Every week I save all the change and $1 bills I have in my purse. Then every Christmas I cash it in for as many $100 bills as the saved money gets me. I then wait for a family in need. I split the money in half and give half to the family in need and the other half to my nine-year-old son, Say’ Veon, who puts it in his savings account, to teach him about delayed satisfaction. Then he helps me get gifts or give the money to the family.
I adopted Say’ Veon after his mother, a close friend of mine, passed away from cancer before his fifth birthday. Even though Say’ Veon has dealt with great loss and sadness at such a young age, his generous spirit and loving heart shine through. He has given money to someone else who needs it more, such as his friends or classmates. Say’ Veon’s acts of kindness always blow me away and I feel blessed to have him in my life.
This week I got a call from a friend, DeeDee, who is 77 years old. She was upset because she had been cheated, and the cheaters took all the money out of her checking account which she lives on, and now she didn’t have the money to pay her rent and bills.
This morning, I took the money and showed Say’ Veon how much I saved this year. I told him what happened to DeeDee, and then asked him if he would be willing to give his half along with my half and donate it to her as our person in need this year.
He said, “Yes, of course.” This year our total was $400.
We went to visit DeeDee and my son handed her a Christmas card with the money. She opened it and said, “Thank you.” She then looked again and stared at the $100 bills.
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。
DeeDee froze there with her eyes wide open.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Suddenly, Say’ Veon said to DeeDee, “You are our family!”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I love stories of kindness, and one of my personal favorites from my travels happened in Morocco. My husband John and I got to experience their kindness and generosity first-hand during a 10-day trip across the High Atlas Mountains and the Sahara Desert. On our second-to-last day in Morocco, we took a trip to Essaouira, a quiet seaside town on the Atlantic. During the journey there, we stopped at a restaurant, where we got to taste local special oil and honey.
After a long time, we reached our small hotel in Essaouira at around dinner time, and on our way to a local restaurant, my husband started to feel unwell. He went back to the hotel. while I had dinner alone. When I got back to our hotel, I found my husband sitting on the bathroom floor. His face almost had no color. He had been sick about six times in an hour. And he spent a lot of time in the bathroom. We guessed that local special oil and honey probably didn’t agree with him, which caused him to feel so uncomfortable. At about 1 am, my husband finally managed to leave the bathroom and climb into bed. He was very weak and dehydrated (脱水的), so I went down to the hotel’s reception (接待处) to buy a bottle of water.
I found a young man behind the desk—he didn’t look older than 18. Knowing little of the native language, I explained to him in English that my husband was sick and that I needed to buy some bottled water for him. Our hotel was very small and basic, and didn’t have a restaurant or cafe inside. Gladly, the receptionist was good at English. He understood me. He introduced himself as Pierre and said they didn’t sell any water, so I asked him where the nearest shop was. I looked out the window and my heart started to race. I didn’t have the courage to go into the unfamiliar streets in the dark, all by myself. Pierre noticed my fear. In-stead of giving me directions to the nearest shop, he asked me to wait for him for a while.
Paragraph 1:Before I nodded, he had rushed out.
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Then, Pierre called a taxi and we went to the hospital together with him.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It is a hot sunny Saturday morning on the farm. Maya, Duksie and Doobie are helping Mama K in her vegetable garden. The children work all morning.
Mama K always gives the children a treat for helping her. Sometimes it’s cake or chocolate; sometimes it’s apples, pears or oranges. Mama K has only one rule. “Share it fair!” The children know they must share the treats equally, so they all get the same amount.
Today Mama K has baked a round strawberry cake with pink icing (糖霜) and berries from her garden. The children wait on the grass for their treat. “Here you go!” smiles Mama K. “But remember the rule. Share it fair!”
Maya has the first turn to share the cake. She uses the knife to draw lines in the icing. The others watch her. She does not cut the cake yet. The others must first agree if her way is fair. “I think I will make two cuts down like this. Now we have three slices, all the same!” Maya shows them. There is one line on the left and the other on the right.
“No way!” says Duksie. “The one in the middle is much too big!” Doobie also shakes his head. Maya laughs and tells Duksie to try.
