On a Friday evening in December, two weeks before Christmas, my mother and I got home as usual. We were excited for the coming weekend and planned to get our Christmas tree. Suddenly, my mother got her voice mail: “We’re sorry but your work assignment has ended as of today.” The news cast a cloud of gloom over her face. And my heart sank and anxiety sent me spinning — my mother lost her job.
The following days my mother got up early and set out to look for work, but still hadn’t seen it coming. And I noticed that we were running out of natural gas and bills of electricity and water began to pill up. I knew money was tight. One wrong move could send the family into trouble. My mother also wasn’t easy. She wasn’t just a single parent; she was the only parent. My father had been in prison most of his life and I hadn’t met him for a long time. Nevertheless, I’d grown accustomed to the life. My mother did everything she could to give me a good life.
The next day as we searched for our tree in the shop, I struggled to be cheerful as I eyed each price tag. I handed a note of $100 to my mother, but she refused without hesitation, saying “Absolutely not, that’s what grandma gave to you.” I whispered to her “Mom, I don’t want any gifts. All I need is to be with you. I love you forever!” Then I held her by the hand leaving the shop.
Over the next week, my mother crazily applied for jobs as the bank account grew smaller and smaller. We still needed money for rent, food and other daily expenses.
One night, lying on the bed and lost in thought, I decided that it was time for me to do something. At that, I rose up to dial a telephone number.
Paragraph 1:
The next morning, just on the day before Christmas, I noticed a familiar car pull up in front of my house.
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Paragraph 2:
At this time, I couldn’t help but cry.
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I had two different homes, and two different sets of rules. Sometimes I just felt like there were two of me.
On the night of our school science fair, Mom and Dad both came because I was getting an award. They didn’t sit together, but they each told me how proud they were of me. It was the first time in a long time that I’d seen them in the same room after their divorce(离婚), so I asked hopefully, “Can we walk around and look at all the science projects together?”
“I’m sorry, Andrea,” Mom said hurriedly, “I promised to volunteer in the soup kitchen.” It was my night to be with Dad anyway, so he and I looked at some projects and then went home. Seeing me rubbing my eyes, Dad thought I was tired, but I just didn’t want him to see the pouring tears.
At least at school nothing had changed, and I could be just me. But one day my best friend, Trish, decided to pick Lisa instead of me to be on her volleyball team. I was so mad! So I hid her lunchbox. No one could find it. Later that day the teacher found it out. I was sent to the principal’s office, and the principal called my parents. We had a meeting.
Mom gave me her disappointed look and Dad said to me angrily, “We’ve decided you’ve lost your TV and computer game chances for two weeks.” But even though I was in trouble, I was happy to see Mom and Dad talking to each other. Then Mom added, “Andrea, you should use your words and tell someone how you’re feeling.”
注意：
1.续写词数应为100左右;
2.续写部分为一段，段首句已写好。
Tears filling my eyes, the long-buried words started to come out of my mouth.
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At the center of the mall was the perfect Santa with a gentle manner and a real white beard. My six-year-old granddaughter, Leah, jumped from foot to foot as we waited in line for her turn to sit on his lap.
“I don’t know what to say,” Leah said, raising her neck around the kids in front of her.
“Sure you do.” her mother, Leanne, said. “It’s Santa. He’s already your friend. You’ll do just fine.”
“He’ll ask you what you want for Christmas.” I said. “And you just tell him.”
We’d gone over and over the toys she’d ask for. Her mother didn’t want surprises! Leah repeated the list. But a minute later, she inserted new toys she’d just spotted at the mall.
“I’ve got an idea,” said Leanne, digging into her purse as the line inched (缓慢移动) forward. “Let’s write down your requests so you won’t forget them.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Going to see Santa was such an important appointment for a six-year-old. No child should have any worries bigger than that. But the night before, on the news, I’d seen a village in the Middle East that had come under fire. Many of the wounded were children just like our Leah. Looking around the mall full of magical decorations and happy shoppers I felt safe, as safe as anyone could be. Everyone in the world should have that kind of security, especially at Christmas.
