My dad believed in new experiences!
I have to admit the examples from his youth fascinated me. He specialized in his adventures growing up in Omaha in the early 1900s. His brothers threw him into a lake to teach him to swim. His family kept a cow, which he led into the church at Christmas to give Baby Jesus milk at the age of four. On and on! He used those stories to urge me to fresh experiences.
One day he came home from work early and saw me watching a local TV show — Talent Sprouts, a daily con test for kids fourteen and under. It didn’t take Dad long to look me in the eye. “You should go on Talent Sprouts.” He added, “You can play ‘Ave Maria’ — an original by Schubert (舒伯特). Think of it — an unforgettable experience to be on TV as an eleven-year-old!”
I quailed (退缩). I didn’t want to. I was basically shy. But I knew it would be useless to argue, so I mailed my application with the required information. Days later, I received a notice about performance.
Dad was over the moon when I told him I had been assigned a day to perform less than two weeks away. Still, I had very little confidence in my talent. I did practice several times each day. However, I either skipped some beats or unable to grasp the rhythm well when practicing. I could never have played Schubert’s original perfectly, so I was increasingly uneasy about the coming performance.
When my Monday came, I took a bus to the TV station with my Dad. I checked in at the desk. The host of Talent Sprouts, and the musical director welcomed the participants and described the routine for us. Everything was fresh there. The crew in the auditorium pushed big cameras on wheels and adjusted lights. I waited on the seat and soon I was called.
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。
Para. 1
I went to the piano and began to play.
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Para. 2
Disappointed, I returned to my seat, where my dad was waiting for me.
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Growing up on a goldfish farm is something treasured (珍爱). My great grandfather started Hunting Fisheries in the late 1920s and grew it over time. He passed it onto my father and aunt. The place was magical. The farm sat in a natural wetland surrounded by a forest. In the morning, the mist (薄雾) would rise from the fishponds (鱼塘), creating an amazing wonderland. But underneath this beauty was a lot of hard work. The days were long, and the tasks were endless. I remember my dad working countless hours on the farm. He poured himself into his job. Because of his enthusiasm for work, he had to miss many occasions that were important to me. I wrote a phrase to try to change his mind: “Of course you have to go to work. The fish don’t know it’s my birthday.”
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。
Last week, my birthday was coming.
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Fish in the pond jumped up and down.
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Ten-year-old Sami loved to visit his grandfather’s house in Puthur in Tamil Nadu, which was near the beautiful blue sea. At the seaside stood thick and tall palm(棕榈) trees with green coconuts hanging from them. When the coconuts fell down, the children would break them open and drink the coconut water. Sami liked to play with the rabbits and squirrels jumping about in the trees and bushes. He also liked fishing in the link ponds with his friends. It was always great fun to spend the holidays at Grandpa’s place.
This winter vacation. Sami was surprised when be came to his grandfather’s village. There were hardly any trees left. What lay at the water’s edge(边缘) were only sucks and mud. He saw houses built near the sea. Logs(木材), branches of trees and stones lay around. People had cut down many palm trees and there was hardly any greenery left.
“Grandpa, where have all the trees gone?” asked Sami.
“People have cut them down for wood, to be used for fuel and furniture.” replied Grandpa.
“There will be no more trees then. Where will the birds perch(栖息) and the squirrels play?”
“Let us hope that that day never comes,” sighed Grandpa.
Grandpa’s house was different. He never allowed his trees to be cut. He liked each palm tree in his courtyard. He also admired the two big trees near the front door. He called one of them Petu, and the other, Beta. They gave the sweetest juiciest coconuts which he always enjoyed sharing with Sami.
One night, Sami was awakened by a strange sound. He tossed and turned in bed. Suddenly, the ground shook as if the earth was splitting(裂开). He sat up straight and then ran to Grandpa, “It’s an earthquake”. Grandpa cried out. They ran outside the house where they thought it would be safer.
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:
In fact, the earth was not splitting but the sea was roaring(咆哮).
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Paragraph 2:
A minutes later, the waves went back and the sea calmed down.
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It was Christmas Day. Pappy was working alone fixing an old lantern in the backroom when he heard the ringing of his bell on the shop door. The bell, which produced a uniquely pleasant sound, had been in Pappy’s family for over a hundred years. He valued it dearly and enjoyed sharing its song with all who came to his shop. Although the bell hung on the inside of the main door, Pappy had tied a wire to the screen door so that it would ring whether the inner door was open or not. Hearing the bell, he left the backroom to greet his customer.
“And how can I help you, little lady?” Pappy’s voice was joyful.
“Hello, sir.” The little girl spoke almost in a whisper. She looked at Pappy with her big brown eyes, and then slowly scanned the room in search of something special. Shyly she told him, “I’d like to buy a present, sir.”
“Well, let’s see,” Pappy said, “who is this present for?”
“My grandpa. It’s for my grandpa. But I don’t know what to get.”
Pappy began to make suggestions. “How about a pocket watch? It’s in good condition.” The little girl didn’t answer. She had walked to the doorway and put her small hand on the door. She shook the door gently to ring the bell. Pappy’s face seemed to glow as he saw her smiling with excitement.
“This is just right,” the little girl said. “Momma says grandpa loves music.”
Just then, Pappy’s expression changed. Fearful of breaking the little girl’s heart, he told her, “I’m sorry, Missy. That’s not for sale. Maybe your grandpa would like this little radio.”
