It was a thrilling basketball game, with the stadium filled with crowds from two schools. During the match, Jack’s team faced a tough challenge. They were behind by a wide margin (差距). But with Jack’s leadership and the team’s spirit of unity, they managed to make a comeback and win the game in the last minute. It was a moment of teamwork and perseverance.

After the exciting game of basketball, Jack and his teammates were eager to celebrate their victory. As they gathered around the court, Jack noticed a small, shining object in the grass. Curious, he bent down to pick it up and realized it was a gold ring with a letter “H” on it.

Jack’s heart skipped a beat. He had never seen anything so valuable before. His teammates noticed his excitement and crowded around to see what he had found. Some of them whispered excitedly, while others looked at each other, uncertain what to do. Should they keep the ring as a souvenir of their victory or return it to its rightful owner. As the students hesitated on the playground, the ring shone brightly in the sun, as if it possessed some mysterious power that guided him towards the right path.

He and his teammates began to search for the owner on the busy playground, but with so many people around, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Instead, they decided to take the ring to the school’s Lost and Found, hoping that the owner would come to look for it.

On their way to the Lost and Found, Jack unexpectedly bumped into a visiting player (客队球员) who was looking around anxiously. Jack walked up to the boy and asked if he was looking for something. He said that he had lost a gold ring during the basketball game. He also explained that the ring was a gift from his grandfather and that it was a symbol of honor. It’s a meaningful gold ring with a letter “H” on it.

It turned out that the boy named Danny was the owner of the ring.

Looking at the medal with the letter “H” awarded to him by the school, Jack was lost in thought.

In the vibrant summer following their high school graduation, best friends Sally and Jasmine decided to celebrate the beginning of their new chapter with a surfing holiday on the beaches of Hawaii. Sally, known for her boldness and bravery on the waves, and Jasmine, the cautious planner, found themselves in the paradise of surfers, ready to ride the endless summer.

Their Hawaiian adventure began under crystal blue skies, with the sun casting a golden glow over their ambitions. Jasmine had thoroughly planned their days to include both surfing lessons and ample downtime to soak in the island’s tranquility (宁静). Sally, however, was drawn to the whispers of challenge and conquest that the northern beaches promised. Known for their untamed (无法驾驭的) waves and the legends of surfers who dared to dance upon them, these waters attracted Sally constantly.

Despite Jasmine’s caution, particularly about the rumors of shark sightings, Sally’s desire only grew. She argued that risk was an integral part of surfing, a test on one’s respect and understanding of the ocean’s power. Jasmine’s warnings fell on deaf ears as Sally, drive n by a mixture of youthful invincibility (不可战胜)and a deep-seated need to prove herself, decided to take on the northern waves alone.

The day Sally chose for her adventure began with a seemingly calm. The ocean looked welcoming, its surface broken only by the gentle roll of waves. Two safeguards were watching surfers riding waves in the sea nearby. Not a trace of danger or sharks could be found. Jasmine watched with a mixture of awe and anxiety as Sally paddled(划桨)out, her figure gradually becoming a small dot against the vastness of the sea.

As hours passed, the sky’s clear blue deepened to a dark grey, and the ocean began to reveal its true nature. Waves, once calm, grew in size and intensity, challenging Sally’s skill and determination. She rode them with grace, each successful return fueling her confidence. But nature cares little for human bravery.

As Sally rode on the crowning wave of the day, a dark shape secretly emerged underneath.

Hearing Sally’s scream, Jasmine quickly figured out what happened and rushed to the safeguards.

A young boy, named Timmy, lived in a small town. He disliked doing any work; he found it boring and would always come up with a reason to avoid it. His room was always messy with toys thrown everywhere, socks under the bed. Books and clothes piled up like a small mountain. Homework often remained untouched on the desk, buried under comic books and game controllers.

Timmy avoided chores, finding them less exciting than his digital universe. Day and night, Timmy tapped buttons, lost in virtual battles, his eyes glued to the screen. Socializing means chatting with fellow games online rather than meeting friends outside.

One Saturday morning, Timmy’s mom asked him to clean up his room. Timmy frowned and ignored his mom, diving deeper into his video game. His mother sighed and went on with her chores. That afternoon, as Timmy was standing by the window, he noticed his neighbor, Mr. Jenkins, working tirelessly in his garden, repairing the wooden fence (栅栏).

