山东东营市2025-2026学年第二学期期末学业质量评价高二英语试题

**基本信息** 试卷以科技前沿（如CETI抹香鲸语言研究）、社会热点（蜜蜂保护、老年人数字适应）为情境，融合语言能力与思维品质，实现基础巩固与创新应用的梯度考查。 **题型特征** |题型|题量/分值|知识覆盖|命题特色| |----|-----------|----------|----------| |听力|20题/30分|日常对话、名人传记（查尔斯三世）|真实情境（艺术课程、旅行体验），考查信息抓取与推理| |阅读理解|20题/50分|志愿者服务、科学探索（蜜蜂研究、抹香鲸语言）、社会现象（老年人数字适应）|素材时代性强，如2024年CETI研究发现，问题从细节理解到深层推理，培养批判性思维| |语言知识运用|25题/30分|完形填空（中年学芭蕾）、语法填空（潭柘寺咖啡节）|贴近生活，考查词汇语境运用与语法准确性，体现文化传承与现代生活融合| |写作|2题/40分|环保海报分享、创新思维故事续写|应用文注重实用表达，读后续写激发创新思维，呼应核心素养中语言表达与思维品质的培养|

山东省东营市2025-2026学年第二学期期末学业质量评价 高二《英语》试题 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。每段录音播放两遍。 1. What does the woman want to become? A. A panda. B. A bird. C. A cat. 2. Where is the letter from? A. Germany. B. Japan. C. France. 3. What did the woman eat yesterday? A. Eggs. B. Pancakes. C. Meat pies. 4. What will the man do this afternoon? A. Attend a meeting. B. Write a report. C. Go shopping. 5. What is Claire permitted to do? A. Hand in the paper later. B. Take sick leave for a week. C. Let her mother help with the paper. 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。每段录音播放两遍。 听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。 6. What are the speakers mainly talking about? A. An art course. B. A Chinese artist. C. A famous painting. 7. What will the woman paint? A. A person. B. A bird. C. Fruit. 听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。 8. What does the woman dislike about Perpignan? A. The concerts. B. The museums. C. The streets. 9. How did the woman plan to spend most evenings in Perpignan? A. Going to art clubs. B. Reading books. C. Attending parties. 听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。 10. Where is the conversation taking place? A. On an island. B. On a boat. C. In a zoo. 11. How is the weather now? A. Windy. B. Sunny. C. Rainy. 12. What do the speakers see at the end? A. A dolphin. B. A sea bird. C. A whale. 听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。 13. Why won't Susan go on vacation this year? A. She has used up her leave. B. She hasn't finished her project. C. She has got a higher position recently 14. What does Susan think of losing her vacation? A. It's acceptable. B. It's unexpected. C. It's unfair. 15. Where does James work? A. In a law firm. B. In a travel agency. C. In an advertising firm. 16. Who are the speakers? A. Colleagues. B. Friends. C. A couple. 听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。 17. When did King Charles III graduate from the University of Cambridge? A. In 1964 B. In 1967. C. In 1971. 18. What does King Charles I always talk about in TV shows? A. The future of art. B. Environment protection. C. The importance of history. 19. What happened to King Charles III in 1980? A. He directed a cartoon film. B. He named a type of tree frog. C. He finished a children's book. 20. What do King Charles II and Queen Elizabeth I have in common? A. They are both good at horse riding. B. They are both experts of building. C. They are both talented musicians. 第二部分 阅读理解 (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和 D四个选项中，选出最佳答案。 A Help restore and maintain gardens once tended by the island's military and prison residents. For more than a century, the Alcatraz gardens have served as a symbol of human spirit and sustainable gardening, making them a place of exceptional and lasting significance. We'll preserve the historic gardens, adding life, color, and energy to them while exploring their remarkable past. Stewardship Program Volunteers of all levels of experience help care for the restored gardens with activities such as weeding, composting, planting, and seed collecting. Volunteers must participate on a weekly basis. As an added bonus, volunteers arrive on Alcatraz before other visitors, so you can experience the island during the most peaceful time of day. Please note, registration is required. Time: Every Wednesday or Thursday, 8:00am - 12:00pm. Guide Program This program looks for volunteers to share the extraordinary history of the wonderful gardens with island visitors. Volunteers are trained to lead walking garden tours as well as “Ask the Gardener” casual garden viewing. Training is offered year-round with an experienced instructor providing constructive feedback. You must commit to two shifts each month for at least one year. Time: All the weekends. Requirements ● Volunteers aged 15 and up are welcome. ● We'll be working rain or shine. Wear clothes that can get dirty. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are required. Bring layers for changing weather and rain gear if necessary. ● Bring a personal water bottle and sunscreen. ● No experience necessary. Training and tools will be provided. ● Groups require special arrangements and must be confirmed in advance. Schools and community groups: Fill out the Group Project Request Form. 21. What is the main purpose of the volunteer program? A. To turn the garden into a tourist attraction. B. To sustain the gardens and spread their history. C. To promote the concept of sustainable gardening. D. To provide community opportunities for teenagers. 