江苏南京市七校联合体2025-2026学年度第二学期高二下学期期末英语调研试卷

**基本信息** 2025-2026学年南京七校联合体高二英语期末卷，以真实情境与时代话题为载体，融合语言能力与文化意识，通过梯度设计考查综合素养。 **题型特征** |题型|题量/分值|知识覆盖|命题特色| |----|-----------|----------|----------| |听力|20题/30分|日常交际、人物关系、事件原因|情境真实，如清洁服务咨询、科学博物馆参观，考查信息提取与推理| |阅读|20题/50分|环保（巴黎协定）、社区文化（书店故事）、运动生理（耐力差异）、AI伦理（出版应用）、沟通技巧|素材时代性强，问题层次分明，如细节题（21题国家极端高温）、推理题（34题作者对AI态度）| |语言运用|25题/30分|完形（运动员成长）、语法填空（Perler beads手工艺）|语篇语境化，如完形填空通过运动员故事考查词汇（45题approved of），语法填空结合文化现象| |写作|2题/40分|应用文（推荐学汉语）、读后续写（写作互评）|任务真实，应用文考查跨文化沟通，读后续写培养思维与表达连贯性|

2025—2026学年度南京市七校联合体第二学期期末调研试卷 高二英语 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段录音。每段录音后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段录音后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段录音播放两遍。 1. When will the train arrive? A. At 4:50. B. At 5:10. C. At 10:05. 2. Who is the woman talking to? A. A waiter. B. A taxi driver. C. Her husband. 3. Where does the conversation probably take place? A. In a supermarket. B. In a bakery. C. At the woman’s home. 4. Why is the man going to China? A. To study. B. To travel. C. To work. 5. What did the man do yesterday? A. He hosted a team discussion. B. He received management training. C. He discussed career development plans. 第二节 （共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分） 听下面5段录音。每录音后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段录音前，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。每段录音播放两遍。 听第6段录音，回答第6、7题。 6. Why is the man calling? A. To rent a clean building. B. To get a cleaning service. C. To buy some cleaning equipment. 7. What is the man concerned about? A. Whether the carpets can be kept. B. Whether the crew are experienced. C. Whether some materials are harmful. 听第7段录音，回答第8至10题。 8. What is the probable relationship between the speakers? A. Classmates. B. Strangers. C. Sister and brother. 9. What does the woman find challenging? A. Dancing. B. Singing. C. Acting. 10. What are the speakers trying out for? A. A film role. B. A music band. C. A theater production. 听第8段录音，回答第11至13题。 11. Which exhibit did the man enjoy most? A. The robotics section. B. The planets’ models. C. The space travel. 12. How does the man sound? A. Enthusiastic. B. Critical. C. Indifferent. 13. What are the speakers mainly talking about? A. Future space missions. B. A science museum visit. C. AI technology in schools. 听第9段录音，回答第14至17题。 14. What aspect of shopping does Stella like best? A. Finding deals. B. Comparing prices. C. Trying new styles. 15. What does Stella dislike about expensive clothes shops? A. Limited goods. B. Rude customers. C. Unfriendly assistants. 16. How did most customers feel about the service at first? A. Astonished. B. Amused. C. Annoyed. 17. What is the most rewarding aspect of the business for Stella? A. Proving that her idea is a good one. B. Offering all kinds of fashionable clothes. C. Seeing customers overcome their limitations. 听第10段录音，回答第18至20题。 18. What types of comics did the speaker often read as a child? A. Superhero adventures. B. War and humor stories. C. Space travel fantasies. 19. What is the speaker’s current attitude toward comics? A. As passionate as before. B. Less interested than before. C. Only professionally engaged. 20. What is the speaker? A. A soldier. B. A comic actor. C. A shop owner. 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 Ten years ago the world came together to forge a path out of the climate emergency in the form of a global treaty named the Paris Agreement. Under the accord, nations committed themselves to keeping global temperatures well below a two-degree-Celsius increase over preindustrial levels and to striving to limit that increase to 1.5°C. These goals were ambitious and required greenhouse gas emissions to begin declining by 2025. Yet emissions continue to rise. In 2015 the average global temperature was 1.1°C hotter than it was during the preindustrial period. Today it is around 1.4°C. The increase is grim but not the end of the story, especially if humans can stop climate pollution quickly enough to reverse (反转) the warming trend. Of course, even if we follow through on current commitments, there will be climate consequences regardless. One of the key bright spots since the Paris Agreement was signed is the rapid growth of renewable energy. A particular win has been that solar power facilities are coming online much faster than anyone expected in 2015. Better yet, energy from these facilities is being stored for nighttime use thanks to battery technology. 21. Which country will experience the most extremely hot days? A. Brazil. B. China. C. Mexico. D. Indonesia. 