Sarah, a high school student, had a great passion for baking. With her parents’ support, Sarah dreamed of opening her own bakery, a place where she could turn her interest into a business. However, she knew the importance of improving her skills and gaining real-world experience.
Therefore, every Saturday, without fail, she would set up a small but charming table at a local park. The park, filled with families and laughter, was the perfect place for Sarah to sell her creations. Her table, neatly laid out with colorful homemade cookies and cakes, attracted passers-by with the desserts’ smell.
On a particularly bright and sunny afternoon, as Sarah was carefully arranging her chocolate cookies and cakes, her attention was drawn to an elderly woman sitting alone on a bench. The woman, with her silver hair and sad eyes, seemed lost in thought. As the hours went by, Sarah noticed that the woman remained where she was, seemingly forgotten by the world. A sense of concern washed over Sarah. So she decided to act. She poured a cup of warm tea carefully and cut a generous slice of her rich chocolate cake, a crowd favorite, and approached the woman.
“I thought you might like some snacks,” Sarah said with a warm, inviting smile. The woman’s face lit up as she accepted the treat. “Thank you, dear. I haven’t had such a delicious treat since my retirement,” she responded, her voice soft yet filled with gratitude. As she enjoyed the cake, tears rolled down her face.
A little shocked, Sarah asked what had happened. The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Wilson, who had been a baker before she retired. Since losing her husband to cancer a week ago, she had been living alone. Her visits to the park were her escape from the loneliness that filled her quiet home. Sarah listened attentively, her heart touched by the woman’s story.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Sarah decided to help Mrs. Wilson out.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Over time, their unlikely friendship became noticed in the park.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Cynthia was a primary school student. She was curious about everything. She made efforts to get a good grade in every subject. She was a kind-hearted and outgoing girl. At school, she was always ready to help her classmates. At home, she helped her mum do some housework. She was never a concern to her mum, Mrs. Anderson.
However, Mrs. Anderson noticed a change in Cynthia these days. There were more quiet moments. Mrs. Anderson saw Cynthia looking out of the window, lost in thought. She also learned from her teacher that Cynthia wasn’t as focused on school as before. A sense of worry rose in Mrs. Anderson’s heart and she wondered about what was behind Cynthia’s unusual behavior.
Before going to bed, she started talking with Cynthia, asking about her day. However, Cynthia just said that nothing in particular happened. Mrs. Anderson’s concern grew. She decided to keep a closer eye, hoping to uncover the challenges her daughter might be facing.
One day, while cleaning up Cynthia’s bedroom, Mrs. Anderson discovered something unexpected — on her desk lay some books on how to treat injured birds. It was quite surprising. Cynthia had never told her about this. It also amazed Mrs. Anderson. She had a deep love for nature and birds and she could always find inspiration in their freedom and the beauty of their songs. She couldn’t help but wonder what had inspired her daughter’s newfound interest in birds.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.开头已给出。
The next morning, Mrs. Anderson saw Cynthia walking quietly into the backyard with a first aid kit in hand.
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Mrs. Anderson couldn’t help but walk out.
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A Little Boy
A little boy selling magazines for school walked up to a house that people rarely visited. The house was very old and shabby and the owner hardly ever came out. When he did come out, he would not say hello to his neighbors or passers-by but simply just glared at them.
The boy knocked on the door and waited, sweating from fear of the old man. The boy’s parents told him to stay away from the house, and a lot of other neighborhood children were told the same thing from their parents.
Dusk found the boy lingering on and hesitating what to do. As he was ready to walk away, the door slowly opened. “What do you want?” the old man said impatiently. The little boy was very afraid but he had a quota (定额) to meet for school with selling the magazines. So he got up the courage and said, “Uh, Sir, I am selling these magazines and, uh, I was wondering if you would like to buy one from me.”
The old man just stared at the boy without a word. The boy could see inside the old man’s house and saw that he had dog figurines (小雕像) on the fireplace mantle. “Do you collect dogs?” The little boy asked. “Yes, I have many collections in my house. They are my family here and they are all I have.” The boy then felt sorry for the man, as it seemed that he was a very lonely soul.
