The wonders of nature, from spiders and butterflies to tiny insects, never cease to amaze me. Sometimes, I feel I’m the only one who notices their beauty. Yet, if it hadn’t been for the crowded dining hall, I wouldn’t have noticed Emily.
Emily was a new student, quiet and unnoticeable. She walked to class with her books against her chest and her head down. She talked only when the teacher asked her a question. At the break time, she just sat on a bench and read. After a month at school, she hadn’t made any friend. If you asked who she was, you’d get a response like this, “She’s in my PE class, but I can’t remember her name.”
During lunch one day, with most tables occupied, I found myself without a place to sit. I was at a loss what to do when I spotted Emily alone, book in hand. I walked over to her and asked. “Can I take this seat?” She glanced up and lightly said “Yes”.
The cafeteria was buzzing with excitement for the upcoming talent show. Merry laughter and lively conversations filled the air, making the place alive with anticipation for the event. But Emily, lost in her book, didn’t seem to mind at all. Silence hung between us and it drove me crazy.
I searched my mind for things to say. “So,” I said, “is that a good book?” Emily gave me a small nod and went back to reading. Curiosity getting the better of me, I continued, “What’s the book about?” She looked at me,eyes shining. Eagerly she shared the story of a musical talent, painting vivid images with her words. “That sounds cool,”I replied, somewhat amazed by the usual quiet girl.
The noisy cafeteria carried on with its hum as students heatedly discussed the talent show. Eager to continue our engaging conversation, I asked, “So, any plans for the show?” Emily paused, setting her book aside, “Oh,” she said, “I don’t know. Maybe nothing.” Her words carried a bit of uncertainty. It seemed as if the idea of showing her talent was still taking shape in her mind.
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。
Time flew by and the day of the talent show finally arrived.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The hall fell into silence as she began to perform.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Even with the heated water splashing on my shoulders, a chill (寒意) still ran through me. My son was swimming
I just couldn’t trust my body to
But my son George wouldn’t
I couldn’t say no. “Try to swim to me. It’s not very far.” he said,
After more false starts, I knew I must
I swam farther.I swam.
1.| A．bravely | B．skillfully | C．carefully | D．nervously |
| A．willing | B．ambitious | C．gifted | D．adorable |
| A．bend | B．float | C．extend | D．swing |
| A．knowledge | B．potential | C．freedom | D．chance |
| A．goal | B．result | C．decision | D．belief |
| A．realize | B．change | C．accept | D．consider |
| A．special | B．basic | C．common | D．hard |
| A．turned up | B．passed by | C．slipped away | D．broke in |
| A．feared | B．missed | C．enjoyed | D．expected |
| A．standing | B．towering | C．stretching | D．adjusting |
| A．comforted | B．surprised | C．puzzled | D．amused |
| A．continue | B．act | C．win | D．quit |
| A．blindly | B．quickly | C．elegantly | D．freely |
| A．lost | B．took | C．caught | D．held |
| A．relief | B．sorrow | C．joy | D．gratitude |
3 . Shane Grammer’s artwork can be found in cities in Mexico, South Korea, Dubai and beyond.In the past years, it’s the murals (壁画) he painted on damaged walls throughout the town of Paradise, California that have gained attention and touched viewers.
In 2018, the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history, swept through Paradise, flattening entire communities, killing scores of people, and displacing tens of thousands. Grammer,whose hometown was just 15 miles from Paradise, was living with his family and working in the Los Angeles area when he saw accounts of the destruction on his friends’ social media pages. A single mother he knew shared a photo of ash and rubble where her home once stood. A childhood friend’s post showed her burned-down house. After he saw a photo of a friend Shane Edwards’ home, which had been reduced to a brick wall with only a chimney standing, he was driven to paint it.