“Pass me the knife.I’ll do it,” says Duksie First she rubs out Maya’s pattern in the icing, and then she makes one cut across and one down. “Look, I have made my three slices!” “That’s not fair!” shout Maya and Doobie together,.
“Why don’t you try, Doobie?” says Duksie. “I bet you can’t do it!”
“I wish the cake was a square, and then it would be easy!” says Doobie thoughtfully. And then! A picture comes into Doobie’s head. He sees the silver badge (标识) at the front of his father’s big red Benz truck. “I’ve got it! I’ve got it! I know how to do it,” shouts Doobie.
“How did you work it out?” Maya asks. Doobie smiles to himself. For now it’s his secret. Later, he will tell his dad.
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。
First Doobie uses a knife to smooth Duksie’s lines in the icing.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With Mama K’s encouragement, Maya takes charge, expertly cutting along Doobie’s lines to make three equal slices.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The basketball court was filled with eager students and cheerleaders were waving their pompoms at the stands. Excited cheers could be heard from all sides of the court. My teammates and I got fully prepared for our basketball competition. Our hearts were pounding in expectation of the competition ahead.
“And let’s all welcome the Blue Team!” the emcee (主持人) announced through the microphone. All of us marched in proudly as everyone cheered at the top of their lungs. “And welcome the Red Team!” the emcee announced, and the Red Team came in. We were astonished to see that the Red Team was filled with tall and strong members! We were trembling with fear as we walked slowly towards the centre of the court. As we were short of teammates, our confidence in winning wavered (减弱).
The judge threw the ball and the other team quickly caught it! The ball danced between their hands. Our defence seemed to be in slow motion compared to the Red Team’s swiftness. Soon, the other team scored!
We were losing the match as time passed. To make matters worse, our star player, Tom, even tripped and fell, hurting his ankle! We were losing hope as our best player was gone. Just then, our captain called for a time-out. On the bench, our captain announced that this would be his last match. “Come on! Don’t give up! I want to win one last trophy (奖杯) before I quit. Let’s do it!” he insisted, giving us a wide smile. Hearing this, our team held our fists tightly. We were focused on winning this match and making our captain proud! The judge threw the ball once more. I jumped as high as I could and caught the ball. I ran as fast as lightning and scored. Our opponents were nervous but they still scored a few goals to catch up. A few minutes later, we were neck to neck, locked in a tie.
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。
Whoever scored this one goal would win the competition!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The crowd erupted into deafening applause.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Brit works full time as a fourth-grade teacher at Kula Elementary School. It was there that she met Seth Snyder, a student who had flown under the radar with previous teachers. Every year, Brit is given a nine-month window in which to connect with a group of new students. And with each batch of new students, she hopes to have a positive impact on their lives. But Seth was a tough cookie to crack. For the first few months of the school year, she struggled to connect with her student, who was shy but nevertheless a pleasure to have in the classroom.
One day, Brit showed her students a clip of skateboarders going all out at Tony Hawk’s ramp in California. Brit glanced over and watched Seth’s face light up; she found their connection. She went one step further to connect with Seth by inviting him to join her at the skate park after school one day. Instead of excitement, Seth shut down. He politely declined his teacher’s offer and withdrew once more. In spite of that, Brit wouldn’t give up so easily. She asked again a few weeks later, the day Seth and his fellow students were cut loose for spring break.
“What are you going to do?” she asked. “Are you going to skate?”
“No,” he mumbled, almost embarrassed. “I don’t have a skateboard.”
Brit’s heart sank into her stomach. Kula Elementary comprises mostly underprivileged (缺少机遇的) students who come from low-income families. Teachers like Brit have to tread (行事) carefully when it comes to even the smallest conversations or assignments, because a question as innocent as “What are your plans for spring break?” can be hurtful, sometimes embarrassing, for students who have so little.
Brit said to the reporter, “If your parents are working three jobs to be able to pay rent, of course they’re not going to have time to take you to skate park or, you know, take you surfing, or let alone buy you that $400 surfboard or $ 200 skateboard.”
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。
Brit shared the story with her best friend, Zach, a professional skateboarder.
