My name is Wen Yu, but you can call me “Fish”. I want to talk about the time I went to the US to meet my American pen pal Drew, but first I need to go back a little bit to explain things.
I was a second-year junior high schooler when my English teacher, Ms. Gao, had us experiment with a pen pal program set up through our school. This was an amazing opportunity at the time since it meant we could use our English skills to communicate with other teenagers the same age as us around the world through email! Still, I was a bit shy and nervous since I knew my English was pretty poor; but at the same time, I was excited to make a new friend and was determined to improve with this new opportunity presented to me.
Ms. Gao assigned me to write emails with a boy named Drew in the US. He was from a city called Cincinnati in Ohio. I knew a little about the biggest cities in the US— New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago— But Cincinnati? I had no idea where it was. Maybe it was somewhere near one of those cities?
As we continued to talk through email, I was surprised to find my English was slowly improving. I found my English going from stiff and formulaic (刻板的) to more natural and casual to match the way he wrote. I even picked up some slang (俚语) words along the way! We got to know each other’s hobbies and interests as well as our dreams and hopes for the future. Drew seemed so nice, and I found myself wanting to visit him someday and see what Cincinnati had to offer. He, too, wanted to visit Beijing and try out the local food I had told him so much about.
We continued our email conversations even after the program ended. Drew told me how long his summer break was going to be and said he’d show me around if I were to ever visit. To my surprise, that opportunity would come sooner than I thought.
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，每段的开头语已写好；
As it turned out, my parents were planning a surprise vacation to the US.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Entering the baggage claim area (行李领取处), I finally came face-to-face with Drew.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . I’m in a coffee shop in Manhattan and I’m about to become the most disliked person in the room. First, I’m going to interrupt the man reading quietly near the window and ask for a drink of his latte. Next, I’m going to ask the line of people waiting to pay if I can cut to the front of the queue. This is how I chose to spend my last vacation. Here’s why.
Growing up, all I ever heard about was “EQ.” It was the mid-1990s, and psychologist Daniel Goleman had just popularized the concept of emotional intelligence. Unlike IQ, which tracked conventional measures of intelligence like reasoning and recall, EQ measured the ability to understand other people — to listen, to empathize (共情), and to appreciate.
My mother, an elementary school principal, prized brains and hard work, but she placed a special emphasis on Goleman’s new idea. To her, EQ was the elixir (万能药) that separated the good students from the great after they left school. She was determined to send me into the adult world with as much of this elixir as possible.
But when I finally began my first job, I noticed a second elixir in the pockets of some of my colleagues. It gave their opinions extra weight and their decisions added impact. Strangest of all, it seemed like the anti-EQ: Instead of knowing how to make others feel good, this elixir gave people the courage to do the opposite — to say things others didn’t want to hear.
This was assertiveness (魄力). It boiled down to the command of a single skill: the ability to have uncomfortable conversations. Assertive people — those with high “AQ”— ask for things they want, decline things they don’t, provide constructive feedback, and engage in direct confrontation (对峙) and debate.
A lifetime improving my EQ helped me empathize with others, but it also left me overly sensitive to situations where I had to say or do things that might make others unhappy. While I didn’t avoid conflict, I was always frustrated by my powerlessness when I had to say or do something that could upset someone. This is my problem and I’m working on it.
1. Why did the author act that way in the coffee shop?| A．To improve a skill. | B．To test a concept. |
| C．To advocate a new idea. | D．To have a unique vacation. |
| A．She thought little of IQ. |
| B．She popularized Goleman’s idea. |
| C．She was a strict mother and principal. |
| D．She valued EQ as the key to greatness. |
| A．EQ. | B．AQ. | C．Empathy. | D．Courage. |
| A．successful leaders | B．people pleasers |
| C．terrible complainers | D．pleasure seekers |
Whenever I spread marmalade (橘子酱), I am reminded of my mother, a five-foot-tall angel who even befriended a skunk (臭鼬).
One day, while she was busy picking beans in the backyard, she came across a skunk no more than a meter away. The skunk’s embarrassment was evident as he had undoubtedly been rummaging (乱翻) through the garbage. He still had a marmalade jar stuck on his nose. Mom took pity on him. Instead of worrying the creature would spray something smelly all over her and the beans, she smiled compassionately at the little thing and extended a helping hand. Kneeling on the ground, she inched across the grass, reached out, and twisted the jar—very carefully.
The jar slipped off. The skunk nodded a thank-you before slipping away into the woods at the back of the garden. Obviously, there was no spraying incident, thanks to my remarkable mother. She repeated this tale numerous times, always calling the skunk Marmalade. However, that was not the end of the story. Three summers later, when I was about twelve, another encounter occurred.
It was a rainy morning, and both my mother and father had gone to work. My friend Rob came over to play, and we decided to run the electric train in my room. Suddenly, a scratching sound emerged from the attic (阁楼). Rob assumed that it might be some kind of animal. Curiosity got the better of us, and we ventured towards the source of the sound.
