Birthdays were a huge deal at my workplace. Co-workers went above and beyond to shower the person of honor with food, decorations, affirmations, love and, yes, embarrassment on their special day. As one who preferred to go unnoticed and felt embarrassed at being the center of attention, I was horrified to walk in on my birthday to see my desk decorated with glittery streamers, and a hot pink sash (饰带) with the words, “Kneel! I’m the Birthday Princess”. I was forced to wear for the duration of the day.
Although embarrassed by the display, I felt extremely loved. I thoroughly enjoyed the pleasant flowers and delicious chocolate cake my co-workers gave me.
Several months after my birthday celebration, our office welcomed Laura, a new member, to the team. Hired as our office manager’s assistant, Laura was also tasked with establishing a human resources department. Possessing an ambitious vision and receiving trust from our manager, she immediately made major changes — which were not well received. Gradually, Laura became the centre of gossip (闲言碎语).
When Laura’s spring birthday neared, it was evident that no one wanted to celebrate. I understood why no one wanted to go all-out in celebrating Laura’s birthday, but it bothered me nevertheless. As an extremely shy and introverted (内向的) individual, being left out or ignored was nothing foreign to me, and it pained me to think of the deliberate effort to ignore her birthday. Although she drove me crazy, too, I knew her time in our office had not been easy.
Stopping by our local grocery store, I selected some rosy-pink tulips and a birthday card in which I wrote a heartfelt note highlighting some of Laura’s qualities I admired, such as her ambitious spirit, creativity, and strong inner drive. Arriving an hour early to work the morning of her birthday, I transformed her corner of the office just like what my co-workers did for my birthday.
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 watched Laura spot her decorated work area when she arrived.
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The friendship between Laura and me began since the lunch and continued to grow over the years.
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It was midnight on Dec. 4. Harrison Bentzen, a student at the University of Central Lancashire, had been working on her final exam in the library and was ready to go back home for a good sleep. As she reached the bus stop, she found her bank card was missing. She searched her bag, only to find she was out of cash. It was still dark and rather cold. Her home was 20 miles away and it was impossible for her to walk home. Tired and cold, she had no idea how she was going back home.
At that time, a nearby homeless man noticed what had happened to her and was concerned for her safety. He approached Harrison with £3 in hand,“ Miss, this is all I’ve got. Take it! Get a cab!” Harrison was deeply moved by how a homeless man with nothing could offer her his last bit of money just to help her get home. She was deeply grateful for his kindness, but could not accept the homeless man’s last bit of money.
She declined the offer, but the homeless man’s act of kindness stayed in Harrison’s mind and heart the following week, and finally she decided to try and find him again so that she could somehow repay his kindness.
She set on a mission to find this homeless man. While searching, she learned that his name was Robbie and he was regularly kind to people around. “The more I spoke about him, the more good deeds I learned about him, such as him returning wallets untouched to pedestrians,” Harrison later posted the story on her Facebook.
Harrison eventually found the kind homeless man and was able to thank him, and she learned about his situation. “He has been homeless for 7 months and needs to get back on his feet but cannot get work due to having no address…I decided to help him get off the streets and into a flat,” Harrison wrote.
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。
Harrison shared the story online and launched a donation to help Robbie.
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The funds really took Robbie by surprise.
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Last March, Margarito drove to visit his mother who lived in the countryside. When he set off for home, Margarito’s mother looked at the dark sky and noticed the sign of a coming storm. Worried about her son's safety, she told him to drive as carefully as possible on his way home and he promised to give her a call upon his arrival.
With his mother's words in mind, Margrito approached the main road carefully. Soon, it started to rain heavily. Eager to get home, Margarito began to drive faster. Two hours later, he came to a bumpy mountain road that had been flooded by a creek（小溪）.Margarito, driving a four-wheel truck, figured that he would be OK. At that moment, he didn't realize that such a thought would be a big mistake.
It was halfway across the creek that an unfortunate incident took place: The rushing waters grabbed hold of his vehicle, pushing it off the road and sending it down a rocky creek bed. The truck finally stopped some 80 feet away. Margarito’s problems only grew from there as the water had somehow positioned the truck into the creek bank at a 45-degree angle, making it difficult for him to open the driver's side door. Injured and trapped inside with the muddy water rising quickly, Margarito was certain he was going to die. Shaking with fear, he was at a loss about what to do.
On the road right behind Margarito were a delivery worker named Steve and his nephew Mike, who were on the way to deliver furniture to customers in the countryside. They witnessed the horrible incident, and when Margarito's truck came to rest in the middle of the overflowing creek, Steve quickly began to take action. First, he grabbed a rope from the back of his vehicle and used it to ensure he could safely approach the truck.
