My nine-year-old daughter, Jessica, is a friendly soul. From the time she was tiny, she would march right up to strangers on the street and say, “Hello!” Her brown eyes would twinkle, and she’d be showing a big smile on her face. I wish she weren’t so social. Not only because she is young and female, but also because she has a disability: She has a cognitive (认知的) disability, with a weakened brain disorder and abnormal behavior. That’s why I’ve done my best to control my nervousness. Children with a weakened brain disorder don’t relate well to others, and I don’t want to discourage her attempts. I worry, though, that people will be cold to her or be cruel to her, or that she will trust the wrong person.
Happily, in our small town, when Jessica strikes up a conversation with someone, that person almost always responds kindly to her. She never expects to be refused, but I am always tense and ready to collect the pieces if it happens. “What’s your name?” she asks total strangers. “Do you have a dog? How old are you?” It always surprises me that people patiently answer her queries. They must sense something about Jessica, as she’s a little bit different. They never seem to expect me to stop her, although I’ve tried.
“We don’t ask adults that,” I say. “That’s a rude question, sweetie.” She asks anyway, and people tell her. When she is done with her question, she will turn to me and say, “We know Michelle now,” or “That is Mrs. Crawford.” She moves them easily from one category to another: people we don’t know or people we do know. Strangers are merely people she hasn’t yet asked for their names. I’m less sure that finding out their names means we know them. It’s a small but easy-going town, and I don’t worry too much about it. She doesn’t go around without supervision (监督) or share anything too personal. Talking to strangers in our small town is normal.
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。
I thought in New York City, which we visited last year, it was another thing.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I couldn’t explain the difference between small towns and big cities because everyone was so kind.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Belonging is important in most cultures. It can give you a sense of purpose. Working alongside people who might be serving an important cause, or being on a championship team, or working together with people who share similar goals, values, or interests makes a person feel important and useful.
Sometimes, though, the belonging aspect can translate to a sense of “us versus them”. It can create a situation where you view someone who is not of your team or group as the enemy and the person to be feared. While this often happens in political contexts, it can also occur in daily life. You might hear the way someone talks, or look at their dress, or learn where they went to school, and depending on your alignment to a certain group you might consider them worthy of your attention, or ignore them because they don't belong where you belong.
The problem with belonging is that sometimes you begin to gain such a sense of purpose from it, that your group is what matters most. In some cases, you may even find ways to separate from others not in your group. The fact is that fundamentally we all belong to the human race. We all have the same make- up and design underneath, with different packaging around us.
When you use belonging to create separation, you are missing out on gifts that others might be able to share. It's one of the most hurtful and judgmental things you can do to someone else: dismissing them out of hand simply because they don't share the views of your group.
Become aware of your desire to belong, and try to be objective about your need for it. Belonging can be a powerful experience, and it can also serve to separate you. You might want to be separated from the people in “that group,” but you end up cutting yourself off from potential gifts and support that may be meaningful to you. Having beliefs and supporting noble causes is certainly important, and simply being part of a group isn’t fundamentally a bad thing; just become watchful about whether it translates into a refusal to accept someone who belongs elsewhere.
1. What does belonging give a person according to paragraph 1?| A．A sense of value. | B．A chance to win. |
| C．The power of culture. | D．The way to fame. |
| A．Restriction. | B．Association. |
| C．Resolution. | D．Contribution. |
| A．The significance of groups. |
| B．The underlying unity of people. |
| C．The characteristics of belonging. |
| D．The attraction of the external world. |
| A．Having a strong desire for it. |
| B．Satisfying your need from it. |
| C．Abandoning it for its likely dangers. |
| D．Balancing it with openness to others. |
Ten years ago, I decided I needed to do more than teach leadership. I needed to find a real way for my teenage students to make a difference. We decided to help the homeless. We began by collecting food and clothing for people in need. Just days before our scheduled trip, our local newspaper ran an article about the many organizations helping the homeless along Hastings Street, an area known as Canada’s poorest neighborhood. We realized that the homeless there were already receiving plenty of food and clothing, so we decided to look for a more significant way to make a difference.