22. A 5-year-old will experience about ____ times as many heat waves as a 65-year-old. A. 3 B. 5 C. 7 D. 9 23. What can we learn about the Paris Agreement according to the text? A. It has reversed the warming trend. B. It has helped promote renewable energy. C. It managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. D. It aimed to keep global temperature increases below 1.5°C. B Leslie Shogren went to Semicolon Books in Chicago to celebrate her birthday. When she checked out, she asked the woman at the register if she was Danielle Moore, the bookstore’s owner. “Yeah, are you Leslie?” Moore replied, flashing her signature bright smile. She slipped Leslie a birthday card signed by each staff member, thanking her for celebrating her birthday at the store. Leslie was surprised. Sure, she had messaged the bookstore on its social media, asking its hours and casually mentioning she’d be visiting for that birthday. But still, “Moore didn’t need to do that,” she says. “When people go above and beyond with an act of hospitality like that, it really sticks with you.” She and her family are store regulars today. Inside the bookstore, shelves stretch from floor to ceiling, with front-facing books displayed like art. The walls are packed with prints, paintings and quotes. Comfortable couches invite visitors to read, and handmade pillows featuring literary icons add to the homey vibe (氛围). It’s important to Moore that customers consider the store a “third space” — not home or the workplace, but someplace that still fosters a sense of belonging and connection. Driven by her childhood experience of having no books to read, Moore also welcomes students into the store. They can pick out what they want for free. So far, through its ClearTheShelves program, Semicolon has given 13,000 books to students in Chicago Public Schools. Moore and her staff have carefully selected books for 52 schools and donated books and funds to 27 Chicago organizations. “We like to take everything we make and give it back,” she says. Semicolon sits in West Town, a trendy area full of small shops, restaurants and museums. Andrea Beschel of a nearby audio electronics repair shop says, “Moore was the first business owner who came in, interacted with us and invited us to events, so that was really cool.” “She brings great vibe to the block,” adds Cesar Buendia, the owner of a neighboring barbershop. “She came in and offered us books for our clients to read while they wait.” 24. What did Leslie do before visiting the bookstore? A. Purchasing a birthday card for the owner. B. Obtaining some information about it online. C. Booking a private reading room in advance. D. Calling the owner to confirm her arrival time. 25. What is Moore’s core concept of a bookstore? A. A warm atmosphere. B. Innovative internal design. C. Competitively priced books. D. A distinctive book collection. 26. Which of the following best describes Moore? A. Generous and community-minded. B. Thoughtful but slightly unrealistic. C. Intelligent and commercially talented. D. Considerate but somewhat reserved. 27. Why does the author quote the neighbors’ words? A. To advertise the services of Semicolon. B. To compare Semicolon with other shops. C. To highlight the popularity of West Town. D. To illustrate the ways Semicolon builds community ties. C You only need to think of any marathon you’ve watched to assume that men tend to outperform women in sport. But an interesting recent research has triggered the discussion. It is highlighted that the male-female performance gap in ultra-endurance (极限耐力) competitions is as low as 4 percent, while it’s around 10 percent in traditional endurance sport. And the difference seems to reduce the longer the event becomes, to the point that women even outperform men when it comes to events like ultra-distance swimming. When it comes to the marathon, we know that finishing times are greatly influenced by VO2max (最大摄氧量). However, these factors have been shown to be less influential in ultra-endurance performance. What this means is that success in ultra-marathons must be determined by the interplay of other physiological characteristics. If we look at the physiology, men tend to have more type II muscle fibers, which are good for high power output sports such as sprinting (短跑). Women have more type I muscle fibers, which produce less force but are more resistant to exhaustion — ideal for ultra-endurance events. Besides, as distances increase and intensity subsequently decreases, we rely more on fat to provide energy to our working muscles. Research currently suggests that compared to males, endurance-trained females use more fat even at rest and so they have spare essential carbohydrate stores. This would mean they’re less likely to hit “the wall” in a race. Sports psychologists have also suggested that women are generally better at bearing pain, reframing feelings such as exhaustion and enjoying the process rather than worrying about the outcome, all of which might lead to a better performance. As persuasive as these theories are, it’s hard to properly draw a firm conclusion that women excel in ultra-endurance sports. Ultra-endurance events appeal to a very small and specialized part of the population rather than the mainstream and the small numbers of women participating make it challenging to draw conclusions, and it’s rare to find direct comparisons with men. Hopefully this will change over time. 28. What can we learn about the research from Paragraph 1? A. Men perform better than women in sports on the whole. B. Ultra-endurance sports are gaining popularity among women. C. Men are comparatively at a disadvantage in traditional endurance sport. D. The performance divide between men and women closes as distances grow. 29. Which of the following accounts for women’s better ultra-endurance performance? A. They have more type II muscle fibers. B. They are better at burning fat for energy. C. They are less dependent on carbohydrate. D. They care more about competition results. 