One day, while browsing the internet, I came across the recruitment notice for bilingual volunteers for the upcoming 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Excited yet unsure, 1 shared the news with my teacher, uncertain if I had what it took to participate. To my surprise, my teacher wholeheartedly encouraged me, recognizing my strong background in English literature. However, deep down, a lack of confidence in my spoken English held me back.
Undeterred by my initial refusal, my teacher persistently tried to persuade me. The inner struggle intensified as I weighed my desire to be part of such a prestigious event against my fear of speaking English fluently. Touched by my teacher’s belief in me, I finally agreed, on the condition that my teacher would practice speaking English with me.
The initial interview posed a daunting(巨大的) challenge, but my solid English knowledge helped me through. However, the final interview awaited, and it would truly test my speaking skills. Doubts plagued me, but my teacher’s unwavering support reminded me to keep practicing.
Day after day, my teacher and I diligently practiced speaking English. We repeated conversations, engaged in discussions, and tackled different scenarios. Gradually, my confidence grew, and setbacks became opportunities for improvement. I had come too far to give up now.
The time for the final interview arrived. Nervous yet determined, I entered the room, ready to face this ultimate test. As I spoke, I felt a newfound fluency and confidence that surprised even myself. The interviewers acknowledged my growth and progress, and to my delight, I successfully passed the final hurdle.
注意：1. 写作词数应为150左右。
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The day the Hangzhou Asian Games began was filled with an electrifying atmosphere.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Throughout this transformative journey, my teacher remained my constant companion. offering unwavering belief and encouragement.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In the vibrant summer following their high school graduation, best friends Sally and Jasmine decided to celebrate the beginning of their new chapter with a surfing holiday on the beaches of Hawaii. Sally, known for her boldness and bravery on the waves, and Jasmine, the cautious planner, found themselves in the paradise of surfers, ready to ride the endless summer.
Their Hawaiian adventure began under crystal blue skies, with the sun casting a golden glow over their ambitions. Jasmine had thoroughly planned their days to include both surfing lessons and ample downtime to soak in the island’s tranquility (宁静). Sally, however, was drawn to the whispers of challenge and conquest that the northern beaches promised. Known for their untamed (无法驾驭的) waves and the legends of surfers who dared to dance upon them, these waters attracted Sally constantly.
Despite Jasmine’s caution, particularly about the rumors of shark sightings, Sally’s desire only grew. She argued that risk was an integral part of surfing, a test on one’s respect and understanding of the ocean’s power. Jasmine’s warnings fell on deaf ears as Sally, drive n by a mixture of youthful invincibility (不可战胜)and a deep-seated need to prove herself, decided to take on the northern waves alone.
The day Sally chose for her adventure began with a seemingly calm. The ocean looked welcoming, its surface broken only by the gentle roll of waves. Two safeguards were watching surfers riding waves in the sea nearby. Not a trace of danger or sharks could be found. Jasmine watched with a mixture of awe and anxiety as Sally paddled(划桨)out, her figure gradually becoming a small dot against the vastness of the sea.
As hours passed, the sky’s clear blue deepened to a dark grey, and the ocean began to reveal its true nature. Waves, once calm, grew in size and intensity, challenging Sally’s skill and determination. She rode them with grace, each successful return fueling her confidence. But nature cares little for human bravery.
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。
As Sally rode on the crowning wave of the day, a dark shape secretly emerged underneath.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing Sally’s scream, Jasmine quickly figured out what happened and rushed to the safeguards.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“I have something important I would like to read to you,” Ava told her parents. They were sitting side by side on the couch as she stood in front of them. They looked at each other a little cautiously, but smiled. Ava took that as a good sign.
“In school,” she told them, “we’ve been working on persuasive essays. My teacher said that in order to persuade people you have to have reasons and evidence. You can’t just say the same thing over and over again.”
“Well that’s certainly true,” her father said. But Ava wasn’t done yet. “My essay is called Why I Am Responsible and Ready for a Cell Phone,” she continued, smiling as she read.
It had been a problem for months. All three of her best friends received cellphones for Christmas. But Ava’s parents would just shake their heads whenever she asked them.
For weeks it seemed like there was nothing she could do. But then, a week ago, they had started working on writing persuasive essays at school. It occurred to her that why not write a persuasive essay?
For a whole week, she’d worked on her persuasive essay, coming up with all the reasons why she should have a cell phone. She was confident that this essay was the best thing that she had ever written. There was no way her parents wouldn’t be persuaded.