Rather than handing out food and clothing, we developed what we call Project HELLO (Helping Everyone Locate Loved Ones), and we made greeting cards so that the homeless had something to give. The idea was simple: We would take our blank, handmade greeting cards to the streets and invite people to write to those they had lost touch with
Magic began. One by one, people who had not spoken with family for years opened up and shared their stories. The homeless wrote to their children, parents, friends and siblings. We searched phone directories to connect with families and mailed messages of love from long-lost loved ones. We made hundreds of connections. I recognized that some of the stories were so raw that our five-minute visits were not enough. I began what I call “Beyond HELLO” and made the personal commitment to take a homeless person to lunch once a month to hear his or her story.
Cindy was the first lady I met. She had moved to Vancouver twenty years earlier after ending a miserable marriage and giving her child up for adoption in Ontario. She suffered great pan as she was battling cancer. On the day we met, she was sitting on the sidewalk. I approached her with water and she told me she was starving. With a smile, I invited her to lunch, during which our friendship began.
Despite Cindy’s pain, she hung onto hope — her one reason for living. Although twenty-seven years had passed, Cindy still dreamed of meeting her daughter. She asked for my help. She knew the date of birth and that her daughter’s birth name was Paige.
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 determination in my heart, I promised Cindy that I would do everything in my power to help her reconnect with her daughter.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The day of their re union was one of the most moving moments of my life.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Every day in the evening after I have finished my homework, I will go out for a walk in the small park near my home and play some outdoor games with other children sometimes, but the outdoor activity that I did for the first time was something different and it had a great influence on me.
It was in the middle of last summer holiday, when I noticed that some of the people were gathering in the center of the park and they all had bicycles with them. They were dressed like professional cyclists and were discussing something excitedly. That day I was with one of my neighborhood friends and we went out with our bicycles. My friend and I went closer to the group and heard that they were members of a bicycling group, who did the cycling as part of their outdoor exercise.
After staying with them for a while, we found that they were planning to cycle around the city in 4 hours. The team leader, a friendly man in his fifties, kindly invited us to join them just when we were about to leave. They made us members of their group. Carrying small flags of various colors, we together started the cycling ride around the city, starting from the park and went through the major parts of the whole city. To be honest, cycling for the whole 3 — 4 hours was not an easy task, especially for us teenagers who were still in high school. And yet we enjoyed it and we managed to keep close to the group who gave us courage the whole time.
After a few hours, we came back to the park where we started and I found that I was totally absorbed and tired. As we sat down to catch our breath, the team leader approached us with a warm smile. He praised our determination and will, noting that we had done exceptionally well as first-timers. His encouragement made us feel proud and motivated.
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。
Inspired by the experience, my friend and I wanted to join the group regularly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Over time, cycling has become more than just an exercise for us.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . Like many Americans, my father, Kenneth Hamilton, must have heard Paul Robeson sing over the radio at one time or another. He must have read about Robeson’s extraordinary feats of daring and skill on the football fields of Rutgers. “I imagine,” he would begin, “that Mr. Paul Robeson woke up one morning to find there was more to the day than playing football. I know I did (my father played football for Iowa State). I imagine he looked around him. He saw that plenty of his people already were preachers; there were enough morticians (殡仪业者) to reach from here to kingdom to come. I imagine Mr. Robeson decided then and there he would be what there never had been before. And he was.”
I don’t recall Kenneth Hamilton ever saying what it was Paul Robeson became besides a football star. But surely he was referring to Robeson’s powerful singing voice. Yet what came through clearly to me at the time was this: If one were to become anything, it would have to be not only the best but wholly original, a new idea. This concept sank deep into my consciousness. Imperceptibly (不知不觉地), I grow up yearning for the unusual, seeking something unique in myself. I longed not just to write, but to newly write and like no one else. Kenneth Hamilton wanted no less for his youngest child.
“Like no one else,” he had been no less himself. Graduating from Iowa State Business College in the early 1890s when it was an achievement when a black man completed high school, he began his search for employment.
One day, the banker for whom his mother worked as a cook asked that young Kenneth be sent around to the bank, where there was a suitable job for him. He hurried over to the bank, absolutely amazed at this sudden stroke of luck. Dressed in starched collar and gray business suit, he wondered what he would become.
Kenneth Hamilton walked directly into the bank and was promptly handed a mop and a bucket. He threw both the length of the establishment and turned on his heel, never to return. Perhaps he should have accepted that first mop and bucket, but I’m rather glad his imagination wouldn’t permit him. For now I have pleasure of remembering him as a man who would not allow mind or body to be limited by another’s reality. I could have wanted no less for a father.
