One summer vacation, I allowed my husband and our three sons to take me to go horse-riding. I’d never been on a horse in my life. Horses scare me. “It will be fun,” my kids said. “What if I fall off?” I wanted to add more, but I kept my mouth shut. I was trying to be a good sport.
When we arrived, the coach gave me his gentlest horse. “Nothing to worry about. And kick your feet on the horse’s side to make him go,” he said. I hoped the horse had heard that, too. The horse may look gentle, but he was very big and tall. How on earth was I going to get on this horse using only one little stirrup (马镫) on the side? Well, it took my husband and three sons to do it, but they got me on that horse!
Since the coach knew I had the gentlest horse, he placed me at the very end of the road. I was happy. If I looked silly sitting on this horse, everyone else would be in front of me and couldn’t watch me. We started out just fine. As we got into the woods, my horse was still very gentle. By the time all the other horses were out of the woods, my horse and I were still in the woods! I saw our youngest son waving to me in the distance. This seemed to be the longest ride with this boring horse and me.
Slowly, we got out of the woods and were in a bean field. Suddenly, my horse stopped. Then I remembered one important thing the coach had told me. He said, “Don’t let the horse stop to eat the beans, because then the horse won’t want to go back to the barn (畜棚).” I looked down, and the horse was eating the beans.
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 tried to stop him, but he kept on eating.
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________April 28, 2015. That was the day it started, the start of my new life. I woke up in ICU in the hospital, not knowing the extent of my injuries or what had happened fully. My parents came in to see me. They saw me awake for the first time. I started trying to move but failed.
My dad bent down and said, “Jim, you lost your legs in the motorcycle accident.”
My dad, growing up, was always very stoical (坚忍的). He raised me and my brother in the tough love style and showed very little emotion. So when I saw the pain and emotion in his face, I knew I had to be strong for not just myself but my entire family.
I immediately told my parents, “I’d rather be here without them than not be here at all.” They smiled. First time I’d seen them smile since they walked in the room.
The next month and a half of recovery was long and difficult. I was unable to sleep at night. Thoughts began to run through my mind. Would I have a normal life? Would I enjoy the things that I used to enjoy? All I could do was look forward to the morning when my family and friends came back.
I got released from the hospital on June 3, 2015, the day after my 27th birthday. I got home, finally, ready to start my new life. But I still had to figure out what I was going to do next. So as I was trying to figure it out, I had a couple of friends that were trying to help me out and get my life started. They were members of the Pip e Hitters Union Motorcycle Club.
One day, they gave me a text message that said, “Give this guy a call. His name is David. He can help you.” I called David and soon we met. I had a meeting with him and his staff. He told me about his gym called ATF-the Adaptive Training Foundation. It was a non-profit organization aimed at helping people with disabilities come back to normal life through physical training.
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:
I filled out an application, almost immediately accepted into class.
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Paragraph 2:
At this time, David advised me to find a job.
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1. 幽默能使人欢笑愉悦，减轻压力；
2. 幽默能使人精神饱满，有益于身心健康；
3. 幽默能使人忘却烦恼，使生活更美好；
4. 你的观点。
词数：80左右。
Why We Need Humour in Our Life?
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“Hey, Adam, I’m sorry I’m not there with you right now. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks, Dad. Are you coming home later for the party?”
“Um, well, something’s come up, darling. I might not be able to make it, but I’ll have Rose get you the best cake. Just tell her what you need, OK? Sorry, I really want to be there, but you know how busy my work is right now... I’m really busy.”
The call went silent. “Hey, Adam, You there? I’ll try to make time, OK? Hello? ...”
Jaden removed the phone from his ear and realized the call was disconnected. Adam had hung up.
Jaden let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, this is something I’m doing for you.”
Jaden owned a million-dollar farm business, and he was planning on expanding it. For that very reason, he was several miles away from his son, traveling to a village.
He pulled the car near the roadside and dialed his son immediately. But clearly, the call didn’t go well, Like several other times, Adam was disappointed that Jaden wasn’t there for him.
When Adam was a child, Jaden could easily ask him for forgiveness by getting him toys, chocolates and anything the boy loved.
But as an 11-year-old boy, Adam had started comprehending things. He was becoming curious and knew his dad was putting work before him. That hurt the youngster in many ways, and since Jaden’s wife passed away and he wasn’t always there for Adam, the boy was being looked after by his aunt, Rose.
As Jaden was driving along the rough road, suddenly he found a car stopped there and the driver was waving to him. Jaden stepped out of his car and approached the driver, “What’s up, sir?”
“I’m Paul, sorry to interrupt you. I’m driving a long way here to meet a client, but the battery of my smartphone runs out and my GPS doesn’t work, so I can’t figure out the route. I regret not bringing my driver for his wife was ill and I think he needs more time to accompany his wife,” the man said anxiously, After guiding Paul to his client, Jaden was lost in thought.
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。
Jaden changed his idea, thinking it was the most important to celebrate his son’s birthday.
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After running for fifteen minutes, Jaden was out of breath when he reached home.
