Laura Mulvihill felt the ride was probably very unusual when she picked up 89-year-old Ronald Dembner from the Veteran’s Hospital in Henry County, Georgia. It was obvious that he was struggling and in bad shape. But it wasn’t until they arrived at his home that her worst doubts were confirmed. Expecting to be greeted by family members, she was greeted by something out of a nightmare (噩梦) episode of Hoarders instead.
Mr. Ronald’s home was covered with rubbish. The counters, carpets, and walls looked dirty. The room smelt absolutely terrible. Because all of Ronald’s family members had passed away, he had no one to assist him. Even the home care nurses had stopped coming to visit as a result of the extremely awful living conditions. He was completely alone, except for his dog, Homer, who had taken to pooping in the house. Unable to clean up after himself or Homer but terrified of losing his home and his dog, Mr. Ronald was too afraid to reach out for help.
Mulvihill, however, was not. Horrified by what she witnessed, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She spent hours on the phone, contacting the fire department, adult services, the Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity. No one could offer any help. “Everyone said, mentally he’s fine, he’s just older. So nobody will help,” she said.
Finally, with all other resources running out, she posted a call to arms on social media, creating the group. Helping Mr. Ronald. She explained the situation. She wrote in part, “I drove him home and he asked me to help him inside. He lives alone and cannot keep up with his pet. The house is terrible.” She went on to explain that “the main issues are dog poop (1 dog) and general disrepair (no railing on the stairs, soiled carpet and furniture, etc)”. She knew it would take an army to make things right. Luckily, she had found one,2000 strong. The army was formed.
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Dozens of volunteers came forward to help, with a desire to make a difference.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mr. Ronald was deeply moved by what Mulvihill and the volunteers had done
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We were headed to the nationally famous Blue Owl Restaurant, in historic Kimmswick, Missouri, to celebrate my husband’s birthday. It is said that the restaurant is warm and romantic with smiling waitresses dressed in long blue dresses with white aprons. The food was delicious, and the service was extremely good. This week, the restaurant offers a sweetheart dinner that is well worth the price. So we decided to have a try.
There would be freezing rain today, but it might be around midnight. We would be safely home by then. But then, as we were near the restaurant, it suddenly started raining heavily. We were closer to the restaurant than home so it seemed wise to go to the restaurant.
By the time we arrived, the street in front of the restaurant was a sheet of ice. The parking lot was also a sheet of ice and in front of our car was a pool of water. I couldn’t pull in the parking lot and I knew, even if I parked on the street, we would never be able to get out and walk in the rain.
My husband couldn’t walk steadily (稳步地) and I was not strong enough to help him to cross the street. I was afraid we would fall, so we were planning to give up the meal in the fancy restaurant. But we really wanted to try the special chocolate- covered strawberries that were as large as baseballs. Also, we wanted to take pictures of the two of us.
At that moment, an unknown lady walked toward us.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________To our surprise, the lady, who just helped us, was the owner of the restaurant.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Every day, on the way to and from school I pass by a children’s hospital. One morning, as I was hurrying to school, I noticed a child staring out of a small window on the first floor. The next minute I tripped (绊倒) on the ground. As I slowly pulled myself up and dusted myself off, I looked up again and saw the child laughing. In spite of my situation, I was pleased to have made someone laugh. I bowed as though I were a performer. The child clapped (拍手) and waved at me. As I stepped closer, I saw that the girl’s head was bald (秃顶的), a sign that she was a cancer patient. I quickly waved one last time to her before heading for the school.
The next morning and the next, I looked out for the little girl and waved to her, doing a little jig just to make her laugh. I thought about her and wondered what her life must be like. Was that how the child lived from day to day?
I felt the urge to visit the child. I went to the hospital and looked for the room facing the road. I found the little girl. She was thin and pale. When she saw me, her eyes widened with recognition and she welcomed me with a shy smile. I talked to her a bit and learned her name, Susan. The nurse who saw me talking to her later told me that Susan was a leukemia (白血病) patient. Her mother died two years ago and her father was now on duty outside the country. The nurse encouraged me to visit Susan so that she would not be so lonesome (孤单的). As I was leaving, Susan called to me, “Tomorrow?” I understood and said, “Yes, tomorrow.”
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After that, I popped in to visit Susan after school every day.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Two months later, Susan told me the good news.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My dream comes true
The rain had started to fall gently through the evening air as darkness fell over Sydney. The noise was deafening. As I walked towards the track, I glanced around me at the sea of faces in the stands, but mind was focused. The Olympic gold medal was just minutes away, hanging tantalizingly (引诱人地) in the distance.
My heart was beating loudly. I was so close to the realization of my childhood dream and the feeling was fantastic. I knew I would have to push myself beyond my known limits to ensure that my dream came true.