“Well, I do have a magazine here for collectors. It is perfect for you. I also have one about dogs since you like dogs so much.” The old man was ready to close the door on the boy and said, “No, boy. I don’t need any magazines of any kind, now goodbye.”
The little boy was sad that he was not going to make his quota with the sale. He was also sad for the old man being so alone in the house that he owned. The boy went home and then had an idea. He had a little dog figurine that he got some years ago from an aunt. The figurine did not mean nearly as much to him since he had a real live dog and a large family.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
The little boy headed back down to the old man’s house.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From that day on something changed inside the old man.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“What happened?” asked Mrs. Sharpnack. The red marks covering the test said everything. Without even seeing the grade,I knew I had failed. I felt upset as I realized what would come after this.
My failing score would mean my grades wouldn’t be high enough to be on the Honor Roll that term. In just a few weeks,the names of the Honor Roll students would be read during class. Those on the list would be excused to go watch a movie and have treats. I wasn’t as upset about missing the party as I was about to explain to my friends why I wouldn’t get to go. My friends always got good grades,and usually,so did I.
“I know you can pass this test” said Mrs. Sharpnack. “What if I let you take it again? I’ll give you a week to study.” But I just wanted to go home,forget about the test and never think about math again. Mrs. Sharpnack could have left me behind,but she didn’t. Perhaps a great teacher just can’t be satisfied with students falling short of his or her potential. “I know you can pass this test,” she repeated firmly. She said it with such certainty that it almost felt like a vow (誓言). For a brief moment,I wondered if she could be right.
I had thirty minutes from the time school let out until my bus came. Mrs. Sharpnack asked if I would be willing to use that time to go over the problems I had missed. I agreed. We started right then and made plans to meet each day for one week,after which I would take the test again.
After going over a few problems,my friend Madena came looking for me.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
Before I could say anything,Mrs. Sharpnack turned my test backside up,hiding its contents. “Amanda is helping me with a special project,” she said. By then,it was time for our bus to come. I gathered up my things and left with Madena.
For the next week,I stayed after class with Mrs. Sharpnack. She would go over each problem,carefully explaining their solutions.
注意：续写词数应为150左右。
The day when I should take the test again came soon.
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Things were different this time.
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Last week, I was having breakfast at Chick-fil-A and as I was sitting in my truck eating, I noticed a homeless guy sitting on the curb (路边) behind the building with his dog.
He was holding a sign asking for money or food donations to help feed him and his dog. I observed him the entire time I ate my breakfast. He mostly just sat there scratching his dog and holding the sign while people drove past ignoring them. When I finished my breakfast, I decided to make another run through the drive-through and ordered a large chicken biscuit combo. As I was leaving, I pulled up alongside him and handed him the bag of breakfast and a small bag of dog food I had in my truck for my dog.
The bag of Chick-fil-A put a huge smile on his face, but when I handed him the bag of dog food, the guy literally lost it and started bawling (放声痛哭) right there on the side of my truck. After regaining his composure, he exclaimed that it had been so long since somebody had treated him like a human being. I asked him if he would be willing to work hard for a decent day’s pay and he immediately straightened up and exclaimed that he could be the hardest worker I had ever seen. I gave him my business card and a fiver and told him to meet me at that spot the next morning and I would put him to work.
The next day I stopped in and sure enough he was waiting there for me. I took him and his dog to the jobsite. He wasn’t kidding about being a hard worker; this guy carried wood around and fetched tools out of my truck for me all day without complaining once. His dog just followed him the entire time. During the day I learned about his misfortune.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 开头已给出。
Paragraph 1:
At the end of the day I took him to my bank and withdrew his day’s pay which amounted to $80.
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Paragraph 2:
When I left him last night, he looked like a different person from the man I saw hanging his head in shame behind Chick-fil-A.
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6 . Is it true that our brain alone is responsible for human cognition(认知)? What about our body? Is it possible for thought and behaviour to originate from somewhere other than our brain? Psychologists who study Embodied Cognition(EC)ask similar questions. The EC theory suggests our body is also responsible for thinking or problem-solving. More precisely, the mind shapes the body and the body shapes the mind in equal measure.