30. What does the last paragraph focus on? A. The intention of the research. B. The influence of the research. C. The limitation of the research. D. The conclusion of the research. 31. What is the purpose of the passage? A. To make a comparison between males and females in sports. B. To clarify a fact that females are equally competent in sports. C. To explain why women make better ultra-endurance athletes. D. To advocate more women engaging in ultra-endurance sports. D William Blake once said, “Make the errors of a wise man, not the perfection of a fool.” Last week, we received an email pointing out a few grammatical errors in our latest issue. It specifically targets a feature written by someone for whom English is a second, possibly even third, language. As a publisher, should we have caught those mistakes? Of course. But we didn’t. We missed them, and that’s on us. Now, if we had relied on ChatGPT or some other AI tool — those errors would have been eliminated. AI doesn’t make grammatical mistakes, but it does make factual ones. And that’s where the difference lies. AI writes with mechanical fluency, an odd smoothness that, at first glance, might seem impressive. But there’s no soul in it. No human aspect, which is often where the charm and character of a story lie. When you read Adventure, you’re not consuming an unimaginative, algorithmic mixture of facts and details, woven together from a thousand other sources. What you get is something raw, something real — real people doing real things, telling real stories — experiences lived and shared. That’s a distinction that matters. In an era where fake news, AI-generated images, and even virtual sports clouds the lines between truth and fake information, we choose reliability over perfection. We own our mistakes. They’re the marks on an organic apple — imperfect but honest. Sure, you could buy a flawless, genetically modified apple, polished and sprayed to maintain perfection. It might look good but how would it taste? Would it nourish you the same way? Would it carry the same depth of flavour that comes from sun, soil and time? Adventure isn’t about a perfect, polished version of the world. It’s about telling stories that aren’t smoothed to perfection but that pulse with life, with humanity. So yes, we made a mistake, and we’ll probably make more, but we’ll own them. Because we’re not in the business of chasing perfection. We’re in the business of telling real stories, about real adventures, experienced by real people. 32. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “eliminated” in Paragraph 3? A. Ignored. B. Removed. C. Resisted. D. Predicted. 33. What can we infer about stories from Adventure? A. Soulless but honest. B. Imperfect but reliable. C. Imaginary but charming. D. Artificial but impressive. 34. What is the author’s attitude toward AI tools being used in publishing? A. Tolerant. B. Favorable. C. Disapproving. D. Unconcerned. 35. Which of the following is the best title for this passage? A. Errors of a Wise Man B. An Apology to Readers C. Risks of AI in Publishing D. The Pursuit of Perfection 第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分） 根据短文内容，从短文后各题所给的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。 Most arguments are not actually about the thing people are arguing about, from unwashed dishes to workplace strategy disagreements. Underneath most conflicts is something much deeper: a need to feel heard, respected, safe, valued, or understood. Many high achievers struggle because they approach conversations the way they approach business: Solve the problem, make the point, and win the outcome. 36 Because the moment someone feels emotionally cornered, the nervous system stops listening and starts defending. In other words, once people feel attacked, they’re no longer trying to understand you or considering your point of view. 37 That’s why many ordinary arguments always turn into horrible quarrels. 