“Alright Ava,” her mom said. “We both wanted to wait until you were older to get you a cell phone.” “But, Ava, since you think you are ready for it, this weekend you shall get it. But we want you to understand, a cellphone is not all just fun and games,” her Dad said. “This is a high responsibility.” He started to list all of the ways that she had to be responsible with her phone, but Ava wasn’t listening anymore. She was too busy trying to decide what apps she could download. On the weekend, her plan worked! She had a cellphone!
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。
She couldn’t wait to show it to her friends.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________She thought maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t ready for a phone yet.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sara was always fascinated by art. From a young age, she would spend hours painting, lost in her colorful world. However, growing up in a small town, opportunities to learn and grow as an artist were limited. Her art teacher, Mrs Thompson, saw great potential in Sara and believed she could achieve something extraordinary. Mrs Thompson was more than just a teacher; she was a guide, teacher, and friend to Sara. She recognized Sara’s talent and dedication to art and decided to help her reach new heights. She arranged extra classes, provided art supplies, and even introduced Sara to local artists.
As the town’s art fair was approaching, Mrs Thompson encouraged Sara to submit her work. Sara was hesitant at first, doubting her abilities. But Mrs Thompson’s faith in her was firm. They worked together, choosing the best pieces, creating new works, and preparing for the fair. The weeks leading up to the fair were filled with excitement, hard work, and some anxiety. Sara put in long hours, and Mrs Thompson was always there, offering guidance, encouragement, and a listening ear. Slowly, Sara’s confidence grew.
The town’s art fair was a significant event, drawing artists and art enthusiasts from nearby areas. It was a chance for Sara to showcase her talent to a broader audience and possibly open doors to new opportunities.
Finally, the day arrived, and Sara’s art was displayed. People were drawn to her unique style and emotional depth. The local newspaper even covered her story, highlighting the young artist’s journey and her dedicated teacher’s role. The experience was transformative for Sara, not only as an artist but as a person. She had faced her fears, embraced her passion, and taken a significant step toward her dreams, all with her teacher’s unselfish support.
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。
The art fair was a turning point for Sara.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After the art fair, Sara continued to grow as an artist.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________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。
Being a train driver, I must concentrate on my driving when working. And on that particular day, I was glad for my outstanding attention.
From a distance, I spotted a small figure like a thin kid on the train tracks. Immediately, I rang the alarm, but no response. Observing carefully, I saw a boy lying on the tracks, unable to escape from my train, as his foot was stuck. I pulled the brakes with all my might as soon as I could. Luckily, the train stopped a few inches from the boy, who was crying loudly in fear.
I approached him, asking how he felt and whether I could give a hand. After getting his permission, I cautiously checked how his foot was stuck in the tracks. And after a few pulls, the boy's foot came out finally. Hugging him and making sure everything was okay, I asked whether I needed to call his parents. To my astonishment, the child said nothing, just looking at me with his tearful eyes. Considering it was dangerous to leave the boy alone, I decided to take him to my home after work.
Arriving at my home, I introduced him to my wife, Amelia. She looked at the child in surprise for a while, but she calmed down quickly and asked whether the boy remembered her. The boy nodded. Amelia explained to me that she had just walked out of the supermarket with some bread and vegetables the other day, when a group of bad guys blocked her way. Just then, a little boy ran toward them and screamed to attract the police, which at last saved her. Here stood the brave boy.
In the following hours, we chatted with each other, and thus we knew that the kid was named Tom and he was abandoned by his parents and became an orphan who had been alone on the streets for years. As we didn’t have any children, we were determined to adopt Tom.
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 told Tom our decision, waiting for his answer.
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The next morning, we opened our bedroom door and saw Tom standing there.
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6 . Do you have a suit or dress in the closet that you haven’t worn for years but are reluctant to get rid of? Maybe you say, “I can’t throw that away because I paid good money for it?”. If you recognize this in yourself, then you are suffering from commitment to the sunk cost fallacy (谬论). It occurs when we feel that we have invested too much to quit. This psychological trap causes us to stick with a plan even if it no longer serves us and the costs clearly outweigh the benefits.
Arkes and Blumer conducted a survey showing that people are influenced by sunk cost fallacy in their decisions. Participants imagined spending $100 on a ski trip to Michigan and $50 on Wisconsin, realizing later they were for the same weekend. They were told Wisconsin would be more enjoyable. When asked which trip to take, 54% chose Michigan despite the reasonable choice being Wisconsin, because they had made a greater initial investment.