If you think about it for a moment, it makes total sense. When you smell something good or hear amusing sounds, certain emotions are awakened. Think about how newborns use their senses to understand the world around them. They don’t have emotions so much as needs – they don’t feel sad, they’re just hungry and need food. Even unborn babies can feel their mothers’ heartbeats, and this has a calming effect. In the real world, they cry when they’re cold and then get hugged. That way, they start to associate being warm with being loved.
Further studies have backed up the mind-body interaction. In one experiment, test subjects were asked to judge people after being handed a hot or a cold drink. They all made warm evaluations when their fingertips perceived warmth rather than coolness. And it works the other way too. In another study, subjects’ fingertip temperatures were measured after being “included” in or “rejected” from a group task. Those who were included felt physically warmer.
For further proof, we can look at the metaphors(比喻)that we use without even thinking. A kind and sympathetic person is frequently referred to as one with a soft heart and someone who is very strong and calm in difficult situations is often described as solid as a rock. And this kind of metaphorical use is common across languages.
Now that you have the knowledge of mind-body interaction, why not use it? If you’re having a bad day, a warm cup of tea will give you a flash of pleasure. If you know you’re physically cold, warm up before making any interpersonal decisions.
1. According to the author, what is the significance of EC?| A．It brings us closer to the truth in human cognition. |
| B．It offers a clearer picture of the shape of human brain. |
| C．It reveals the major role of the mind in human cognition. |
| D．It facilitates our understanding of the origin of psychology. |
| A．Their personal looks. | B．Their mental needs. |
| C．Their inner emotions. | D．Their physical feelings. |
| A．Human speech is alive with metaphors. |
| B．Human senses have effects on thinking. |
| C．Human language is shaped by visual images. |
| D．Human emotions are often compared to natural materials. |
| A．To deepen the readers’ understanding of EC. |
| B．To encourage the reader to put EC into practice. |
| C．To guide the reader onto the path to career success. |
| D．To share with the reader ways to release their emotions. |
7 . Why It’s Hard to Lose Weight
What makes people gain weight? This seems like a simple enough question to answer. If we eat a lot and don’t do enough exercise, we will become fat.
As we know, what we eat greatly affects our weight. It is widely accepted that people have 100% control over what they eat and how much they eat. This, however, is partly true.
Our bodies themselves can decide whether we are more likely to gain weight or lose weight. Scientists have found that the more delicious the food, the more excited our brains get.
Also, our bodies use a variety of hormones (激素) to tell our brains whether they are hungry or full. Ghrelin(胃饥饿素), for example, tells the brain that the body wants food. Leptin(瘦蛋白), meanwhile, tells the brain that it’s time to stop eating. Ghrelin and leptin help us to maintain a healthy weight.
| A．But sometimes, they may work improperly. |
| B．People form habits around food at a young age. |
| C．If we often have delicious food, over time, our brain will change. |
| D．Now you know why fat people often have a tough time losing weight. |
| E．There is also evidence to show industrial chemicals may increase body fat. |
| F．However, the science behind weight problems is more complicated than we think. |
| G．People with low levels of body satisfaction are more likely to gain weight over time. |
In 1989, fresh out of high school, I had the difficult task of choosing a career path before college started in three months. In those days in Pakistan, there were limited choices: becoming a doctor or an engineer, or entering the financial world after getting a business degree. I wasn’t interested in engineering, so that I was left with medicine or business. I couldn’t decide.
My uncle suggested that I do a work placement(实习) to experience it for a month in an international company followed by a month in a hospital. After that, I could make a decision. It seemed like a good idea.
I was accepted for a month’s placement at a foreign bank in Karachi. I got a feel of how the world of finance functioned, made new friends, and generally enjoyed the mostly easygoing work surroundings.
The month passed rapidly, and soon I began working at a leading hospital in Karachi. The experience couldn’t have been more different. The hospital had a stressful environment. The days started early (at 7 am, compared to 9 am at the bank), and were filled with endless duties. And the night calls! This was crazy, working all day, through the night, and again the next day.
I began thinking about my two experiences. The bank had offered a more relaxing atmosphere, better working hours and less stress. The hospital was full of excitement, but studying and training were difficult. It seemed that the business choice was going to win out.
