One of my favourite things about spring is the arrival of different species of birds. My grandfather was a bird lover, and I picked up the birdwatching hobby at a young age, thanks to his influence. My husband John and I found it a relaxing way to enjoy nature; we like birdwatching when we go camping or hiking. Plus, I have a great love of nature photography, so when we sit out in the backyard of our home, I always have my digital camera with me. John is an artist, and he often paints the birds I photograph.
Usually when the yellow warblers (莺) come back from the south in springtime, they pass us by; we don’t typically see them hanging around our home. But not on this particular sunny day in spring. As soon as I finished my workday, I put on a light jacket and went out to the backyard to relax in my favourite way: by watching the birds.
While taking some pictures of cardinals (红衣凤头鸟) and chickadees (北美山雀) at one of our feeders, I looked up and noticed this yellow warbler in our maple tree. The tree had recently begun to bud, and the bird’s yellow feathers looked striking against the yellow blooms, so I took this photo. Our backyard has a variety of trees and between my husband and me, we’ve documented almost 40 different species of birds. I’ve photographed most of them, but some can be a bit camera shy so I also keep a written list of what we see. Our more common visitors are cardinals, chickadees, hummingbirds and various sparrows.
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。
One day, I was watching the yellow warbler jumping among trees when a snake crawled towards it.
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At this time, I saw many small stones in the backyard.
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In her small town, Emma was known for her love and respect for all living creatures, and she believed that humans and animals should coexist peacefully and harmoniously. One day, while hiking in the nearby woods, Emma spotted a wounded (受伤的) deer caught in a hunter's trap. Without hesitation, she carefully freed the deer and nursed it back to health.
Over the next few weeks, Emma devoted her time and energy to caring for the deer. She visited it every day after school, bringing fresh fruits and vegetables. She carefully examined its wounds, applying some medicine to help it get better and prevent infection. As the days went by, the deer began to regain its strength, and Emma was overjoyed to see it stand on its legs once again.
Emma also took the time to learn about deer behavior and their natural habitat. She researched the best foods to feed the deer and created a comfortable place for it to rest in during the day. She even made a small water fountain to ensure that the deer had access to clean drinking water.
As the weeks turned into months. Emma watched as the deer grew stronger and more confident. It would often follow her around the backyard, nudging (轻推) her playfully with its nose. Emma felt a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that she had played a part in saving this beautiful creature's life.
One sunny afternoon, as Emma sat in her backyard reading a book, she heard a familiar sound. She looked up and saw the deer standing near her, looking at her with gentle eyes. It was clear that the deer had fully recovered and was ready to return to the wild.
Emma felt a sense of sadness but also knew that it was time for the deer to go back to its natural habitat. She opened the gate and watched as the deer bounded away, disappearing into the forest. From that day on, Emma continued to care for animals in need, knowing that she had made a difference in the life of at least one creature.
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。
Months later, Emma had almost forgotten about the deer when one day, she received an unexpected visitor.
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From that day on, the deer became a regular visitor to Emma's backyard.
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For many years, my only companion was our dog, Sno. A small but mighty Bichon Frise, our dog may have looked ordinary, but he was smart, creative, and always ready for ice cream and rolling at my request. While I worked, he slept, waking to chase the red cat from next door, greet a delivery person, or sit in the sunshine.
We didn’t agree on everything, especially when to get up and when to go to bed. He sighed with boredom when a project was due and I didn’t have time to play. He didn’t understand weekends, deadlines, and visitors who left him. However, we both agreed on walking.
At least once a week, we took a long walk to the beach. For him, there were tall grasses and exciting smells. For me, there were other dog walkers and neighbors to catch up with. We returned tired, thirsty, and very happy.
Being a dog with huge ambition and short legs, Sno needed several breaks along the way. The one at the entrance to the beach was his favorite, possibly because he knew we were circling back home. There, on a windy summer day, he looked up at me just as I was looking down at him. We both grinned (咧嘴笑). This was the best walk ever.
When he was old and dying, our walks were shorter and closer to home. I’d take him for a walk and then go out for my own walk, wandering around the beach like we used to do. I always grinned when I got to the entrance to the beach, remembering that summer day when he was young and energetic.
In his final days, Sno still insisted on walking. It took twice as long to take even the shortest walk, but we enjoyed every step. Then came that Sunday when he leaned hard toward the beach walk. How could I refuse his last-walk wish?
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 took the walk.
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After he died, I went for the long walk.
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At the time of this writing. I have reached the age of 105. As I look back, I think of the many wonderful things that have happened in my long life. many of which have served to strengthen my belief that miracles really do happen. One of these that I recall today happened many years ago but is still as fresh in my mind as if it had happened yesterday.
Peter was a Russian Wolfhound (Borzoi) with the typical tall, long-legged build of the hunter he was supposed to be but never was. He weighed close to eighty-five pounds and had the long nose and narrow head of the Borzoi, so narrow that it didn’t seem to have much room for brains. In Peter’s case, it didn’t. He became easily confused, but his gentle nature made up for his lack of intelligence.