38 When their confidence from certainty gets threatened, they start to feel unsafe. So their defense mechanism is to overexplain, defend harder, interrupt, and bring up past details. Ironically, the stronger the need to win the argument, the weaker the connection usually becomes. Negative behaviors like criticism and defensiveness are major causes of broken relationships, none of which include active listening. Human beings are emotional before they are logical. Rising emotions activate the brain’s threat-detecting area, cutting off blood flow to the part responsible for reasoning and empathy, and their nervous systems prioritize survival protection over mutual communication. 39 Healthy communication differs greatly from competitive arguing. It focuses on mutual understanding rather than one-sided victory. Giving emotional recognition to others does not mean you agree with their views. 40 A calm attitude and sincere listening build emotional safety, which is the foundation for long-term healthy relationships. Ultimately, people always remember the feelings a conversation brings rather than perfect logical arguments. A. Many people become addicted to certainty. B. Instead, they’re trying to protect themselves. C. It does create a bridge and promote effective communication. D. This is why even intelligent people may say things they regret. E. People often ignore the importance of self-regulation in conflicts. F. Tone and facial expressions also matter greatly in daily communication. G. That strategy works great for negotiations but terribly for human connection. 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，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。 Wu Yize, a 22-year-old snooker player, returned to China after his world championship win. He received a warm’s welcome, waving modestly and wearing the expression of a shy 22-year-old not used to such sudden fame at home. But that did not 41 the enthusiasm of those who had come to see someone on top of the world. His path to glory is nothing but 42 . At the age of 16, he felt a strong 43 to be a professional. He dropped out of school and moved to Sheffield, England, to 44 his dream, a decision his parents fully 45 , which took a load off his mind. There, away from his family, he felt 46 at times but never gave up. “I had to be highly self-disciplined,” he said. “There was no 47 for carelessness.” Returning as a champion, he hopes his journey will 48 others to follow their own dreams. “I want to be a(n) 49 for the younger generation, not just a winner,” he said. His ability to handle pressure and overcome challenges is a true test of his 50 . He once lived in a tiny flat with no windows as a teenager in Sheffield, a story of moving from 51 to wealth. His victory came from diligence 52 from pure luck. In China, snooker is becoming 53 popular. It is 54 that 60 million people play billiards (台球) annually. Wu’s success, a clear 55 of determination, is leading a new wave of players. 41. A. heighten B. dampen C. awaken D. strengthen 42. A. plain B. extraordinary C. discouraging D. familiar 43. A. desire B. demand C. anxiety D. worry 44. A. obtain B. embrace C. pursue D. prove 45. A. acted on B. objected to C. turned down D. approved of 46. A. fortunate B. disappointed C. lonely D. abandoned 47. A. allowance B. passion C. admission D. preparation 48. A. persuade B. require C. allow D. motivate 49. A. inspiration B. leader C. champion D. instructor 50. A. patience B. perseverance C. integrity D. responsibility 51. A. failure B. discrimination C. refusal D. poverty 52. A. rather than B. better than C. other than D. less than 53. A. frequently B. increasingly C. ultimately D. constantly 54. A. concluded B. acknowledged C. estimated D. declared 55. A. understanding B. planning C. distinction D. demonstration 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。 Perler beads, or as they’re locally known, pindou, are suddenly everywhere in China. The craft, originally developed in Sweden in the 1970s, 56 (design) as a therapeutic(治疗的) tool to help older adults maintain cognitive function and ease isolation. Today, young enthusiasts purchase DIY kits online or visit specialized bead studios, 57 they create designs using tiny plastic cylinders. A recent survey found that most studios charge between 20 and 50 yuan per person, 58 (typical) without time limits. 59 they are seen as a mindful escape or a creative outlet, perler beads offer something enduring: the satisfaction of making something tangible, one tiny piece at a time. When fully 60 (absorb) in arranging beads, crafters enter a state known as “flow” — a term coined by a psychologist to describe deep immersion. This state 61 (associate) with dopamine (多巴胺) release and feelings of focus and satisfaction. Many are drawn to the rhythmic motion of bead placement, which can bring about a calm mental state similar 62 mindfulness practice. For a generation under the constant 63 (expose) to digital devices, the tactile act of crafting provides a welcome reset. There is also 64 explanation rooted in embodied cognition, a theory that states that thinking is shaped by bodily movement and sensory experience. Bead crafting engages touch, sight and sound, 65 (create) deeper cognitive engagement than purely digital interaction. 