionship. Right! So there is always somebody there for you that will like you. 3 W: Yeah, that’s true. OK, besides cats, dogs, and fish, what are some other pets people keep? M: Well, I guess all types of things. My friend has a snake. I don’t know if you mention that: snake and insects, spiders… Text 7 在父亲节向爸爸表达爱 W: Hello, Dad. Happy Father’s Day! M: Oh, thank you. My little girl. W: Dad, I hadn’t seen what a good father you were to us before, but now I understand. You’re the best! On this special day I want to express my thanks for your help and support. I might be far from home, but I’ve always been close to you and Mom. M: I’m so glad. Well, when will you come back? W: I have planned to return home this Friday, but I have to change to next Saturday. I have to attend a meeting this Sunday. Love you! M: OK. Love you, too. Text 8 去伦敦的行程 M: Tomorrow, I’m going to attend the business meeting in London. Shall we go over the arrangements for my trip? W: Sure. You’re flying at 10:00 pm on Tuesday. This is your plane ticket, and you have to check in two hours before the plane takes off, so I’ve arranged for a car to pick you up from your home at 7:40. M: Good. What time does the flight arrive in London? W: It arrives in London at 12:00, the local time. I’ve phoned them, and they’re going to send a car to pick you up at the airport and bring you to the hotel. M: Fine. You’ve arranged everything for me. Thank you. Text 9 交通事故 W: Hi, Bob. Did you talk to all of the witnesses to the car accident? M: Yes. An old lady was standing on the street corner when the accident happened. She said that it was the red car’s fault. It was driving very fast and then quickly stopped when the traffic light changed. W: What did the kids say? M: The kids were playing in their front yard, and they said that they didn’t see anything. W: Did the neighbors see anything? M: One neighbor, Mr. Jones, said that he saw a dog run out into the street in front of the car. W: Hmm. No one else mentioned a dog. Did you talk to Mr. Bates? He is the man who was selling newspapers on the street corner. M: Oh, yeah. He said it was the blue car’s fault. W: Really? M: Yeah. He said that the man in the blue car wasn’t paying attention. When the red car stopped, he didn’t notice until it was too late. He was the one who hit the red car. W: Wow! Did they all see the same accident? They all remember something different. Text 10 普通中等教育考试 M: Now it’s 8:00, time for the educational report. GCSE is the British exam taken by the students in England and Wales around the age of 16. Recently researchers at university have confirmed the doubt of many parents and employers that some GCSEs are easier than others. The researchers found that sciences and modern languages were the hardest GCSEs to do well in. Chemistry ranked the hardest of the major subjects followed by physics and French. Drama was the easiest GCSE to do well in, followed by physics education, media studies, English, English literature and religious studies. The number of test takers in physical education and religious studies rose faster than in any other subjects last year. More than 144,000 4 pupils set GCSEs in physical education last summer, and 147,500 took the religious studies exam. However, it was the problem for the country if pupils avoided hard subjects. Fewer people would go on to study languages or sciences at A level and university, even though they were important to Britain’s future development. Useful Expressions: companionship 陪伴；友情；友谊 go over 仔细检查（或审查、查阅） witness 目击者；见证人 GCSE 普通中等教育证书 religious 宗教的 null