1. According to the first paragraph, Kenneth Hamilton and Paul Robeson were similar because they ________.| A．were both talented singers |
| B．both played football for Iowa state |
| C．both had aspirations for things greater than collegiate sports |
| D．both, at one time, aspired to be preachers |
| A．The author’s resolve to be unlike any other writer. |
| B．The author’s choice to write about her past experiences. |
| C．Kenneth Hamilton’s decision to play football. |
| D．Paul Robeson’s determination that he would not be a preacher. |
| A．emphasize the policy of bias in banking institutions of the 1890s |
| B．illustrate the authors admiration for her father |
| C．stress Kenneth Hamilton’s natural ability for janitorial work |
| D．explain how her father came upon his eventual great success |
| A．his willingness to submit to society’s expectations of him |
| B．the realistic expectations he placed on his mind and body |
| C．the imagination by which he undertook his daily assignments |
| D．his courage in seeking a bank job in the 1890s |
| A．Kenneth Hamilton wanted to be a preacher before. |
| B．Kenneth Hamilton would not allow his mind or body to be limited by another’s reality. |
| C．Kenneth Hamilton’s achievement of education didn’t permit him to accept the job that the bank offered him. |
| D．Influenced by Kenneth Hamilton, the author wanted to be a writer. |
Rain, an 88-year-old woman, was a regular at a restaurant and all the staff loved her. She was a ray of sunshine and always had a kind word for her server.
Rain didn’t always visit the restaurant alone. She and her husband had eaten at the restaurant when it opened and became regulars. It was the venue of their 30th wedding anniversary too and they danced till late into the night. Unfortunately, her husband took ill about a year later and died. It was a terrible time for Rain. Their son and daughter were working and settled in New Zealand, who wanted Rain to come and live with them so that they could take care of her. However, Rain refused because she loved her hometown very much. But she was so sad because of the passing of her husband. Gradually, she didn’t want any visitors, nor did she go out.
After Sampson, the owner of the restaurant, learnt what happened to Rain, he personally wrote a letter to Rain inviting her to his restaurant for free meals every day and designated waiter Robert to serve her specifically. It was the encouragement she needed to get past her sorrow. Though it wasn’t easy, Rain took a brave step. As she sat at the table by the window, Sampson sat with her and told her that though busy since he was investing in a big project, he assured, “I`ll be always with you because I’ve known you for over 30 years.” Rain was deeply moved. It was a great evening and the beginning of a new chapter in her life.
Then one day, Rain received a call from the hospital. It was the test result she had a week earlier. She went to the hospital quickly, where the doctor informed Rain that she had blood cancer. She asked how serious it was and how long she had. The doctor told Rain it was in the final stages and she had between 6 months to 1 year left.
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 Rain’s visit to the hospital, she went straight to the restaurant.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing Robert’s words about Sampson’s terrible situation, Rain took out a pen and a piece of paper.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jon’s Pajama Problem
Oh no, he had done it again. He’d forgotten something important. Last year on their family trip to his uncle’s cottage for Christmas, he had forgotten the bag with the toiletries (洗漱用品) in it. Neither he nor his brother had toothbrushes or toothpaste or shampoo. He’d had to borrow from his cousins who were not thrilled to share, and Jon was not too thrilled that his hair smelled like strawberries all week.
The year before, Jon had left the marshmallows and graham crackers at home, so they had no s’ mores for the evening fire and annual reading of “The Night Before Christmas”. They had to nibble on (小口咬) some stale (不新鲜的) crackers instead. His cousins still teased him about that.
And now, Jon couldn’t believe he had forgotten to pack his pajamas. At home, that wouldn’t really be a problem: he had extra pajamas. But at the cottage, there were photographs dating back for years and years of Jon’s family on Christmas morning in front of the tree in their pajamas. Jon was feeling awful. He would be the first one to break the family tradition ever. Would he ruin Christmas for everyone? What could he do?
He didn’t want to tell his parents. He went looking around the cottage, and found an old T- shirt. That could work. He tried putting it on, but it was too small. He tried to stretch it, but it must have been washed 100 times, and it ripped when he pulled on it.
At this point, Jon was getting desperate. He snuck into his brother’s luggage, trying to find some spare pajamas, only to find himself in trouble when his older brother caught him and yelled. His brother hated it when Jon messed with his stuff.
