Beautiful Birthmarks: The Power of Acceptance
Whenever you hear the word “birthmark (胎记)”, you probably think of one of those black or brown spots you have somewhere on your body. However, for me, it’s completely different — I have them both on my lips and inside my mouth, which make them quite visible and, to me, ugly. When
I was young, these birthmarks kept making me feel extremely awkward and self-conscious (难为情的). As these birthmarks always drew a lot of attention, people often asked me, “What are those black marks on your lips?” When I told people that they were birthmarks, they usually said, “How strange！”
In pictures, I used to hide my birthmarks by pursing (噘起) my lips, so I would not have to deal with people’s questions. As I was growing up, the situation didn’t get any better. In the school, my classmates would always tease me, making me feel hurt and helpless. In society, I often encountered individuals who would inquire about my birthmarks even before they knew my name.
Such experiences left me feeling disheartened. I felt like people judged me by my appearance without considering my personality.
My birthmarks are caused by a genetic condition from my mom’s side of the family. My mom’s mom has birthmarks on her lips, and my mom’s uncle and my uncle have some on their bodies. I used to try to cover them up with makeup, but it never looked good. I even consulted a doctor, wanting to have surgery to remove them. But when imagining the process, I would get nervous and eventually give up.
Whenever I cried to my mom about them, she would always comfort me and say, “Learn to accept them and see them as beautiful birthmarks.” However, it wasn’t easy for me to accept my own birthmarks. Every time I showed my birthmarks, people would look at me with strange eyes. I began to regret why I had given up on the surgery and chosen to accept my birthmarks.
注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 词左右。2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
One day, I met my cousin, who also had a large birthmark on his arm._
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From then on, when I met people, I began to change myself.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Karl was Fred’s son. When his son was little, Fred’s wife passed away, so a mountainous responsibility landed on Fred’s shoulders. Fred was fond of and cared about his son so much that he raised his son with all his heart and soul. He taught him to walk, talk, read and write. He also taught him how to be a true and moral man. When Karl came home with an injury due to falling off his bike or something else, it would hurt Fred’s heart more than it would hurt the boy. Whenever Karl went down with a fever, Fred would sit beside him day and night, barely sleeping a wink (合眼). He always supported Karl in every aspect. Gradually, Karl grew up to become an adult.
How deeply Fred loved his son! However, Fred was unprepared for the day when his beloved son Karl told him he would leave and start his own business in a new city.
“But, Karl, you are too young to start a business,” Fred warned his son. “You still have a long way to go. I think you can help me manage the cafe my grandma left to me first. This way, I’d be able to teach you more about business.” But Karl was stubborn and wouldn’t follow Fred’s advice. “Dad, I am not a kid anymore, so allow me to determine my life. OK?” said Karl. One week later, Karl packed his things and left for the new city, leaving the sad and worried father behind.
Three months passed. One night, Fred got a call from his son. It was strange because Karl seldom called him up after he left for the new city. “Dad, I should have followed your suggestions and stayed at home. I went bankrupt (破产的) and I am in debt now,” Karl said. “I knew this would happen someday,” Fred painfully thought. He planned to help his son and made one of his most difficult choices. “Don’t worry, my son. Luckily, you will succeed to (继承) a huge amount of money from your uncle, soon,” Fred told Karl.
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, I am so fortunate,” said Kurl.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On his way back home, Kar l was wondering how his father was.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The ability of young children to remain calm during a crisis is often limited, but a five-year old girl Savannah from Hancock County, Indiana proved to be an exception, which can be life-saving.
The incident began with an emergency call to the local 911 dispatcher (调度员) , Jason Bonham. To his surprise, the person on the other end was a little girl. Despite the gravity of the situation, her behavior and the clear conversation left a significant impression on Jason and millions who later heard the call.
Savannah was up late seeing a movie with her father, Frank, and her mother was on a business trip. It was during the movie night that she heard disturbing sounds from the kitchen. With their pet dog barking ceaselessly, Savannah went to investigate.
In the kitchen, Savannah found her father on the floor, clutching (捂着) his chest. She was terrified but remembered her parents’ advice about emergency situations. Her father was unable to speak, indicating he was in critical condition.
Savannah took the initiative to contact emergency services, dialing 911 from the kitchen wall phone. Her parents had taught her what to do in such situations, which now proved invaluable.