On the day in question, I had gathered up my dogs. one Old English Sheepdog, one Whippet rescue, and Peter. They were all settled in my covered pickup truck bed, and was headed out for our daily exercise, six miles into the country where there was no leash (绳) law and they could run free. They were all trained not to chase wild animals, to stay reasonably close. and to come when called.
After I had walked for about ten minutes, I noticed one dog was missing. Peter, of course! It seemed obvious that he had stopped to investigate some irresistible (不可抗的) smell, and then, becoming confused, had turned back the way we had just come, He would easily be able to follow our track, but in the wrong direction. And when a Borzoi runs, he covers a lot of ground in a very short time.
Feeling guilty, knowing I should have kept a closer watch on him, I retraced (折返) my steps, calling and whistling, but there was no sign of him. It was winter and would soon be dark. In desperation, I started to pray. “Please God, keep Peter safe.”
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。
After half an hour of calling at the top of my voice. I finally decided to drive the two other dogs home.
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Upon reaching home, I discovered a long nose waiting at the doorway.
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We met at the Leeds Grenville SPCA. We were here to find the best fit for our little family of three. In my heart, however, I think I already knew which one was the right cat. Portia, a quiet brown tabby (斑猫), watched us with partially closed eyes, seemingly saying, “Take your time…” and I know it’s going to be me. As I neared her cage, one paw extended. Finally we decided to bring home a cat that day.
After a day or two of settling in, Portia became a sort of small and furry nanny to my kids. She would travel from room to room with us during the day, usually staying closest to my son. She wanted to sit where he sat, look out the windows from which he peered, and make courageous attempts to share whatever he was eating. At night, she would sprawl onto his lap during story time. We nicknamed her “Guardian Kitten” for the way she always wanted to be where he was, watching over him as if he were her own.
One day, I was gathering leaves while my child delighted in disturbing the piles. Portia was dozing on the porch, her cars sometimes shifting toward the sound of our voices. Then suddenly, from down the street, a desperate voice cried, “No! Come back here!” The phrase was repeated and the volume increased as the speaker drew closer. A Golden Retriever ignored his owner and reached my property first. In a split second it leaped over the low fence surrounding the front yard.
The dog rushed toward my son with boundless energy and body language that expressed that it wanted to play. “Puppy!” my son exclaimed, spreading his arms apart in a welcoming gesture. Unlike me, he was not aware that this dog would, at the very least, knock him down with its uncontained enthusiasm. And I wasn’t going to be able to close the space between us in time.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
When I was wondering how to protect my son, a scream erupted behind me.
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After a while, the owner arrived, out of breath.
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Once upon a time, in a quiet countryside, there lived a humble farmer with a heart as vast as his fields. He had a litter of adorable puppies that he needed to find new homes for. One sunny morning, he decided to paint a sign advertising the puppies and set off to nail it to a post at the edge of his yard.
As he hammered in the last nail, he felt a small hand pulling at his clothes. Looking down, he saw the sincere eyes of a little boy looking up at him. The boy said. “Sir. I want to buy one of your puppies.”
The farmer, wiping the sweat from his face, replied, “Well, these puppies come from fine parents and costa good deal of money.” The boy’s head drooped (下垂) for a moment, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change, holding it up to the farmer. “I’ve got 89 cents. Is that enough at least to take a look?”
The farmer’s heart warmed, and he smiled, saying, “Of course.” He then let out a whistle (口哨), calling, “Here, Dolly!” With that, a charming sight appeared as Dolly and her four adorable pups rushed out from the doghouse and down the slope. The little boy pressed his face against the fence, his eyes dancing with delight.
As the four puppies approached the fence, the boy noticed something moving inside the doghouse. Slowly, another little fur ball appeared, obviously smaller than the others, It wobbled (摇晃) down the slope, doing its best to catch up. The boy was very excited, and he pointed to the puppy, saying, “I want that one.”
The farmer, however, knelt down at the boy’s side and gently said, “Son, you won’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”
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 boy took a step back, showing his disabled left leg.
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The little boy’s face lit up with gratitude (感激).
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When I was a kid, my godparents, Uncle Nell and Aunt Frances, brought me a four-month-old puppy. She was half German shepherd, half collie. As her pink tongue touched my face with wet licks, it was love at first hug.
My family named the puppy Dusty. Although I wanted to lay my only claim to her affections, in a family of seven kids, no one lays permanent claim to the family pet.
Dusty was our dog, not “my” dog. We soon realized that she had the patience of Buddha. My baby sister often transformed Dusty’s warm fur into a nap-time pillow -- falling asleep on the rug. Like a protective mother, Dusty waited -- without moving -- until my sister woke.
Dusty doubled as a school crossing guard, too. Monday through Friday she’d walk us kids two blocks to St. Patrick’s Parochial, looking both ways to check for traffic before allowing us to cross the street. We’d wave good-bye as we entered the door, knowing Dusty would be waiting at the school door to greet us at the close of the school day.
