Every week I save all the change and $1 bills I have in my purse. Then every Christmas I cash it in for as many $100 bills as the saved money gets me. I then wait for a family in need. I split the money in half and give half to the family in need and the other half to my nine-year-old son, Say’ Veon, who puts it in his savings account, to teach him about delayed satisfaction. Then he helps me get gifts or give the money to the family.
I adopted Say’ Veon after his mother, a close friend of mine, passed away from cancer before his fifth birthday. Even though Say’ Veon has dealt with great loss and sadness at such a young age, his generous spirit and loving heart shine through. He has given money to someone else who needs it more, such as his friends or classmates. Say’ Veon’s acts of kindness always blow me away and I feel blessed to have him in my life.
This week I got a call from a friend, DeeDee, who is 77 years old. She was upset because she had been cheated, and the cheaters took all the money out of her checking account which she lives on, and now she didn’t have the money to pay her rent and bills.
This morning, I took the money and showed Say’ Veon how much I saved this year. I told him what happened to DeeDee, and then asked him if he would be willing to give his half along with my half and donate it to her as our person in need this year.
He said, “Yes, of course.” This year our total was $400.
We went to visit DeeDee and my son handed her a Christmas card with the money. She opened it and said, “Thank you.” She then looked again and stared at the $100 bills.
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。
DeeDee froze there with her eyes wide open.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Suddenly, Say’ Veon said to DeeDee, “You are our family!”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Phonetic (语音) information—the smallest sound elements of speech - is considered by researchers to be the basis of language. Babies are thought to learn these small sound elements and add them together to make words. But a new study suggests that phonetic information is learnt too late and slowly for this to be the case. Instead, rhythmic (有韵律的) speech helps babies learn language and is effective even in the first few months of life.
Researchers from the Trinity College Dublin investigated babies’ ability to process phonetic information during their first year. Their study, published in the journal Nature Communications. found that phonetic information wasn’t successfully encoded (编码) until seven months old, and did not occur very often at 11 months old when babies began to say their first words. From then individual speech sounds are still added in very slowly—too slowly to form the basis of language.
The researchers recorded patterns of brain activity in 50 babies at four, seven, and eleven months old as they watched a video of a primary school teacher singing 18 nursery rhymes (童谣) to a baby. They found that phonetic encoding in babies appeared inchmeal over the first year of life, beginning with labial sounds (e.g. “d” for “daddy”) and nasal sounds (e.g. “m” for “mummy”), with the “read out” progressively looking more like that of adults.
“The reason why we use nursery rhymes is because that is the best way for babies to discover and connect sounds with language, so we are teaching them how to speak,” said Giovanni Di Liberto, lead author of the study at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. “Parents should talk and sing to their babies as much as possible or use baby-directed speech because it will make a difference to language outcome,” she added.
1. What should babies learn in the first few months of life according to the new study?A.Small sound elements | B.Rhythmic information. |
C.Phonetic information. | D.Individual words. |
A.The poor phonetic encoding in babies. | B.The advantages of phonetic information. |
C.The babies’ great ability to learn language. | D.The babies’ growing process in the first year. |
A.Gradually. | B.Suddenly. | C.Successfully. | D.Occasionally. |
A.When Babies Are Able to Say Their First Words |
B.How Phonetic Information Changes Over Time |
C.Why Phonetic Is Better Than Rhythmic for Babies |
D.Why Babies Need Nursery Rhymes for Language Mastery |
Brit works full time as a fourth-grade teacher at Kula Elementary School. It was there that she met Seth Snyder, a student who had flown under the radar with previous teachers. Every year, Brit is given a nine-month window in which to connect with a group of new students. And with each batch of new students, she hopes to have a positive impact on their lives. But Seth was a tough cookie to crack. For the first few months of the school year, she struggled to connect with her student, who was shy but nevertheless a pleasure to have in the classroom.
One day, Brit showed her students a clip of skateboarders going all out at Tony Hawk’s ramp in California. Brit glanced over and watched Seth’s face light up; she found their connection. She went one step further to connect with Seth by inviting him to join her at the skate park after school one day. Instead of excitement, Seth shut down. He politely declined his teacher’s offer and withdrew once more. In spite of that, Brit wouldn’t give up so easily. She asked again a few weeks later, the day Seth and his fellow students were cut loose for spring break.
“What are you going to do?” she asked. “Are you going to skate?”
“No,” he mumbled, almost embarrassed. “I don’t have a skateboard.”
Brit’s heart sank into her stomach. Kula Elementary comprises mostly underprivileged (缺少机遇的) students who come from low-income families. Teachers like Brit have to tread (行事) carefully when it comes to even the smallest conversations or assignments, because a question as innocent as “What are your plans for spring break?” can be hurtful, sometimes embarrassing, for students who have so little.
Brit said to the reporter, “If your parents are working three jobs to be able to pay rent, of course they’re not going to have time to take you to skate park or, you know, take you surfing, or let alone buy you that $400 surfboard or $ 200 skateboard.”