At the sight of Timmy, Mr. Jenkins smiled and called out, “Hey, Timmy, I need a helper to hold the wooden strips (木条). And could you lend me a hand for a moment?” Hesitantly, Timmy walked over. Mr. Jenkins showed him how to do it. He continued to help do gardening work such as watering and weeding(除草) in the garden. As they worked, Mr. Jenkins shared his adventurous stories when he was a soldier, and Timmy listened with respect.

Hours passed, and to Timmy’s surprise, he enjoyed helping out. His hands were dirty, but he felt delighted and meaningful. As they finished, Mr. Jenkins thanked Timmy and showed him the result of their teamwork: a neat garden full of colorful flowers and fresh greenery. Timmy felt proud and realized that work could be fun and rewarding.

The next day, Timmy decided to give his own room a change.

Later, when his mother entered his room, she was astonished.

“I have something important I would like to read to you,” Ava told her parents. They were sitting side by side on the couch as she stood in front of them. They looked at each other a little cautiously, but smiled. Ava took that as a good sign.

“In school,” she told them, “we’ve been working on persuasive essays. My teacher said that in order to persuade people you have to have reasons and evidence. You can’t just say the same thing over and over again.”

“Well that’s certainly true,” her father said. But Ava wasn’t done yet. “My essay is called Why I Am Responsible and Ready for a Cell Phone,” she continued, smiling as she read.

It had been a problem for months. All three of her best friends received cellphones for Christmas. But Ava’s parents would just shake their heads whenever she asked them.

For weeks it seemed like there was nothing she could do. But then, a week ago, they had started working on writing persuasive essays at school. It occurred to her that why not write a persuasive essay?

For a whole week, she’d worked on her persuasive essay, coming up with all the reasons why she should have a cell phone. She was confident that this essay was the best thing that she had ever written. There was no way her parents wouldn’t be persuaded.

“Alright Ava,” her mom said. “We both wanted to wait until you were older to get you a cell phone.” “But, Ava, since you think you are ready for it, this weekend you shall get it. But we want you to understand, a cellphone is not all just fun and games,” her Dad said. “This is a high responsibility.” He started to list all of the ways that she had to be responsible with her phone, but Ava wasn’t listening anymore. She was too busy trying to decide what apps she could download. On the weekend, her plan worked! She had a cellphone!

She couldn’t wait to show it to her friends.

She thought maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t ready for a phone yet.

Sara was always fascinated by art. From a young age, she would spend hours painting, lost in her colorful world. However, growing up in a small town, opportunities to learn and grow as an artist were limited. Her art teacher, Mrs Thompson, saw great potential in Sara and believed she could achieve something extraordinary. Mrs Thompson was more than just a teacher; she was a guide, teacher, and friend to Sara. She recognized Sara’s talent and dedication to art and decided to help her reach new heights. She arranged extra classes, provided art supplies, and even introduced Sara to local artists.

As the town’s art fair was approaching, Mrs Thompson encouraged Sara to submit her work. Sara was hesitant at first, doubting her abilities. But Mrs Thompson’s faith in her was firm. They worked together, choosing the best pieces, creating new works, and preparing for the fair. The weeks leading up to the fair were filled with excitement, hard work, and some anxiety. Sara put in long hours, and Mrs Thompson was always there, offering guidance, encouragement, and a listening ear. Slowly, Sara’s confidence grew.

The town’s art fair was a significant event, drawing artists and art enthusiasts from nearby areas. It was a chance for Sara to showcase her talent to a broader audience and possibly open doors to new opportunities.

Finally, the day arrived, and Sara’s art was displayed. People were drawn to her unique style and emotional depth. The local newspaper even covered her story, highlighting the young artist’s journey and her dedicated teacher’s role. The experience was transformative for Sara, not only as an artist but as a person. She had faced her fears, embraced her passion, and taken a significant step toward her dreams, all with her teacher’s unselfish support.

The art fair was a turning point for Sara.

After the art fair, Sara continued to grow as an artist.

8 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

Being a train driver, I must concentrate on my driving when working. And on that particular day, I was glad for my outstanding attention.