The girl looked at the radio, bowed her head, and sadly sighed, “No, I don’t think so.”
In an effort to help her understand, Pappy told her that the bell had been his only companion, for the rest of his family were all gone now, except for his estranged daughter whom he had not seen for nearly a decade.
注意：
所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
续写部分分为两段，每段开头语已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:
With a giant tear in her eye, the little girl looked up at him.
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Paragraph 2:
Later that evening when Pappy was closing up the shop, he heard a familiar ringing.
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In a small town, there was a lively and bustling school called Greenfield High School. The school was well-known for its diverse group of students and active campus life.
Every morning, as the sun rose, the school came alive with the cheerful conversations of students. They hurriedly made their way to their classes, filled with anticipation for the day ahead. Laughter echoed (回响) through the hallways, and the classroom buzzed with the excitement of learning.
In this vibrant environment, there were two best friends named Emma and Jack. They had been inseparable since their very first day of school. They shared a love for adventure and were always on the lookout for new experiences. Together, they went on countless adventures and created memories that would last a lifetime.
One day, their attention was arrested by a leaflet advertising a talent show scheduled for the end of the month. Emma and Jack’s eyes sparkled with excitement. They had always dreamt of showcasing their hidden talents on stage. Without hesitation, they decided to form a band with their close friends and participate in the talent show.
With dedication and perseverance, their band, affectionately (亲切地) named “The Harmonizers”, began making beautiful music. Their melodies (旋律) filled the hallways, catching the attention of their fellow students. The news of their talent spread like wildfire, and soon the entire school was abuzz with excitement for the upcoming talent show.
As the day of the talent show approached, Emma and Jack’s nerves mixed with anticipation. They had practiced tirelessly and poured their hearts into their performances. On the night of the show, the auditorium (礼堂) was filled with students, teachers, and proud parents, all eagerly awaiting the performances.
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: As the curtains opened, showing a big stage, Emma and Jack felt their hearts beat fast with nervous excitement.
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Paragraph 2: Just when they thought their dreams were crushed, something unexpected happened and completely turned the situation around.
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Mr. Watson’s store was widely known throughout the neighborhood. It sold many different things. Every day after school, Jess came to the store and he loved to look at the pipes (烟斗). One pipe especially caught his eye. He imagined that some day he would be a grown man and could smoke a pipe, just like this one. He did not remember his father, but he knew his dad smoked a pipe.
Jess reached out and touched the pipe. He kept thinking that when he was old enough, he would go to work and his mother could stay home. He would not have to wait three hours after school until she came home from her job. Oh, why? He wondered, did it take so long to grow up and take his father’s place.
He looked around the store and put the bowl of the pipe in his hand. He just wanted to get the feel of it — nothing more. He was lost in his dream, wishing he could be like his father.
Suddenly he was shocked out of his dream. He heard footsteps behind him. He turned around quickly. It was Mr. Watson, the friendly store owner. Jess was unable to move.
“Hello, Jess,” Mr. Watson said, and kept on walking. Jess struggled to answer but could not get his voice up. He swallowed and smiled weakly as Mr. Watson walked away. Jess’s thoughts became unclear. Was he suspicious?
Suddenly the store seemed extremely warm. Jess watched his feet begin to move and take him out of the store. He felt the cool air outside and it was good, yet, he felt an emptiness inside himself. Like one walking in his sleep, he moved toward the ground. He looked around and saw the empty swings. He slipped into one and leaned against its chain. The cold metal links hurt his side.
Sitting on the swing, he gave the ground a push with one foot. A sharp pain caught him in the stomach. He knew it was the pipe he felt. He had walked out of the store with it.
注意：
1、所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2、应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3、续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4、续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
The sun was slipping down through the trees and it was time to go home.
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Paragraph 2:
Looking at the long shadows of the trees coming towards him, Jess now knew what he had to do.
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We had a garden in our backyard and I always watered the flowers together with my little sister, Laynie. She had her own watering cans and small shovels so she could ”work“ with me. One day, I showed her how to grow flowers: Dig a hole. Put in a few seeds. Cover them up with dirt. Water them every two or three days.
“See, Laynie,” I explained to her, “Beautiful flowers will grow from these tiny seeds in a few months.”
The next day, after everything was watered, she ran to the fence and started watering another spot. I walked over and saw some fresh dirt near the fence.
“Did you plant something here?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m growing a pencil. My pencil got too short, so I planted it.”
“But. . . ”
I wanted to laugh and tell her the truth, but I changed my mind and said, “Uh. . . I had never tried that before.”
Late in the evening when Laynie was asleep, I dug up the short pencil and “planted” a brand-new one. Laynie was really excited when she dug it up the next morning.
“My pencil grew!” she shouted.
A few days later, Laynie was watering on the same spot. One day later, new crayons stuck their pointy little heads out, thanks to me.
“My crayons grew, too!” Laynie yelled, jumping up and down.
Next, Laynie grew an adult bear doll from a tiny one, a soup spoon from a teaspoon, and a hand mirror from a piece of glass. When she claimed that she had grown these things, I just kept my mouth shut! Actually, it was fun trying to think of what should grow from Laynie’s magic “seeds”. And it was cool to see her get excited.
One morning, I saw her carrying our little gold fish to the fence. I knew immediately what she was going to do and rushed to its rescue.
“How long does it take to grow a big goldfish?” she asked me seriously.
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。
I couldn’t answer her question immediately.
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“No!” my baby sister screamed and burst into tears.
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