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What began as two people coming together to do a good deed for one young boy quickly blossomed (发展) into a grassroots effort.
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Once upon a time, there lived a young boy named Ethan in a small village. With a passion for music, Ethan was enthusiastic about playing the guitar. Every day after school, he would rush home, grab his guitar, and lose himself in the melodies (乐曲) he created.
One summer, the village was hosting a talent show, and Ethan decided to participate. However, doubts started to flood into his mind. He began comparing himself to other talented musicians and questioning his abilities. The fear of failure began to consume him.
But Ethan’s grandfather, who had always been his biggest supporter, noticed his grandson’s inner struggle. He sat down with Ethan and shared a story from his own youth.
“When I was your age, I had a dream of becoming a painter. But I was filled with self-doubt, just like you are now. I decided to seek guidance from a wise old artist in a nearby town.
The old artist listened to my worries and offered me a challenge. He asked me to paint a picture on a large canvas in front of a crowd. Overwhelmed by the challenge, I hesitated.
The wise artist smiled and told me not to focus on what others might think. He asked me to paint from my heart and pour my soul into every stroke. The beauty lies not in perfection, but in the authenticity (真实性) of one’s creation.
Encouraged by these words, I accepted the challenge. I painted with passion, letting my emotions guide my brush. Finally, a beautiful masterpiece appeared on the canvas.”
Finishing the story, Ethan’s grandfather said, “That day, I realized that success is not defined by how perfect we are or how we compare to others. It’s about embracing our unique talents, taking risks, and expressing ourselves with passion and authenticity.”
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。
Inspired by his grandfather’s story, Ethan decided to give the talent show his all.
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Ethan didn’t pay much attention to the surroundings until he heard the applause at the end of his performance.
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Samuel, aged 49, was resting on the glass wall which encircled the tiger at the time. After a long wait, the opportunity to face the tiger arrived. Samuel was uncertain if the large cat could recognize him after his five-year absence because of his wife’s new job in another city.
Samuel has had a lifelong craziness with animals. Born and raised in a forest-surrounded area, he often brought home animals he had not seen before. Thus, when Samuel announced to everybody that he had been planning to become an animal keeper, nobody was shocked.
Nothing pleased Samuel more than being employed by someone close to his birthplace, who was a zookeeper. He finally did something that made him happy each day. Furthermore, this job paid well enough for Samuel! This made the situation even better!
Luna, the zoo’s sole (唯一的) female white tiger, liked Samuel. Samuel liked it too. Nobody could comprehend their extraordinary relationship. Luna seldom approached humans. When Luna was younger, it was mistreated at the hotel’s tourist attractions. When the zoo rescued Luna, it made no attempt to interact with anyone. Samuel was able to break through Luna’s fearful shell with a lot of support and patience.
Luna was going to have a baby as part of a plan to save white tigers. Luna had a rough pregnancy (怀孕), but its delivery was terrible. As Luna struggled, Samuel looked after it for hours. Unfortunately, Luna died during her delivery. Samuel was not able to stop crying over its death, but he needed Luna’s children out as quickly as possible!
Luna was taken to a veterinary hospital (兽医院). Samuel wandered outside, waiting for word. The veterinarian soon presented Samuel with a baby tiger. But who would look after it? As its mother passed away, Samuel took on the responsibility. He had been caring for the baby’s mum all along, and now the baby, which Samuel named Blanca.
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。
However, things did not go well as expected.
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Five years later, Samuel persuaded his wife to return home.
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At one table by the window, a lady just finished up her lunch. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a sandwich and some salad, with a cup of tea to wash them all down. She seemed to be in her own little world, staring out the window every now and then, like she was waiting for something. After a bit, she got up, paid for her meal at the counter, and left.
Her table was still a mess, with bits of her meal left behind. It wasn’t a big deal—this happens all the time. But today, something different was going to happen. A young boy, who looked like he’d had a pretty rough time, had been watching her and the table from around the corner.