“Okay,” Leanne said. “Now you’ve got everything you want written down here. If you get nervous you can just give the note to Santa.”
Leah nodded and took the list. She read out loud, “A Chia Pet, Moon Sand and Aquadoodle.”
“Why don’t you add a fourth request, Leah,” I heard myself say. “Ask for peace on Earth.” My daughter looked a little surprised by my suggestion.
“What’s peace on Earth, Grandpa?” Leah asked.
“Peace on Earth means all the people in the world would get along. That’s the true meaning of Christmas.” Leah nodded seriously. “Yes,” she agreed.
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: Finally we reached the head of the line.
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Paragraph 2: The coming days were filled with thrilling expectation.
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When Mama and I were alone one day, she asked me how I would like her silver brooch(胸针)for a graduation present. “Mama,” I said reasonably,“what in the world would I want an old brooch for?”“It would be like an heirloom(传家宝), Katrin. It was your grandmother’s.” “No, thank you,Mama.”“I could polish it up, Katrin.”I shook my head.“Look, Mama, a graduation present is something like that beautiful dresser set in Mr. Schiller’s window.” Mama looked worried, but she didn’t say anything.
Graduation night was full of excitement.I didn’t forget a single word of my part in the play. And when I went up to the platform for my certificate, the applause for me was long and loud. And when I got home — there was the pink dresser set!However, when I opened my wonderful present excitedly,Christine looked at me for a long time.
“Why do you look at me like that, Christine?”
“You got what you wanted, didn’t you?”She pointed to the dresser set.“Trash(垃圾),”she said,“cheap trash.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my lovely present like that! You’re jealous(嫉妒的). I’ll tell Mama.”“And while you’re telling her,” Christine said,“ask her what she did with her silver brooch. The one her very own mother gave her. Ask her that.”I looked at Christine with horror.“What? You mean—Did Mama—”Christine walked away.
I grabbed up the dresser set and ran to the kitchen.“Papa, Papa!”I cried. “Did Mama—Christine says——”I started to cry then, and Papa had me sit on his lap. After my weeping had stopped, Papa talked to me very seriously. It was like this, he said. Mama had wanted my happiness more than she had wanted the silver brooch. So she had traded it to Mr. Schiller for the dresser set.“But I never wanted her to do that, Papa.”“It was what Mama wanted to do, Katrin.”
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。
I stood up slowly——I knew what I must do.
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So I walked out of Mr. Schiller’s store with Mama’s brooch.
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Natasha Steer and her son Zac were about to miss their bus. As she turned the corner, she called back over her shoulder. “Zac, PLEASE. We’re going to miss it!” They were walking from their hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Zac was dragging behind. It was hot and his bag was heavy, but Steer kept up the pace — they’d be left behind otherwise.
“My stomach hurts!” Zac’s voice came from too far behind her. She turned, impatient. “I know, but we really need to keep going, OK?”
“OK …but it really hurts …”
She turned to keep walking, assuming that if she kept up the pace he’d speed it up, too. She felt bad. Her nine-year-old son was rightfully uncomfortable under his backpack and the hot sun during a long walk, and a stomach ache on top of that couldn’t be pleasant. Still, they needed to make this bus to Ho Chi Min City. He’d be able to rest once we sat down.
She sped up as they neared the bus stop, eyes searching the platforms until they landed with relief on their bus. She turned to see Zac dragging himself up the sidewalk, leaving her pack on the ground before walking back toward him. She took his bag off so she could carry it the rest of the way.
“Does it still hurt?” asked Steer.
He nodded. “I don’t feel good.”
Steer handed Zac some water and told him he would feel better if they got on the bus and she carried their backpacks to the bus, leaving them in the pile with the others while she searched her pocket for their bus tickets.