22. What do the two programs have in common concerning volunteers? A. Working on weekends. B. Arriving before visitors. C. Giving a time guarantee. D. Cooperating with instructors. 23. What is required for individuals to join the programs? A. Dressing for the job. B. Personal gardening tools. C. Getting arrangements confirmed. D. Previous community experience. B In the 2022-2024 season, U.S. beekeepers reported an astonishing decline of their colonies, which was driven by poor nutrition and pesticides. Dr. Ramsey, a scientific expert, believes bees need a new “narrative” — a fresh story that helps the world understand their importance. Through creative methods like songs and documentaries, he aims to “reboot” public understanding of these important pollinators (传粉者). Interestingly, Ramsey's passion for insects started with a deep fear. As a child, he was so afraid of them that he refused to play in the grass. His fear even affected his sleep and he would require his father to “hunt” imaginary monsters (怪兽) in his room before he could finally close his eyes. His parents eventually intervened with a life-changing principle: People fear what they don't understand. They encouraged him to learn about bugs through books. This was a turning point. His fear quickly turned into fascination, and by age seven, he declared his dream of becoming an insect scientist. He realized that insects were not monsters but fascinating creatures with complex lives. As he grew, Ramsey's curiosity shifted toward how different species interact. Today, he is crazy about honey bee parasites, which are small organisms that live on bees and harm them. His work is so influential that he received the Wayfinder Award in 2025 for leading a new age of exploration in this field. Ramsey's journey from a terrified child to a leading explorer shows the power of knowledge. “I have a different way of looking at the world that causes me to ask different questions,” he says. By changing how we see bees, Ramsey is not just saving an insect, he is protecting the future of our ecosystem. 24. Why does Ramsey use creative media in his work? A. To display his talents. B. To track bees' colony losses. C. To record bees' behavior. D. To reshape bees' public image. 25. What can we know about Ramsey from paragraph 2? A. He enjoyed playing in the grass. B. He was consumed by fear of insects. C. He was brave enough to hunt insects. D. He had a strong curiosity about nature. 26. What made Ramsey crazy about insects? A. His parents' intervention. B. Insects' complex lives. C. Knowledge of insects. D. His dream of being a scientist. 27. What is the best title for the text? A. Journey to Overcome Fear B. Bees:from Dying Out to Surviving C. Bee Colonies: from Loss to Recovery D. Transformation from Hater into Protector C When sperm whales communicate with each other, they produce clicks in patterns that may be similar to our own system of language, according to a latest study from CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) and its co-author, David Gruber. When sperm whales communicate — such as when they roll at the surface or prepare for a hunt — they produce rhythmic pulses of clicks called codas. In 2024, CETI discovered that these rhythmic sequences form a kind of “phonetic alphabet”, a rich system of sounds similar to Morse code. When their codas are sped up with the silences removed, they contain elements that function like human vowels. So far, two whale “vowels” have been identified, distinct sounds similar to our “a” and “I”. CETI's linguistics lead, Gašper Beguš, has studied ancient languages like Hittite, Tocharian, and Sanskrit and now focuses on decoding sperm whale communication. His team analyzed over 1,100 sperm whale codas, which were recorded through hydrophones in a wild population of 15 females and calves living off the Caribbean island of Dominica. They found that whale vowels have different lengths, with “a-codas” lasting significantly longer than their “i-codas” — a feature similar to human vowels. Most strikingly, whales show coarticulation: the first click of a whale vowel is sometimes shaped by the one that came before, a key feature that is common in human language. “The findings suggest sperm whale communication is one of the most complex in the animal kingdom, with remarkable similarities to our own language.” Gruber says, “It's a really nice example of the further parallels between animal communication and human language.” He notes that we're already starting to predict simplistic behaviors, like diving, based on their voices, but we still have a long way to go to truly understand their complex communications. 28. What did CETI find about sperm whale codas in 2024? A. They contain human vowels. B. They sound like human speech. C. They lose meaning when sped up. D. They are made mostly for hunting. 