I cautiously opened the attic door in the hall. The noise ceased abruptly. I climbed up the stairs, Rob following my lead. There behind the toy box near the chimney stood the animal—black with a distinct white stripe down his back. Was he scared and trembling? I believe so, at least that’s what I remember. Instinctively, I retreated, fearing the potential spray or bites from the creature. “Hey, Rob,” I whispered urgently, “It’s a skunk. Let’s go to the kitchen and figure out a way to get him out of here.”
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:
In the cupboard, several paper cups and a jar of marmalade caught our sight.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Rob and I followed the skunk as he ate his way down the stairs.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6-year-old Quinn Hill became her family’s hero when she took immediate action during an emergency that saved her mother’s life with the help of her neighbor, Mrs. Smith.
Jennifer, a 39-year-old single mother, began the day by sending her child, Hill, to school. Having no idea what would happen, Jennifer was filled with anxiety. After all, it was the first day of a new school year for Hill, a fresh start! On the way school. she repeatedly reminded Hill to solve problems positively and fit in. Though worried, Jennifer had to wave goodbye to her daughter, watching her towards the school gate.
The whole day was packed with housework. Jennifer tidied the house, washed clothes, and prepared for the evening meal. As the school bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Jennifer picked Hill up from school. On seeing Jennifer, Hill couldn’t wait to hug her, sharing the school experiences. Chatting and laughing accompanied them all the way. Hill’s innocent laughter was like Jennifer’s ray of sunshine.
Approaching home, they encountered Mrs. Smith, a most kind and thoughtful housewife living in their neighborhood for many years. Mrs. Smith often invited Jennifer and Hill to her home and shared her homemade desserts and cookies. The two families developed a close relationship and Hill liked to stay with Mrs. Smith, who always brightened her days with willingness and timely help. After exchanging greetings, they went back to their own homes.
On arriving home, Jennifer set out to prepare dinner. As the sun began to set, the house was full of a pleasant smell of cooking food. Jennifer and Hill sat at the kitchen table when Jennifer suddenly began to seize. She was sitting in a chair, looking up at the ceiling. and experiencing abnormal breathing. She then fell out of the chair onto her left side, her hands balled into fists, and her body was shaking violently. Her eyes were open, and Hill kept calling “Mommy, Mommy”, but she could not respond.
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。
Realizing the severe situation, Hill ran out for help.
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Jennifer finally came to herself in the hospital.
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5 . Imagine this: You walk into a place and the atmosphere is light and airy. The subtle scent of coffee beans fills the air and everyone that approaches you is friendly and welcoming. You’re comfortable and feel like you belong. As in most cities, it’s a place where people meet, discuss ideas, and conduct business. After taking a few sips of that Caramel Macchiato, you immediately get that feeling of energy and optimism. Perhaps it’s partly due to the caffeine and sugar rush, or maybe it’s that the presence of a Starbucks typically indicates a city on the rise.
In December of 2017, Trenton’s first Starbuck’s café was opened to the public at 102 Warren Street. Walking in, people living in Trenton scream at everything about this café, from the diverse but local stuff to the Trenton themed décor (室内装饰) and art. To make things better, this Starbucks also serves as an “opportunity café” which essentially means the young people in our communities are recruited and offered job training and employment. This program not only uplifts our youth, but also increases the amount of minority business in the city.
In the interviews with customers, a trend in responses arose. To many, the Starbucks was a “favorite place to stop in after work” and provided “a very relaxing environment.” The staff were often highly praised, noted as being friendly, helpful, and working in harmony. The interior décor of the café struck a lot of people’s attention, given the familiarity of the atmosphere. Painted on the walls, all around the store, are murals (壁画) with bright, colorful, graffiti-like designs very sui generis in Trenton, showcasing local monuments like the State House and the famous “Trenton Makes” bridge.
This new Starbucks brings a sense of modernity to Downtown Trenton and reminds us that our city is always developing. Open from 6 a. m. until 7 p.m. every day, the building is hardly ever empty. This space is made for everyone in Trenton, even the non-coffee lovers.
1. What is the major function of Paragraph 1 in the passage?| A．To present an introduction to the topic. |
| B．To set a background for the main theme. |
| C．To summarize the main idea of the passage. |
| D．To describe a common phenomenon for the readers. |
| A．People are amazed at the number of job opportunities provided by the Starbucks. |
| B．“Opportunity café” program helps achieve booming economy and bring spiritual benefits. |
| C．Most respondents regarded the Starbucks as a harmonious and entertaining workplace. |
| D．Numerous people are attracted to stop in after work by the murals with original designs. |
| A．Substantial. | B．Delicate. | C．Inspirational. | D．Unique. |
| A．Starbucks Is Designed for Everyone |
| B．Starbucks Gains Popularity in Trenton |
| C．Starbucks Sets an Atmosphere of Progress |
| D．Starbucks Creates More Job Opportunities |
1. What does the speaker work for?
| A．A travel agency. | B．An airline. | C．An airport. |
| A．Puerto Rico. | B．Maldives. | C．England. |
| A．His flight was called off. |
| B．He failed to catch his flight. |
| C．He couldn’t find a flight to his home city. |
| A．Lower prices. | B．Better service. | C．Bigger seating capacity. |
Rahul was a hard-working and determined individual who believed that success could only be achieved through perseverance and effort. He had big dreams of becoming a renowned musician, and he knew that it would require countless hours of practice and dedication to reach his goal.