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Since Benjamin lost his sight during his service in the army, he had seldom gone out, but his friends always encouraged him and bought him a guide dog named Cooper. Benjamin had to admit the dog made all the difference. He regained some independence such as walking through the park.
Benjamin’s friend, Natalie, was singing in a performance at the local concert hall. Benjamin hadn’t expected to go and hear her sing, but Natalie wanted him to be there and told him some of their friends would be present too. So he put on his nice suit, grabbed Cooper, and set out.
Benjamin reached the hall a bit late. He decided to go to his friends later and sat with his dog in the closest row he could sense. He knew at least two people were sitting in the same row. “Oh! Who brings a dog to the nice concert hall?” Benjamin heard a woman complain. Maybe she didn’t notice his really black glasses and didn’t understand why he needed a dog. “Ada, he’s blind. It’s his service dog,” her husband replied.
Natalie took the stage. Although Benjamin couldn’t see her, he knew she looked beautiful. Meanwhile, the woman named Ada continued complaining about Cooper. Benjamin was about to be angry. She had known he was blind. Worst of all, she was interrupting his friend’s concert. Benjamin decided he would leave as soon as Natalie finished this song. However, as the song ended, Natalie began to address the audience.
“Thank you, everyone. The next song is for one special friend in particular, Benjamin,” Natalie said, looking in Benjamin’s direction and Benjamin could hear the emotions in her voice. “You sacrificed (牺牲) so much for our country, and I do hope the next song brings you happiness and shows you the wonderful world.” Benjamin felt tears falling from his eyes. Cooper rested its head on his knee, comforting him as Natalie sang out a beautiful song.
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:
To Benjamin’s shock, the woman kept quiet the entire time.
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Paragraph 2:
Ada, with her husband, approached when Benjamin and his friends chatted.
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My dad got a new job. We had to pack up and move away from everything we were familiar with. There were so many changes. We came from the north, and now we were almost as far south as possible. We landed in South Florida, and we were total strangers. We moved over during the summer vacation, so I didn’t have to deal with school right away. Summer passed by while we unpacked, arranged furniture, found stores we liked, and adapted to the Sunshine State.
School was coming, and I was afraid of it. I was not an adventurous person. Being shy and quiet, I read a lot and did not make friends easily. My head was filled with fears and worries. Would I make friends? Would If it in? Would I survive in this strange new world? Anyway, there I was, attending a new school full of people I didn’t know.
I had a difficult time adapting to the new school. However, I still loved learning and reading. I even loved homework, and I was good at doing my homework. Loving books and reading helped me to get good grades. Teachers loved that about me. Other kids, though, did not. Although I always answered questions in class, I seldom talked with my classmates. I was unpopular. I felt like a total failure and nobody would like me.
The none day, at all boy walked over to me after an English class. He introduced himself and told me he was in the school basketball team. I knew him—he was the star player! “Hey,” he said. “You do really well in English class. And you know, my teammates and I spend much time competing and practicing. The subjects, especially English, really bother us. Do you think you could help us?” “Yes. Oh, definitely yes. I could, and I would,” I replied with surprise. We made the deal with an exchange of smiles.
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。
Something gradually changed after that.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Meanwhile, the basketball players taught me how to play basketball.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mrs. Klein taught the first grade in a poor neighborhood. She was the kind of teacher who was so gentle, caring, and encouraging to her students from every aspect. She treated every child like they were her own kid with affection from her heart. She was careful enough to find out the children’s problems and was also patient to teach the children the subjects which they were interested in, even if some kids were having difficulties in learning.
One day, Mrs. Klein told her first graders to draw a picture of something for which they were. thankful. She thought how little these children actually had to be thankful for. But she knew that most of the class would draw pictures of candies or their favorite toys given by their beloved ones.
What made Mrs. Klein surprised was Dan’s picture. Dan was so shy and likely to be found away from the others as they went outside for games. His drawing was simply this:
A hand, obviously, but whose hand? The class was attracted by his picture. “I think it must be the hand of his mum or dad that brings him food, ” said one student.
“It looks more like a policeman, and they protect us. ” “I think, ” said a girl, who was always so serious, “that it is supposed to be all the hands that help us, but Dan could only draw one of them. ”
Mrs. Klein was very happy to see that the class showed so much interest in Dan’s picture. When she had the others finish their own pictures, she went over to Dan.
注意：1．续写词数应为80词左右;
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
She bent over his desk and asked, “My dear, could you please tell me whose hand it was?”
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About twenty minutes he waited, and then a tall man in a long overcoat, with collar turned up to his ears, hurried across from the opposite side of the street. He went directly to the waiting man.
“Is that you, Bob?” he asked, doubtfully.
“Is that you, Jimmy Wells?” cried the man in the door.
“Bless my heart!” exclaimed the new arrival, grasping both the other’s hands with his own. “It’s Bob! I was certain I’d find you here if you were still alive. Well, well, well! —twenty years is a long time. How has the West treated you, old man?”
“It has given me everything I asked it for. You’ve changed lots, Jimmy. I never thought you were so tall by two or three inches (英寸).”