29. What does the underlined word “coarticulation” in paragraph 3 probably mean? A. Two sounds have the same length. B. The same sound pattern is repeated. C. Sounds are produced at the same time. D. One sound is influenced by a nearby sound. 30. What does Gruber think of the study findings? A. Limited. B. Decisive. C. Contradictory. D. Significant. 31. What may be discussed in the following paragraph? A. Main factors affecting sperm whale language. B. Practical applications of sperm whale sounds. C. Further research to decode sperm whale language. D. Comparison between various whale communications. D Any birder knows the thrill of identifying a new species. Recently, a woman noticed an unfamiliar woodpecker (啄木鸟). Curious, she fished out her phone and soon got the answer on her phone app. Scientists usually regard curiosity as motivation for discovering new information and learning, noting people tend to seek answers quickly. Previous research showed that when given a choice, people generally opted for the fastest path to resolution. But this picture of curiosity is incomplete. In a study published, the researchers explored whether there are multiple forms of curiosity. More than 2,000 people aged 19 to 76 years were asked to watch a series of short videos, each starting with a blank screen. A line would then appear, gradually taking shape. While the participants watched each video, they were asked to assess their level of inquiring mind about the final form of the drawing, on a scale of 1 to 100. Their responses enabled the researchers to evaluate how curiosity shifted with the unfolding content. Participants were also offered two options: follow the slow progress of the drawing or skip straight to the ending to see the complete image at once. The research found that although natural curiosity can indeed drive an urgent desire for answers, it can also generate more patience, setting people up for moments of discovery. Participants with higher levels of curiosity about the final shape tended to follow its gradual development instead of skipping to the answer. The study underlines the complexity of curiosity, opening new ways for further research. “Considering curiosity as going beyond the need for quick answers also highlights the power of what happens when we engage with uncertainty: pondering (深思) and anticipating answers can improve learning and memory,” said Rooth Moran, leader of the study. “Learning new things can be tough, but taking advantage of curiosity can help us enjoy the process of learning and delight in overcoming challenges as we work out a mystery.” 32. What do scientists generally believe about curiosity? A. It makes people entirely impatient. B. It quickens people's pursuit of answers. C. It slows people's pace of making discoveries. D. It forces people to make an immediate decision. 33. How was participants' curiosity measured in the study? A. By scoring their inner desire. B. By recording their watching times. C. By comparing their watching speeds. D. By observing their instant responses. 34. What is the major finding of the research? A. Less curiosity, more patience. B. Less curiosity, fewer discoveries. C. Curiosity strong, process favored. D. Curiosity strong, result prioritized. 35. What are Rooth Moran's remarks about? A. The value of curiosity in learning. B. The hidden reasons behind curiosity. C. The way to make the most of curiosity. D. The difficulty in overcoming curiosity. 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能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。 Many people hold the fixed opinion that elderly people resist modern digital technology. It is common to see seniors rarely use their mobile phones, or even leave them unused for weeks. They often complain that smartphones, laptops and other digital devices are too complex to master. They doubt the value of modern digital devices, feeling confused when technical problems appear. 36 This outdated stereotype used to be acceptable, but it no longer fits today's reality. 37 With digital devices becoming increasingly user-friendly, the elderly are surprisingly quick to adapt to new technology. Besides, various forms of assistance are available for those who still meet difficulties in digital learning. Public support plays a key role in helping seniors embrace digital life. In many countries, free professional training is provided for the elderly. These courses teach them basic digital skills, including sending emails, sharing photos, shopping online and using various practical services. 38 It turns out that the elderly have gradually relied on them to keep in touch with family and live independently. Apart from daily communication, the elderly also turn to technology for leisure and entertainment. 