Mash Assadollah was the grocer at our corner store. Standing behind his glass display case, he tore out a page from a book. He twisted the page into a cone-shaped envelope and then filled it with tobacco. He then weighed the tobacco. He folded the envelope of tobacco closed and handed it to me. I was also buying sugar cubes and tea. Mash Assadollah calculated the amounts on an abacus (算盘). I paid him and left.

When I got home, Grandmother took the goods I had purchased, emptied the envelopes of their ingredients, handed me the wrappers, and asked me to throw them away.

It was summer vacation, and I didn’t have much to do. To keep myself busy, I sat down in a corner of the room and started to read the wrappers, which had once been eight consecutive (连续的) pages of a book. How well written and attractive the words were! It was a good story. I sat there until I had read all eight pages. Honestly, I had never read a book before, except for my textbooks. But when I read those eight pages, I realized that I now loved reading! The only problem was that the story stopped right at the best part, right at the end of Page 22, which was the most important and exciting point in the story.

It was about a boy who wanted to run away from home and escape his father who was always spanking (打屁股) him, but the boy was afraid. He finally left home but didn’t know where to go. I was excited to find out where he would go and what would happen to him.

I decided to go back and get the rest of the book from Mash Assadollah.

Mash Assadollah didn’t know what I was talking about.

I had run away from home after finishing high school. My parents had insisted I go to college, but I was tired of school. I hated it. I was determined not to go. And, besides, my father was too strict. I had too many chores to do around the farm. I haled the work!

There had been a quarrel between my father and me. I threw some things into a bag and left angrily, as my father shouted after me, “If you leave, don’t come back!” My mother cried openly, and I had seen those tears during a hundred sleepless nights.

Then it was time to write a letter to my father.

It’s been more than a year now. I’ve traveled east to west. I’ve had dozens of jobs. None of them amounted to very much. Always the same questions: “How much education have you got?” It seems they always want college men for the good jobs.

Dad, you and Mother were right about everything. I know now that the work on the farm didn’t hurt me, and I’m convinced I need college. I’m also convinced that both of you loved me.

Dad, I’ve learned a lesson. I want to come home. I know you said if I left, I couldn’t come back, but I’m praying you’ll change your mind. I want to come home and be a part of the family again.

Give my love to Mother and the girls.

As I folded the letter and put it into an envelope, I felt a refreshing relief. It was as if a heavy load had been lifted from my shoulders. And I had to be on my way home.

I started down the desolate road—the long road home. Fortunately, a car picked me up, and it was good to have someone to talk with. The driver was a salesman and very pleasant.

“Where you going, boy?” he asked good-naturedly.

There was a long silence before I said, “Home.”

“Been away from home long?”

I smiled, a little self-conscious, and said, “One year, one month and two days.”

Having heard my story, he expressed his support for my final decision and told me something surprising.

Finally, I arrived home when. it was completely dark.

The wooden door creaked open, an elderly lady cautiously stepped into the grocery store. With trembling hands, she lifted some candy bars and a bottle of water from the shelf and shakily walked towards the checkout. “That would be $15, ma’am!” the cashier, Mr Andrews, who was also the store owner, said with a smile.

“$15? That’s too much. I don’t have that much money,” the elderly lady said, and her face was filled with disappointment. She reached into the depths of her faded purse and searched for the change, only to realize all she had was her last $5… “I’ll just have the bottle of water, please,” she sadly said as she extended the coins to the cashier, then leaving the Tstore and sitting onto the wooden bench outside.

It was half past five in the snowy evening as Mr Andrews stepped out of the store, ready to call it a day. His eyes fell upon the elderly lady, who was still sitting on the bench, all alone and shivering (颤抖). She had been sitting there for the past five hours, and at first, Mr Andrews ignored her the few times he vaguely (模糊地) looked out the glass wall of his store. He had assumed the old lady had just retired on the bench for some rest or was waiting for someone. But something bothered him when he approached her and noticed her tear-stained face.

“Is everything alright, ma’am? I saw you have been sitting here since afternoon… It’s getting late and colder…Are you waiting for someone? Is there something I can do to help you?” he asked.

The elderly lady looked up at Mr Andrews. Tears wouldn’t stop flowing from her eyes, which worried Mr Andrews even more. “Ma’am? Are you alright? Do you mind telling me why you’re crying?” he asked, his tone heavy with concern as he sat beside the old lady. The old lady snapped away her tears and said her name was Rose. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she looked at Mr Andrews.

Rose began to explain what she had gone through.

Hearing that, Mr Andrews was determined to join Rose in finding her beloved dog.

5 . Travelling abroad can present many challenges, including long journeys, language problems, and culture shocks, plus the expense of transport and accommodation.     1     It is rewarding to get to experience life in different ways.

One of the wonderful benefits of going abroad is that you can learn history and culture without real effort. There’s a natural tendency to absorb other cultures and pick up historical concepts, while enjoying yourself at the same time.     2    

Another great benefit is that living in a foreign culture is the only real way to fully understand its language.     3     Even if you’re a complete beginner and only manage to pick up a few key phrases of the local language, you still know more than when you arrive.

