Every year, thousands of runners gather in Australia to run the yearly 543. 7- mile (875- kilometer)endurance (忍耐力) course from Sydney to Melbourne.
It is thought to be one of the world ‘s toughest ultra - marathons (超级马拉松), which can take up to five days to cross the finish line. So only the top athletes of the game typically dare to take it on. They are young (generally under 30), and obviously well equipped and trained. Most importantly, with the help of high-level teams, they will draw up a detailed plan to make sure that they will have enough time for running and sleeping during the race.
But all that changed when a 61- year - old competitor by the name of Cliff Young entered it. Cliff had always dreamed of taking part in the ultra - marathon since he heard of the event when he was young. Finally, with the support of his family, he signed up for it and now he wandered to the starting blocks (起跑器). But he made a strange sight. Everyone was laughing at his everyday overalls (连体工装裤) and work boots (靴子) with his race number proudly displayed on the back of his shirt.
However, Cliff never cared about it. When questioned by the media why he dared to take part in such a challenging running, he told the curious press that his hard - working background gave him all the skills and endurance he’d need to finish the race, saying: “I grew up on a farm where we couldn’t afford horses or tractors, and the whole time I was growing up, whenever the storms would roll in, I’d have to go out and round up the sheep. We had 2, 000 sheep on 2, 000 acres. Sometimes I would have to run those sheep for two or three days. It took a long time, but I’d always catch them. I believe I can run this race. So do my family!” Hearing this, they were so shocked and thought him to be too confident. No one believed he would win, and some even doubt whether he would finish the game.
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。
And from the moment the runners left the starting blocks, it looked like the skeptics (怀疑者) would be proved right.
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However, according to Cliff, it was all part of his plan.
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Today was the finals of the Dance Competition. Our team of five had me as the lead dancer; then there was Grace, my best friend and Eric, a dance lover who is a master in perfecting our choreography (编舞); and two talented twins, with such flexibility and grace on the stage that one cannot take their eyes off them.
We had found a perfect coach for our team. Jackie, a cousin of Eric’s, worked in a dance school. She was a bit hesitant at first, but quickly agreed when she saw the progress we had made so far.
In the dressing rooms, there were so many other competitors preparing for their performance, rushing here and there.
Grace and I had changed into our costumes and were putting on our shoes when Eric murmured, “Who are they?”
We turned to follow his stare, among many people, four beautiful girls along with a lean boy had just walked in.
“They’re first-rate!” cried Grace, “more like fashion models.”
They sure were. A look at the list of competitors told me they were from “Tweekverse”, the most famous dance school in the whole country.
Jackie came up behind us, “Guys, it’s time, come on. Let’s go!”
“Oooh, do you get the vibe (氛围)?” Grace was excited. I could understand her, I didn’t feel any less thrilled.
When we entered the concert hall, my jaw literally just dropped. It was massive. There were so many people. The four judges, who were seated at a large panel, did look very serious.
The competition started. The first performances were brilliant. One team had the neon (霓虹) theme, in which they wore shine-in-the-dark costumes and the whole place was dark. I was attracted to their impressive display. Obviously, everybody was. The judges’ cards displayed the scores. They were marking out of ten.
The next performances were even better, but for us, they became more competitive. The group from Tweekverse was the best. Their costumes, charming faces and fascinating performance impressed everyone.
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。
It was our turn next.
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I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the final score — 9. 5 on the screen.
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“Jordi! Wake up!” Father’s voice called from the hallway, and I sat up quickly. The day finally came! The day that I would be a castellar—a tower builder. Mama had breakfast ready. “Are you prepared for your moment of fame?” Papa asked in excitement. My throat was suddenly very dry, and the bread got stuck as I swallowed. Taking a big swig of juice, I put on a smile. “I'm ready” I would do well. I wanted to make him proud.
Here in the eastern part of Spain, casteller groups were very popular. My city hosted the competition this year. Before that, I’d watched my parents compete. But never before had I been part of the tower. It was so high. And it sometimes fell. I was hesitant to be up there. But for the past year, I had been practicing the climb. I was twelve, and I must not be a coward (胆小鬼). So for the first time in a competition, I would help build the tower!
In town, I saw that the center was packed with people and casteller teams from all over the country. Hands sweating, I was waiting for our turn to compete. Mom came and patted me on the shoulder. “Have focus. Have faith.” I nodded to show that I understood and would do my best to follow the suggestions.
Soon, too soon, it was our turn.
My father and three of the strongest men stood in a circle facing each other as they held tightly to each other’s arms. Four more strong men stepped behind, each wrapping his arms around the chest of a man and giving him a bear hug. Then fifty more men and women crowded behind and began pushing on their backs to keep them tightly together.