注意：1．所续词数应为150左右；
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Next, Steve turned to Mike and yelled," Give me a rock!”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Margarito was about to thank Steve and Mike when the mobile phone in his jacket pocket rang.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Kindness of Strangers
We rely on a community where helping others is highly appreciated. When we need help, it creates a web that ties us together.
Years ago, I was in the kitchen getting dinner ready when my fourteen-year-old daughter, Cassandra, called me from her room. “Mom, can you help me get downstairs?”She had lung disease and depended on oxygen(氧气) twenty-four hours a day, so it was impossible for her to move up and down the stairs without help. I turned down the stove and ran upstairs to her room. Cassandra let out a sigh and closed her eyes.
“Mom, I wish it wasn’t so hard for me to climb the stairs. “
“I know, honey. We’ll try to solve the problem. “
A month earlier, a company introduced an electric stairlift (座椅电梯). My daughter could use this stairlift to go up and down stairs by herself without anyone helping her. Hearing the perfect product, our whole family was very excited and looking forward to it. The stairlift sounded wonderful because it would greatly improve my daughter’s life. Unluckily, we couldn’t afford it although John, my husband, even took two jobs to support the family.
So I decided to ask the local charity organization for help once again. They had lent us a wheelchair before we bought one. Maybe they could help with a stairlift, too. Gathering all my courage, I dialed the number of the charity organization. “This is Cassandra’s mother. Do you have a stairlift I could borrow?” I asked them hopefully. They hadn’t, but they promised to telephone us right away as soon as they got one. Then began our long wait.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为100左右；
2. 请按下列格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Ten days later, we finally received the call.
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I first met Harold five years ago. He was an eighteen-year-old quiet boy from a poor family.
He came to our hospital in Yankton, South Dakota because of an eye disease. It turned out that this disease was unable to be cured, and with each passing day, his eyesight became worse. Eventually, he would become blind.
Although I had worked as a nurse with many unfortunate patients over the years, Harold’s calmness touched me deeply. He was so young, yet he never asked for anything and never complained. Moreover, he trusted us completely.
One day, while the other three nurses and I were helping Harold pack up his things. I asked him a very hard question, ”If you could have one wish, what would it be? “Harold sat back on his bed, thinking. Finally, he turned to us and answered softly but with certainty, ” I would like to see what an ocean looks like. "
We all looked at Harold before finally meeting each other’s eyes. We wanted to make his wish come true, but how? Later that day, as we gathered for a quick dinner, we thought about it and decided to raise money for Harold’s wish.
We hosted a big bake sale and told the local news media about our mission. Within days, Harold’s trip got increasing support as word spread like wildfire through our community. By the end of our campaign, we had raised more than three thousand dollars!And a charity agreed to give us two plane tickets to California, which is on the Pacific Ocean. It meant that one of Harold’s family members could accompany him during the trip to the sea.
Ellen, our head nurse, had a brother living in Sacramento, California. He agreed to receive them for their four-day trip.
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。
We four nurses went to visit Harold to give him the surprise.
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Harold and his mother were met in Sacramento by Ellen’s brother.
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1.时间：在公园周末晨跑时。
2.事件：捡到钱包（发现里面有不少现金和一张名片）找到失主。
3.个人感想。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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I had just poured my second cup of tea that morning and sat down to read the paper. From somewhere, an inner voice said, “Go see Jeff and bring him the chair to repair. Go right now.” it was such a strong need that I hurriedly dressed and carried a dinning-room chair to his door. Jeff was a neighbor who had lost his wife a while back, and he sometimes did minor repairs for me because he enjoyed working with his hands.
I knocked on his door and waited a while. I was about to walk away when he answered. He looked like he was far away in his thoughts. I felt awkward about upsetting him so early. I greeted him and then asked if he could repair my chair. He invited me inside. We sat in his living room. He looked very sad and not his usual self. He said he had had a stroke recently, and while he was home now, he still needed to attend physical treatment. He had to build his strength back up. I apologized for the chair and told him I would just bring it back home. He said to leave it.
We talked for a while. He said that, before I arrived, he was seriously sad. So, my visit stopped his darkness. I listened to how hard it had been since his wife passed and how much worse it was now since the stroke. The longer we talked, the more I saw his mood lighten.
After I left his home, I went to the supermarket and gathered ingredients. I made him a hot meal I thought he would like. Carefully, I cut up vegetables and prepared stew (炖菜) for him. I believe it was the best stew I ever made. I made homemade biscuits and prepared fresh fruit for dessert. I realize there might have been healthier food, but I thought a hot meal would lift his spirits. I dropped it off for him. He was glad that someone cared. Emotionally, he seemed in a better place.