Jason, the 911 operator, had been in this job for 11 years but was amazed by Savannah’s calmness. Despite the challenging circumstances, Jason was able to gather crucial information about Savannah’s father’s condition. Savannah conveyed her father’s symptoms of difficulty breathing and chest pains to Jason, which helped identify the emergency as a possible heart condition.
Jason kept Savannah on the line, distracting her with light conversation while making sure she was keeping an eye on her dad. Jason asked Savannah to unlock the front door for the convenience of paramedics' (急救医士) entering. Savannah kept communicating with Jason until the paramedics arrived. She performed admirably, not only updating Jason about her father’s condition but also taking practical measures, like unlocking the front door for the paramedics,
Before accompanying her father to hospital, Savannah called her mother. And her father was immediately taken into surgery the moment they reached the hospital.
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。
Savannah’s father made it through surgery successfully.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Her example demonstrated that even a child as young as five could make a difference.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Penny’s Present
The sun was shining when Penny woke up. Usually she jumped out of bed with a happy smile for the new day. But today she just lay there frowning (皱眉).
This was the day before Mother’s Day, and Penny still had no present for Mama. She had forgotten about Mother’s Day until she had heard her brother Peter and sister Elizabeth talking last night. “I made Mama an apron (围裙) in sewing class,” Elizabeth had said proudly.
“What are you going to give Mama?” Peter asked Penny. Penny had not answered. She had ducked her head, ashamed to admit that she had spent her pocket money. She had nothing at all to give Mama on her special day.
Penny got out of bed and dressed slowly. The bag of candies she had bought yesterday reminded her of her terrible mistake.
“Well, here’s our littlest sleepyhead,” Mama said as Penny walked into the kitchen. She gave her a good-morning hug, and the smell of baked apples floated up from her apron. In a way, that made Penny feel worse because it reminded her of all the good things Mama did for her.
She remembered a hot day last summer when Mama had spent a whole afternoon making strawberry jam, because she knew Penny liked it. She thought of the moment when Mama polished her shoes and taught her to cut and arrange flowers. Sometimes she also taught Penny to make paper flowers with colorful petals (花瓣).
“Penny dear, can you eat a little faster?” Mama was talking to her. With surprise Penny noticed that everyone else had finished breakfast.
“I’m sorry, Mama.”
“Well, finish up. I have to visit old Mrs. Logan and read for her. But first, I want to get this kitchen cleaned up.” Penny watched her mother hurriedly cleaning up the kitchen. Mama was a very busy person. It seemed to Penny that sometimes Mama could use an extra pair of hands and two more feet. Suddenly she had an idea! There was a present she could give Mama, and it might be better than anything she could buy.
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。
The next morning, Penny slid into the room with a package.
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“Read the petals of the Promise Flower, Mama,” Penny said.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In Texas, a concerned father named Bradley learned that his 17-year-old son, Brad, was causing trouble at school. It wasn’t just a one-time occurrence; Brad’s physics teacher had complained multiple times about his constant talking during class. As a result, Bradley was faced with the challenge of finding an effective way to discipline his son and teach him a valuable lesson.
In a moment of inspiration, Bradley came up with an idea that parents around the world would later praise him for. He decided to teach his son a lesson. He declared, “If we receive another call from your physics teacher, I will go to your school and sit beside you in class.”
However, Brad didn’t take his father’s words seriously and continued his loose conduct in his physics class. And his father received another call from the teacher, and now it was time for the father to keep his promise.
Friday arrived, and Bradley, who normally had this day off from work, was awakened by his wife. He reluctantly got ready to go to his son’s school. Upon arriving at the school, he made his way to Brad’s physics classroom. The other students chatted joyfully, unaware of what was about to happen. Bra d entered the room as usual, and to his shock, he saw his father sitting by his desk. It hit him like a ton of bricks. His dad had actually come to school and was sitting right next to him in class. The once happy-go-lucky teenager was now filled with embarrassment and regret.
Throughout the class, Bradley silently observed his son’s behavior. He witnessed first-hand the disruptive comments and constant talking that had been causing so much trouble. It was clear that Brad was not taking his education seriously, and his father realized that something needed to be changed.
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。
After the class ended, Bradley apologized to the physics teacher for his son’s behavior.