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。
Brit shared the story with her best friend, Zach, a professional skateboarder.
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What began as two people coming together to do a good deed for one young boy quickly blossomed (发展) into a grassroots effort.
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4 . Sean Sherman, aged 49, has dedicated his career as a
Sherman, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, was born and raised in South Dakota on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. When he was a teenager, his family
In 2021, Sherman opened Owamni, a restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that
In his
A.chef | B.actor | C.baker | D.professor |
A.announces | B.sends | C.honors | D.teaches |
A.adopted | B.recognized | C.evaluated | D.promised |
A.moved over | B.moved in | C.moved off | D.moved on |
A.While | B.Before | C.After | D.Unless |
A.young | B.foreign | C.old | D.native |
A.common | B.obvious | C.ordinary | D.normal |
A.experience | B.information | C.heritage | D.diversity |
A.feel | B.write | C.read | D.hear |
A.worldwide | B.nonprofit | C.kind | D.advanced |
A.prefers | B.approaches | C.serves | D.deserts |
A.considerable | B.prosperous | C.available | D.popular |
A.presentation | B.assumption | C.recommendation | D.acceptance |
A.admirer | B.friend | C.colleague | D.teacher |
A.identified | B.based | C.shaped | D.named |
Daniel, a young architect, had recently moved to a new city for a promising job opportunity. Although excited about his new life, he found it difficult to adjust to the busy pace and distance from his family, particularly his younger brother, Vincent. Growing up, the two brothers had been inseparable, sharing a close bond despite their six-year age difference. Daniel had always taken on the role of Vincent’s protector and friend, guiding him through the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence, and supporting him in his pursuits.
One evening, after a particularly challenging day at work and feeling homesick, Daniel received a phone call from his mother. She told him that Vincent had been struggling with school and his personal life, and she believed that he needed his older brother’s guidance now more than ever. Feeling a sense of responsibility and concern for his brother, Daniel decided to take some time off work and return home for a surprise visit.
Upon arriving in his hometown, Daniel was greeted with a sense of nostalgia (怀旧) and familiarity. He immediately noticed the changes that had taken place in Vincent’s life during his absence, as well as the undeniable signs of his brother’s distress. Determined to help, Daniel took Vincent under his wing, spending hours talking and reconnecting with him. Together, they revisited their favorite childhood spots, looking back upon the happy memories they had shared and the lessons they had learned together.
Through their conversations, Daniel discovered that Vincent had been facing significant academic pressure and was struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation. The once-confident and outgoing teenager now seemed lost and unsure of himself. As the brothers continued to spend time together, they openly discussed their fears and aspirations, strengthening the bond they had always shared, and finding comfort in each other’s company.
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。
As the days went by, Daniel could see the positive impact their time together was having on Vincent.
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On the last day of his visit, Daniel had a heart-to-heart conversation with Vincent.
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I could hear one of my classmates expressing her impatience with my slow crawl up the ladder (梯子),“If she’s afraid of heights, why would she sign up for a Bungee Jumping (蹦极) class?” My friend was at the top of the ladder, trying to cheer me up. How did I wind up on a ladder hanging above the Hudson River?
It was my friend who invited me to the Bungee Jumping class. At first, I was doubtful, but her enthusiasm and guarantees of strict safety procedures won me over.
I had been fearful of heights since primary school. Avoiding my fear of heights became second nature. I tried not to look down at balconies or staircases. I avoided traveling by plane as much as possible. I declined invitations from friends to join them on roller coasters (过山车).
But here I was, at age twenty-six, facing my fear of heights in a rather extreme way. I had come around to the idea of trying Bungee Jumping. I figured it wasn’t much different from swinging on the monkey bars as a kid. The one obstacle I didn’t expect was the ladder. In order to reach the Bungee Jumping, I had to climb up a twenty-two-foot ladder.
My friend’s distraction techniques helped to take my mind off my dangerous task. I found a rhythm and kept going. With a slow and steady (稳定的) pace, I made it to the top.
An instructor tied me to a safety belt and told me to step to the edge of the platform. I held the Bungee Jumping bar with sweaty hands, surprised that it was too thick to fix my hand around. Instead of a firm grasp, my hands were in a weak, bear-claw position.
The cheers from my classmates rang out below. An instructor reminded me of the safety rules, including the net below that would catch me at the bottom. He reminded me to listen to the directions while in the air, so I could perform well.