第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分） 第一节 （满分15分） 假定你是李华，你的英国笔友Chris发来邮件说，他打算选择一门外语作为第二语言来学习，想听听你的想法。请你给他回复一封邮件，推荐他学习汉语，内容包括： 1. 推荐理由； 2. 学习建议。 注意： 1. 词数80左右； 2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 Dear Chris, 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 bell rang. I grabbed my backpack and headed to the library for my favorite after-school activity: Writing Club. “Today we will share our stories with a critique partner (互评搭档). It means to give helpful feedback so someone can tell their best story,” said Miss Lisa, our writing teacher. My partner was Penny. I handed my story to her, nervous. I had no problem coming up with great story ideas, but I did struggle with spelling and grammar. Penny didn’t look at me or smile as she pushed her story across the table toward me. Why was she worried? She always got perfect scores on her spelling and grammar tests. I read her story. It was about a dog named Sunny saving a family from a flood. “Wow, great story,” I told her. “I don’t have any suggestions. It’s perfect!” “Yours too,” she whispered. She didn’t even look at me as she passed mine back. When the club ended, Penny rushed out, dropping a book in haste. I picked it up: Sunny the Brave. My heart sank as the plot matched her story exactly. She hadn’t written it — she had copied it. It wasn’t fair. I thought about telling Miss Lisa, but Miss Lisa had already left. Outside of the school, I spotted Penny sitting on a bench, crying. Instead of accusing her, I simply handed her the book. Seeing her tears, I remembered my job as her critique partner was to give helpful feedback. But what should I say? I kept thinking about Penny and her story. When I got home, I found Mom in the kitchen making dinner with Dad. Dad chopped (切割) vegetables carefully, while Mom added spices (调料) freely. Their dinners turned out delicious. Mom and Dad had different skills, each using their strengths, making them a great team. That gave me an idea to suggest to Penny. 注意： 1. 续写词数应为150个左右； 2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。 The next morning, I found Penny outside the classroom. Penny’s eyes widened with hope. 1 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 2025-2026学年第二学期期末调研 高二英语答案 第1部分 听力(共两节，满分30分，每小题1.5分) 1—5 BBCAC 6—10 BCBAC 11—15 AABCC 16—20 ACBAC 第二部分 阅读(共两节，满分50分，每小题2.5分) 阅读：21-23 DCB 24-27 BAAD 28-31 DBCC 32-35 BBCA 七选五：36-40 GBADC 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） 41—45 BBACD 46—50 CADAB 51—55DABCD 第二节 (共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分) 56.was designed 57.where 58.typically 59.Whether 60.absorbed 61.is associated 62.to 63.exposure 64.an 65.creating 第四部分写作（共两节，满分40分） 第一节（满分15分） Dear Chris, Considering your plan to learn a second language, I highly recommend Chinese to you for two reasons. First and foremost,with China’s economy booming, mastering Chinese will undoubtedly equip you with a competitive edge in the job market. Furthermore, with a good command of Chinese, you will gain a deep insight into China’s time-honored history and fascinating traditions. To set off on this journey, you’d better download some language apps like Duolingo for daily practice. Besides, making Chinese friends online is also a great way to improve your spoken Chinese. Wish you great progress! Yours, Li Hua 第二节(满分25分) The next morning, I found Penny outside the classroom. Before I spoke, she said she loved the writing club, but she felt terrible at writing because she had no idea for a story. Realizing we could complement each other perfectly, I smiled and said, “I have ideas, but my sentences are a mess. I wish I could write perfectly like you do.I did have one new idea.What if we worked on a story together? I bet we could come up with something great.” Penny’s eyes widened with hope. “Can we do that?” she asked, looking surprised and relieved. I suggested trying a story before talking to Miss Lisa, and was sure she would approve of our creative collaboration. We began talking about possible plots, building on each other’s thoughts, Penny gaining confidence. Soon we agreed on writing about two friends who solved problems together and everything ended up better than they could have imagined. What a great idea! We winked at each other happily. 