如东高级中学2020-2021学年第一学期高一年级阶段测试（含答案）

如东高级中学2020-2021学年第一学期高一年级阶段测试（一）

英语试题

（时间：120分钟 总分：150分）

第I卷

第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）

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，并标在试卷的相应位置。听完每段对话后，你都有 10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。

1. Why does the man need a map?

A.To tour Manchester. B. To find a restaurant. C.To learn about China.

2.What does the woman want to do for vacation?

A. Go to the beach. B.Travel to Colorado. C.Learn to snowboard.

3.What will the man probably do?

A. Take the job. B.Refuse the offer. C.Change the working hours.

4.What does the woman say about John?

A.He won't wait for her. B.He won't come home today. C.He will be late for dinner.

5.What will the speakers probably do next?

A.Order some boxes. B.Go home and rest. C.Continue working.

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，并标在试卷的相应位置。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。听第6段材料，回答第6和第7题。

6.How does the woman usually go to work?

A. By car. B. By bus. C.By train.

7.What do the speakers agree about taking the train?

A. It is safer. B. It is faster. C.It is cheaper.

听第7段材料，回答第8至第10题。

8.What does the man suggest the woman do?

A. Save up for the car. B.Go to another car dealer. C.Ask someone to check the car.

9.What is the salesman going to do?

A. Give a discount(折扣）B. Stick to a high price. C. Ask for cash payment.

10. How will the man help the woman?

A. Lend money to her. B. Drive her car home. C. Take care of her car.

听第8段材料，回答第11至第13题。

11.What does the woman think of the cost of living in the city?

A.Fairly low. B.Just Okay. C.Very high.

12. What does the woman spend most on?

A. Meals. B. Trains. C.Clothes.

13.What does the woman do in her free time?

A. See films. B.Travel around. C.Go for a drink.

听第9段材料，回答第14至16题。

14. What will Rebecca do on June 12?

A.Go on a business trip.

B.Organize a trade exhibition.

C.Meet the people from Head Office.

15.What is John preparing for the meeting?

A.A report. B. A timetable. C.A speech.

16. When do the speakers decide to have the meeting?

A.On June 3. B. On June 10. C. On June 17.

听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。

17.What did the speaker decide to do after lunch that day?

A. Stay to help her friend.

B. Walk alone to her car.

C.Wait for the train to stop.

18. What can we learn about the speaker then?

A. She worked at a hotel.

B. She had bought a new car.

C.She was due(预期）to give birth soon.

19.Where did the speaker meet the taxi passenger?

A.At a crossroads. B.In front of a hotel. C. Besides a car park.

20.What does the speaker talk about?

A.An exciting lunch party.B.A well-known short story. C.An unforgettable experience.

第二部分 阅读理解（共两节，满分50分）

第一节 (共15题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分）

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

A

World Series, the United States

A century's worth of the World Series has seen many exciting matches. To get to the series, each of the 32 teams in the major leagues must experience a 162-game season, followed by three playoffs(季后赛）．The first is a best-of-five series, followed by two best-of-seven series.

Super Bowl, the United States

The Super Bowl is so big that even the commercial advertisements are worth watching.When it was held for the first time in 1967, there were plenty of empty seats and it attracted a small TV audience. It is the competition between the top team from the American Football Conference and the top team from the National Football Conference for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

24 Hours of Le Mans, France

Skill,speed and stamina(耐力）are the three dimensions that mark the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The competition is set on a non-permanent track at Circuit de la Sarthe near the city of Le Mans in France. The winner is the car, driven by a team of three drivers, which covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. The first Le Mans contest took place in May 1923. Today it is held every June.

Polo at Palermo,Argentina

Argentine polo is considered the best in the world. It's no wonder the Argentine Open Championship(冠军） is the top draw for the sport's best players and fans. The tournament, first known as the River Plata Polo Championship, takes place between late November and early December. First held in 1893, the tournament is older than the tango.

21. What do we know about the Super Bowl?

A. Its ads are the best.

B.It is a championship game.

C.Few people watch it now.

D.The Vince Lombardi Trophy is its official name.

22.What kind of race is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?

A.A motorcycle race

B.A cycling race

C.A car race

D.A long-distance running race

23. Which of the four sporting events has the longest history?

A.The World Series

B.The Super Bowl

C.The 24 Hours of Le Mans

D.The Polo at Palermo

B

I think my hometown Belarus is a lucky place because it doesn't experience dangerous natural disasters such as volcano eruptions, earthquakes, or hurricanes.

However,sometimes spring floods happen in low areas of my town. It can be strong enough to damage crop fields, roads, and plants. Moreover, it is dangerous for the livestock (牲畜） which might die in the water. As you can see, a flood is rather harmful for the countryside.

In the summer time, hail (冰雹） and heavy rainstorms visit Belarus, but they never cause serious damage to buildings or people's deaths. Even though some trees or other plants might be uprooted(连根拨出） or destroyed, people actually don't pay a lot of attention to these disasters because they don't occur very often.

In winter, we sometimes experience snowstorms with heavy snow and strong winds. Several years ago,for instance,people couldn't arrive at their jobs because a lot of snow was on the streets.Schools were closed on that day,but children weren't anxious about it. They really enjoyed the snow mountains outdoors.

As for me,I was unhappy about that day. My apartment building is located on a hill. It isn't big, so I had never had any problems with driving a car near my home. However, it took me almost two hours to arrive home from the foot of the hill because there was so much snow on the road that my car couldn't move. I had to ask people in the street to help me to push the car out of the snow. Later, when everything was over, my friends and I were laughing when we imagined how funny I was while pushing a heavy car.

As you may notice,natural disasters in my country depend on the seasons of the year. Although we experience several kinds of natural weather conditions, they are not very dangerous. And people often try to have fun during or after them.

24.What happens in the spring in the author's town?

A.Hurricanes

B.Floods

C.Rainstorms

D.Snowstorms

25.Why do people pay little attention to heavy rainstorms or hail in summer?

A. Because they are not common in the town.

B. Because it never snows in the summer.

C.Because they cause no trouble to the livestock.

D.Because there are few people in the town.

26.What was the children's feeling towards the snowstorm in winter?

A. Worried

B.Alarmed

C.Excited

D.Encouraged

27.What can we infer about the people in the town?

A. They are rude to strange people.

B. They are fond of the cold life in winter.

C.They are unsatisfied with their life.

D.They are willing to help others.

C

A long time ago,I would never have believed that a fish market could be a happy workplace.How could anybody be happy in such circumstances? How could you "give it your all", have fun,and do amazing deals in such a cold, smelly place?

I'm not used to being cold and I don't like the smell of fish, but little did I know what was about to happen.

On my first day as HR and training manager at a new company (a few years ago), one of the directors sat me down.He explained to me that the company had embraced the Fish philosophy and that it wanted all its staff training programs to be built around it.

Without wasting another minute,my friend took me to the training room and started playing a video. What I saw was unlike anything I had ever come across before. A bunch of guys working at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle made it such a happy place that office workers from nearby buildings would spend their lunchtimes watching the fishmongers(鱼贩） at work.

A few years later, during a visit to the U.S.,I insisted on going to Seattle.I wanted to see for myself that it wasn't all an act for the camera, and that the fish market was really as happy as it looked on film.

On an icy-cold day I finally stood in front of the fish market. Everything I'd seen in the video was happening right in front of me: the fishmongers threw fish around and joked with customers.

They talked to each potential customer as if he or she was the only person in the world, and made them part of the fun. They paid attention to the children in the line,and made everyone around them laugh. It was true:a group of ordinary people had made a fish market look like it was one of the happiest workplaces on earth.

During this visit I realized that the way people treat others is an important factor(要素） in determining how happy a workplace is. Of course, the physical environment also plays a role,but poor relationships can spoil the most beautiful and luxurious workplace. And strong relationships between people who care for and respect each other can make an uncomfortable physical environment much more bearable.

28. What did the author think of the fish market?

A. He thought it was a smelly and cold place.

B.He regarded it as an amazing place to play.

C. He believed it was a happy place to work.

D.He treated it as a funny place to share with friends.

29.Why did the author insist on going to Seattle?

A. Because he wanted to buy some fish from the fish market in Seattle.

B.Because he would like to work in the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle.

C.Because he wanted to find out whether the happiness in the fish market was real.

D.Because he would rather go out to Seattle than stay at the hotel.

30. What did the author see in the fish market?

A. The fish market was full of laughter and happiness.

B.The fish workers were quarreling about the quality of fish.

C.The customer was the only person in the world to buy fish.

D.The fishmongers and customers were making a film about the fish market.

31.Which of the following factors determines how happy a workplace is?

A. The quality of the product

B.The emotion of the boss

C.The relationship among customers

D.The way people treat others

D

Over the past five decades mosquito(蚊子）populations in parts of the U.S. have increased by a factor of 10－ a worrying situation with great possibilities of the spread of diseases and some places are actually more vulnerable than others. A new study published last October in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that in Baltimore poor neighborhoods bear the biggest problem: They have not only more mosquitoes but also larger ones, which often survive longer. The problem most likely is rooted in the fact that Baltimore has nearly 17,000 abandoned(废弃的）buildings,which are concentrated in poor areas and serve as convenient breeding(繁殖） place for mosquitoes.

Researchers at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, N.Y., and the University of Maryland trapped Asian tiger mosquitoes in five Baltimore neighborhoods over three years. This species, introduced to the U.S.in 1987, is now the most common in many American cities. The researchers found that the insects grow larger in poor blocks and tend to live longer, as a result of which they could bring higher disease risks. They also found that poor blocks in Baltimore are 72 percent more likely to have Asian tiger mosquitoes than rich blocks are and have larger mosquito populations.

The researchers say poor blocks produce more and larger mosquitoes because they have more abandoned buildings than wealthy blocks do and are more heavily littered with thrown-away containers(容器）that collect standing water. And water that pools in degraded buildings is protected by shade-which helps mosquitoes grow larger. Some cities' efforts to plant trees in poor blocks may worsen the problem: Trees and shrubs not only shade outdoor breeding pools but also shed leaves into the water and feed the young mosquito, helping them grow bigger.If mosquito-borne diseases start to spread more widely in U.S. cities,the new study shows poor neighborhoods could be hit especially hard.

Cities need to focus more mosquito-control efforts on these areas. Urban health departments typically educate homeowners about the importance of emptying water out of outdoor containers. But nobody empties those in or around abandoned buildings, and so far most municipalities(市下的自治区）have not been willing to take on the job. “It is something that is fairly difficult for a city to address because it's really expensive to go into private properties(房产）and clean them up," says Dina Fonseca, a molecular ecologist at Rutgers University. Yet if these properties become breeding grounds not only for annoying mosquitoes but also for dangerous diseases, officials' calculus may need to shift.

32. What does the underlined word“vulnerable” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A.Often ignored

B.Easily harmed

C.Heatedly discussed

D.Widely misunderstood

33.What did the researchers find about poor Baltimore blocks?

A. They failed to control all kinds of mosquitoes.

B.They were looked down on due to mosquitoes.

C.They hosted bigger and more dangerous mosquitoes.

D.They had a higher death rate caused by mosquitoes.

34.What may be bad to poor Baltimore blocks though it is commonly thought to be good?

A.Planting trees in blocks

B.Clearing abandoned buildings

C.Reducing standing water nearby

D.Clearing the piles of rubbish

35. What does the author say about controlling mosquitoes in the last paragraph?

A. Local people are too poor to afford it.

B.Urban health departments have done enough.

C.Homeowners refuse to empty water out of outdoor containers.

D.Local governments should take on more responsibility.

第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，共12.5分）

根据短文内容，从短文后的七个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。

Dogs do not see the world in the same way that we do. They rely on their body language for communication. Read on to see the ways they SHOW their feelings and emotions through their actions and behaviors!

How They Bark

There are several reasons dogs bark. If it is loud and frequent, it might be something urgent. Perhaps they sense danger and want to let you know. 36 Loud barking can also mean that they are in pain. Make sure to pay attention to figure it out!

On Your Feet

37 It might be a little annoying,but your dogs mean well! This is their way to show their love and loyalty. They only want to be as close to you as possible. It is behavior that they got from their ancestors when they used to run as a pack.

Eye Movement

In certain ways,dogs are like humans. 38 They look at the ground when they feel tired or sad. Meanwhile, they open their eyes wide and look around when they are excited. A raised eyebrow might mean confusion.Make sure to take these all into account!

Barking At Nothing

Sometimes when our dogs are looking out the window and start barking, we notice there is nothing actually there for the dog to bark at, so why are they barking? 39 Your house is their house, too,and they want any and all intruders(侵入者）to know that they are there.

40

If your dog refuses to eat when another dog or human is in the room with them, it is not because of any other reason except for the fact that they do not want to share their food with you. While humans likely don't think about this because we don't eat dog food, dogs don't understand that!

A.Using Their Tails

B.Only Eating Alone

C.They tend to show emotions with their eyes as well.

D.They could be doing this because they are protecting your house.

E.Shorter and softer barks, meanwhile, mean that they want to play.

F.Dogs like to lie on your feet when you are eating dinner or watching TV.

G.They have been waiting for you to come back, and they cannot control their excitement.

第三部分 英语知识运用（共四节，满分45分）

第一节 完形填空（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四个选项（A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

Katie Whetsell has been enjoying Disney movies from an early age and would often watch them with her mom,Karen.Confident about herself,Katie knew she 41 would be a performer in the future.

When Katie was nine years old, her family were shocked by an unexpected 42.Katie's mother was diagnosed(诊断）with cancer. When the doctor told the Whetsell family that Karen's disease was serious, and that she was 43 to get well again,they made a(n) 44. Disney World had been a longtime dream for Karen.So the family headed to Disney World for a trip that none of them would ever 45.

While they were watching a light show, a performer put her hands on Karen's shoulder. They exchanged smiles and, to this day,Katie still remembers how 46 her mom looked. This was the day Katie decided she wanted to 47 for Disney. Sadly,Katie's mom Karen lost her 48. Her family members 49 her every day and often think of that Disney vacation.

Katie went on to pursue(追求）performing for a living. She 50_ for years, working as a waitress and trying to make it as a(n)51 . Her effort finally 52 when she was hired as a performer in Disney.

Katie says she could help other families get away from the 53_ in their lives, whether it's a battle with cancer or simply helping adults feel like kids again. “Everything we do at the parks 54. We give people an opportunity to 55 with their childhood."

41.A.fortunately B.surely C.normally D.hardly

42.A.proposal B.target C.turn D.detail

43.A.unnecessary B.unusual C.unwise D.unlikely

44.A.decision B.rule C.judgment D.option

45.A.expect B.imagine C.enjoy D.forget

46.A.surprised B.delighted C.calm D.brave

47.A.answer B.wait C.rate D.work

48.A.battle B.confidence C.balance D.anger

49.A.concern B.encourage C.remember D.comfort

50.A.struggled B.rented C.survived D.pressed

51.A.director B.performer C.star D.operator

52.A.continued B.succeeded C.existed D.changed

53.A.tension B.failure C.suffering D.loss

54.A.makes a difference B.sets an example

C.keeps a record D.reaches an agreement

55.A.agree B.compare C.live D.reconnect

第II卷

第二节 单词拼写（共10小题；每小题0.5分，满分5分）

根据首字母提示或中文提示写出空缺处各单词的正确形式。注意：每个空格只写1个单词。答题时请写出包含所给首字母的完整的单词。

56.It was a really heated a_________________and in fact they were shouting at each other.

57. With the encouragement from his family, Joe began to hold a positive a_____________towards his life and study.

58.As we all know,Canada and America are both countries rich in natural___________（资源）。

59.Teaching young children is not easy but c___________,which needs great patience and skill.

60.Young mothers prefer f_______________working hours,so that they don't have to start or finish their work at a fixed(固定的）time.

61. Undeniably, the children get far more_____________（个别的）attention in these small classes.

62.As a young adult, we need to behave___________________（负责）rather than depend on parents.

63.They wanted to__________________（设计）a machine that was both attractive and useful.

64. This is an interesting film b________________on a true story in the 1930s in Beijing.

65.After her g_________from Beijing University,Amy took up a job as a teacher in poor mountainous areas.

第三节 句子翻译（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）

66.我迫不及待地要向你描绘高中生活是什么样子的。

67.通过这种健康的讨论，你将学会什么时候承认错误，什么时候让父母放松对你的控制。

68.我觉得数学很容易也很有乐趣，因为英国的（教学）材料难度没有中国高。

69.简而言之，潜能是你与生俱来的能力。当你足够努力时，潜能就能得到开发。

70.无论发生什么事，我们总是知道我们还有个银行可以依靠。

第四节 语篇填空（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入适当的词，如有括号提示，请以提示词的正确形式填空。请将答案的完整形式写在答题卡上相应题号的横线上。

Magic Touch

From my hotel room window,I could see a large advertisement board with his face on it: Jason,the Great Magician.

I absent- mindedly turned the 71._(page) of the phone book and came across a city map. Drinking my iced coffee I ran my fingers along the streets 72._the hotel to the opera hall. Not more 73._a half-hour walk,I thought.

I looked 74._(quick) at the clock. The show starts in one hour; plenty of time! I drank the rest of my coffee and went to take a shower.Soon after, I was on my way to the show, 75._(carry) a fancy black handbag and a happy smile.

The hall was dark when I came in; the show was about 76._(begin). I made my way backstage just 77._the great magician was putting on his top hat.

＂Daddy,I'm so glad to see you,"I 78._(whisper). “I'm in town for the writer's class, but I just couldn't miss your show." I gave him a quick hug and went back into the seating area, leaving him with a 79._(surprise) smile.I settled down in the darkness, and the curtains opened.

Magically,that show remains the Great Jason's best 80._(perform) to this day.

第四部分：写作（满分25分）

假设你是中学生李华，你的朋友Rebecca最近和父母关系紧张，发邮件向你询问如何改善与父母的关系。请你回复邮件，内容包括：

1.写信目的；

2.提出建议并说明理由；

3.表达美好希望。

注意：

1.词数80左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Rebecca,

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

如东高级中学2020-2021学年第一学期高一年级阶段测试（一）

英语试题参考答案

听力（30分）

1-5 BAACB 6-10 ABCAB 11-15 CBACA 16-20 CBCAC

阅读理解（50分）

短文阅读：

21-23 BCD 24-27 BACD 28-31 ACAD 32-35 BCAD

七选五：

36-40 EFCDB

完形填空（15分）

41-45 BCDAD 46-50 BDACA 51-55 BBCAD

单词拼写（5分）

56.argument 57.attitude 58.resources 59.challenging 60.flexible 61.individual 62.responsibly 63.design 64.based 65.graduation

句子翻译（10分）

66.I can't wait to describe to you what senior high school life is like.

67. Through this kind of healthy discussion, you will learn when to back down and when to ask your parents to relax their control.

68.I found Maths quite easy and enjoyable because the material was less advanced in the UK than in China.

69. Put simply, potential is your natural ability that can be developed when you try hard enough.

70.Whatever happened,we always knew we still had the Bank to depend upon.

语篇填空（15分）

71.pages 72.from 73.than 74.quickly 75.carrying 76.to begin 77.as/when 78.whispered

79.surprised 80.performance

书面表达（25分）

Dear Rebecca,

I'm worried when receiving your letter saying that you're suffering from a tense relationship with your parents. Here is my personal advice on how to improve it.

Firstly, you'd better talk to your parents regularly, explaining your actions and feelings calmly,listening carefully and addressing their concerns. Besides,when you can't see eye to eye with them,remember to put yourself in your parents' shoes, which will help you understand the situation from their point of view.

I hope these suggestions will be helpful and everything will turn out all right in the end.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Yours,

Li Hua

听力原文

Text 1

M: Jane, do you have a map of Manchester? I want to find a good place to eat.

W: Why not try Chinatown? There are plenty of good Chinese restaurants there, and it5s near here.

Text 2

M: Let’s do something different for vacation this year. Oh, let’s go to Colorado. I want to learn to snowboard.

W: Oh, Paul. You know I don’t like cold weather. Can’t we go someplace warm, like the beach?

Text 3

W: This job is for three days a week: Monday, Friday, and Saturday. Are you Okay with that? M: Mmm…I was hoping to have Saturday free. But I need the job, so…can you tell me what exactly I will do?

Text 4

M: Do you know if John’s coming home for dinner?

W: He’ll be late. He said not to wait for him.

Text 5

W: I’m really tired from packing all these boxes for three hours. It’s about time to call it a day. M: I know. Maybe we could do it first thing tomorrow morning.

W: Why not? These orders are not urgent.

Text 6

M: Lisa? Hi!

W: Hi, Ned.

M: Don5t you usually drive to work?

W: Usually, but not in bad weather.

M: Why is that?

W: The traffic gets a lot worse when it rains or snows.

M: I always take the train. It’s a lot faster for me than driving.

W: It’s faster for me, too, but the time isn’t always convenient.

M: Yeah, but think of all the things you can do on the train — read a book or the newspaper… W: Or answer my email…No thanks! My workday is long enough already.

Text 7

W: I think the car we saw yesterday would be a good deal. What do you think?

M: Yes, but I think you should ask someone to take a look at it just to be sure.

W: My friend Jack knows cars, and he helped me do the check this morning.

M: It was smart of you to think ahead. Have you and the salesman agreed on a price?

W: Yes, he finally agreed to accept the discounted price I asked.

M: Then have you thought about how to pay?

W: Well, I’ve saved up enough money to pay cash for this car.

M: Good. Let me go with you to make the payment and drive the car home for you.

W: Thank you. That would make it much easier for me.

M: You’re welcome. Let’s go take care of that right now.

Text 8

M: Being away from home for college can be stressful. Besides all the pressures of study, there’s the pressure on your pocket. Today, let’s go to a university to find out. Excuse me. Can I ask you a few questions?

W: Well, Okay.

M: How do you find the cost of living in this city?

W: Everything is expensive, including clothing, housing, and traveling.

M: So, what do you spend most on?

W: Transport, I think. For food, if I cook myself, it’s not expensive at all. For clothing, I bring my clothes here from my home country, where they’re nice and cheap. But every week, I have to spend more than 100 pounds on the trains.

M: Then what’s the social life like?

W: I’m a very social person. I love hanging out with my friends and meeting new people. Thankfully, I don’t drink nor smoke, so the only expense is maybe tickets to the cinemas, clubs, and so on.

W: Can you fix a time for the next meeting, Alex? How about June 12th? That5s after the trade exhibition…

M: I thought something was happening on that day, Rebecca.

W: Oh, yes. You5re right. The people from Head Office are coming.

M: What time does their plane arrive? Can we have the meeting in the morning?

W: No, it’s all arranged. I’m meeting them at half past ten, so I won’t be available at all that day.

M: Well, let’s have the meeting earlier in June, then. The trade exhibition finishes on the third, doesn’t it?

W: Yes, but we need John’s sales report for the meeting. How’s it going?

M: I’m afraid John hasn't started yet. The figures won’t be in place till next week.

W: Will it be ready early in June?

M: Well, not really. He told me that he will finish them by June 10th.

W: So, we’re looking at the week starting the 17th. How about two o’clock on that day?

M: I think that’s Okay. Let’s meet here again then.

Text 10

W: Hello, everyone. In today’s program, I’d like to share a true story of mine. One day, my friends and I had just finished lunch at a hotel when it started to rain heavily. When it became lighter, I decided to brave the rain to get my car and go home. It was parked three blocks away. My friends argued I shouldn’t go because at that time, I was due to give birth in three months. I promised I’d be very careful. One of them wanted to come with me, but I insisted she stay with another friend who needed help with her baby. When I walked to the first crossroads, a taxi stopped and a passenger came out with an umbrella. Before I knew what was happening, he walked right beside me and told me he would walk with me to where I would go. I refused, but he insisted. During our walk, he kept telling me to walk slowly. When we got to the car park, I thanked him, and we parted ways. I did not get his name and may not even recognize him now. Did he purposely stop for me? I’ll never know.