With Edward’s permission, Grammer then used spray paint to transform Edwards’ burnt chimney into a strikingly black-and-white portrait of a woman, a piece he called “Beauty Among the Ashes.” Once the image was posted on Instagram, the victims of the fire, especially, could not contain themselves. “You bring beauty and hope.” one posted. Over three months, the 47-year-old created a series of more than a dozen spray-painted murals on the remains of buildings and vehicles rendered useless by the flames. The images included a victim of the fire, a young girl who survived but lost her house, and a series of religious characters.
As a street artist, Grammer has committed his life to creating more art installations (装置艺术) all over the world that connect people through tragic life events. He has started a foundation called the Art Through Hope Foundation where he intends to bring peace through his art to those affected by tragedy. “I want to do something powerful and make art that emotionally influences people,” said Grammer in an interview with KRCR. “I think any artist would consider that as their ultimate goal. And to me, that is the biggest miracle I feel like.”
1. What has led to Grammer’s rise to fame?| A．The Art Through Hope Foundation. | B．The post of a burnt-down house. |
| C．His paintings on the ruins in Paradise. | D．His art installations all over the world. |
| A．To record the wildfire. | B．To bring hope to the victims. |
| C．To add beauty to the ashes. | D．To remember his friend's home. |
| A．Creating touching art. | B．Working miracles in art. |
| C．Bringing peace through art. | D．Doing something powerful. |
| A．From Ashes to Art: Street Artist’s Murals of Hope |
| B．From Paradise to Worldwide: Street Artist’s Journey |
| C．From Tragedy to Hope: the Story of Shane Grammer |
| D．From Mural to Miracle: Shane Grammer’s Art Mission |
4 . My friend used to teach at a university with a master’s degree. In my country, for
One day while driving along the road, my friend saw the professor was in a(n)
A week later, my friend received a call from the professor, and was
I love how my friend did this
| A．ability | B．popularity | C．career | D．credit |
| A．in favor of | B．in charge of | C．in aid of | D．in need of |
| A．spare | B．ordinary | C．typical | D．fancy |
| A．dilemma | B．emergency | C．accident | D．race |
| A．waited | B．judged | C．followed | D．approached |
| A．Fortunately | B．Honestly | C．Naturally | D．Exactly |
| A．scared | B．serious | C．nervous | D．upset |
| A．discuss | B．reason | C．talk | D．quarrel |
| A．signed up | B．bent over | C．stepped in | D．held back |
| A．assistance | B．company | C．arrangement | D．rescue |
| A．blame | B．action | C．care | D．responsibility |
| A．satisfied | B．amazed | C．moved | D．concerned |
| A．reminded | B．informed | C．promised | D．rejected |
| A．lesson | B．act | C．job | D．game |
| A．packed | B．inspired | C．taught | D．repaid |
5 . Julia found some of her grandmother Georgie’s old design sketches (草图) from the 1940s. Georgie told her granddaughter she was proud of the sketches and wanted them to be
Julia took some pictures of those sketches and made a post. It became
With the help of her grandmother, Julia spent countless hours
“You can have your own
| A．shown | B．checked | C．discovered | D．appreciated |
| A．fashion | B．performance | C．travel | D．play |
| A．slightly | B．greatly | C．poorly | D．hardly |
| A．popular | B．helpful | C．different | D．convenient |
| A．taught | B．forced | C．challenged | D．encouraged |
| A．necessary | B．special | C．limited | D．excellent |
| A．copying | B．protecting | C．judging | D．improving |
| A．recording | B．buying | C．changing | D．praising |
| A．experience | B．freedom | C．pleasure | D．instruction |
| A．service | B．creation | C．story | D．duty |
| A．introduce | B．hand | C．connect | D．present |
| A．promise | B．doubt | C．admit | D．warn |
| A．education | B．surprise | C．interest | D．memory |
| A．natural | B．meaningful | C．peaceful | D．practical |
| A．work out | B．stand out | C．pass down | D．move around |
I was not sure why my dad and my uncle always disagreed with each other in the beginning. They spent many Sundays sitting at opposite ends of the table, arguing about everything. I didn’t think they got along well.