Rahul’s family was not wealthy, and they couldn’t afford to buy him a musical instrument. However, Rahul’s unwavering determination pushed him to find a solution. He began working odd jobs in the village, doing chores for neighbors, and saving every penny he earned. He even started waking up early in the morning to help the local farmers with their work.
After months of saving, Rahul finally had enough money to buy a second-hand guitar, It was old and worn, but to Rahul, it was a treasure. He spent hours each day practicing, strumming the strings and experimenting with different melodies. His fingers grew calloused (起茧的), but he never complained. Instead, he saw it as a sign of progress, a proof to his hard work.
Despite his talent, Rahul faced numerous challenges along his journey. People would often discourage him, telling him that he was wasting his time pursuing his dreams. But Rahul remained determined, using their skepticism as fuel to work even harder.
One day, news spread throughout the village about a music competition being held in the nearby city. The competition promised the winner a chance to perform in front of renowned musicians and industry professionals. Rahul saw this as an opportunity to showcase his talent and prove to everyone that hard work pay s off. With great anticipation, Rahul prepared for the competition. He practiced day and night, fine-tuning his skills and perfecting his performance.
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: Finally, the day of the competition arrived.
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Paragraph 2: Days went by, and the results of the competition were announced.
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Through the dining room window, the rays of the setting sun glowed orange and gold. It looked like a huge traditional lantern (灯笼) lit in the sky for the whole world to see, as Ramadan (斋月), the Muslim (穆斯林) holy month, came to an end.
During Ramadan, Muslim children dance in the streets, swinging traditional lanterns of all sizes. This year, Ayasha’s grandparents in Egypt had sent a lantern to Kamil, Ayasha’s younger brother. Kamil’s lantern was bright blue, with a battery-powered flashing light instead of a candle. Ever since Kamil had opened the package, he had been joyously swinging (旋转) his flashing lantern.
“His lantern is really just a holiday toy,” Ayasha said to herself as she watched him, “My lantern is special, something I want to keep forever”. Her lantern, made of beautiful shiny glass, was a loving touch of home. Her grandparents had sent it to her when her family moved to America for her dad’s new engineering job. Ayasha smiled proudly as she lit the candle inside her lantern.
Tomorrow would be a day for celebration—for wearing new clothes to morning prayers (祷告) for sharing gifts and sweet treats and for showing love to family and friends. Ayasha couldn’t wait.
“Time for dinner! The food smells delicious!” Dad announced. “My favorite cake!” Kamil cried excitedly, swinging his lantern in circles. “Be careful, Kamil!” Mom cried and carefully avoided the swinging lantern as she carried a large bowl of so up to the table. But Kamil was too excited to calm down. The blue light kept swinging until unfortunately, he knocked into Mom. His lantern fell onto the sofa and was intact (完好无损的), but the bowl Mom was holding fell to the floor, spilling (洒) he soup and sending broken pieces everywhere!
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: To make things worse, Kamil stumbled (绊倒) against the table, knocking over Ayasha’glass lantern.
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Paragraph 2: Ayasha opened the door and saw Kamil standing there with his most-treasured lantern.
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9 . One of the cores of emotional intelligence is self-regulation, an important skill in the workplace. Like any skill, mastery of emotional self-control requires intentionality and practice.
Pause to Mentally Distance
When you notice your typical physiological experiences associated with strong negative emotion, what should you do? Mentally step out of your immediate experience. Asking yourself any question, or imagining what you might look like to others right now, will do the trick. At that point, although still physiologically keyed up, you will be able to ask yourself, “What is the best course of action right now?” or “What advice would I give someone else who is in my shoes?”
Take Control of Your Self-Talk
We’re frequently unaware of how much self-chatter is going on in the background of our minds. Such self-talk might not be in fully articulated (铰接式的) words or phrases, but instead little flashes of thought. Becoming aware of your self-talk can be difficult. Why is this an important skill to develop?
Seek Support from Partners
Ask others you trust to help you recognize when your emotions seem to be getting the best of you.
Cultivate (培养) Curiosity
Our brains are wired to draw conclusions and form judgments at lightning speed, and those are frequently the cause of our negative emotions.
| A．They are comfortable with all emotions |
| B．Those judgments are not necessarily accurate |
| C．Doing so provides you with choices as to how to act |
| D．Explain your developmental goals and sincerely ask for help |
| E．Stay focused on coming up with an answer and following through on it |
| F．Because it is those background beliefs that fuel our emotional responses |
| G．Here are four ways you can develop greater emotional self-management |
1. What happened to the woman at the beginning?
| A．She lost her phone. |
| B．She couldn’t find the way. |
| C．She was trapped in heavy snow. |
| A．By having more clothes on. | B．By using the car heater. | C．By drinking hot tea. |
| A．It broke down. |
| B．She stopped to answer a call. |
| C．The car was running out of gas. |
| A．They called an ambulance. |
| B．They led the woman to her home. |
| C．They helped the woman go to the main road. |