Our base was solid. Four smaller men climbed onto the backs of the base group and stood on their shoulders. They then grabbed onto each other’s arms and held firmly, creating a strong second tier (层). Another group of men would form the third tier. Then, a group of women, including Mom, started climbing and began to form the fourth tier. Our tower was growing taller and taller.
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: Then suddenly it was kids’ turn to make the last tier.
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Paragraph 2: “Jordi. Easy!” My mother whispered the words.
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1. 赛前准备；
2. 精彩瞬间；
3. 活动意义。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Spring Sports Meet Successfully Held
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72.现代生活给人们带来压力，这会对人们的健康产生不良影响。(stress; have an effect on)
73.做运动被认为是保持身心健康的好方法。(regard)
74.无论他们的兴趣是什么，人们总能找到适合他们的运动。(No matter what…; suitable)
75.事实上，每天15分钟的运动就能对我们身体产生很大影响。(actually; make a difference)
76.人们相信，运动不仅可以帮助人们相互了解，还可以促进友谊。(believe; promote)
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I arrived at the pool hall on Wednesday with a heavy heart. Teams from other schools were already suited and warming up by the pool or in the water. The bleachers (露天看台) were full.
“I don’t think I can do this.” I said, twisting the belt of my bag.
“You’ll be fine, and I will be right here watching.” Mom said, dropping an arm around my shoulder and squeezing.
I bit my lip and looked out over the other swimmers. “You sure?”
Mom leaned forward. “Remember, it’s just you. Don’t worry about any of the other swimmers. Just swim your race.”
“OK.”
The warmups and preparations were over before I knew it, and the first round of swimmers were up on the blocks.
I felt sick. I watched my competitors swim, and they looked so strong and skillful in the water. The events screamed by, one after the other. My knees shook as each event clicked closer to mine. The knots in my stomach twisted and coiled like a bag of ropes.
Then the one-hundred breaststroke (蛙泳) was announced.
Nerves choked my throat.
“Just swim your race. Don’t think about the other swimmers.” I repeated it over and over in my mind.
I bent forward on my block in line with the rest of the swimmers, waiting. My body tensed up like a spring. My heart pounded in my ears.
The buzzer (蜂鸣器) sounded. I sprang forward, diving into the water and kicking like a dolphin. Then my head broke free of the water. Just count strokes. I kept my eyes focused on the black line in front of me, ignoring the splashes of movement on either side. Pull. Breathe. Kick. I hit the end of the pool and then my first turn came. I took a deep a breath and turned over, pushing hard against the wall and bursting back the way I came.
注意：
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1
Then everything changed.
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Paragraph 2
I was the last one to finish the race.
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Sports Day was getting close in the school. All the children were very excited and were practicing for the big race. John, one of the fast runners of the school, was confident that he would win for he was not doing anything at all. “You have to work hard to come first in the race John. You are not practicing at all,” said John’s mother.
“Mom, you know how fast I am! Why should I waste my time running? Only I will win; no one else will win!”said John. “John, you may be right but talent (天赋) without hard work is not good at all. This laziness of yours will cost you greatly,” his mother warned him. John just laughed. He was so confident that he would win the trophy (奖杯) as no one else in his class was as fast as he was!.
Tim, a classmate of John, was also participating (参加) in the running race. He was not a fast runner. However, he practiced till late at night and had developed great endurance (持久力) to run the race.
There were a few days left for the Sports Day but John did not practice at all. On the other hand, Tim practiced day and night.
The Sports Day was almost around the corner but John was confident that no one could beat him and had not practiced at all. But Tim with his hard work had become a very great runner.
At last, the Sports Day arrived. All the students showed up on the ground to cheer their favorites. The coach blew the whistle (口哨) and everyone began to run toward the finishing line. It was so exciting. John and Tim left all the racers far behind. Both of them were neck to neck.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Suddenly, John went ahead of Tim.
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“You’ll have to be quicker to beat Kendall on Friday,” Coach Dugan said. For weeks, I’d been hearing about how fast he was. I was tired of it. But I stll walked back to the starting line. A good start gives you a half success.
Eric said to me, “I heard that Kendall trains with Olympic coaches.”“What? No way,” I said. Not only that, I heard he cheats and does whatever it takes to win.
“Let’s go, boy,” Coach shouted. I got ready and exploded, driving hard toward the finishing line. I crossed two full steps ahead of everyone else. Coach clicked his stopwatch and nodded.“Better, Alex. But let’s do it again.” I couldn’t get any faster. Besides, Kendall trains with Olympic coaches!“You have to work harder,” Coach Dugan said. Easy for him to say, he wasn’t racing Kerry Kendall.