When I was eighteen, I got a call in my college dorm that my dad was having a health problem. My mom picked me up at midnight, so I could be there the next day when my dad was scheduled to transfer(转移) to a better hospital. I didn’t sleep that night, not a while. I was nervous and almost crazy when we arrived at the hospital early the next morning before the transfer.
That morning, as my mom and I walked down the hallway of the hospital, we could see straight into my dad’s room. A tall man wearing a stylish suit stood beside my father’s bed with his back to us. In surprise, my mom said to me, “How nice it is for a doctor to come by to see your dad so early in the morning.” The man was quiet and still, looking down, but he was holding both of my dad’s hands in his own. It seemed not to be a typical doctor’s behavior.
“It’s not a doctor,” I whispered softly to my mom. When the man turned around, we found that it was my uncle. However, little did I know I would continue to reflect on that quiet moment for decades. And it would be the beginning of something truly wonderful.
The hours that followed were some of the most hardest time of my youth. My dad had a serious stomach problem and had to be in hospital for quite a long time. My uncle stayed with us the entire time. For one thing, my uncle tried every way to get my dad to eat something. For another thing, he brought me healthy snacks and made sure I actually ate them even though I had no appetite. When my mother and I were scared that my dad’s illness would get worse, my uncle was always by our side.
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。
Throughout those difficult days in the hospital, I watched my uncle in a new light.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From then on, the relationship between my dad and my uncle became closer.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . As my husband and I saw someone publicizing the benefits of spending time outdoors, we were lost in thought. Noticing my daughter had
When we persuaded my daughter to join us, we
“Well done! You’ve arrived as scheduled,” said our ski instructor as we reached the resort. It was negative nine degrees. It was
The resort took account of almost all the trouble we might have in skiing. Of the fifty-three runs, eight were greens labeled with
While the experience frightened us, it also
| A．become | B．met | C．criticized | D．blamed |
| A．persuade | B．introduce | C．divide | D．trick |
| A．award | B．examination | C．common | D．involvement |
| A．calculated | B．witnessed | C．booked | D．offered |
| A．bother | B．moment | C．fine | D．profit |
| A．overdue | B．aimless | C．freezing | D．mild |
| A．apparently | B．barely | C．instantly | D．straightly |
| A．signs | B．trees | C．materials | D．walls |
| A．convinced | B．warned | C．guided | D．advised |
| A．permanent | B．legal | C．polite | D．cool |
| A．modest | B．apologetic | C．motivated | D．depressed |
| A．fell | B．woke | C．asked | D．admitted |
| A．delayed | B．discouraged | C．interrupted | D．inspired |
| A．kind | B．answer | C．shortage | D．check |
| A．spoke up | B．went back | C．broke down | D．set off |
A few days ago, the teacher announced the list of candidates for the swimming team. Since I knew I didn’t qualify for the swim team, I’ve been feeling frustrated. I clearly knew that I had to wait a whole year to try out again that might as well be a million years. During that time, when I returned home, I just locked myself in my bedroom.
Dad knew I was feeling down. Without comforting or encouraging me directly, he said it was time for me to help in the kitchen last Sunday. To be honest, I couldn’t imagine what help I could offer. Moreover, my dad is a postman and he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would bake great bread. Still, I followed right behind him. Dad got out the flour and milk and intended to teach me how to make the bread, which seemed to be a huge challenge for me and demanded a great amount of energy.
Dad mixed the milk and flour to make the dough. The first step almost exhausted my patience. Next came the most difficult but amusing part — doing nothing. We waited for an hour for the dough to slowly swell and double in size. Then we beat the risen dough down to let the air out, divided it into two and waited for another hour. “Take your time. Don’t rush to put the dough directly into the oven, but if you do, the bread will be hard.” Dad explained As the flour dust in the kitchen quietly settled, time didn’t seem to matter. The dough was going to rise at its own pace.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
My father smiled and said, “It’s your turn to complete the remaining steps.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I tasted the bread, I seemed to understand the meaning of “bread spirit”.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9 . Italy’s oldest man Tripoli Giannini, who credited “light meals and no stress” for his longevity, has died at the age of 111, on New Year’s Eve. He was the second oldest man in Europe, after André Ludwig, a Frenchman 75 days older.
