Mama’s Soup Pot
There are too many treasures in life we take for granted, the worth of which we don’t fully realize until they’re pointed out to us in some unexpected way. So it was with Mama’s soup pot.
Mama’s soup was special because there was no recipe for it. It had been so since her girlhood in Italy, where she learned its secret from her grandma, who had inherited (继承) it from generation to generation. Also, it was a symbol of security. For our large immigrant family, Mama’s soup guaranteed we would never go hungry. And we could judge our economic conditions by its contents.
At one time, however, Mama’s soup pot became a source of embarrassment to me, for I feared it would cost me a new friend I had made at school. Sol was an unusual pal for me because his father was a doctor and they lived in the best part of our town. Often Sol invited me to his home for dinner, where I found the food was good but tasteless, lacking the heartiness of the one served from my mom’s flame-blackened pots. Moreover, the atmosphere matched the food and everything was so formal. Sol’s mother and father were polite, but the conversation around the table was not natural, which made me a little depressed. And no one hugged!
In my family, warm hugs were a constant-men, women, boys and girls-and if you didn’t kiss your mother, she demanded: “What’s the matter? You sick?” But at that time in my life, all this was an embarrassment.
I had known Sol would like to eat dinner at my house, but that was the last thing I wanted. My family was so different. No other kids had such pots on their stoves, nor did they have a mama whose first action upon seeing you enter the house was to sit you down with a spoon and bowl.
One day, Sol pointedly asked if he could come to my house. I had to say yes.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
The day Sol came over I was nervous.
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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________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.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I was little, like many others, my family was so poor. All my clothes were hand-me-downs and my shoes were worn out. The shoes were only cast aside when they were too broken. I had a sister then. She and her family had moved west and settled down in Colorado. When she could, she helped out by sending us their old clothes.
One day, shortly before Thanksgiving, a package arrived from my sister. All of us eagerly gathered around as my mother opened it. Among the items inside, there was a pair of shoes that caught our attention. They were brown with pointy toes, unlike anything we had seen before. I wondered why my sister had chosen to send such unusual shoes.
My mother handed me the shoes, apologizing for the lack of options and explaining that I would have to make do with them as winter approached. The shoes were different from what I was used to, and I felt a mix of embarrassment and disappointment, unsure of how I would be seen by others.
The next day, I wore the shoes and went to school, anxious. When I reached the schoolyard, Timmy, a classmate, yelled, “Evan’s wearing girls’ shoes!” Instantly, the other kids turned their attention to me, and I hurried to the classroom, hoping to escape their judgment and trying to hide my feet.
By mid-morning, we were talking about the West. At about this time, our principal, Mr. Weber came into our classroom and joined the discussion. He excitedly talked about cowboys’ lives, “I remember the cowboys and their unique style. One thing that always stood out was their oxford shoes(牛津鞋).” Then he paused with his gaze fixed on my shoes.
Paragraph 1:Suddenly he stopped near my desk and went silent.
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Paragraph 2:
Hearing Mr. Weber’s words, I looked down at my shoes, recalling my sister’s help for our family.
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| 情绪状态 | 推荐听的音乐 | 音乐作用 |
| 感到压力大，过分焦虑 | 流行音乐 | 放松身心 |
| 沉迷电脑游戏，兴奋过度 | 乡村音乐 | 平复心情 |
| 感到孤独、悲伤 | 轻音乐 | 心情愉快 |
2. 适当增加情节以使行文连贯；
3. 开头已给出，不计入总词数。
Enjoy music
Today I thought I would blog about music.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Marcus sat by his window, gazing at the blinking lights on other buildings. He thought of Papa, who was visiting Marcus’ sick grandpa in Jamaica. “I’ll try to help Mama while you’re gone,” Marcus had promised his father. His little brother, Peter, sat beside him. “When are we getting our Christmas tree, Marcus?” Peter asked. “I can’t wait to decorate it with Mama’s straw birds (草编鸟).”
“We’re not getting a tree this year, Peter.” “Why not?” “Too many bills with Grandpa sick. Mama said we can’t afford one.”
Marcus walked slowly to his room and shook his piggy bank, seven dollars in quarters, dimes and nickels fell out, his tips from helping at the market. With school out, he thought, maybe I can earn enough in two days to buy a tree and surprise Mama and Peter.
The next day, he stayed busy pushing cars to help shoppers. By the time he left, six more dollars jingled in his pocket. My lucky day, he thought. Thirteen dollars should buy a small tree.
He whistled all the way to the Christmas tree lot. But even the smallest trees were $15 or more. Tomorrow will be busy with shoppers, he thought. I’ll earn those extra dollars.