Of all the contributions Dusty made to our family, one incident stands out far and above all others.
Late one night, Dusty rushed to my parents’ bedroom. She barked and barked. When she got no response, Dusty raced upstairs to my bedroom and my brothers’ bedroom and barked again and again. When she failed to fully wake us, she flew back down the steps and returned to my parents’ room. Finally, she got Mom’s attention.
“What are you doing, Dusty?” Mom snapped, still halfway in dreamland. Dusty persisted. Finally my mother gave in.
“Okay, what is it?”
Dusty whined and rushed out of Mom’s room. Thinking the dog needed to be let out to relieve herself, my mother followed Dusty to the front door.
注意：
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Para. 1:
When Mom opened the door, she discovered the house across the street -- where my best friend, Marianne, lived -- was on fire.
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Para. 2:
My mother refused to take the credit.
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Marmi, my big sister, was eagerly looking for a pup (小狗) to look after and love all her life, so she would ask Mummy many times for a pup of her own, but the answer was always no. You see, my mum is not very fond of dogs, never has been, and always says they're too big a responsibility. She's just not a dog person. Well, that didn't stop my sister from looking or hoping for a dog. She used to search online for her favourite breed (品种). Until one day Marni found some Cavapoo pups advertised for sale. She immediately showed Mummy and begged to go and see them. Not sure how my sister persuaded her, but to our surprise, Mummy said we could go and have a look at them but not to get high hopes. Marni rushed everyone in the car before Mummy changed her mind. Off we sped to the advertised breeder's house which luckily wasn't too far. We got to the house and I bet I could hear my sister's heart dancing with excitement. As we rang the doorbell, we could hear cute little barks coming from inside. We went in and saw lots of little black pups excitedly jumping around. There were other people there too, so we needed to choose one fast if you know what I mean. It was rather crowded but the breeder let us hold and cuddle (搂抱) the pups. The breeder handed a little confident pup to Marni. The little pup seemed an old friend with my sister. But after a lot of cuddles, Mummy said we had to go and would have to think about it.
注意：续写词数应为150左右。
As we were walking towards the door, the little pup followed my sister.
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The little pup made a mess (杂乱) of our home.
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“She needs me.” Those were the exact words I spoke to my husband when I spotted Dottie, a little dog we found at a local shelter eight years ago.
Dottie leaned (倾斜) away when I tried to pet her and refused to let me hold her. While the other dogs jumped and barked, Dottie returned to the back of the cage, curled up in a ball, hoping us to leave her alone.
On the entire drive home, Dottie was in fear. So, upon arrival at our house, we got right to work. I held her as much as possible, touching her head and softly singing in her ear. We learned that she loved belly touch, so every time we passed by, we would offer a gentle touch. Eventually, we noticed her presenting her belly as we walked by her. I knew we were making real progress when I found her quietly sleeping on a chair one day, her head resting on one of my shoes. My heart melted (融化) as I realized she had brought it there because it contained my smell, and she wanted it nearby.
Ever so slowly, our little dog came to life. She began to play with toys, enjoy walks, and rest on our laps. There was no special treatment, no fancy food or toys. All we did was love her. And she grew well. She was so broken when we first met her that we had no idea what her true personality would be. But now we found a sweet, playful, loving soul.
One day, a few years after her adoption, I was busy doing housework around the house, doing laundry and climbing the stairs from the basement up to the main floor. When I finished, I sat down and enjoyed a well-deserved break. That’s when I realized I hadn’t seen Dottie for a while. I called to her and began searching. My heart raced and my pace quickened as I began checking under beds and behind sofa.
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, I remembered the door to the basement.
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I held her in my arms tightly, telling her how sorry I was.
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“Mary! Come and see what I have brought home!” My father opened the door and shouted cheerfully.
“Is it a dog?” I asked when I saw him hugging a huge creature in his arms.
My father nodded and put the dog on the floor. When it ran toward me, I pressed my hands tightly over my mouth to hold back a scream. I turned around and rushed back to my room. I locked up the door as soon as I could.
Since I was attacked by a wild dog two months ago, I had been living in constant fear of dogs. I was confused why my father was so happy to bring home such a scary thing. So I decided to stay in my room until the dog was gone. After what seemed like ages, I heard the door open and shut.
“Finally!” I breathed in relief and opened the door cautiously.
To my shock, I felt something wet touching my foot. It was the dog! I froze there, as if my feet were rooted to the ground. When I regained my senses, I screamed, “Daddy! It is the dog! Help! It wants to bite me! Get it away from me!”
My father was standing by the other side of the door，folding his arms and encouraged me,“It is not going to eat you! Mary, don’t be so scared. Go on! Touch it!”
I tried my best to control my fear and bent down to touch the dog. But I could not do it due to my constant and uncontrollable shaking.
“Never! I will never touch that dirty thing! Take it away!” I shouted.
My father turned a deaf ear to my request. In despair, I picked up a tennis ball that happened to be on the floor and threw it at the dog.
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 ball missed the target.
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