39 That's just when convenient digital tools step in. Many seniors join social media groups, take part in online puzzle games and make new friends online. Such activities effectively activate their brains and enrich their daily life. More importantly, digital technology offers great support for seniors with limited mobility. It helps them fight loneliness and seek help instantly in emergencies. 40 To top it off, the future will see lower prices and simpler operation, further improving their later life. And the elderly will surely go a long way down this path. A. Seniors are unwilling to learn new technical skills. B. Old people are actually open to modern technology. C. Technology has greatly enriched their spare-time life. D. Instead, they prefer traditional ways like posting letters. E. Extremely popular worldwide are classes for digital tools. F. Abundant spare time drives them to explore and record new life experiences. G. In some regions, intelligent robots even guide and track their daily workouts. 第三部分 语言知识运用 (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和 D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。 A surprising new hobby taught me there's more than one way to be flexible. By my early 40s, I had 41 all the hobbies that were supposed to make me feel better about entering middle age. I had taken a drama class, started learning a new language and 42 myself into a craft, but all the efforts were 43 . And then, at the 44 of my desperation, I decided to sign up for a ballet class. “But you're not very 45 ,” my husband gently reminded me. He wasn't wrong. I nearly 46 myself the one time I tried to lift my leg in an attempt to stretch. But I was determined to give it a try. I needed to 47 that my body was capable of movement and grace. In the first ballet class, my teacher told me that ballet wasn't about being 48 . I hadn't expected any of it to stick. After all, this wasn't my first time in a ballet studio. 49 this time around, the exact same things that had made me flee as a 10-year-old now brought a certain 50 . Whenever I felt bad for my lack of grace, my teacher never failed to remind me that ballet wasn't about perfection, but about 51 for perfection. Slowly, I started becoming 52 more comfortable with the body. My posture still needs refining but the idea that my body is still a work in 53 encourages me. Instead of noticing only the beginnings of older age falling on me, I'm amazed at what my body is capable of as I stand with more 54 and courage. Now when I do my ballet class, I focus on my breathing and move my body in ways that always 55 me and remind me of everything that is possible. 41. A. exhausted B. avoided C. wasted D. missed 42. A. thrown B. taken C. tricked D. broken 43. A. in order B. in secret C. in store D. in vain 44. A. bottom B. height C. end D. start 45. A. patient B. strong C. flexible D. careful 46. A. injured B. depressed C. controlled D. balanced 47. A. assume B. confirm C. resolve D. expect 48. A. honest B. patient C. perfect D. brave 49. A. Or B. So C. And D. But 50. A. joy B. regret C. fantasy D. shame 51. A. asking B. seeking C. waiting D. longing 52. A. nearly B. greatly C. gradually D. totally 53. A. conflict B. deadlock C. demand D. progress 54. A. patience B. confidence C. intelligence D. independence 55. A. trouble B. instruct C. capture D. challenge 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。 In Tanzhesi, Beijing, an ancient town named after the historical Tanzhe Temple, a lively coffee festival was held. A long line of people, especially cyclists, 56 (snake) away from the Snow Peak Cafe's stand, waiting patiently for a taste of their 57 (tailor) offerings — electrolyte Americano (电解质美式咖啡). This scene is showing a quiet revolution 58 modern lifestyle is integrated with rural development in the capital's western suburbs. Last month saw the Tanzhesi Town Coffee Culture Festival 59 (feature) Snow Peak Café, one of several brands that have established 60 (they) in the town in recent years. “This particular product was created specifically for cyclists after intense physical exertion, to help refresh their bodies and energy,” says Zhu Mingbo, owner of the cafe. Its special offerings have earned the cafe widespread 61 (recognize) among the cycling community. “The rise of coffee here was 62 natural effect. At first, it might have just been people bringing their own cups while cycling or sightseeing,” says Zhu. The local administration then picked up on this trend and rolled out 63 (favor) policies to support the local coffee business. The coffee-driven approach is yielding positive results: the town attracted more than 3 million visitors last year. Using coffee as a small 64 powerful point of entry, the festival represents an important step toward building a national-level tourism resort, highlighting the mix of traditional culture and contemporary lifestyles, and strengthening its identity 65 a destination for creative rural development. 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，在学校举办的环保主题海报设计比赛中，你设计的海报获得了一等奖。请你在英语社团活动中分享你的作品，内容包括： (1)作品介绍； (2)参赛感想。 