Near the end of my month at the hospital, I was driving home after an especially busy night call. In front of me was a public bus, with college students sitting on the top. As the driver weaved through (穿梭) traffic, I could see the boys shaking from side to side.
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2．至少使用5个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：
Suddenly, a boy fell off the back of the bus.
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Paragraph 2：
The next day, when I went to the hospital to see the boy, all his family got up, with grateful smiles on their faces.
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Mrs. Miller was our next-door neighbor. Her husband died two years ago. She had no children and no relatives that we knew of. She was gentle and kind, and my sister Laurel and I considered her our special friend.
One December, Mrs. Miller was ill in hospital. Laurel and I were busy making Christmas presents, and we wondered what to make for Mrs. Miller. We couldn’t bear seeing her come home before Christmas to an empty house with no holiday decorations. Then we lit upon the idea of decorating a small tree that would greet her with lights and cheer. We were wondering how to carry out our plan when the answer appeared.
I was in Miss Johnson’s sixth grade class that year, and we decorated a small tree with paper-link chains and ornaments (装饰物) we’d made in art class. It was beautiful. Best of all, it had to be removed from the classroom before Christmas vacation.
Miss Johnson said there would be a drawing (抽签) for the tree. We’d each write our name on a piece of paper and put it in the box she had prepared. On the last day of school before vacation, she’d draw a name from the box, and that student could take the tree home.
Great! That was exactly what I was longing for! So I wrote my name “Helen Wheeler” neatly on a piece of paper and folded it carefully. As I put it into the box, I whispered to Miss Johnson that I really hoped I’d win the tree because my sister and I wanted to give it to our neighbor who was sick and lonely. Though there were 30 children in the class and each might win the tree, I was somehow certain that I would get it because our cause was good: We wanted to make Mrs. Miller happy.
The day before vacation finally arrived. Laurel and I usually walked to and from school, but that day I persuaded Mom to pick us up in her car after school in case I really got the tree.
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:
Before school was over, Miss Johnson announced it was time for the drawing.
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Paragraph 2:
The next evening we welcomed Mrs. Miller back at her door.
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10 . It was a quiet early afternoon in the library, and we librarians were enjoying a chat at the library desk. Suddenly, a regular reader, who had been reading a magazine, marched up to us, gave us an annoyed “Shush (嘘)!” and went back to her seat.
Shocked into silence, we tried not to laugh. How strange for a group of librarians to be shushed by a reader! Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Well, it seems hard to explain. If you’re a baby boomer (婴儿潮出生的人) like me, you probably remember libraries as places of adults’ silent reading. These days, however, libraries are more like busy community centers, where being noisy to some degree is the new normal, especially when kids are taking part.
I am a loud librarian. My voice is naturally on the louder side. The hundreds of programs I led as a children’s librarian were filled with singing, dancing, movement exercises and cheerful readings of books with crowds of children and their caregivers. No shushing allowed!
Growing knowledge about the importance of kids and teens learning through hands-on experiences has since caused a sea change in how public libraries connect with young readers. These types of programs like board games, poetry reading and story times certainly aren’t designed to be silent.
But it’s a balancing act. Not all readers—or librarians—like the idea of a noisy library. It’s clear to me now that on the day my colleagues and I were shushed by a reader, we should have been using our “library voices” as we talked. Still, it’s unlikely that libraries will ever return to the days when they were places of silence. There’s just too much fun and learning happening. I heartily agree with my friend Rachel Payne, an early-childhood service educator at the Brooklyn Public Library, who told me, “When I visit a library and it is quiet, I always feel a bit sad. A library where conversations are happening and tables are full is a very good thing!”
1. How did the author think of the shush from a reader?| A．Unexpectedly funny. | B．Really annoying. | C．Quite necessary. | D．Very heartwarming. |
| A．They serve kids only. | B．They become quieter. |
| C．They are less popular. | D．They have different functions. |
| A．To show different voices. | B．To express the author’s idea. |
| C．To make the end interesting. | D．To promote a new reading method. |
| A．How to Act in the Library | B．It’s OK for a Library to Be Noisy |
| C．Why to Keep Silent in the Library | D．It’s Necessary for Librarians to Change |