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Later that day, when Bra d returned home, his father was already waiting for him.
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Bill is a retired oil field engineer. His hands are thick, and his fingers branch out in all directions. He moved back to America late in his career. His wife died of a serious disease so he had to raise his three daughters on his own. In my parents’ eyes, Bill is hardworking and helpful.
Every day, when I pass by his yard to go to school in the morning, I often see him standing in his front door, smiling at me. But in my heart, Bill is the last person I am willing to talk with in the world. When I was 7 years old, I picked fruits in his garden without his permission. He scolded (责骂) me severely and let me apologize to him in front of my parents. I hated him and swore (发誓) not to talk with him any more. What’s more, there is a scar (伤疤) on his face, which makes me more afraid to get close to him.
Recently, Bill, in his seventies, invited my friends in our neighborhood to his house to spend weekends. Of course, Bill also invited me several times but I turned him down.
My friends told me that they were surprised to find Bill was also experienced in playing basketball, and they invited Bill to teach them to play basketball on weekends. Besides, Bill often offered them sodas. It’s rare to see a bond that bridges generations. But I didn’t care all of these any longer.
One week ago, my friends came to my home and expected me to join their basketball team to have a match with the team from another neighborhood. I like playing basketball and I am good at it so I agreed immediately. But when I was told Bill would give us guidance and it was he that let my friends invite me to join the team, I hesitated. Eventually, I was persuaded to have a try.
The match started. Because I wanted to prove myself, I tried my best to shoot every time I caught the ball. I didn’t pass the ball to my teammates. Ten minutes passed and our team didn’t win one point.
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 felt at a loss when Bill called time out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When each player in our team was celebrating our winning the game, I came up to Bill.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Falling ill can be a valuable teaching tool for doctors and it can have an influence on how they look after patients.
Occasionally, doctors become patients, too. While as a doctor I wouldn’t wish ill health on anyone, it can be an inspiring lesson for medical professionals to suddenly be on the other side.
This happened to me a few months ago when I had a stomachache, which had decided to make its unwelcome presence just as I was going out for dinner with a friend.
The pain came from absolutely nowhere but within minutes I was unable to stand or walk. I had no doubt that fellow sufferers would sympathise. I was quite astonished by how painful it was.
Of course, being a doctor, I initially refused to believe that anything was wrong.
I was checked by my coworkers I was worked with. They only said that it was nothing serious. This reminded me of the time when I made conclusions without examining the patients carefully. How I wish I could have been more considerate to my patients.
I wasn’t going to be defeated by the stomachache, so instead I chose to writhe (扭动) around screaming for several hours until I had to admit that probably this was something more serious than a stomachache. Even doctors can underestimate the mental burden that pain brings for patients.
For the stomachache, I stayed in hospital for several days. Later, it turned out to be a kidney stone, which had to be taken out. Given the pain, I had assumed the stone was actually a small one. I was therefore fairly discouraged when it finally came out and it looked much smaller. How could something so small be so painful?
During my time in hospital, various doctors came to speak to me. They were all very nice and polite but one stuck out in my mind. Whenever he came to my bed to speak to me, he knelt down so he was at my eye level. He was actually the most senior of them all.
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。
However, something about his manner and speech tone was incredibly calming. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Getting down on a patient’s level is a simple adjustment doctors can make to their care.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One click of my wooden stick, and the buffaloes (水牛) moved forward. I guided them along the road’s edge, through the heart of the village. We walked past mud homes and villagers bent over tending to their crops. We eyed the green fields, where the buffaloes could eat growing grass. This was my life in a small village in Sindh, Pakistan. We had little, but I had a big dream.
Up ahead laughter attracted my attention. A group of students came into view, their uniforms a contrast to my faded trousers and worn-out shoes. Fingers wrapped tight around my stick, I stepped forward and said sincerely, “Dear students, could you please show me your books?” The students looked from my face to my stick, to their books. They quickly opened their bags and showed me their books. Illustrations of people and places caught my imagination.
“Someday, I’ll go to school too,” I declared, returning their books. Actually, I was desperate to go to school so that I could broaden my horizons.