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 face to face with my fear of heights.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My second round of Bungee Jumping went a bit more smoothly.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . Before retiring, my father was a successful corporate executive. Growing up, I got used to learning that he had received
Therefore, I couldn't have been more
I have
Over time, I've became increasingly
A.increases | B.promotions | C.changes | D.shifts |
A.strengths | B.accomplishments | C.perseverance | D.patience |
A.amused | B.ashamed | C.surprised | D.concerned |
A.reading | B.writing | C.indicating | D.illustrating |
A.sold | B.delivered | C.printed | D.spread |
A.appointing | B.assigning | C.polishing | D.shaping |
A.puzzled | B.amazed | C.relieved | D.upset |
A.weighed up | B.backed down | C.banked on | D.come across |
A.tolerate | B.acknowledge | C.imagine | D.confirm |
A.vision | B.reputation | C.approval | D.passion |
A.ambitious | B.meaningful | C.valuable | D.absurd |
A.refused | B.appreciated | C.took | D.landed |
A.aware | B.afraid | C.grateful | D.accustomed |
A.stability | B.motivation | C.satisfaction | D.growth |
A.missing | B.witnessing | C.pursuing | D.seizing |
8 . After my graduation from college, I was always worried about my income. I was hopeful when I got a part-time job at a library, and happier when I got a
My eyes came to rest on a tree outside. A squirrel (松鼠) was making his way down the trunk. It was
A.similar | B.popular | C.good | D.second |
A.deal with | B.apply for | C.depend on | D.give up |
A.cried | B.thought | C.expected | D.explained |
A.frightening | B.necessary | C.difficult | D.dangerous |
A.experience | B.survive | C.change | D.manage |
A.skillful | B.thankful | C.careful | D.useful |
A.cleared | B.reached | C.left | D.dug |
A.unfinished | B.disagreeable | C.incredible | D.irregular |
A.carry | B.protect | C.package | D.hide |
A.tree | B.road | C.window | D.squirrel |
A.move | B.trial | C.advice | D.lead |
A.promised | B.stopped | C.forgot | D.pretended |
A.regularly | B.anxiously | C.safely | D.secretly |
A.dream | B.draw | C.explore | D.arrange |
A.competitions | B.victories | C.mistakes | D.challenges |
9 . The older I get, the more I understand how my teachers have transformed my life.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, I went to see Mr. C at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills. His love of life has not dimmed despite the fact that his legs no longer work like they used to. He visited some of his former students while he was in town. At Beverly Hills High School, Mr. C taught ancient history, coached football and golf, and risked his life teaching driver’s training on Saturday mornings from 1964 to 1988. The gray and hobbled students lined up one after another to thank their favorite teacher. One called him a rock star. Another was grateful for helping him when he couldn’t say so. It was a beautiful tribute, especially in these times of catastrophic teacher shortages.
Spending that Sunday in the park with Mr. C was nothing short of magic. It was a reminder of all that is promising and possible in public education, including a teacher whose rare emotional honesty could be appreciated and honored decades later. It also brought to mind Maya Angelou’s saying “People will forget what you said and did, but never forget how you make them feel.” He made me and others in the park feel heard and seen.
Mr. C changed my perception of myself. Rather than seeing myself as a loser cheerleader who couldn’t compete with the smart kids, I realized how much I loved learning. His history class was so interesting. In his classes about the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, extra credits can be earned for creativity. During earthquake drills, we counted on Mr. C to scream his head off in mock terror.
It should come as little surprise that I’d value the role of teachers in my life. Both of my parents taught; so did my siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. I, too, have become a teacher and I try to follow in Mr. C’s footsteps. Some days, I fantasize what it would be like to go on a teacher tour, reaching out to my mentors to express my deep gratitude for all they’ve given me. Seeing Mr. C sparked that fantasy again. When I finally worked up my courage to thank him, knowing a floodgate of tears would open, he said to me with his typical modesty: “You were doing me more good than I was doing you.”
1. What does the underlined word “tribute” mean in Paragraph 2?A.enthusiasm | B.admiration | C.devotion | D.commitment |
A.To make a suggestion. |
B.To introduce a celebrity. |
C.To show respect to an educator. |
D.To interpret the influence of education. |
A.Enjoyable. | B.Intolerant. | C.Incompetent. | D.Patient. |
A.A reunion. | B.A rock star. | C.A surprise. | D.A great teacher. |
10 . At 28 years old, I lost my job as a full-time magazine editor. I’d always dreamed of becoming a self-employed writer, but I
Despite the fear I felt at
I’ve been working for myself full-time for two years. Not only am I happier thanks to a(n)
When it comes to big dreams, many of us plan out every last detail so that we feel
When Jennifer Qiao got
Never let over-planning get in the
A.enjoyed | B.imagined | C.started | D.suggested |
A.so | B.but | C.once | D.although |
A.diving into | B.carrying on | C.breaking up | D.letting out |
A.offer | B.option | C.application | D.judgement |
A.shared | B.treated | C.understood | D.faced |
A.strict | B.tight | C.flexible | D.ambitious |
A.chief | B.part-time | C.retired | D.salaried |
A.eager | B.grateful | C.prepared | D.regretful |
A.fired | B.employed | C.dressed | D.married |
A.born | B.forgotten | C.stolen | D.rejected |
A.plan | B.charge | C.market | D.deadline |
A.widely | B.quickly | C.secretly | D.officially |
A.business | B.challenge | C.organization | D.game |
A.adjusted | B.referred | C.contributed | D.grown |
A.form | B.way | C.beginning | D.middle |