“Oh, I grew a bit after I was twenty.”
“Doing well in New York, Jimmy?”
“Moderately. I have a position in one of the city departments. Come on, Bob; we’ll go around to a place I know of, and have a good long talk about old times.”
The two men started up the street, arm in arm. The man from the West, his egotism (自我) enlarged by success, was beginning to outline the history of his career. The other, submerged (埋) in his overcoat, listened with interest.
At the corner stood a drug store, brilliant with electric lights. When they came into this glare each of them turned simultaneously (同时地) to gaze upon the other’s face.
The man from the West stopped suddenly and released his arm
“You’re not Jimmy Wells,” he snapped. “Twenty years is a long time, but not long enough to change a man’s nose from a Roman (鹰钩鼻) to a pug (狮子鼻).”
“It sometimes changes a good man into a bad one,” said the tall man. “You’ve been under arrest (被捕) for ten minutes, ‘Silky’ Bob. Chicago thinks you may have dropped over our way and wants to have a chat with you. Going quietly, are you? That’s sensible. Now, before we go on to the police station here’s a note I was asked to hand you. You may read it here at the the window. It’s from Patrolman (巡警) Wells.”
The man from the West unfolded the little piece of paper handed him. His hand was steady when he began to read, but it trembled a little by the time he had finished. The note was rather short.
“Bob: I was at the appointed place on time. When you struck the match to light your cigar I saw it was the face of the man wanted (被通缉的) in Chicago. Somehow I couldn’t do it myself, so I went around and got a plain clothes man to do the job. ——JIMMY.”
(Excerpts from “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry)
注意：1.续写词数为120左右
2.请按以下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
How time flew! Bob was released from jail. Stepping out of jail into the cold wind,
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He turned around and surprised to find a familiar-looking man.
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When the last customer left KFC, it was already 10:30 pm. Adam, an 18-year-old college student, dragged himself home. He had been working at KFC for over a month that summer vacation.
Entering his room, Adam found his younger brother Bill sitting on the edge of his bed with an uneasy expression on his face.
“Sorry, Adam. I … I did something wrong,” Bill sprang up and said nervously.
“What is it?”
“This afternoon I sneaked (溜) out for a ride on your motorcycle and accidentally hit our neighbor Osman Brook’s car. I was so scared and I … I hurried home in panic.”
“Is the car seriously damaged?”
“The left headlight got broken.”
“It’s truly your fault and it’s really dangerous to ride a motorcycle at your age. Besides, it’s illegal,” Adam raised his voice, obviously annoyed. Hearing this, Bill lowered his head and bit his lips hard.
“Anyway, it’s no use crying over spilt milk. I will deal with it tomorrow. Now you go to bed and have a good sleep.”
The next morning when Adam got up, Bill was still sleeping soundly. Adam was more determined about what he ought to do as an elder brother.
After breakfast, Adam took out all the money he had earned and went out of the house with it. In the yard he saw his motorcycle, on whose side the scratches (划痕) were clearly visible. Adam shook his head and sighed slightly. Then he squared his shoulders and quickened his pace to Osman’s house.
When he arrived, he was welcomed by Osman’s wife Mary, who told him that Osman had gone to the garage to have his car repaired.
“I have something important to tell him. Can I wait until he comes back?” Adam requested eagerly.
“Of course. He should be home soon,” Mary invited Adam in, served him a cup of coffee and began chatting with him.
After half an hour, the door opened and in came Osman. Having said hello to each other, Osman and Adam both sat down on the sofa.
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。
Adam cleared his throat and began to speak.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Just then, there came a knock at the door.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A MOTHER’S DAY SURPRISE
The twins were filled with excitement as they thought of the surprise they were planning for Mother’s Day. How pleased and proud Mother would be when they brought her breakfast in bed. They planned to make French toast and chicken porridge. They had watched their mother in the kitchen. There was nothing to it. Jenna and Jeff knew exactly what to do.
The big day came at last. The alarm rang at 6 a.m. The pair went down the stairs quietly to the kitchen. They decided to boil the porridge first. They put some rice into a pot of water and left it to boil while they made the French toast. Jeff broke two eggs into a plate and added in some milk. Jenna found the bread and put two slices into the egg mixture. Next, Jeff turned on the second stove burner to heat up the frying pan. Everything was going smoothly until Jeff started frying the bread. The pan was too hot and the bread turned black within seconds. Jenna threw the burnt piece into the sink and put in the other slice of bread. This time, she turned down the fire so it cooked nicely.
Then Jeff noticed steam shooting out of the pot and the lid starting to shake. The next minute, the porridge boiled over and put out the fire. Jenna panicked. Thankfully, Jeff stayed calm and turned off the gas quickly. But the stove was a mess now. Jenna told Jeff to clean it up so they could continue to cook the rest of the porridge. But Jeff’s hand touched the hot burner and he gave a cry of pain. Jenna made him put his hand in cold water. Then she caught the smell of burning. Oh dear! The piece of bread in the pan had turned black as 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。
As the twins looked around them in disappointment, their father appeared.
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