“Can you save this tree for me, sir?” he asked the man in the lot. “I can’t,” the man said, “but come back tomorrow. It might still be here.” “I’ll be back.” Marcus waved and dashed off.
The telephone rang early the next morning. Mama came into his room. “The babysitter is sick, Marcus,” she said. “I’ll need you to take care of Peter for a day.” Marcus pleaded(恳求), “It’s the busiest day at Mr. Smith’s market, Mama. He needs me there.” “I’m so sorry. There’s nothing else we can do.” Mama gave Marcus a hug. “I’ll try to come home early.”
I’ll never get a tree now, Marcus thought.
Later, Peter asked, “Can we go to the dollar store(一元店)? I have a dollar.” Marcus nodded. “OK. We can buy our Christmas presents.”
When they walked by the tree lot, Peter said, “Wish we were getting a tree.” Marcus didn’t answer. He saw that most of the trees were gone including the one he’d wanted. Then he saw a small tree in a can. “Is that one for sale, sir?”
注意：1. 续写词数为150词左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1: “That’s my last growing tree,” the seller said. “It’s small now, but it will grow tall.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: They hurried home. Marcus set their tree and presents they’d bought on the table.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . 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。
Mary was fond of outdoor activities, especially the beauty of nature. She would often spend her weekends hiking, biking, or simply taking long walks in the countryside. She had a group of close friends who shared the same enthusiasm for the outdoors.
One day, while enjoying a cup of coffee at a local cafe, Mary’s friend Jenny approached her with an exciting idea. “Mary, have you ever thought about stargazing (观星) in the wilderness?” Jenny asked, her eyes shining with excitement. Mary’s eyes widened, and a smile spread across her face. “Stargazing? That sounds incredible! Count me in,” she exclaimed, her voice filled with expectation.
The plan was set for a cool evening when the sky would be at its clearest. As the day turned into night, the two friends gathered their warmest clothes, packed some snacks and hot chocolate, and set off on their adventure. They began their journey from Mary’s house.
As they walked hand in hand, their breath turned into misty clouds in the cool night air. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, casting a darkness on their path. But instead of feeling scared, they felt a rush of excitement washing over them. The stillness of the night, broken only by the soft whispers of the wind, brought a newfound peace to their mind.
They walked through the streets, little by little, the city lights faded, and the stars above became increasingly obvious. They couldn’t help but feel amazed by the countless stars that decorated the sky. They decided not to choose the well-known path and wandered deeper into the wilderness. Fireflies (萤火虫) danced gracefully, lighting up the night sky.
Mary’s eyes widened with childlike wonder as she watched the tiny creatures create their magical light show. Absorbed in chats and laughter, they failed to notice when the familiar sights started to disappear, slowly getting swallowed by the tall trees of the forest.
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。
Suddenly, Mary’s heart skipped a beat as she realized they had lost their way.
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Determined, the two friends set off, guided by the light of the North Star.
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As an independent, self-reliant person who always handled everything by myself, I didn’t expect parenting to be hard. Oh, sure, it’s difficult for other people. I heard parents complaining all the time — kids are challenging; nothing is ever clean; there’s not enough time in the day to do everything. But that was “other people” and I knew I could handle it. How complicated could it be?
I’d always dreamed of adopting a child, and finally my dream came true one summer afternoon. Even though we had requested only one child, the worker asked, “Could you take another baby and his eleven-year-old brother?” Of course, we could. We had room to have all three boys together.
The first week after they moved in, I spent my days rushing from task to task, cleaning and making sure they had all they needed. I constantly organized our living room, which was suddenly full of toys, and picked up the path of destruction left in the boys’ wake. Cooking and cleaning after meals and snacks seemed to take half of my day. I hardly ever sat; something always needed to be done.
“I think we need a break,” my husband told me one evening as I was falling asleep on the couch as usual.
“No,” I refused. The idea of sending them to a stranger sickened me. However, with each passing day, I was growing more and more exhausted. Besides meeting the physical needs of the boys, there were medical and emotional needs. Both the little ones constantly clung (黏住) to me. It was never quiet in our house; I felt overwhelmed.
One night, my husband said firmly that he needed a break. Whether I “needed” one or not, we were going to take one. With tears rolling down my cheeks, I nodded, knowing it was true, although I didn’t want to admit my weakness.
I called my parents.
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Asking for help is something I must keep re-learning as time goes on, but it’s getting easier.
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My teacher gave us an assignment that should have been easy. “OK, class,” he said. “For the month of November, we will turn this wall into our Thanksgiving art gallery. For tonight’s homework, I want you to create a picture of one thing you’re thankful for, and we’ll hang it here.”