Months passed. Every day I rose to my chores and buffaloes. Until, one day I got my chance. My uncle came to visit. He and Father sat, drinking tea outside. “Brother, you must send Rasool Bux to school. Herding the buffaloes is not in his future,” Uncle convinced my father. that all children should go to school. The following week, I was studying in primary school. Now, armed with my own books, I set out to learn everything. I read textbooks, asked questions, and even read newspapers for my father and his companions.
By the end of the year, I proved to be one of the best students in the school. I resolved to study at college or university in Karachi, a big city over 150 kilometers away. Unfortunately, I suffered from a skin condition that left white spots on my skin. The constant loss of skin color was stressful, making me feel bad about myself and even drawing attention away from my studies.
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。
The thought of not being able to finish school made me feel extremely depressed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I visited my uncle after I did make it to university in Karachi.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Jennifer, do you hike?” Karen said to me. “Yes, I hike,” I replied. Karen’s slim figure and sun-kissed cheeks suggested she was a regular hiker.
“Great, do you want to come with us tomorrow? We will meet in front of Bobbie’s house at 6:30 before it is too hot, and we will go over to Thunderbird Mountain. It is about three miles in total. Does that sound OK?”
Three miles. I wasn’t sure how long that was, partly because I didn’t actually hike. I was somewhat familiar with the area where they planned to go, but our family had just moved from Oregon to Arizona. I walked our dog around the neighbourhood all the time before we moved here. But I wasn’t sure if I had gone three miles. Being new to town and excited about an invitation from women I wanted to befriend, I accepted, saying, “Sure. That sounds great. We all benefit from hiking.”
When this hiking conversation among my new friends occurred, I was at a monthly dinner for moms in my new neighborhood. The group was four women in their forties, all with high-school kids, jobs, a fondness for reading and music and tricks for simplifying work-life.
I was honored to be invited since making friends in my forties in a new town wasn’t easy. After this re-location for my husband’s career, making friends wasn’t as simple for me as it was for him. He came to the community for a full-time position at a busy university. Our teenaged son and daughter immediately plugged into school through sports and clubs. I was enormously grateful for the ease of the transition for my family, but nervous for myself. So, while at the monthly ladies’ gathering, when hiking came up, I just played along, wanting to try something new.
The next day, I got up early and carefully selected comfortable hiking clothes. When I arrived at the designated friend’s driveway a little early, Karen was standing there waiting. “Hey, Jennifer, I’m glad that you can come to hike,” she said cheerfully and hugged me. When the others joined us, we started walking. I was sweaty and a little out of breath before we even started going uphill.
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。
“So, where did you hike in Oregon?” one of them asked, offering me a bottle of water.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________By accepting the invitation to hike that day, I received a lot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A Regret
As I sat on the couch, my heart was filled with guilt. I recalled how terrible my mistake was, regretting my every move.
It was finally the start of the school holidays. As soon as I reached home, I jumped into my bed. “Freedom!” I shouted with joy.
“Tim, stop relaxing. Didn’t you say that you wanted to learn how to skate? Your father bought you a new skateboard. He will start teaching you tomorrow!” my mother said with delight. Immediately, I jumped out of my bed and sped downstairs. Lying on the dining table was a wonderful skateboard with my name carved on it. The colours, shape and size of each pattern were incredible.
“Can I start now?” I questioned impatiently. My mum shook her head and firmly said that it was too dangerous. A frown (皱眉) filled my face. Disappointed, I took my new skateboard up to my room.
As I stared at the window, I realized how perfect the weather was. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing. There were not many people as well. “No one will know that I stole out secretly and it will not be dangerous. There aren’t many people anyway!” Without hesitation, I tiptoed out of the house. “I can’t wait any longer! I can’t wait!” I spoke to myself in a whisper.
At a nearby park, I placed the skateboard on the ground. Despite being clueless on how to skate, I found a creative way to do so. One of my favourite moves was sitting on the skateboard, with two hands on it, using my legs to move forward.
Not long after, I crowned myself “Master of Skating”. I finally got the hang of it and was skating all around. “My method is amazing!” I announced. At that moment, I saw a long and steep slope (陡坡). My face lit up and I quickly headed towards it. I was filled with confidence to the edge. I flew down the slope with excitement and joy.
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。
Suddenly a six-year-old boy rushed into my path because his ball had rolled away.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Fortunately, his injuries were minor and not infected but I got severely lectured by my parents.
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