I tried to keep my head, telling myself not to panic, to stick to the plan and run my own race. I knew the Russian girls would set off quickly-and I had to finish this race fewer than ten seconds behind the Russian athlete Yelena Prokhorova. If I could do that, the title would be mine. I looked out along the first stretch of the 400 m track and caught my breath.
My ankle was bandaged against an injury in the long jump just a couple of hours earlier, but I shut out all thoughts of pain.
The starting gun was fired, and the race began. The first lap was good, and I managed to keep up with the group, but I was feeling much more tired than I usually did, and much more than I’d imagined. Both the long, hard weeks of training that had led up to this championship, and the exhaustion from two days of fierce competition were showing in my performance. Mental and physical tiredness were starting to over- come me, and I had to fight back.
Prokhorova had set the pace from the start. It was important that I didn’t let her get too far in front. I had to stay with her. At the bell I was 2.3 seconds behind her. Just one lap to go. One lap. I could do it. I had to keep going. I could see the gap opening between me and the Russian. Thankfully, my foot was holding out, so now it was all down to mental stamina (耐力).
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Prokhorova was pulling away.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Then, the moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life—my name in lights.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Five years ago, a homeless kitten wandered in a park, its fur matted and eyes wide with fear. Hunger bit its tiny body. Accidentally, a kind-hearted woman Shelley Hall spotted the trembling ball of fur and felt a tug at her heartstrings. Approaching slowly, she extended a gentle hand, offering food and warmth. Feeling Shelley’s kindness, the kitten accepted her food and home offer. At home, Shelley named the kitten Sophie. In the warmth of Shelley’s care, Sophie transformed from a scared wanderer to a beloved companion, seeking out affection and purring contentedly in her arms.
For the past two years, Shelley would go for daily walks in the woods with a cat carrier attached to her back and Sophie would peer out. “I tell her that her job is to bring joy - and she does,” Shelley said, recalling how her cat would greet the people they passed. “She’s very sweet and social.”
Sophie was also very confident, until that day last summer when the cat jumped out of her carrier and an energetic dog chased her away. Shelley searched for Sophie all day, but the cat didn’t come back.
“It was the worst day of my life,” Shelley said. She found herself experiencing the worst weeks of her life. After putting up posters, posting on social media, and searching the 565 acres of forest surrounding Royal Roads University every day from dusk until dawn, there was no sign of Sophie. “It is like she vanished into thin air,” Shelley said. “It does get harder and harder to believe that you are going to find her.” But then a former neighbour, Marilyn Hanner, stepped up to help. “There’s nothing to think about,” Marilyn said after being asked why she joined the daily search for Sophie. “You have an animal in danger, you jump in.” Marilyn and her husband also bought four trail cameras to set up around the forest. “If you have the means, why wouldn’t you?” Marilyn said.
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As weeks turned to months, the cameras captured countless other creatures—from slugs(鼻涕虫)to a cougar(美洲狮).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sophie and Shelley were reunited after being apart for more than three months.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Shelley was a city girl. Her dad would never take his car off a paved road, and her mom would never stay anywhere except in a luxury hotel. Then her class teacher, Ms. McKay, announced they were going on a hiking trip. When they finally got to their campsite, Ms. McKay called the students together. “When you have set up your tents, I want you to explore the woods near camp. Don’t wander too far away. I want you to look closely at what you see. Let yourselves discover the colors, the shapes, the shades, the tones, and the movements.”
Shelley looked up at the trees. Hey, the leaves weren’t all green. Each one was a different shade of green — light green, dark green, yellow-green, blue-green — and they were different sizes and shapes, and moved differently in the breeze (微风). The tree trunks weren’t brown. They were gray and brown, and black and green. Some had smooth bar k over which you could run your hand, while others were too rough or cracked. One tall tree had a hollow (中空) trunk just big enough for a teenage girl to hide in. So she slipped inside. There was something peaceful about her tree-trunk hideaway and she didn’t want to leave her beetle.
Later, Ms. McKay asked them to be aware of the smells around them. The wood s smelled... damp, fresh, clean, fragrant... and definitely green. She would crush some different leaves between her fingers as she walked, letting the pleasant smell toward her nose.
After supper, Ms. McKay asked everyone to quietly sit around the campfire, close their eyes if they wished, and listen to the sounds of the forest. The crackle (噼噼啪啪声) of the fire sounded friendly and warming. The breeze blew the leaves of the trees. Strange, thought Shelley, how she had not noticed it before. Now it seemed overwhelmingly present. Several sort of birds were calling. Despite all the sounds she still thought of it as silence... and it felt good to listen.
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“Let us also be aware of our sense of touch,” said Ms. McKay.
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Being a city girl, Shelley surprised herself when she got back home.
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It was a week before Christmas. Despite all the encouraging words I had given myself, I was having a really hard time staying positive. In a few days I would be facing the wedding anniversary (纪念日) on December 23rd. I had always looked forward to this time of year.