听力原文 Text 1 M: The train should arrive now. What’s the time by your watch? W: Let me see. It’s ten to five. We’ll have to wait another twenty minutes before it arrives. Just be patient. Text 2 W: Pull over, please. My husband is waiting for me over there. M: Okay. It is 17 dollars. How do you pay? W: In cash. Here you are and keep the change. M: Thank you. Text 3 W: Can I get you another homemade apple pie? M: I’m completely satisfied, but it’s delicious. You could definitely start your own bakery with such talent. W: Thanks. I’ve been trying out new dessert recipes. Text 4 W: I hear you’re heading to China. Are you touring? M: No, I’ll go to Beijing to attend the summer school. Besides that, I’ll visit my cousin who works there. W: Sounds good! Text 5 W: Did you already have your career advancement talk with your team leader? M: Yes, we discussed it yesterday. She outlined a comprehensive plan for me to potentially move into a management role within the next two to three years. Text 6 W: Thank you for calling Westside Cleaning Services. M: Hello. Our office moved into our current space last year, and our carpets are starting to look worn. ⑥Your company can take care of cleaning them, right? W: Yes. We can send a team with steam-cleaning equipment. M: Great! ⑦But are the chemicals you use bad to people’s health? W: Not at all. Everything we use is safe and environmentally friendly. M: I’m glad to hear that. And how regularly do your crew clean a site? W: It depends on your preferences. You can choose to have it done weekly, monthly, or less frequently if needed. Text 7 W: Are you here for The Sound of Music tryouts too? M: That’s correct. ⑧I don’t think we’ve been introduced. W: I’m Alice Johnson. You seem familiar. Are you in my brother’s class... maybe Michael? M: Michael, right! W: What role are you trying out for? M: I’m flexible. I think all the male roles seem pretty cool. How about you? W: I’m considering Maria or one of the von Trapp children. ⑨I love to sing, but I’m not the most graceful dancer. M: Interesting, I feel the opposite. ⑩My voice probably isn’t strong enough for a theater show like this, but I’m hoping my dancing will make up for it! Text 8 M: I had an incredible time at the science museum yesterday. The interactive exhibits were so engaging. W: That’s fantastic! Which one was your favorite? M: It’s tough to pick just one, but ⑪I found the robotics section particularly exciting. The way they demonstrated AI advancements was truly amazing. W: I agree. Did you also check out the space exploration hall? M: Yes, I did. The models of the planets and the history of space travel were incredibly informative. It felt like I was on another planet myself. W: That’s my favorite section. Did you learn anything new about the universe or its exploration during your visit? M: Absolutely. The audio guide showed the history of astronomy and the future of space missions. W: Sounds interesting. Would you consider going back for another visit? M: Definitely. I think I’ll be making this a regular educational trip. There’s always more to learn and discover. Text 9 M: Stella, your chain is one of the largest in London. You’re in the business of shopping, but do you also take pleasure in it? W: Certainly! I enjoy uncovering great deals, and ⑭what truly excites me is trying on clothes I wouldn’t typically choose and seeing how they look on me. However, there’s a downside to shopping: moving from store to store, being ignored in budget shops or ⑮treated rudely by staff in the expensive ones. That drives me angry. M: Did your personal experiences influence the concept of your first store? W: Without a doubt! I favor stores where the staff offers lots of creative suggestions. They encourage you to try on a variety of items, but there’s no pressure to actually buy anything! M: Did the idea take off right away? W: It was received with mixed reactions initially. When we launched our first store, ⑯many customers felt a little shocked and were unsure of how to react. But after they became accustomed to our unique service approach, they grew to love it, as did the staff. M: What’s the one thing you enjoy most about your work? W: ⑰What always excites me is seeing someone who initially doubts trying something new, but ultimately feels happy wearing a completely different and daring outfit they wouldn’t have considered otherwise. Text 10 Some people collect fine paintings, and others collect rare coins. But I collect comics. I first began collecting comics when I was about seven years old. I remember my father buying me one in a hotel in Africa. He told me it was the same comic he used to read when he was a little boy. I remember reading it that afternoon on a hot and sweaty bus, and I loved every page of it. From then on, whenever we stopped at town, he would buy me a comic. ⑱They were often cartoon-type comics with funny characters and silly stories. But he would also buy me comics about brave soldiers at war, or pilots of planes. They were all very exciting and they opened up my imagination. As I grow older, my taste in comics becomes different. I still love the cartoon and the soldier ones, but I also begin reading superhero comics too. Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man are my particular favorites, and I enjoy anything to do with space or time travel. ⑲Today, my love for comics is as strong as ever, even though I am 47! It has to be — I sell them for a living now! ⑳I opened a comic bookstore a few years ago. 1 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $