Jack was new to Woodberry Forest School this year. He carried a secret burden: a stutter (口吃) that often brought about laughter from his classmates. This made him very upset. Shy and reserved. Jack chose to fade into the background rather than draw attention to himself. He felt like an outsider, never quite fitting in.
Jack was eager to exchange ideas with his classmates, but afraid of getting into trouble. Jack's science teacher, Katherine, a warm and caring woman often wearing a smile, noticed Jack's stutter and shyness. She observed how Jack struggled to express himself in class and how he would shy away when called upon to speak.
Determined to lend a hand, Katherine took Jack under her wing, encouraging him to embrace bravery and believe in his own abilities. Subsequently, Katherine adopted a set of systematic methods to help him. She was glad to find the potential in him, the intelligence and creativity that lay hidden beneath his stutter. Whenever possible, Katherine was always ready to praise his efforts, always declaring, "You are so great!” Whenever Jack stumbled over his words, Katherine always smiled at him encouragingly, providing him with the strength to continue. Day by day, Jack found himself speaking with greater confidence and fluency.
One day, Katherine announced that each student should give a presentation of a science project in front of the class. Jack's heart sank, the familiar fear and anxiety wrapping around him. How could he possibly stand before his classmates to give his ideas clearly, knowing that they would laugh at him? As the presentation drew near, Jack's anxiety mounted. Then came the big day. He watched his classmates take turns to walk up to the front. They gave their presentation with confidence and backed to their seats with satisfaction. However, while Jack was waiting for his turn, his heart beat so violently that he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
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。
Paragraph 1:
It was finally his turn.
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When Jack finished his presentation, the room erupted into applause.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was several days before Christmas.Gray clouds covered the sky. The air was cold. The temperature was below freezing. It was snowing heavily. And the internet was out. Now I found that having the internet out could be a blessing for me. I decided to prepare my turkey meat for dinner, and get a few things done.
After the regular housework was done, I pulled the air conditioning units out of the windows and put them up for the winter. Next, I walked into the storage closet and pulled out the Christmas decorations and the artificial(人造的) tree. I unpacked my new picture and placed it lovingly on my old record player.
Then I set up my Christmas statues of Santa and Dickens’ books on the shelf along with the Christmas angel.Next I unpacked, fitted and put up the tree. After that I pulled out the lights, metal wires and decorations. I put each one on the tree gently and with great care while my son Marvin played Christmas music and decorated his own room.
In no time at all, everything was done. I looked at the tree and then outside again. This time, however, it didn’t seem so cold, gray, and gloomy. Instead, it felt warm and Christmas seemed to be in the air. Even the snowflakes floating in the wind felt more like a gift from Heaven. I heard “Away in a Manger" coming from my son’s CD player and hummed along (跟着哼唱).
This life certainly can seem full of pains at times. It is up to us, though, to make each one a blessing(祝福) in our life. Since there are benefits without the internet, we can turn it off for a while now and then.
注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在下面作答。
I proposed to discuss how it felt to be without the internet at dinner.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We made it a rule to have Sunday meal without the internet and we did it this weekend.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 . A humanoid robot can relay video and touch sensations to a person wearing a haptic (触觉内) feedback suit and a virtual reality (VR) headset hundreds of kilometres away, offering away for people to attend events without travelling.
The iCub 3 robot is a 52-kilogram, 125-centimetre-tall robot with 54 joints across its body. Its head contains two cameras where a human’s eyes would be, and an Internet-connected computer where the brain would go. Along with the cameras, sensors covering its body send data to the robot’s “brain”. These sensations are then reproduced on a suit and VR headset worn by a remote human operator.
When the operators react to what they see and feel, the suit’s sensors pick up the movements and the robot matches them. “The key is to translate every signal and bit of digital data that can be sent through the network.” says Stefano Dafarra, who was part of the iCub3 team. There can be a small delay of up to 100 milliseconds to capture and transmit the visual shots, but the operator can case this by moving slightly slower than normal.
The team demonstrated the robot at the Venice Biennale, where it wandered through an exhibition while its operator stood 290 kilometres away in Genoa. Dafarra hopes people will use the iCub3 to attend events remotely, reducing the need to travel. “But at present, a fall could be hugely damaging to the robot, and it’s uncertain whether it could stand up again on its own," he says.
“iCub3 is an interesting robot and offers clear advantages from the previous versions.” says Jonathan Aitken, whose laboratory owns a prior version of the robot. However, he is disappointed that the team wasn’t clear in its research about the data transmission requirements of the new version of the robot. “It would be good to know just how much data was required, and what the upper and lower bounds were.” he says.
1. What’s the principle behind the humanoid robot?| A．It conveys sensations to the wearer and acts accordingly. |
| B．It receives commands from an operator through the Internet. |
| C．The cameras take pictures and then interact with the sensors. |
| D．The computer in the robot processes the data and gives orders. |
| A．Medical consultation. | B．Sports events. |
| C．Outdoor workouts. | D．Virtual tourism. |
| A．It fails to appeal to potential investors. |
| B．Its performance hasn’t been evaluated clearly. |
| C．Its present version still requires to be updated. |
| D．Its transmission of data came across technical problems. |
| A．Humanoid robots with sense of touch catch on |
| B．iCub 3 robot combines with VR to benefit more people |
| C．Humanoid robots let people see and feel things remotely |
| D．New advances in technology enable people to travel at work |
1. What is the relationship between the speakers?
| A．Neighbors. | B．Teacher and student. | C．Fellow charity members. |
| A．People wasted electricity. |
| B．Many items were thrown away. |
| C．No used market events were held. |
| A．Teaching lessons to families. |
| B．Building parks in his city. |
| C．Cleaning public spaces. |
| A．Donate some money. |
| B．Allow him to use her place. |
| C．Tell others about his event. |
5 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。
I stared at myself in the mirror: blue tights, yellow vest, an aquamarine fish tail trailing behind me, and large googly eyes (sitting atop my head. I raised my eyebrows quizzically at my mom with uncertainty about this costume. Mom ensured that she followed the pattern exactly. “Maybe the makeup will add something,” Mom said hopefully. I sighed and looked back at the mirror. Somehow Mom had convinced me to do a play this summer. So here I was about to play the Fish Footman (鱼仆人) in the local community theater production of Alice in Wonderland. I can’t say it’s been the time of my life. Actually, I even wanted to withdraw from the play.
“Well, there’s no turning back now,” she said. “You’ve been rehearsing (彩排) for two months. I couldn’t be prouder-of you.” She gave me an encouraging anile, pulling me in for a fierce hug. I had to admit: Mom’s hugs are the best. But despite that, I felt u knot in the pit of my stomach that got worse as the hour of opening night drew nearer.
That day I followed Mom to the backstage of the theater, wearing the questionable costume. I shrank inside myself, but Mom pulled me toward the makeup table. When my makeup artist had set down her last makeup brush and Mom led me over to a mirror, my jaw dropped. A mass of blue spread from my forehead down my nose, and lime green circles bubbled over my cheeks.
“Mom! I can’t go out on stage like this!” I cried. “I’d be a laughing stock!”
“Riley! This is Alice in Wonderland. You’re not the only one in an odd costume. I’m going to watch you go out on that stage tonight. She turned away to leave, but then leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.” I love you, honey. And she went away.
Tears filled my eyes as chaos closed in around me. It felt like I stood there alone for hours, but in reality it was more like ten minutes before the assistant stage manager came in and called my name.
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。
My scene was coming up.
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Applause flowed through the audience.
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Sarah, a high school student, had a great passion for baking. With her parents’ support, Sarah dreamed of opening her own bakery, a place where she could turn her interest into a business. However, she knew the importance of improving her skills and gaining real-world experience.
Therefore, every Saturday, without fail, she would set up a small but charming table at a local park. The park, filled with families and laughter, was the perfect place for Sarah to sell her creations. Her table, neatly laid out with colorful homemade cookies and cakes, attracted passers-by with the desserts’ smell.
On a particularly bright and sunny afternoon, as Sarah was carefully arranging her chocolate cookies and cakes, her attention was drawn to an elderly woman sitting alone on a bench. The woman, with her silver hair and sad eyes, seemed lost in thought. As the hours went by, Sarah noticed that the woman remained where she was, seemingly forgotten by the world. A sense of concern washed over Sarah. So she decided to act. She poured a cup of warm tea carefully and cut a generous slice of her rich chocolate cake, a crowd favorite, and approached the woman.
“I thought you might like some snacks,” Sarah said with a warm, inviting smile. The woman’s face lit up as she accepted the treat. “Thank you, dear. I haven’t had such a delicious treat since my retirement,” she responded, her voice soft yet filled with gratitude. As she enjoyed the cake, tears rolled down her face.
A little shocked, Sarah asked what had happened. The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Wilson, who had been a baker before she retired. Since losing her husband to cancer a week ago, she had been living alone. Her visits to the park were her escape from the loneliness that filled her quiet home. Sarah listened attentively, her heart touched by the woman’s story.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Sarah decided to help Mrs. Wilson out.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Over time, their unlikely friendship became noticed in the park.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . Coming into the town of Santa Catarina Palopó, in the highlands of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, the first thing you notice is the bright colors. Most of the buildings along the main street are eye-catching, in deep, varied hues of blues and greens; interspersed with red and yellow to form complex patterns and designs.
Santa Catarina Palopó was once a sleepy town of 5,000 people, most of them indigenous (土著的) and dependent on agricultural work. As agriculture began to dry up here, decline for the town and poverty for many of its families came. To deal with poverty and stimulate economic growth through tourism, a small but mighty group of laborers, artisans, domestic workers and stay-at-home moms created the Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó project.
The project was initially to paint all 850 homes and buildings in bright colors, in an effort to change the hillside town into a work of art. “We wanted to paint the houses with colors and figures that represent the community,” says the project’s executive director Stephany Blanco. “A range of designs were created so that families can choose designs for their house that are representative of the family.”
One of the most representative characteristics of the region is the blue huipil, a traditional blouse which has been worn prominently by local women since the 16th century. That deep sky blue was chosen as the primary color for the Pintando project, with secondary colors found in the sunsets and the nearby lake to make the design more attractive. As for the designs that would be used, they would also find inspiration in local culture, symbols such as volcanoes, flowers, Mayan-styled butterflies and the national bird of Guatemala.
Each week, local artists, community members and tourists pick up paintbrushes to make buildings colorful. “At first, the idea of the project left many unsure about participating, but now you can see a considerable difference in the town,” Melissa Whitbeck said. “The color of the buildings is believed to improve the quality of life of the people. It uplifts the people’s mood and encourages them to be proud of where they come from.”
1. What problem did Santa Catarina Palopó face?| A．A labor shortage. | B．Poor economic conditions. |
| C．A rapid increase in population. | D．Outdated agricultural technology. |
| A．Building art galleries in Guatemala. |
| B．Creating job opportunities for local artisans. |
| C．Developing local tourism by selling artworks. |
| D．Transforming the town into a cultural destination. |
| A．The nearby lake. | B．Mayan-styled butterflies. |
| C．A type of traditional clothing. | D．The national bird of Guatemala. |
| A．Positive. | B．Uncaring. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Disapproving. |
I remember thinking that
1. How does the woman ask for the bill in a restaurant?
| A．By shouting at the waiter. |
| B．By nodding to the waiter. |
| C．By ringing a bell. |
| A．She chatted online. |
| B．She ate out. |
| C．She took a walk. |
| A．They just waved at each other. |
| B．They talked for a long time. |
| C．They walked back home together. |
The New Girl at School
One morning Eric’s teacher began the day with an announcement. “Today we have a new student joining our class, ” she said. “Please welcome Akiko to second grade and to America.”
Everyone said hello. Akiko seemed nervous and looked down at the floor. “Akiko is from Japan. She doesn’t speak English yet and I am sure you will do your best to help her.” Ms. Sloane said.
Ms. Sloane showed Akiko to the desk next to Eric. “Akiko, this is Eric.” Ms. Sloane said. She spoke slowly and pointed to Eric. “Eric, ” she said again.
Akiko nodded and sat down next to Eric, Eric was excited to meet the new student in his class, but she didn’t speak English yet. How could they find a way to talk to each other?Erie noticed that Akiko looked nervous. so he wanted to make her feel better.
“Hello. Akiko!” he said.
“Konnichiwa, ” said Akiko.
“That must mean hello.” Eric thought but he wondered how they could be friends if they couldn’t talk to each other. After thinking the matter over for a while, he came up with a good idea：Sign language. Ms. Sloane had ever taught them some sign language to communicate with those who couldn’t speak English.
With the help of sign language Eric conveyed his intention to make friends with her. Akiko understood the meaning of his gestures. She didn’t feel nervous any more and smiled.
Ms. Sloane began the day with math lessons. Eric had trouble remembering all of his math facts, so it took him longer than most kids to finish his worksheet. He glanced at Akiko. who had already finished. “I guess numbers are the same everywhere, ” Eric thought.
Eric looked at Akiko’s paper and pointed to a question. Akiko turned to him and said “Go.”
“Go where?” asked Eric.
“Go. Ichi, ni, san, shi, go.” Akiko said again.
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。
With the words, Akiko tapped her hand five times on the desk.
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Akiko felt better when she and Eric found a way to talk to each other.
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