注意： (1)写作词数应为80左右。 (2)可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。 Dear fellow members, ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you for listening! 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。 I've spent my adult life as a college professor teaching people how to think more creatively and use more of their brainpower. Interestingly, this lifetime passion was awakened by a casual contest when I was a child. At a family picnic for employees of the company where my father worked, they held contests for the children. I was 13, full of enthusiasm and the spirit of competition, so I launched myself into the contests. The grand final, the handkerchief-throwing contest, I realize now, was not meant to demonstrate any real skill, but simply for laughs. But it stirred my love of thinking outside the box. The host gave each of the dozen children a cloth handkerchief and told us the winner would be the one who threw it the farthest. The first throwers, the little ones, took mighty wind-ups, but when the cloth left their hands, it opened and flew to the ground a few inches in front of them. The next kids threw harder and harder, but with no better results. The older the children, the more the crowd laughed at the poor results. It was obvious that using the same technique would not work. “Think out of the box!” I said to myself. Suppose I tied a rock inside the handkerchief? No, it was “throw a handkerchief,” not a rock and a handkerchief. When they inspected it, I'd be disqualified. The secret was not to throw harder but to keep the cloth from opening. I had to make the handkerchief fly like a rock. Like a rock! That was it! I began tying the handkerchief around itself to make it small and hard, like a rock. When I approached the line, people were laughing already, anticipating a tall, big boy like me throwing it a few inches. I took a long wind-up, and the balled handkerchief rocketed off into the trees maybe 60 feet away. 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。 Paragraph 1: “That's not fair,” a man said. “It's cheating.” ___________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Paragraph 2: Inspired, the rest kids started to explore other ways to throw farther. _________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 参考答案 1-5 BABAA 6-10 ABCCB 11-15 ACBAC 16-20 BCBCA 21-23 BCA 25-27 DBCD 28-31 BDDC 32-35 BACA 36-40 DBEFG 41-45 AADBC 46-50 ABCDA 51-55 BCDBD 56. snaked/were snaking/was snaking 57. tailored 58. where 59. featuring 60. themselves 61. recognition 62. a 63. favorable 64. but 65. as 第四部分写作(共两节，满分40分) 第一节(满分15分) Dear fellow members, I’m thrilled to share my award-winning poster for the “Go Green” competition. Titled “One Earth, One Future,” it features a split scene: one half shows a lush forest with birds singing, while the other half is a barren land with a single withered tree. A bold slogan, “Act Now or Lose It All,” runs across the middle. I used recycled paper and natural pigments to reinforce the message. Entering this contest made me realize that creativity can be a powerful tool for change. I’m grateful for the recognition, but more importantly, I hope my work inspires all of us to take small daily actions — like saving water and reducing waste — because every effort counts. Thank you for listening! 第2节 (满分25分) Paragraph 1: “That’s not fair,” a man said. “It’s cheating.” Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd. My face burned with embarrassment — had I really broken the rules? But the host, a kind-eyed elderly man, stepped forward and picked up my handkerchief. He examined it carefully, then turned to the audience with a smile. “The rule said ‘throw a handkerchief,’” he announced. “It didn’t say you couldn’t fold it. This young man used his brain, not just his arm. That’s not cheating — that’s creativity!” A round of applause replaced the complaints, and I felt a surge of pride. That moment taught me a lesson I’d carry for life: constraints are not walls, but invitations to think differently. Paragraph 2: Inspired, the rest kids started to explore other ways to throw farther. One girl tied her handkerchief to a small stick and flung it like a spear. Another boy wet his handkerchief and twisted it into a tight rope, sending it spinning through the air like a propeller. Laughter and cheers filled the picnic ground as each child experimented with wild, imaginative methods. Even the little ones, who had failed earlier, now ran back to the line with newfound determination. That day, a simple contest transformed into a celebration of ingenuity. And for me, it ignited a lifelong passion for creative thinking — proving that the best solutions often come from asking, “What if?” 