On the bus and in their seats, she handed Zac the water bottle one more time. He leaned his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes. Suddenly, Zac doubled over, vomiting onto his feet.
“Oh no — hold on!” she moved quickly to get him a bag to vomit (呕吐) in, saving his feet and the floor from some of the mess. He looked up, apologetic, and Steer felt the eyes of everyone on the bus on them. “Don’t worry about it honey, it doesn’t matter — do you feel better? Here — have some water.”
As she twisted off the cap, Zac began to throw up again — only this time, there was no bag. Moving quickly to help him, Steer knocked over the two-liter water bottle.
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。
She felt flurried (慌乱) as the bus attendant came up to see what was happening.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Learning about Zac’s serious conditions, all other passengers did what Steer unexpected.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Once upon a time, there lived a young boy named Ethan in a small village. With a passion for music, Ethan was enthusiastic about playing the guitar. Every day after school, he would rush home, grab his guitar, and lose himself in the melodies (乐曲) he created.
One summer, the village was hosting a talent show, and Ethan decided to participate. However, doubts started to flood into his mind. He began comparing himself to other talented musicians and questioning his abilities. The fear of failure began to consume him.
But Ethan’s grandfather, who had always been his biggest supporter, noticed his grandson’s inner struggle. He sat down with Ethan and shared a story from his own youth.
“When I was your age, I had a dream of becoming a painter. But I was filled with self-doubt, just like you are now. I decided to seek guidance from a wise old artist in a nearby town.
The old artist listened to my worries and offered me a challenge. He asked me to paint a picture on a large canvas in front of a crowd. Overwhelmed by the challenge, I hesitated.
The wise artist smiled and told me not to focus on what others might think. He asked me to paint from my heart and pour my soul into every stroke. The beauty lies not in perfection, but in the authenticity (真实性) of one’s creation.
Encouraged by these words, I accepted the challenge. I painted with passion, letting my emotions guide my brush. Finally, a beautiful masterpiece appeared on the canvas.”
Finishing the story, Ethan’s grandfather said, “That day, I realized that success is not defined by how perfect we are or how we compare to others. It’s about embracing our unique talents, taking risks, and expressing ourselves with passion and authenticity.”
注意: 1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Inspired by his grandfather’s story, Ethan decided to give the talent show his all.
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Ethan didn’t pay much attention to the surroundings until he heard the applause at the end of his performance.
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65-year-old Mr. Fairfax had retired from teaching. He was very interested in adventure. This time he made an adventure on a low populated land. In the cold winter, he tried a new place and forgot to bring his cell phone. He struggled to move more than half an mile with two dogs to a harvested wheat field.
Eyes fixed on the wonderful views, Mr. Fairfax stepped on the thin snow along the river. Suddenly, the snow collapsed (塌陷) and dropped him four feet to the bottom. Unfortunately, his left leg hurt badly. He lay on his side to reach for his shotgun, unloaded it and used it as a crutch (拐杖). He spent an hour and a half climbing the river but slipped and slid back down when he was partly up. This time, one of his feet got stuck between two rocks. Mr. Fairfax told himself that if he didn’t get himself out of that river, he would get into a terrible situation.
Mr. Fairfax walked his foot free and climbed more slowly and cautiously out of the river. He immediately realized the difficulty of the task before him. The accident occurred about 2 p.m., and it was nearing 5 p.m. with the road far away as the sun was setting.
Mr. Fairfax focused on climbing to safety. Even with his gun supporting him, jumping was impractical. Instead, he sat down and pushed himself backward less than 40 inches at a time with his good leg. He was determined and sure that he must hold on. He was in exhaustion and had more frequent breaks. Temperatures dropped overnight, and his gloves and boots got wet. His hands and feet soon were completely numb.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已写好。请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: Mr. Fairfax’s dogs eventually realized what had happened and came up to him.
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Paragraph 2: However, hearing some sound approaching, Mr. Fairfax saw the sixth car.
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