Sunk cost fallacy takes place when we let emotions cloud our decisions. Once we’ve invested in a choice, we feel guilt or regret if we don’t follow through. We fail to realize that past costs won’t be recovered. Instead, we base decisions on past costs, ignoring present and future costs and benefits. This may be due to loss aversion (厌恶), where losses feel worse than gains. We avoid losses, making choices based on avoiding the “loss” of our past investment instead of considering the benefits gained if we don’t continue our commitment.
No one can deny the fact that we benefit a lot from perseverance. So our society loves to emphasize perseverance. Never give up! Don’t waste. But only you know the right path for you. Sometimes walking away is the hardest choice of all. You might realize a path you’re on is no longer the right one or never was. That’s a painful realization.
1. What phenomenon does the author describe at the beginning of the text?| A．People benefit from sticking with a plan. | B．People’s consumption view has changed. |
| C．People refuse to give up the past commitment. | D．People’s clothes are becoming more expensive. |
| A．To save more of the loss. | B．To appear more reasonable. |
| C．To make a greater investment. | D．To enjoy more of themselves. |
| A．When we don’t follow through our choices. |
| B．When we don’t continue our commitment. |
| C．When we stop feeling guilty and regretful. |
| D．When we make decisions based on past costs emotionally. |
| A．Favorable. | B．Objective. | C．Doubtful. | D．Unclear. |
Sam Meadows was on the sofa watching the wrestle. This was how he spent most of his evenings. When he had finished watching that week’s shows he would watch a DVD of a classic main event. His focus on the action on screen was disturbed when his mobile phone rang. He paused the television. On the screen the wrestler was frozen mid-air, drop-kicking his opponent. Sam’s friend Phil was on the phone, a boy he’d known for over ten years and who was counted as one of his closest friends.
They made the usual football chat. Sam didn’t really care for football, but kept up the pretence (假装). He told nobody of his lack of interest in the so-called beautiful game. He pretended to be into football to be one of the boys. Sam would keep an eye on the score, and he would even join his mates in the pub to watch important football matches.
Sam had never told anyone his addiction with wrestling. His friends had progressed and grown out of wrestling, gone on from sports-entertainment to so-called real sports like football. By the time he’d left high school, he had learned not to mention his interest in wrestling. To mention his interest in pro-wrestling would bring ridicule (嘲笑). Even now, in his late twenties, if any of his friends or family were to discover his interest, he would be laughed at mercilessly. They would tell him to grow up, and ask if he was eight years old or twenty-eight. When buying wrestling DVDs he would feel his cheeks redden as he approached the check-out. Did the person on the counter know the DVD was for him not a gift for a young niece or nephew?
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。
Around half an hour after he hung up the phone, Sam was shocked by a knock at the door.
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Phil turned on the television, and it came back on to the same channel it had been on.
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8 . Recent research has revealed that people with hearing loss are more likely to develop dementia (痴呆), yet only 15% to 25% of adults benefit from hearing aids. Hearing loss often comes on so gradually that many ignore it.
In July, at the annual meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association, Frank Lin from Johns Hopkins University presented results from a random clinical trial of 977 adults between 70 and 84 with untreated hearing loss. One group received good hearing care, including hearing aids, and another group took part in a program about successful aging. Three years later hearing aids didn’t make much difference to the healthiest participants. But those at the higher risk of dementia because of age and health conditions saw a 48% reduction in cognitive (认知的) worsening when they got hearing aids.
When hearing loss is untreated, the brain’s organization changes. Adults with hearing loss need to make extra efforts just to listen, which may overly consume cognitive reserves, says Anu Sharma of the University of Colorado. Hearing loss is also associated with more falls, higher healthcare costs, and increased loneliness. “Hearing is fundamental to healthy aging.” says Nicholas Reed, who worked with Lin on the cognitive-decline study.
These consequences of hearing loss contributed to the government’s decision last year to create a category of over-the-counter (非处方的) hearing aids. Traditional aids averaging $4,700 a pair aren’t covered by Medicare or private insurance. It’s too soon to assess whether the new devices will close the yawning gap between the large need for hearing aids and the smaller demand for them. In one survey, only about half of non-users said they would use hearing aids even if they were free. The key to getting around that dilemma will be “the common desire of wanting to hear well” and the sense that “everyone is doing it”, Lin says. If “wireless earbuds also become hearing aids, that changes the whole perspective of what it means to use hearing technology.”
1. What does the recent research find about people with hearing loss?| A．They can recover with the help of technology. | B．They can ignore the problem as they get older. |
| C．They have more chances of getting dementia. | D．They’re increasingly helped by the government. |
| A．Their aging process slowed owing to a program. | B．Hearing aids proved a help to cure their illness. |
| C．They saw a slight boost in their overall health. | D．Decline of their cognitive abilities was relieved. |
| A．Its cognitive reserves will be overused. | B．Its aging process will be slightly delayed. |
| C．Some of its functions will be in disorder. | D．Its fundamental abilities will be harmed. |
| A．Complicated. | B．Large. | C．Irreplaceable. | D．Appealing. |
There was a story that all the kids told at my school. I don’t know if they believed it but some of them certainly acted as if they did. On the way from my home to school there was a little old cottage. You could only just see the cottage, as if it were trying to hide itself behind the lemonade trees and bushy garden. At times, but not very often, the children had seen a little old woman make her way along the cracked leaf-covered path from the front door to the mailbox. Her fingers were twisted in funny shapes, her body was bent over and her back hunched (弓背). If she lifted her head to look at you, her face was all wrinkly. “The witch (女巫) at Number 97” was how most kids spoke of her. “Don’t look in her eyes,” you could hear them say. “She’ll capture you in a magic spell, take you into the house and never release you again.”
In the mornings and at the end of the day, my friends and I would pass Number 97 in a group. We felt safer and more secure in numbers. But now, I played the recorder so well that I was asked to join the school band, and that meant staying after school one afternoon a week to rehearse (排练). So I had to walk home all by myself.
I set out as I normally would but as I began to approach the little old cottage it looked scarier than ever. For a while I hesitated, not knowing what to do. I wanted to run but felt I really needed to just walk my way through the experience. I took some deep breaths and tried to think of something different: Home, supper and my bed. While thinking of those things, the dreadful look of the old cottage seemed to fade. When I started thinking about the witch again, the cottage loomed big and frightening in my thoughts. “No,” I said to myself, “Concentrate on how good it will feel to get home,” and with that I started to feel easier.
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。
But as I reached the front gate to Number 97, my heart almost stopped.
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One day, I asked the “witch”, Mrs. Walcott, if I could know her story for homework.
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10 . Plastic, which is now common, contains endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs (内分泌干扰物), that has been linked to increased risk of many chronic diseases. Parental exposure to EDCs, for example, has been shown to cause metabolic (新陈代谢的) disorders, including obesity and diabetes, in the later generations.
Led by Changcheng Zhou, a professor of biomedical sciences in the School of Medicine at the University of California, the researchers investigated the impact of fathers’ exposure to a phthalate called dicyclohexyl phthalate, or DCHP (邻苯二甲酸二环己酯), on the metabolic health of first generation (F1) and second generation (F2) in mice. Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastic more durable.
The researchers found that fathers’ DCHP exposure for four weeks led to high insulin (胰岛素) resistance and impaired insulin signaling in F1. The same effect, but weaker, was seen in F2 .
“We found fathers’ exposure to EDCs may have intergenerational and transgenerational detrimental effects on the metabolic health of their later generations, ”Zhou said. “To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate this.”
In the case of fathers’ exposure in the study, intergenerational effects are changes that occur due to direct exposure to a stressor, such as exposure to DCHP of fathers (F0 generation) and his F1 generation. Transgenerational effects are changes passed down to later generations that are not directly exposed to the stressor (for example, F2 generation).
“This suggests that fathers’ DCHP exposure can lead to sex-specific transgenerational effects on the metabolic health of their later generations,” Zhou said.
Zhou stressed that the impact of exposure to DCHP on human health is not well understood, even though DCHP is widely used in a variety of plastic products and has been detected in food, water, and indoor particulate matter.
“It’s best to minimize our use of plastic products,” Zhou said. “This can also help reduce plastic pollution, one of our most pressing environmental issues.”
1. Why are phthalates added to plastic?| A．To beautify it. | B．To make it long-lasting. |
| C．To reduce its cost. | D．To increase its weight. |
| A．Negative. | B．External. | C．Distinct. | D．Adventurous. |
| A．Bury plastic waste. | B．Watch out for the food they eat. |
| C．Use fewest plastic products. | D．Never produce plastic products. |
| A．Plastic contains endocrine disrupting chemicals |
| B．Plastic pollution is a pressing environmental issue |
| C．DCHP is widely used in a variety of plastic products |
| D．Chemicals in plastic may impact two generations’ health |
