全国重点高中高考模拟试题_2013-2014学年湖南省雅礼中学2013-2014学年高三第一次阶段性测试：英语卷

全国重点高中高考模拟试题_2013-2014学年湖南省雅礼中学2013-2014学年高三第一次阶段性测试：英语卷 2013年下期雅礼中学高三第一次阶段性测试 英语试卷 时量120分钟。满分150分。 PART? LISTENING COMPREHENSION (30 marks) Section A (22.5 marks) Directions: In this section, you’ll hear six conversations between two speakers. For each conversation, there are several questions and each question is followed by three choices marked A, B and C. Listen carefully and then choose the best answer for each question. You will hear the short passage TWICE. Conversation 1 1. What is probably the man’s job? A. An actor. B. A waiter. C. A policeman. 2. Which of the following is true about the woman? A. She is lost. B. She is a New Yorker. C. She works in the Wall Street. Conversation 2 3. What flight doesn’t the man want? A. A morning flight. B. An afternoon flight. C. A night flight. 4. When is the man supposed to get to the airport? A. At 8:35. B. At 9:00. C. At 9:20. Conversation 3 5. What’s the relationship between the two speakers? A. Teacher and student. B. Boss and employee. C. Husband and wife. 6. Which of the following is true about the man? A. He fails his final test. B. He is out of work. C. He gives the students a hard final test. Conversation 4 7. What does the man plan to do on Saturday? A. Go shopping. B. Learn tea culture. C. Visit his grandpa. 8. Where does Mary come from? A. Australia. B. South Africa. C. America. 9. How does the man find the making of hot tea? A. It is boring. B. It is easy. C. It takes time. Conversation 5 10. What’s the woman’s first suggestion for selecting a pet? A. One should be responsible for the pet. B. One should decide what animal to keep as a pet. C. One should consider his lifestyle and living conditions. 11. How does the woman find the choice of keeping a dog as a pet? A. Wonderful. B. Complex. C. Easy. 12. What will probably happen after the conversation? A. The man will discover a perfect pet. B. The woman will help the man with the choice of pets. C. The man will think more about whether to keep a pet. Conversation 6 13. What does the man think of the performance? A. The leading actor is perfect. B. The chorus is better. C. The acting is a bit stiff. 14. Why did the man come to the play? A. His previous workmate is in the play. B. He admires the director of the film. C. He likes Ophelia very much. 15. What does the man’s friend invite him to do? A. Meet his past classmate. B. Ask the star for signature. C. Attend a big party for the cast. Section B (7.5 marks) Directions: In this section, you will hear a short passage. Listen carefully and then fill in the numbered blanks with the information you have heard. Fill in each blank with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS. You will hear the short passage TWICE. A Visit to a Modern Village Aim To expect 16 from the noisy city. What to visit , Numbers of newly-built cottages, 17 each other by impressive gardens. , Many recreational 18 : Only city enjoyed in the past. , Many surprising changes that computer-aided robots have made 19 . Service to offer A rural “home stay service”: Living in the grandly-decorated house, sharing cars, swimming pools, net-connected computers and many 20 electrical household appliances. PART? LAGUAGE KNOWLEDGE (45 marks) Section A (15 marks) Directions: For each of the following unfinished sentences there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that best completes the sentence. 21. —When did your computer break down? —This morning, while I _______ the reading materials downloaded from some websites. A. have sorted B. was sorting C. am sorting D. had sorted 22. You should treat him in the way _______ suits him most. A. that B. in which C. / D. why 23. Though _______ to see us, the professor gave us a warm welcome. A. surprising B. was surprised C. surprised D. being surprised 24. —Oh, that must have been a long journey for you. —Yeah, it _______ us a whole week to get there. A. has taken B. took C. was taking D. takes 25. In a chat room named Online Friends, Simon started talking to someone _______ to be a poor 15-year-old junior high student called Josh. A. being claimed B. claimed C. having claimed D. claiming 26. Was it in just the room _______ he made up his mind _______ he should break away from his family? A. that; which B. which; that C. which; which D. that; that 27. Many rescue workers were working around the clock, _______ supplies to Ya’an, Yunnan Province after the earthquake. A. sending B. to send C. having sent D. to have sent 28. Scientists say it may be five or six years _______ it is possible to test this medicine on human patients. A. since B. after C. before D. when 29. Food and water supplies _______ in the flood-stricken area in Northeast China. We must act immediately before there’s none left. A. have been run out B. are running out C. are being run out D. have run out. 30. —I haven’t got the reference book yet, but I’ll have a test on the subject next month. —Don’t worry. You _______ have it by Wednesday. A. could B. must C. shall D. may 31. I didn’t mean _______ anything, but those newly-made cakes smelt so good that I couldn’t resist _______ one. A. to eat; trying B. to eat; to try C. eating; trying D. eating; to try 32. —Presley, are you coming with us to the concert tonight? —I’d love to, but something unexpected _______. A. has come up B. was coming up C. had come up D. would come up 33. _______ the activities might seem childish, in reality they require a lot of strength and determination. A. When B. As C. While D. Once 34. _______ I had a few problems to deal with. A. Hardly have I arrived when B. Hardly did I arrive than C. Hardly had I arrived when D. Hardly had I arrived than 35. _______ around the Water Cube, we were then taken to see the Bird’s Nest during the first day of our journey. A. Having shown B. To be shown C. Having been shown D. To show Section B (18 marks) Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in the blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. Girls are born to imagine, particularly those at the age of seventeen or eighteen. 36 , I was one of them and sometimes I would go to extremes. That was exactly what happened several days ago, 37 me great embarrassment. I was waiting for my train home at the station when a boy 38 at my side. His beautifully-curved face, his fashionable clothing and everything else about him, was so 39 that I just couldn’t help gazing at him. What was more exciting was that, he was also stealing some 40 at me, which made me blush (脸红) to the ends of my ears! Still, I tried to be calm and 41 that nothing had happened. However, once again when our eyes met, I could hear my heart beating wildly, with an inner voice yelling, “Oh, my goodness, he is driving me crazy!” Shortly, I lowered my head to escape his eyes, but my thoroughly red face had revealed 42 . To my pleasant surprise, my imagination came true this time, as the handsome . Look at me. I am so sweaty and guy was drawing near! “Oh, please! Don’t 43 sloppy (不整洁的). Please don’t ask for my telephone number. You know I will give it to you without 44 , and that is so unladylike!” I was still struggling and trembling when he stood right in front of me. “Excuse me...” he said with a slight hesitation. His voice was so nice, but I wish I had not 45 it, for in the end, he said: “I am sorry, but could you please give me my 46 back? Yours is over there.” Oh, my God! Nothing could have been more embarrassing when I handed his bag back to him, as shame almost brought me to tears. From that, I drew a big 47 : never imagine too much if someone gives you a few glances. 36. A(Generally B(Finally C(Undoubtedly D(Recently 37. A. causing B. leading C. taking D. helping 38. A(made up B(grew up C(turned up D(rose up 39. A(attractive B(gentle C(ugly D(rude 40. A(words B(sounds C(smiles D(glances 41. A(thought B(pretended C(behaved D(acted 42. A(nothing B(something C(anything D(everything 43. A(arrive B(hide C(approach D(stand 44. A(hesitation B(words C(concern D(enthusiasm 45. A(heard B(seen C(smelt D(known 46. A(luggage B(bag C(cup D(glasses 47. A(picture B(lesson C(breath D(character Section C (12 marks) Directions: Complete the following passage by filling in each blank with one word that best fits the context. In America, many high schools and universities require students to complete certain community service hours. In the schools located 48 Washington, students complete around sixty community service hours. There are schools in Michigan 49 students are asked to complete around 90 community service is observed that the community service hours for high school hours. 50 students will help them learn the organizational skills as 51 as leadership abilities. There are many community service ideas for students. Helping the old is 52 task which can be done by students. They can visit elderly citizen centers and help the elderly with the daily needs. In addition, helping poor children and taking care of homeless people are also good ideas. Besides the human beings, 53 should be concerned about other problems. For example, guide people to use environment-friendly items. Try to fight the global issue of pollution 54 seeking help from political parties and the government. Make sure 55 there is general cleanliness in their locality to prevent the spread of diseases. PART ? READI NG COMPREHENTION (30 marks) Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage. A Mary Cassatt was born in Pennsylvania in 1844. When she was seven, her family moved to Europe. They wanted their children to understand European ways and the people who lived there. They travelled a lot and she had visited many countries by the time she was 10 years old. After four years they returned to America. In those days, women didn’t have professions, and there were very few women artists. Her family did not approve when she decided that she would become an artist. She studied first in Philadelphia. She happened to be in Chicago in 1871 when the huge fire broke out there. She lost many of her paintings in that fire. She went to Paris to study painting. She met Camille Pissarro there. He taught her Impressionism, a method of painting where the artists used small strokes (笔画) of unmixed colors to create an image. She once said of Pissarro that “he could have taught stones to draw correctly” because he was such a good teacher. She spent a lot of time at the Louvre Museum copying paintings of the famous artists. In 1874, her sister, Lydia, came to live with her in Paris. Lydia was her best friend and posed for many of Mary’s paintings. Three years later, her parents came to Paris, also to live with them. Lydia became very ill and died from a disease. Mary missed her very much. Her parents became elderly and she cared for them, but she still found time to paint. One of the more interesting works of Mary Cassatt is her painting, Portrait of Mrs. Curry, Sketch of Mr. Cassatt. Though she never had children of her own, she loved children and painted portraits of the children of her friends and family. She became known as the painter of mothers and children. She lost her sight due to cataracts(白内障) in her eyes in 1914 and was not able to paint during the later years of her life. 56( Why did Mary Cassatt’s family move to Europe when she was seven years old? A. The family planned to make a living there. B. The family wanted to visit some European artists. C. The family took their children to study art. D. The family wanted their children to learn about Europe. 57. The underlined part in the third paragraph means_______________. A. Pissarro was a gifted painter. B. Pissarro was good at teaching drawing. C. Pissarro was skillful at painting stones. D. Pissarro has a unique drawing style. 58. From the passage, we can learn that Cassatt _______________. A. was supported by her parents when she wanted to be an artist. B. displayed some of her Impressionist painting at the Louvre Museum. C. invited all her family to live with her in Paris in 1874. D. became famous as the painter of mothers and children. 59. The passage is organized in the pattern of _______________ A. time and events B. comparison and contrast C. cause and effect D. definition and classification 60. What is the passage mainly about? A. A brief introduction to Mary Cassatt. B. The main works of Mary Cassatt. C. The influence of Impressionism on Mary Cassatt. D. Mary Cassatt’s love for her family. B The number of big-production movies shot in San Francisco has tapered off with the rise of digital technology. Instead of going on location, producers can recreate the city’s look in studios with the help of computers at lower cost. But San Francisco still attracts moviemakers, as its long history of film offers plenty of iconic(标志性的) spots to visit. Here are just a few: Alcatraz: The Enforcer (1976), Escape From Alcatraz(1979), Murder in the First (1995), The Rock (1996) federal prison from 1934 to 1963, Alcatraz housed notorious(臭名昭著A 的)criminals. Now a national park, Alcatraz offers visitors a chance to tour the prison, including a look at one of the cells portrayed in Clint Eastwood’s Escape from Alcatraz, with the concrete chipped away behind the vent(通风孔). Fort Point, Golden Gate Bridge: High Anxiety (1977), Foul Play (1978), The Presidio(1988), Dopamine(2003) Built to protect the San Francisco Bay area from attacks during the Civil War, Fort Point is where James Stewart saved Kim Novak in Vertigo, right at the base. The bridge has also been blown up countless times on films, including in X-Men: The last Stand (2006) and Monsters vs. Aliens (2009). The best view is from the north side, looking back to the city. Coit Tower: The Enforcer, Inner Space(1987), The Presidio, Sister Act 2(1993), The Rock, Dr. Dolittle (1998), Boys and Girls(2003) The narrow white concrete column at the top of Telegraph Hill has been a part of San Francisco’s skyline since 1933, and offers amazing views of the bay and the city. Coit Tower has been in the backdrop of numerous movies filmed in San Francisco. City Hall: A view to a Kill(1985), Class Action(1991), Final Analysis(1992), Bedazzled(2000), The Wedding Planner(2001), Milk(2008) City Hall has one of the largest domes in the world and it replaced a structure destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. It was used at the end of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and Metro City Hall in the 2010 animated movie, Megamind, was an homage (敬意) to San Francisco’s City Hall. 61. The underlined words in the first paragraph mean_______________. A. fallen off B. blocked off C. paid off D. set off 62. Which of the following was built during the Civil War? A. Alcatraz B. Fort Point C. Coit Tower D. City Hall 63. What can we learn about Coit Tower? A. The best view is from the north side, overlooking the whole city. B. It was portrayed in Clint Eastwood’s Escape from Alcatraz. C. It is a part of San Francisco’s wonderful skyline. D. It was rebuilt after the earthquake in 1906. 64. What can we conclude from the passage? A. San Francisco is cherished site for moviemakers. B. Fort Point is related to some notorious criminals in history. C. City Hall is the most famous landmark in San Francisco. D. More and more big-production movies are being shot in San Francisco with the development of digital technology. 65. This passage is most likely to be found in the __________ section of a newspaper. A. people B. science C. adventure D. travel C A white shark shipped from New York and placed into an outdoor pool for a Kmart commercial in Los Angeles died after showing signs of distress, an official from the animal welfare group that monitored the production said on Thursday. The American Humane Association (AHA), which certifies film and TV productions with animals, says everything possible was done to ensure the 1.5 meter shark's safety. The shark's death follows lots of criticism of the use of animals in Hollywood productions. The animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which said it received details on the shark's death from two whistleblowers (揭发者), criticized the AHA in a letter over the shark's death. "Sharks are sensitive animals who, in captivity(囚禁), require a highly specialized and controlled environment," the PETA letter read. "Given the delicate nature of this species, why would the AHA approve the transport and use of this animal?" The shark was placed into a 227- liter outdoor tank in the Van Nuys suburb of Los Angeles, said Karen Rosa, a senior adviser of the AHA. She added that was a good amount of water for it. "We honestly don't know why the animal died. It was not being mistreated. It was not being harmed," Rosa said. Early in the day, the shark seemed to be in good condition, but at one point they noticed it showed signs of distress. "As far as I know, it was immediately insisted upon that the animal receive specialized aquatic veterinarian(兽医) care," she said. Oxygen was pumped into the tank and the shark was given a shot to try to stabilize it before it was transferred to an aquatic compound for care, where it died the same day, Rosa said. The shoot was for a Kmart commercial, but a representative for the retailer could not disclose any details. "We take this matter seriously and safety is always our first concern," the spokesman for Kmart said in a statement. 66. The shark was shipped to Los Angeles for _______________. A. a study by the AHA B. a business activity C. a film about animals D. a project by an animal welfare group 67. From the passage, we can learn that PETA_______________. A. monitor films and TV productions that have animals B. sent a representative to the scene of the shoot C. believed the shark received specialized care D. didn’t think the shark was transferred very well 68. What does Karen Rosa think of AHA? A. It had done all that it needed to do. B. It was against the rights of the animals. C. It was not connected with the shark’s death. D. It should be responsible for the shoot. 69. What can we infer from the passage? A. The shark died due to a lack of water. B. Kmart was first to notice that the shark was showing signs of distress. C. Kmart claimed to ensure the animals’ safety but didn’t do it very well. D. The shark was given a highly specialized environment in captivity. 70. What is the best title for the passage? A. Sharks Should be Forbidden for Commercial B. PETA Tries to Stop Shooting With Animals C. Sharks Are Sensitive Animals in Captivity D. Shark Brought to Los Angeles for Commercial Dies PART ? WRITING (45 marks) Section A (10 marks) Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in the numbered blankets by using the information from the passage. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Acting is voluntarily entering the psyche(心灵) of another personality and thinking according to a different set of values. It allows you explore the various possibilities of what you could be. Just being your own can be boring at times but acting gives you an opportunity to be someone else for a while. It lets you deeply explore what it means to be human! To play a role, you must embrace(接受) the character you’re acting with open arms. Understand the plot of the play and the psyche of your character. Try to understand why your character behaves the way it does. Learn the lines or dialogues thoroughly and explore the thought behind every sentence. This will help you picture the circumstances in which the character finds itself. To be that person, there is no way you can live the life he or she has, but you can draw parallels(相似点) from our own life, which will help you relates to the person. You have to draw parallels from your own experience and actually try to feel what the character feels. Say the lines only when you “feel” the way your character does. Let them come out naturally. Only through practice will you get closer to actually be that person, and many acting exercises can help you. Try saying the dialogue giving the correct facial expressions in front of a mirror. Learn the techniques of raising as well as lowering your voice. Practice acting out the expressions like joy, sorrow, laughter, anger, disapproval, satisfaction etc. these facial expressions if mastered well, can make your acting experience happy. In short, your experience off stage and the awareness with which you live your life are the keys you need to unlock your acting potential. Confidence, sincerity and the ability to let go of yourself will turn into a great acting performance. Title: How to act 71 of ? Exploring the various possibilities of what you could be acting ? Avoiding 72 by being someone else for a while ? Exploring the 73 of being human Tips Embracing ? understanding 74 and your character’s for your character psyche acting ? knowing the reasons for your character’s behavior ? reading between the lines Drawing parallels ? experiencing your character’s feelings by drawing parallels from your own experience ? saying the dialogue as 75 your character does 76 ? giving correct facial expressions while saying lines before 77 ? Learning how to 78 your voice ? acting out different expressions 79 You can perform well as long as you are 80 and can let go of yourself. Section B (10 marks) Directions: Read the following passage. Answer the questions according to the information given in the passage and required words limit. Write your answers on your answer sheet. David Jones is probably not somebody you want to hang out with. Not because he isn’t a cool person, but because he is living with 40 deadly snakes. Jones is living in a room for 121 days with more than three dozen constrictors, green mambas, boomslangs and other deadly snakes in an attempt to set a Guinness world record. The record for most days spent confined to a room with this particular number of snakes is 113, set by Martin Smit in 2008. “I am hoping people will realize that we can live with these fantastic creatures without fearing and killing them. People come and see me here and are constantly amazed at how I am interact with these animals. The snakes are not restrained in any way and make the full use of the entire room including my bed, shower and toilet,” Jones explains. They mainly hide out in cupboards or on the various makeshift (临时 的)branches or bushes that Jones has in their shared quarters. Once a week, someone brings captured mice and rats to offer as a sacrifice to the snakes. David Jones is forced to move the snakes with a “hook stick” throughout the day, so that he can do things like sitting at his desk or typing on his laptop, his only means of contacting the outside world. The snakes often drop on his pillow or shoulders as he’s trying to work or sleep, but there have so far been no instances of Jones being bitten by one of these deadly snakes. He said, “if I give them respect, we can live together happily.” Jones is doing this for charity. All the money raised will go to a hospice(收容 所) in his hometown of Crawley, near London. 81. What are constrictors, mambas and boomslangs? (no more than 5 words) _____________________________________________________________________ 82. How is David Jones staying in touch with other people? (no more than 5 words) _____________________________________________________________________ 83. Why don’t the snakes bite Jones? (no more than 6 words) _____________________________________________________________________ 84. What are the purposes of David Jones’s doing so? (no more than 15 words) _____________________________________________________________________ Section C (25 marks) Directions: Write an English composition according to the instructions given below in Chinese. 在生活中，我们都需要或者不得不独立地去做一件事情。请你就此写一篇英 语短文。内容应包括:1. 你独立完成某事的经历;2、你当时的心情; 3、你的 感想。 注意:1、词数不少于120; 2、不能使用真实姓名和学校名称。 参考答案 (听力原文及答案) 听力原文 材料1 M: Excuse me. Are you lost? W: Yes, I am, sir. I’m not a New Yorker. I’m a visitor. M: Where are you going? W: I’m going to the Wall Street. M: That’s easy. You aren’t far from there. Just walk three blocks that way. 材料2 M: Are there any planes to London on Sunday? W: If you’ll excuse me for a second, I’ll check. M: By the way, I don’t want a night flight. W: There’s a China Air at 9:20. M: When am I supposed to check in? W: You must be there before 8:35. 材料3 M: How are you, Mrs. Brandon? W: Pretty good. How are you doing? M: Not so good. I lost my job today. W: I’m sorry to hear that. M: How are your students doing? W: They are very nervous about their final test. M: I remember you gave our class a hard final test in my first year of college. Many of us failed. But I really learned a lot from you. You see, I can speak very good English now. W: Thank you for saying so. 材料4 M: Hi, Mary. Are you free on Saturday? W: Hmm, I am not doing anything this weekend. But why? M: I’d like to buy a set of tea ware. How about going with me? W: That’s great! I’m fond of Chinese tea culture. Besides, you may help me choose one set of my grandpa. He loves tea. M: With pleasure. By the way, are there any people drinking tea in your country? W: Well, many, I should say. But we Americans love cold tea and usually drink with sugar or lemon in it. M: That’s a lot different. I guess that’s because you are too busy to wait for the making of hot tea. W: I think you are right. Mm, how is tea made in your country? M: It’s more than I could describe. But it takes long to prepare the tea ware and boil the water. W: That’s very interesting! 材料5 M: I want a pet. What’s your suggestion? W: A pet? Oh, first you have to make sure that you can take full responsibility for the pet. Don’t get a pet on momentary enthusiasm. M: You bet! I’ve considered the question thoroughly. W: Then it’s time to decide what animal to keep as a pet. M: Maybe a dog. W: It’s really a wonderful choice. However, you’d better consider your lifestyle and living conditions before making the decision. M: It’s not as easy as I expected. W: Yes, there are no easy ways of selecting a pet. It takes time and work before you discover your perfect pet. M: It’s too complex. I’ll consider it further. Will you help me if I have other questions? W: Sure. Good luck! 材料6 M: So, are you enjoying the performance so far? W: Well, the costumes and the set are splendid, but the acting is a bit stiff. What do you think? M: I think you are being a little critical. The actor in the lead role is fantastic. I suppose the chorus could be a litter better, though. W: Do you know anyone in the play? M: Actually, the woman playing Ophelia is a past classmate of mine. W: Really? Is that why you wanted to come to the play? M: That’s only part of it. I absolutely adore the director. Every play he works on turns out great. W: So you’ve seen other plays that he’s directed? M: Quite a few actually. By the way, after the play, there’s always a big party for the cast and their friends. My friend has invited us. Do you want to go? W: Sure, I’d love to meet the cast! 材料7 Hello, everyone! I’d like to introduce another tour to you all. That is to visit a modern village not far from our city. With the fast development of the modern agriculture, the rural area is no longer what it used to be. A visit to one of the modern villages is a must if you expect a good escape from the noisy city. Entering the village, you’ll find numbers of newly-built cottages, separated from each other by impressive gardens. Around the village, there are many recreational attractions that only city people enjoyed in the past, such as cozy cafes, lively bars and exciting free falls and so on. Also, you can see many surprising changes that computer-aided robots have made in farming. You’ll be offered a rural “home stay service”, and you can live in the grandly-decorated houses. To your astonishment, you can even share cars, swimming pools, net-connected computers and many computer-controlled electrical household appliances as well. If you do make a visit to the village, you’ll relax yourselves and enjoy a great view of the surrounding rural area. 答 案 听力: 1---15:CACAA BACCA ACABC 16. a good escape 17. separated from 18. attractions 19. in farming 20. computer-controlled 单项: 21---35:BACBD DACBC AACCC 完形1: 36-40 CACAD 41-45 BDCAA 46-47 BB 完形2: 48. in 49. where 50. It 51. well 52. a 53. they 54. by 55. that 阅读理解: 56-60 DBDAA 61-65 ABCAD 66-70 BDACD 阅读填空: 71. Benefits /Advantages 72. feeling bored/getting bored 73. meaning 74. the play plot 75. naturally 76. Practicing 77. a mirror 78. raise and lower 79. Conclusion/Summary 80. confident and sincere 阅读简答 81. They are deadly snakes. 82. By using his laptop./Through his laptop. 83. Because he gives them respect./ Because he respects them. 84. To set a Guinness world record and to raise money for charity./ He wants to set a Guinness world record and to raise money for charity 作文: One possible version: It was during a weekend. Mum gave me two tickets for a film and told me she was too busy with the endless housework to go with me. She told me to keep the money if I could sell the extra ticket. I was very happy, of course. At that time, a ticket only cost 10 yuan. But to me, a little girl of 11, that seemed quite a lot. I reached the cinema in a great hurry. Holding the ticket in my hand, I began to look for a buyer. At first I was so ashamed to speak out to the people passing by. I felt so awkward. But eventually I plucked up my courage and started to talk to others. After several trying, I did sell out the ticket. I felt so happy and excited not only because of the money but I did that alone. I learned the importance of independence. Independence means the reliance on yourself in spirit. In daily life, we think in our own way, we settle difficulties with our own methods, and improve them if necessary. In my opinion, independence is a mature life-system that can help us live as easy and nice as we can.