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。
Then his brother told their parents.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Then came the next morning. Jon’s mother said. “Before we take the Christmas photo, I have a special gift for someone.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . Sometimes, it’s good to be bored
“I am dying of boredom,” complains the young wife Yelena in Chekhov’s 1897 play Uncle Vanya. Of course, if Yelena were around today, we know what she would do: pull out her smartphone and find something fun. Today it is easy to get rid of boredom.
That is the finding of two fascinating recent studies. In one, researchers asked subjects to do something boring, like copying out numbers from a phone book, and then take tests of creative thinkings. The result?
“An restless mind hungers for stimulation, so boredom becomes a seeking state,” says Sandi Mann, the psychologist at the University of Central Lancashire. “
The problem, the researchers worry, is that these days we don’t struggle to overcome these slow moments. “
| A．And there is, of course, bad boredom. |
| B．Bored subjects came up with more creative ideas. |
| C．But what if boredom is a meaningful experience? |
| D．These moments are a lot more valuable than expected. |
| E．Actually, tips on getting away from boredom are countless. |
| F．We try to kill every moment of boredom with mobile devices. |
| G．When not satisfied with your state, you’re seeking and engaged. |
Weeks into my student exchange program, my autoimmune (自身免疫性) condition worsened. This time, it showed in the form of deep vein thrombosis (静脉血栓), which was a blood clot in my left leg muscle. One day, I woke up and realized that I couldn’t move my left leg. I panicked and used my right leg to hop to the nearest clinic for an assessment. The doctor assessed that my condition was serious and I needed to seek immediate medical attention at the nearest hospital.
As I was all alone in a foreign land, I reached out to my friends I met through the student exchange program. The problem in Hong Kong was the language barrier, as most people were comfortable to talk in Cantonese (粤语). I boarded a cab to the Accident and Emergency department of the nearest hospital. I still remember, it took me 6 hours of waiting to see the doctor. After a few hours of waiting, some of my friends from the student exchange program joined me.
For the first person who came, he resided in Singapore previously but re-located to Hong Kong with his family, and therefore conversant in Cantonese, English &Mandarin. How lucky I was! With him around as my translator, he paved the way for me to be properly understood and smoothly warded.
Then, there was this special friend who selflessly lent her assistance to me when I was completely helpless in the hospital, worried about the huge hospital bills. She notified the university and all my lecturers of my admission to hospital, got my insurance plans, credit cards, clothes and necessities for my stay in hospital. She also later coordinated (协调) for the university staff to meet me personally in the hospital to bridge any gap that I may have in a foreign land. Thanks to her, I secured a space in the university hostel to shift to after I was discharged. I didn’t have to worry over anything, because this kind friend took it upon herself to sort them out for me.
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。
There were other human angels who would visit me from time to time.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The whole experience was memorable because of the presence of these human angels.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Pimple on the Nose
“Nooo!” screamed Asha as she saw a huge pimple(痘) on her nose. She didn’t have time to cover the pimple as she was running late to school. She gobbled her breakfast, grabbed her bag and got into her school bus just in time. As soon as she entered, kids started laughing. Nobody was willing to make her sit beside them. Even Anita, her bus mate acted a bit differently with her.
Asha was lost in thoughts. A new thought popped in her mind every second. Once she thought “Great! As if homework and exams were not enough, I have to worry about my pimple as well.” The next minute another thought popped in her mind. “I am tired of using that face wash. I still wonder how I agreed to use that horrible thing! How can…” Mr. Shetty, the bus driver said “Asha, do you want to miss the class?” Asha was so lost in her thoughts that she did not even notice that everybody had got down the bus except her.
She did not want to step into the campus. She thought, “What will my teachers think? What will my friends think?” After some time, she gathered courage and entered her class expecting that she would be laughed at.
It was a very hard day at school for her. As soon as she got home, she hugged her mother tightly. As she did so she felt all her worries were not even a dot in front of the warm and loving hug.
Later that day, she went to the supermarket with her mother. While coming back she heard people commenting on her pimple. A small child cried, “Daddy! My cherry is on her nose! Get it for me.” She heard some boys murmuring, “If she would have been in our school, she would definitely be chosen as the joker in the dance.”
Asha wondered why people cared so much about her appearance.
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。
Finally it was time for bed story, and mom asked her to choose a book.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Her mother asked her never to judge a book by its old cover but to pay attention to the details.
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