    4     People in other countries can demonstrate different ways of doing things and alternative ways of being. It can open up your mind and generate new ideas. A direct encounter with a fresh expression of arts, religions, architecture, and food can contribute to an enlightening and valuable experience.

Removing yourself from the familiar and travelling to a new country can be a very powerful tool for gaining self-awareness and deeper understanding.     5     It can help you shift how you see yourself. Perhaps ironically, visiting a foreign country can also teach you things about your homeland. You get to view your land of birth from another perspective and have something to compare it with.

At the time of this writing. I have reached the age of 105. As I look back, I think of the many wonderful things that have happened in my long life. many of which have served to strengthen my belief that miracles really do happen. One of these that I recall today happened many years ago but is still as fresh in my mind as if it had happened yesterday.

Peter was a Russian Wolfhound (Borzoi) with the typical tall, long-legged build of the hunter he was supposed to be but never was. He weighed close to eighty-five pounds and had the long nose and narrow head of the Borzoi, so narrow that it didn’t seem to have much room for brains. In Peter’s case, it didn’t. He became easily confused, but his gentle nature made up for his lack of intelligence.

On the day in question, I had gathered up my dogs. one Old English Sheepdog, one Whippet rescue, and Peter. They were all settled in my covered pickup truck bed, and was headed out for our daily exercise, six miles into the country where there was no leash (绳) law and they could run free. They were all trained not to chase wild animals, to stay reasonably close. and to come when called.

After I had walked for about ten minutes, I noticed one dog was missing. Peter, of course! It seemed obvious that he had stopped to investigate some irresistible (不可抗的) smell, and then, becoming confused, had turned back the way we had just come, He would easily be able to follow our track, but in the wrong direction. And when a Borzoi runs, he covers a lot of ground in a very short time.

Feeling guilty, knowing I should have kept a closer watch on him, I retraced (折返) my steps, calling and whistling, but there was no sign of him. It was winter and would soon be dark. In desperation, I started to pray. “Please God, keep Peter safe.”

2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

After half an hour of calling at the top of my voice. I finally decided to drive the two other dogs home.

Upon reaching home, I discovered a long nose waiting at the doorway.

As a senior editor in a famous press, I always think of days twenty years before when I was 18, I lived with my grandparents, and my parents earned their living in another city, struggling to support our family. I had taken to delivering newspapers to support myself and my education.

I would be up every morning by 5 am and walk five kilometres from where I lived to the newspaper office. By 6 am, I would collect 50 copies which must have weighed over five kilograms. My delivery range spanned (横跨) three kilometres. After distributing the copies, I would rush home—another three kilometres away—cook my breakfast, and be off to my school.

One Friday morning, I got home after my deliveries, finding Afzal, a boy from the neighbourhood, at my doorstep. Afzal said his mother wanted to see me. When I asked him why, Afzal said, “She will tell you.” Tired after walking around for over 11 kilometres, I was looking forward to breakfast and some rest. I assumed his mother wished to subscribe (定期订购) to the newspaper, so I followed him to his home nearby.

A woman in her 40s opened the door. I later learned she was Afzal’s mother, Mrs Kader. She asked me to sit, pulled up her chair next to mine and gently asked, “Tell me about your routine, right from the time you wake up in the morning.” I wasn’t quite sure why she wanted to know, but I told her about my morning job in a few words. She asked me, “How many miles do you walk every day?” I replied, “A little more than 11 kilometres.” My reply shocked her.

Then she patted my back and went inside, reappearing carrying a large plate full of food for breakfast for me. It was a heart y breakfast, one that brought back memories of happy days spent with my parents. Later, as I was about to leave after thanking them, Mrs Kader asked me to wait and she went inside again.

Then Mrs Kader appeared again, with a new bicycle.

I bowed to Mrs Kader gratefully and left for school.

Kuppan was a good badminton player. His rise within the ranks of the badminton players of the school was impressive but unusual. One day he was nothing, the next he was a member of the school team.

In the School Championships, he sprang a surprise by knocking out the top seed, Richard Lee, in the semi final. In the final, he easily beat another competitor Abdul Rauf by 15-3 and 15-10. He was the School Champion. It was unbelievable. The previous year he did not even get past the first round, This year he was the champion.

Success got into his head, He began to think he was really good, In fact, he arrogantly (傲慢地) told Richard Lee and the others that they would never beat him again. He claimed he was simply too good for them, in a league of his own.

Well, it was true that Kuppan was a good and skillful player. He had natural ability and talent. So he picked up the game very quickly and soon became the best. However. he did not realize that nobody can remain at the top all the time. What goes up must certainly come down. Kuppan thought he could stay up indefinitely.

The other players were annoyed by Kuppan’ s declaration. They resolved to train harder to beat the guy who had insulted (羞辱) them, They even trained on their own every day while Kuppan wandered around talking with pride about his success. The State Individual Championships were coming up，So was the Interschool Tournament. The school’s coach worked hard to improve the school players. All of them trained hard, except Kuppan. He would miss training or perform half- heartedly. He was more interested in entertaining the admirers that had gathered around him. He thought he was too strong to be defeated.

The State Individual Championships reached us in time.

Kuppan tried to make a difference in the second round,