注意：1. 续写词数应为100左右；
2. 续写一段，开头语已为你写好。
About a week later, he knocked on my door.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After a hard day’s work, I usually go shopping in the nearby commercial center to relieve my tiredness.
Last Monday, I was in the commercial center as usual and I decided to go and get a cup of coffee. As I was making my way to the coffee shop. I noticed an old gentleman rather poorly dressed sitting on a bench nearby. I knew from first sight that he was in need of some kind of help. He had a little lunch laid out in front of him and was wholeheartedly enjoying it. It was also rather obvious that he had a problem with his right eye and probably couldn’t see out of it. I then joined the line and waited to be served.
Then one thing that made me unforgettable happened. There was a young man in front of me in the line who was also waiting to be served. The next thing I knew was that the young man handed the server a twenty-dollar bill and requested an orange juice, as well as a favour. The server looked at the young man, a little confused, not fully understanding the request.
“Please help me give the juice to the old gentleman eating his lunch outside on the bench, as well as the change from the 20 dollars,” the young man said to the server.
At that time, the server hesitated for a moment and said, “I am a little scared for his behavior and appearance.”
“Don’t worry. I have the confidence that he is a kind and warm-heated gentleman. He is just in need of some kind of help and has a problem with his right eye and probably couldn’t see out of it. I will be watching every second so that you will be completely safe at all times,” the young man added.
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。
Then the server approached the old gentleman slowly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I wondered there must be some reason for the young man not to do the act of kindness himself.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Officer Julian and Christina parked in front of the bus station and saw that an ambulance (救护车) had arrived before them. There was a call about an old woman lying on the ground. They came to check things out.
They exited their car and saw a doctor tending to the old woman, who was luckily conscious (有意识) and talking.
“Mrs. Logan?” Christina and Julian questioned with wide eyes. They both realized they knew the old woman.
The old woman looked up and finally recognized them. “Julian! Christina! I haven’t-seen you since you graduated from high school. What are you doing here?” she said breathlessly. “We were asked to come to check things after the call came through 911. Is everything alright? What are you doing in this bus station?” Christina placed her hands on the old woman’s shoulders.
Years ago, Mrs. Logan was their math teacher. She lived alone in Minnesota after her husband died. “I was hoping to go to Florida to see my son Peter. I haven’t heard from him for months. There are lots of hurricanes (飓风) in Florida. I need to make sure he’s safe,” Mrs. Logan explained.
Considering the doctor’s advice against Mrs. Logan travelling alone by bus especially as far as Florida, Julian softly suggested she go home and rest. However, Mrs. Logan begged for their help in a weak voice. Moved by her, Julian and Christina decided to drive her to Florida themselves to help realize her wish.
Four days later, they finally reached Florida, only to find everywhere was in a mess. Obviously, a terrible hurricane had hit this area days before. They hurried to her son’s home. It was destroyed completely and Peter was nowhere to be found. Mrs. Logan broke down on Christina’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Logan.” Christina hugged the old woman close to her body protectively.
注意：1. 续写词数应为80个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
About an hour later, they were told that Peter was in hospital, still alive.
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In March of 1994, I was 25 years old, poor and pregnant. It was 10 days past my due date. I was dependent on public transportation to get to my prenatal (产前的) appointments. That day I was going with my husband to the hospital for an ultrasound (超声波) scan.
We were excited and happy, thinking a new life would come into our world soon. To reach the bus stop, we had to cross a busy street. While we were standing on the opposite side of the street waiting for a break in traffic, we saw the bus coming. There was a huge rush of traffic just then, and no way to cross the street in time.
We began shouting loudly and waving wildly trying to flag down the driver. But the driver didn’t notice us, since her face wasn’t turned toward us. She drove quickly past the stop and down the street. Traffic cleared up immediately after this and we were able to cross the street. But it was a moment too late.
We were very anxious because this was the last bus we could have caught to get to my appointment on time. The hospital was very strict about its appointment policy— if you were ten minutes late, you had to reschedule. Rescheduling meant I had to wait a day or more. I was close to tears, about to say “Let’s go home” when a police car stopped in front of us. The officer had apparently seen the whole process, and said with a smile “Hop in- let’s catch the bus!”
We’d never been in trouble nor were we thieves, but we naturally felt uneasy about most authority figures like policemen. So it was a shock to receive this offer of help from an unlikely source! Should we accept such help? We hesitated for a second. Then we got in the car, and the officer sped toward our runaway bus.
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。
Paragraph 1:
We caught up with the bus soon.
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Paragraph 2:
I gave birth to a healthy girl the following morning.
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