I was wandering about in the street, looking for a gift for my husband. The clock read 4: 00p. m. I still didn't find anything satisfying. I decided to head to a neighboring town to find the perfect gift for my dear Joey. I made it into town and stopped by a few local shops, festive with holiday music and bright Christmas light. Shoppers hurried from one place to another, eagerly picking out the perfect gift for their loved ones. I left empty-handed but not completely discouraged. I still had two more stops and I was determined to find something before I headed home.
I wondered that the local trading post would have a few good “gifts.” I headed that way and arrived at 6: 04 p. m. The sign on the locked gate showed I had missed it by four minutes. I took a deep breath. The thought of having to go out another day and do this all over again was unbearable. I shook my head. It wouldn't come to that because my next stop was a huge, multi-level store where I knew I would find the perfect gift for my husband.
I arrived at the huge store and was surprised that the parking lot wasn't all that crowded. Great! I started walking toward the front door when I saw a lady coming out of the building. She was wearing the blue uniform, looking at me with that “look”.You know, the “I know something you don't know look.” I recognized it and stopped. “Are they closed?” I asked her. “Yes ma’am. We close at 6: 00,” she pleasantly answered. My head fell forward and my feet were painful. I felt upset. This was a huge store. It was the holidays. How could they be closed? I couldn't help crying in the parking lot.
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The lady walked toward me and asked: “Are you ohey?”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing what I said, the lady thought of a good idea.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In the quiet town, Ethan and his parents lived a peaceful life. His father John, a hard-working architect, and his mother Sarah, a great teacher, had always struggled to provide the best for Ethan.
As Ethan entered high school, something began to change their once harmonious home. School grades were the first battleground. While John believed in traditional hard work, Ethan, a creative boy, found himself crazy about art. Every time he painted well, his mother Sarah would praise and encourage him, but John only thought it was a waste of time. So Ethan often argued with his father.
One stormy night, the conflict (矛盾) came to a head. John, reviewing Ethan’s report card, frowned (皱眉) at the grades. “Ethan, you must focus more on your studies. These grades won’t help you become an engineer. Stop painting!”
Ethan couldn’t bear the disappointment in his father’s eyes, and argued back, “Dad, I want to be a painter, not an engineer.” Sarah, trying to stop the argument, quickly said, “John, maybe we should let Ethan have a try. It could be his true calling.” However, John stuck to his belief and replied, “Art won’t put food on the table or pay the bills. He needs a stable job.” Sarah was between her husband and son and tried to settle the argument.
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2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Sarah, who often helped solve problems between John and Ethan, saw their pain.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the storm outside got calmer, there was new found understanding among them.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night, I took a fare (出租车乘客) at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, sanding on the sideway was a small woman in her 80swith a big suitcase.
After I helped her into the taxi, she gave me an address and asked, “Could you drive through downtown?” “It is not the shortest way,” I answered quickly. “I don’t mind,” She said, “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice (临终安养院).” I looked in the rear-view mirror (后视镜). Her eyes were wet. I quietly reached over and shut off the meter (计价器). “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newly married. She had me stop in front of a shabby house where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she asked me to slow in front of a particular building and sat staring into the darkness, saying nothing. At last, she said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the destination. It was a grey low building.
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“How much do I owe you?”she asked, reaching into her purse.
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I said goodbye to her.
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Lilly was on her way to meet friends when she noticed an older woman struggling to navigate the railroad tracks in a wheelchair. Her efforts were clearly hindered by the uneven surface and the weight of the chair, and she appeared to be making little progress. Without hesitation, Lilly jumped out of her car and rushed over to assist. However, their attempts failed as both Lilly and the elderly woman fell twice, struggling to get out of harm’s way.
As they scrambled (爬) to their feet, a deafening horn (喇叭) blast rent the air, followed by the blinding flash of lights. A train was barreling down the tracks, its approach growing ever more urgent.
“He was honking his horn and the lights started flashing,” Lilly recalled, her voice trembling as she spoke. “I was like, ‘Oh no, we gotta go now!’”
With adrenaline (肾上腺素) pumping through her veins, Lilly summoned all her strength and managed to pull both herself and the elderly woman to safety just second s before the train thundered past. The narrow escape left her shaken to the core, her heart pounding in her chest.
“It’s a near-death experience,” she said, her voice breaking. “And I’ve never really been that close to death before.” The railroad company later informed her that they had been mere inches away from being struck by the train, a revelation that sent shivers down her spine.
Ardmore Police Chief Jereme Robison, who was called to the scene, recounted the incident to WKRN with a mixture of amazement and relief. “She barely gets herself out of the way, and the train actually still clips the lady’s leg and spins her around,” he said. “I mean, it was like a split second. They almost died.”
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 elderly woman, though injured, was quickly transported to the hospital for treatment.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________News of the incident spread quickly through the community, and Lilly’s actions were praised by all.
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