听力录音材料 Text 1 M:If I were an animal, I'd be a cat or a panda. The only thing they need to do is lie about all day! W:Ha-ha, but I want to be a bird. I can fly anywhere without paying for the flight tickets. Text 2 W:Another letter came for you today. Is it from your Japanese friend again? M:I guess so. He is traveling around Europe. Last time I checked, he was in France. It has a stamp from Germany on this one, so he must have moved there. Text 3 W:I don't know what to have for breakfast. I had eggs all last week, but I've had enough of them now! Maybe I should have a meat pie. M:How about pancakes? Didn't you have that yesterday? W:Yes, but I don't know how to make it. Text 4 W:I've written a shopping list. Will you have time to go to the supermarket today? M:Hmm... I doubt it, sorry. I have to finish this report by noon, and I have a three-hour meeting which starts at 1:00 p.m. Text 5 M:Class, your final papers are due at noon this Friday. W:Sir, I was ill last week, so I haven't had much time to write my paper. M:It's OK, Claire. Your mother already emailed me. You have an extra week to finish it. Text 6 W:We've been studying famous Chinese artists at college this year. This term we've been painting in the style of Shen Zhou. M:What sort of things have you done in class? W:We started off by painting fruit and flowers last week. This week we're doing animals. We can choose one of his famous works from history and do our own in a modern style. M:I know he painted birds a lot. Will you paint one of those? W:I will, even though his figure paintings are excellent too. M:Great! I look forward to seeing your work! Text 7 M:Hey, Jane, welcome back. How was your exchange year in Perpignan? W:It was good and bad. M:How so? W:Well, I learned a lot, went to several concerts, and visited lots of museums. M:Sounds great, especially for an art lover such as yourself. W:It was, but it was also very dirty. M:What do you mean? W:There was lots of litter on the streets. And there were also many homeless people asking for money. M:I didn't realize it was such a big issue there. W:Yes. I didn't feel safe at night, so I stayed at home most evenings and read books. I had thought I would go to parties and have a colorful night life before I went there. Text 8 W:I wanted to go on this trip to see the ocean animals, but I'm not enjoying these large waves! I keep getting wet! M:I know. If we keep going up and down like this, I think we may be seasick! W:I didn't know it was going to be this windy. It was calm and sunny yesterday. M:I guess the weather changes all the time around here. Let's hope it doesn't rain. W:Anyway, the guide said he would take us near a small island where dolphins were usually found. But so far, I haven't seen any of them, not even a sea bird. M:Me neither. Oh, yes. Hey! Did you see that movement in the water? Was that a dolphin? W:Where? Oh, I see! It seems to be moving too slowly for a dolphin, and it's a bit too big. M:There it is again! It's a pilot whale! How amazing! Text 9 M:Susan, will you take the vacation that you have wanted for a long time? W:No, James, I won't. I'm only able to go if I complete my project at work. I’m still behind schedule, so I won't be able to take a vacation until next year. M:Oh, that's really unfair. You've been working at that law firm for five years now, and you're always working late. I've never seen you take any paid leave. W:Well, that's how it is as a lawyer. Sometimes we have no work, and sometimes we have to work all the time. But I love what I do, so it's not that bad. M:Oh, I understand. Well, then I guess it won't be so bad for you to wait a little longer. W:Yeah. Besides, if I do really well on this project, I will not only get a longer vacation next year, but get a higher position as well! M:Nice! That's better than the advertising firm where I work. They never want to give me more responsibility! Good luck and don't work too hard! W:Thanks for saying that. M:That's what friends are for! Text 10 King Charles III is the new king of the UK after his mother, Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ, died after ruling for 70 years. After private schooling at Buckingham Palace, King Charles III entered the University of Cambridge in 1967. Four years later, he gained a bachelor's degree. To people's surprise, he is the first person who earned that degree in his family. King Charles III is a talented musician and loves history — particularly the history of old buildings. He has always talked about his worries for the environment in many television shows over the years. In 2012, an endangered type of tree frog was named after him to recognize his work in rainforest protection. He is also a keen writer and has had many papers published. In 1980, he wrote a children's story which was turned into a short cartoon film later. Like his mother, he enjoys horse riding. Both Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ and King Charles III are skilled in this sport. So, what kind of king will Charles III make? Time will tell, but if his mother is anything to go by, the UK is in safe hands. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $