Text 1

M: How was your exam, Emily?

W: I really messed up, Dad. I couldn't answer a lot of the questions.

M: Everybody makes mistakes. Mum and I will always support you!

Text 2

M: Hey, Jessica, I need to improve my English.

W: What needs improvement? Your day-to-day communication skills are great with a good accent.

M：Thanks! But my Business English could be better.

Text 3

W: I'm calling to book a cleaning service for tomorrow.

M: Of course. Are you free at 9:00 tomorrow morning?

W: I'm a little busy at that time. I'll be free two hours later.

M: OK. I'll send someone.

Text 4

M: I've gained so much weight!

W: It's hard to eat less in winter.

M: But you're slim. Do you often go to the gym?

Text 5

M: Are you ready for your tooth-cleaning today?

W: Yeah, but my back tooth hurts. Do you need to take it out?

M: Let me take a closer look. It's fine, but you need to start brushing your teeth three times a day.

Text 6

M:Two dislikes for this film! This is definitely one of the worst films I've ever seen.

W:Yeah, I was really hoping the writers would do something more original. This B-rated film recycles the same predictable and old-school plot.

M: I can't agree more. There are also too many plot holes to count! The action is totally too much, but overall, the acting is decent.

W:Absolutely! I'd give this film two stars.

M:I'll give only one!

Text 7

M: Linda, how's retirement treating you?

W: It's been great. I was always busy teaching in the school before retiring, but now I finally have the time to pursue things I never had time to do, like singing and dancing.

M: Cool! I'm thinking about hanging up my boots pretty soon, too.I'm really tired of making programs all the time.

W: Wow, Jordan, I didn't think that was possible. You've always been such a workhorse.

M: Yeah, but I'm no spring chicken anymore. Besides, it'll be nice to finally slow down and enjoy life, like writing my favorite novels.

W: That sounds great! Just be prepared for a period of adjustment.

M: Yeah.A lot of people seem kind of lost when they first retire. Work is such a big part of our identities. Old habits die hard.

W:They do, but if you can let those attachments go, you can finally taste the fruit of your hard-earned labor.

Text 8

M: Hey, Zoe, check it out! I finally bought an electric vehicle!

W: Nice! How are you liking it compared to your old gas car?

M: I love it. It drives like a dream. It is smooth, quiet and speeds up pretty quickly too.

W: It must be a nice change from your old car then. How often do you have to charge it?

M: Every night. Luckily,the parking lot at my company has charging stations if I forget though.

W: Well, that's convenient. Have you tried the self-driving features?

M: Of course!It can adjust speed according to traffic, so I never have to do any operation.

W: Man, maybe I should get an electric car.

M: You should. How about having a test drive using my car? Here is the key.

W: OK!

Text 9

M: Well, what did you think of my speech, Crystal? Too long or too boring?

W: No, Jason, it was interesting!The delivery could be a little inappropriate at times though.

M: Should I try to memorize the speech instead of reading it then?

W:To be honest, neither option will help you connect with our classmates.

M: But I can't just give a speech off the top of my head!

W: No, (15)but you can work with an outline and use reminding cards to jog your memory

M: Oh, that makes more sense. Anything else?

W: It comes across as a little colorless. You can try to be more active and use hand gestures.

M: Yeah, I suppose I could be more aware of my body language.

W: Right, and it wouldn't kill you to add in a funny story or two. Audiences eat that stuff up!

M: I owe you a coffee after my presentation tomorrow.

Text 10

M:A “quantified living” trend is emerging among young people. They check their smartwatches in the morning to review sleep data, use timer apps during the day to plan study and work, and in the evening, check their ranking on social media step counts...Young people are beginning to manage themselves in a data-driven, visualized manner. Through data analysis, individuals aim to achieve greater self-awareness and refine their lives.Nowadays, many mainstream fitness trackers are priced under a thousand yuan, and numerous smartphones come with built-in health monitoring features.The drop in device costs has made these quantification tools easily accessible. On social media platforms, “quantified living” groups have attracted tens of thousands of members. Users post their personal data charts and share tools and tracking methods, covering everything from personal finance and media consumption to knowledge acquisition. A digital space for sharing treasured memories has also been created. At the end of the year or after exam results are announced, people often share summary charts of their “focus time”over a period to look back on the past and recall their efforts and achievements.