This kid was in bad shape. His clothes were too big and looked like they’d seen better days. His hair was all over the place, and there was dirt on his face. He had that look of someone who hadn’t had a good meal for way too long. When the lady left, he saw his chance. He quickly sat down and started scarfing down (狼吞虎咽) the leftovers like they were the best meal he’d ever had.
But then, the waiter walked over. He was an older guy who’d probably seen everything. He didn’t say anything at first, just watching the kid for a second. The boy got scared and stopped eating, and tears started to well up in his eyes. He thought the waiter would kick him out for sure. Instead, the waiter took away the half-eaten plate, and the boy’s heart sank. The boy got up to leave.
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。
But before he could get far, the waiter came back.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Then all people in the canteen started clapping.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When something that’s important to you disappears, don’t be hopeless. It may miraculously (奇迹般地) come back sooner or later. I learned it on one winter day.
It was one of those busy days. Especially, I had lots of clothes to wash. and Karen, my four-year-old kid, kept following me, pulling my shirt and crying for attention. I was annoyed. To stop her troubling me and make her quiet, I searched the drawers in the bedroom and found-a bag of forgotten balloons. “Yellow,” she said with joy.
The balloons were the gifts for her that her uncle had bought abroad. These balloons were of good quality and very unique, unable to be found at least in our small town. Among the balloons, the yellow one was Karen’s favorite. And there was only one yellow balloon. She viewed it as her best friend and even signed her name on its surface.
After I blew the balloon up, she cheerfully took it with tiny fingers, touching it and telling it her secrets. Immediately. her attention was attracted.
After lunch. we prepared to go to the local public clothes-washing shop. Before long. I was ready. Carrying her yellow balloon. Karen followed me into oat car. On the way, she was singing and had fun with the balloon. She kept beating the balloon against the back of the car seat. As I turned the corner, trying to keep my attention on my driving, I felt a sudden, big wind blow across my feet. I called out at once, “Karen! Close the window. It’s cold out!”
And then I heard her frightened scream. In a hurry, I looked over my shoulder, expecting to see some terrible insects that led to her being frightened. But there wasn’t one. Karen was looking out of the window. both arms reaching out, as if to get something. And she cried, “Balloon, balloon. Come back! Come back!” Then. she turned to me, calling out, “Mom, please stop the car! My balloon has escaped.”
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。
“Alright, “I said and slowly pulled over.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________While walking in the park, we suddenly found a yellow balloon flying over a tree.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I brought home a homemade invitation to a party and showed it to my mother. “I’m not going,” I said. “She’s a new girl named Ruth, and Berniece and Pat aren’t going. She asked the whole class, all 36 of us.” As Momma studied the handmade invitation, she looked strangely sad. Then she announced, “Well, you are going! I’ll pick up a present tomorrow.” I couldn’t believe it. Momma had never made me go to a party!
When Saturday arrived, Momma rushed me out of bed and made me wrap the pretty pink mirror-brush-and-comb set she’d bought. She drove me over in her yellow and white car and then left. Ruth answered the door and guided me to follow her up the steepest, oldest staircase I’d ever seen.
Stepping through the door brought me great relief. The hardwood floors was shining in the sun-filled sitting room. Snow-white doilies (装饰小垫) covered the backs and arms of well-worn furniture. The biggest cake I ever saw sat on one table. It was decorated with nine pink candles, a messily printed Happy Birthday Ruth. Thirty-six cups filled with homemade fudge (软糖) were near the cake—each one with a name on it. “This will be wonderful if everyone gets here.” I thought.
“Where’s your mom?” I asked Ruth. Looking down at the floor, she said, “Well she’s sick.” “Oh. Where’s your dad?” “He’s gone.” Then there was a silence. Some 15 minutes passed… then 10 more. It occurred to me that no one else was coming. How could I get out of here? As I sank into self-pity, I heard muffled (压抑的) sobs. Looking up, I saw tears in Ruth’s eyes. All at once my heart was filled with sympathy for Ruth. There we were two small girls and a cake, 36 candy-filled cups, three dozen party gifts, games to play and prizes to win.
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。
Then I announced to Ruth, “Let’s start our birthday party!”.
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Showing Momma my prizes, I shared my experience at Ruth’s house with her.
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