His son, Romano, wrote on Facebook: “He believed he was immortal …instead, at 9.30 am, December 31, 2023, my father Tripoli Giannini died. He was 111 years and 133 days old — a record! He joins his wife, Tosca, my mother, who has waited for him for over 40 years.”
There are a record number of centenarians (百岁老人) in Italy. According to the national statistics agency, there were 22,000 people aged over 100 in 2023. The vast majority are women.
His life is like a living history textbook. Giannini, who belonged to the Italian army infantry corps, was born in Cecina in 1912. He not only witnessed the changes of the two world wars, but also experienced the election of about ten popes (教皇). The more admirable thing is that he has successfully withstood the multiple pandemic s from Spanish flu in his childhood to COVID-19 in his later years, demonstrating his unyielding energy. He is not only known for his longevity, but also a sports enthusiast.
During celebrations, he said the secrets to his longevity were light meals — always accompanied by wine — no stress, being a non-smoker and treating each day as a gift.
The Italian island of Sardinia has been identified as one of five regions in the world that have high concentrations of centenarians, while the Italian city with the most people over the age of 100 is Genoa in Liguria. The Mediterranean diet has long been considered to be the main ingredient for longevity among Italians. The country’s ageing population is a challenge for the government, especially as it coincides with a reducing birthrate, placing pressure on the pension and healthcare systems.
1. How old might Tripoli Giannini be when he lost his wife?| A．In his 50s. | B．In his 60s. | C．In his 80s. | D．In his 90s. |
| A．Wine drinking and smoking. | B．Light diets and no pressure. |
| C．Wine drinking and his wife. | D．Light diets and healthcare. |
| A．He might get involved in politics. |
| B．He might be optimistic towards life. |
| C．He might be the oldest in both Italy and Europe. |
| D．He might have suffered from many illnesses in his long life. |
| A．To advertise the diet of Italy. | B．To promote the anti-smoking campaign. |
| C．To highlight the ageing situation in Italy. | D．To publicize Italy’s oldest man’s death. |
Mrs. Johnson was an elderly woman who loved nothing more than sitting by the window and watching the world go by. She had lived in the same house for over 50 years and knew almost everyone in the neighborhood. She especially liked the teenagers who lived next door, a group of kids who always seemed to be up to something.
One day, Mrs. Johnson noticed that the kids seemed to be going through a tough time. They were skipping school, getting into trouble, and seemed lost and directionless. Mrs. Johnson knew that something needed to be done to help these kids, so she decided to take action.
The first thing she did was to invite the kids over for cookies and drinks. They were hesitant at first, but Mrs. Johnson’s warm smile and kind words quickly put them at ease. Over the course of the afternoon, she listened carefully as the kids shared their hopes and dreams, their fears and frustrations. She didn’t judge them or lecture them, but simply offered a listening ea r and a shoulder to lean on.
As the weeks went by, Mrs. Johnson continued to reach out to the kids. She would invite them over for dinner or take them on outings to the park, the library, or the movies. She would encourage them to talk about their interests and talents, and help them find their passions, set goals, and pursue their dreams. Mrs. Johnson became a guiding light for the neighborhood kids.
One of the kids, a boy named David, was particularly talented in music. He had a natural gift for playing the guitar and writing songs, but had never been given the chance to pursue his passion. Mrs. Johnson knew that David’s genius for music was too great to go unnoticed, so she took it upon herself to help David find a way to share his talent with the world.
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。
Mrs. Johnson contacted the community center and arranged for David to perform at a show.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After the show, David was full of joy and excitement.
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