From a distance, I spotted a small figure like a thin kid on the train tracks. Immediately, I rang the alarm, but no response. Observing carefully, I saw a boy lying on the tracks, unable to escape from my train, as his foot was stuck. I pulled the brakes with all my might as soon as I could. Luckily, the train stopped a few inches from the boy, who was crying loudly in fear.

I approached him, asking how he felt and whether I could give a hand. After getting his permission, I cautiously checked how his foot was stuck in the tracks. And after a few pulls,   the boy's foot came out finally. Hugging him and making sure everything was okay, I asked whether I needed to call his parents. To my astonishment, the child said nothing, just looking at me with his tearful eyes. Considering it was dangerous to leave the boy alone, I decided to take him to my home after work.

Arriving at my home, I introduced him to my wife, Amelia. She looked at the child in surprise for a while, but she calmed down quickly and asked whether the boy remembered her. The boy nodded. Amelia explained to me that she had just walked out of the supermarket with some bread and vegetables the other day, when a group of bad guys blocked her way. Just then, a little boy ran toward them and screamed to attract the police, which at last saved her. Here stood the brave boy.

In the following hours, we chatted with each other, and thus we knew that the kid was named Tom and he was abandoned by his parents and became an orphan who had been alone on the streets for years. As we didn’t have any children, we were determined to adopt Tom.

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 told Tom our decision, waiting for his answer.

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The next morning, we opened our bedroom door and saw Tom standing there.

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9 . Do you have a suit or dress in the closet that you haven’t worn for years but are reluctant to get rid of? Maybe you say, “I can’t throw that away because I paid good money for it?”. If you recognize this in yourself, then you are suffering from commitment to the sunk cost fallacy (谬论). It occurs when we feel that we have invested too much to quit. This psychological trap causes us to stick with a plan even if it no longer serves us and the costs clearly outweigh the benefits.

Arkes and Blumer conducted a survey showing that people are influenced by sunk cost fallacy in their decisions. Participants imagined spending $100 on a ski trip to Michigan and $50 on Wisconsin, realizing later they were for the same weekend. They were told Wisconsin would be more enjoyable. When asked which trip to take, 54% chose Michigan despite the reasonable choice being Wisconsin, because they had made a greater initial investment.

Sunk cost fallacy takes place when we let emotions cloud our decisions. Once we’ve invested in a choice, we feel guilt or regret if we don’t follow through. We fail to realize that past costs won’t be recovered. Instead, we base decisions on past costs, ignoring present and future costs and benefits. This may be due to loss aversion (厌恶), where losses feel worse than gains. We avoid losses, making choices based on avoiding the “loss” of our past investment instead of considering the benefits gained if we don’t continue our commitment.

No one can deny the fact that we benefit a lot from perseverance. So our society loves to emphasize perseverance. Never give up! Don’t waste. But only you know the right path for you. Sometimes walking away is the hardest choice of all. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was. That’s a painful realization.

Sam Meadows was on the sofa watching the wrestle. This was how he spent most of his evenings. When he had finished watching that week’s shows he would watch a DVD of a classic main event. His focus on the action on screen was disturbed when his mobile phone rang. He paused the television. On the screen the wrestler was frozen mid-air, drop-kicking his opponent. Sam’s friend Phil was on the phone, a boy he’d known for over ten years and who was counted as one of his closest friends.

They made the usual football chat. Sam didn’t really care for football, but kept up the pretence (假装). He told nobody of his lack of interest in the so-called beautiful game. He pretended to be into football to be one of the boys. Sam would keep an eye on the score, and he would even join his mates in the pub to watch important football matches.

Sam had never told anyone his addiction with wrestling. His friends had progressed and grown out of wrestling, gone on from sports-entertainment to so-called real sports like football. By the time he’d left high school, he had learned not to mention his interest in wrestling. To mention his interest in pro-wrestling would bring ridicule (嘲笑). Even now, in his late twenties, if any of his friends or family were to discover his interest, he would be laughed at mercilessly. They would tell him to grow up, and ask if he was eight years old or twenty-eight. When buying wrestling DVDs he would feel his cheeks redden as he approached the check-out. Did the person on the counter know the DVD was for him not a gift for a young niece or nephew?

Around half an hour after he hung up the phone, Sam was shocked by a knock at the door.

Phil turned on the television, and it came back on to the same channel it had been on.