Then came the day to compete. The infield bustled (忙乱) with kids from every middle school in our district. I sat on the grass, looking for Kendall and preparing for the competition.
“Are you Alex?” a voice asked. I looked up over my shoulder, Kerry Kendal. I nodded. Kendall sat down next to me.“Heard you’re fast,” he said, touching his nose to his knee. I checked him out. His leg muscles (肌肉) looked like he worked out plenty. After a minute, he asked,“Is it true you have a private (私人的) trainer?” I laughed.“Coach Dugan was good, but he was no private trainer. Well, I heard you trained with Olympic coaches.” He was surprised. “You’re kidding, right? I train by running the hills. After practice I run those hills until my legs ache. That sounds like Olympic coaches to you?”
I finally learned the truth that for this competition Kendal had worked hard. Running the hills was tough, but he did it after his regular practices every day. I wonder how those foolish rumors (谣言) started and why I believed them. Seeing Kendall stood in place, I said, “Nice talking to you. Good luck in the dash.” He stopped and turned.“The same to you.” We looked at each other and smiled, and then he started over to join his team.
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为75左右;
2.续写部分的开头语已为你写好;
Paragraph:
Then the competition began.
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Thin, average, and undisciplined, I was the underdog of the boys’ basketball tryouts (选拔赛) in seventh grade. Making the team was very important to me. Although I was extremely nervous, I truly thought I would make the team. But I went in overly optimistic, and quickly faced a cruel reality check.
When on the court, I huffed and puffed like an old man on his last legs; clearly, I was out of shape and having trouble keeping up. When it hit me that this was only the first day, and that there was a second to follow, I realized I would have to step it up in order to gain a spot on the team.
Unfortunately, day two went exactly like day one: I missed shots, passed badly like an out-of-breath fool. Hoping the coach was not watching all my bad moves, I had trouble keeping a positive attitude. Finally, Coach-who at five-foot-four usually seemed small, posted the lists of the Boys A and B Teams. Everybody quickly ran to catch a glimpse of the chosen few.
After scanning the list once, twice, three times, my name was nowhere. Although I had predicted the disaster that had now settled on me, with my head hanging. I slowly walked to the car. This experience definitely had not gone as I planned.
On the way home, I complained “How could that foolish boy is a better choice than me? And…”
“Adam!” my mom cut me off. “Why don’t you realize maybe you need a little more practice? You’d better go to basketball camps next summer.”
Although I did not want to believe her, I knew it was true. Failing to make the team was nobody’s fault but mine. Right then and there, in the middle of my anger, I realized I had to get my act together.
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:
Then I threw myself into as many basketball opportunities as I could find.
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Paragraph 2:
When I took part in the eighth-grade basketball tryouts,I was moderate,swift and strong.
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Mr. Beal’s Egg Drop Challenge was an institution (习俗) at my school. The goal of the Challenge was simple—you had to build a protective container to keep an egg from breaking when dropped over the stadium wall.
“Bring your container to class on Friday,” Mr. Beal said. “This year we’re going to try something different. You can work alone or with a partner.”
My best friend, Cassie, and I grinned at each other. We always worked on projects together. We’re the perfect combination. I made my favorite sandwich that afternoon while waiting for Cassie to come over and work on the container. Spreading the fluffy marshmallow cream (蓬松棉花糖奶油) gave me an idea. When Cassie arrived, I told her my brilliant idea—use marshmallow cream to absorb the shock of the impact.
“You must be kidding,” Cassie responded. “Why not put the egg in a basket with a parachute (降落伞) attached? It will simply float to safety.” “It’s too easy for something to go wrong. It will never work!” I argued. “And marshmallow cream will?” Cassie rolled her eyes. “The parachute is better than that stupid idea.”
I couldn’t believe it. Of course we’d had our little fights in the past, but this was different. She’d never called any of my ideas “stupid” before.
“Then I’ll build mine and you build yours, and we’ll just see whose is better.” “Fine!” Cassie grabbed her backpack and stormed out. And just like that, our friendship was smashed (粉碎). Like an egg dropped from the top of a stadium without marshmallow cream to protect it.
Friday finally rolled around. All the kids carried their egg containers up three stadium steps and dropped them over the side wall. If the egg broke, you were out. If the egg survived, you had to walk up three more steps and drop it again. This went on until the last egg broke. By the fourth launch, only Cassie and I were left.
“OK,” Mr. Beal yelled. “Let them go on the count of three.”
The class called, “One, two, three!” I let go of my container first and then Cassie.
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。
“Oh, no!” I heard someone say and raced down.
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“My egg bounced out,” Cassie sighed, frowning.
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