We were supposed to spend the last part of class figuring out an idea for our “thankful” picture. But the more I tried to think of the one perfect thing, the more panicked and puzzled became! Finally, the school bell rang, and it was time to pack up and go. “I’m going to make a picture about fishing with my grandpa,” my friend Imani said as we walked home. I told her that this project was making me nervous and that I was worried if I chose one person, everyone else felt left out.
Imani suggested that I should pick a random awesome thing instead. I was surprised and confused because I was thankful for a billion random things. How was I supposed to choose one? Imani smiled. “It’s the ‘just close your eyes’ trick.” I could write down a bunch of choices on separate pieces of paper, spread them out, close my eyes and pick one. I was still worried that I would pick the imperfect one.
“That’s the whole point,” said Imani. “There’s no perfection. Here, I’ll show you!” I followed Imani across the street to a giant tree with beautiful and attractive fallen leaves. So many leaves had fallen onto the grass that it looked like a rainbow-colored carpet. The orange one with green-and-yellow edges was incredible. Those fiery red ones were also amazing. She urged me to pick the very best leaf.
“There are too many,” I said. “It’d be impossible to find the very best.”
“Exactly!” she said. “It’s just like the thankful assignment. There are way too many choices. So just close your eyes and pick one.” I closed my eyes, picked up a leaf, opened my eyes -and we both started laughing our heads off.
注意：
1. 续写词数为150词左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
Looking at the rotten and sad little leaf in my hand, I was lost in thought.
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Paragraph 2:
The next day in class, when appreciating our pictures on the wall, everybody had questions about mine.
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“What will we be singing for competition this year?” a student from my high school choir asked eagerly. I was really worried about this moment. “I was thinking,” I said, “maybe we’ll skip the competition and just work hard on the concerts this year.”
“NO!” the kids disagreed. “We want to compete! For the First Place! It’s a tradition!”
This was true. Medals on the front wall of the music room were won by my former excellent students. But they had graduated, leaving me with only twenty-two young students, inexperienced kids who couldn’t read music, and could sing only a simple melody (乐章).
“Maybe we could win the Second Place this year,” I suggested. I knew even that would be a near-impossible task, thinking our competitors: two famous schools with fifty members each. “No!” the kids screamed. “The First Place!”
I shook my head. “First Place is extremely difficult.”
“We can do it!” they shouted. “We can do it!”
“I’ll think about it,” I said, hoping their eagerness would die off in a couple of weeks.
But that didn’t happen. Instead, the class became more determined. Every day they asked and begged. As a teacher, I couldn’t tell them they weren’t good enough. To cool their eagerness, I showed them a difficult piece of music from the competition list, but it simply ended with “It’s okay, Mrs. Pliszka. We’ll make it. ”
I struggled to make a decision. If I destroyed their hope, would I destroy their spirit? I remembered one of my college professor’s saying, "Every child will learn if the teacher is willing to try his or her best as the student.” I wasn’t afraid of hard work, and I enjoyed a challenge. But I wasn’t a magic worker. And so, I think seriously over this challenge.
注意：
1. 续写词数为150词左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
Finally, one morning I made the decision.
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Paragraph 2:
When my group stepped on the stage, I could clearly notice distrust from the audience saying my group was so small.
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In the first grade in senior high school, I was extremely shy, I had friends, but it just wasn’t in my personality to be very outgoing, even when I knew someone. I was afraid I would do or say something wrong, so usually I just smiled and listened to other people’s conversations.
I did well in school and I loved to write. However, I would escape into my writing, where I could be myself and never had to worry about what other people thought of me. In my stories, I was never shy, I often imagined that I was the main character in the story. My teacher, Mrs. Sather, always encouraged me to write more and be myself. She told our class to go after our dreams and dig in with great efforts. I thoughts he was one of the first people to see my inner strength.
One day, she showed us a play she had written and announccd that our class was going to perform it. “I’ll begin to choose all the performers tomorrow” she said, “I need someone who is not afraid to be onstage in front of a lot of people to play the lead part of Dorothy. Anybody wants to try?” A few excited hands shot up -mine, of course, was not one of them and Mrs. Sather smiled. “We’ll talk more about it later,” she said. Then the bell rang and my classmates slowly left the classroom.
“I will never do that,” I thought. But after rereading the play, I was deeply attracted by the story and couldn’t help imagining myself to be the main character Dorothy. There seemed to be a new person inside me, a much more daring, outgoing person who had been hidden all along, just waiting for the opportunity to appear. However, I still felt shy and could never picture myself acting in a play in front of two hundred people. Having struggled for a few minutes, I still did not know how to make the decision.
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。
When I was packing my schoolbag, Mrs Sather asked me to go to her.
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One week later, it was time for me to perform on the stage.
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