Casey Ryan works in a well-known newspaper as a famous photographer. After work, he likes to take an adventure in the wildness and take some photos. Whenever photographer Casey heads into the wildness, he brings along his drone (无人机) to take some photographs from a bird’s eye view.
Having the drone with him on a recent trip to the Willamette National Forest in the Cascade Mountain Range in Oregon saved his and another person’s lives.
That day, Casey was driving through the Willamette National Forest. When he arrived at his destination, he began to use his drone to take many photos, and the beautiful places made him excited. These photos made him feel a strong sense of achievement.
With a good harvest, he began to drive home. On the way home, he came across a stranger whose car was stuck. At that time, Casey was still in the deep forest. Casey volunteered to help get it out without hesitation. Unluckily, he got his own car stuck in a ditch (沟) while trying to help, leaving both people in trouble with no cell phone service for miles around.
“I am so sorry for making your car stuck here. What can we do now?” the stranger said with anxiety.
“Don’t worry! Let’s think it over! Maybe I can call my wife for help,” Casey said.
“But here is too out-of-the-way. It is surely no cell phone service. How can we call for help?” the stranger said disappointedly.
Just as they were wandering, Casey immediately recalled a movie he’d seen recently in which a character typed some messages in the phone and used a drone to lift his phone high enough to catch cell phone service in a similar situation. When the stranger heard the idea, he felt pleasantly surprised. Just right, Casey had a drone. Casey walked quickly to his car.
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。
Casey pulled out the drone and took out his phone.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Nearly an hour after the messages were sent out to his wife, the rescuers arrived.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of teaching a young couple to dive (潜水) in Thailand on one of my favorite reefs (礁). The weather conditions were perfect, with mild currents and excellent sight of the beautiful ocean and the bright, vivid corals. Even with their masks on, I could see the smiles on my students’ faces.
The dive couldn’t have gone better. However, things changed as we made our way back to the boat. As we swam back along the reef, I noticed the current (水流) changing. As it did, huge quantities of trash and plastic began to flood the area. I saw small reef fish swimming amongst the straws, plastic bags and other bits of rubbish. I noticed that some of the fish were pecking away (啄) at the plastic. By the time we got back onboard the boat, there were bits of plastic floating all around us. It looked more like a trash site than the ocean.
When I got home, the first thing I did was to go online and research plastic pollution in the ocean. I was surprised to find out that over the past decade, divers and beach lovers have seen a lot of changes in the oceans. Even very remote locations were suddenly filled with plastic and other chemicals. Plastics were entering our oceans at an alarming rate—up to 12 million tons each year. This huge amount of plastic was wreaking havoc (破坏) not only on the environment, but also on the marine animals that lived in the ocean, such as sea turtles and sea birds. Some of them were sadly mistaking the pieces of plastic for food. Pollution has brought our oceans to the point of disaster, and unless we make a great change, then our oceans and all of its living things, will be at risk.
Since that unforgettable plastic-polluted dive, I have become an ocean supporter and spend my days trying to get the message out there about just how harmful ocean pollution is, not only to marine life, but also to mankind.
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 the idea came to me: I could appeal to my fellow divers to take action.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I decided to take it a step further to try and stop those companies producing single-use plastics.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One of my best friends is named Lisa. If you’d told us a month ago that there would come a point when we would need space from each other, we would have said “Not a chance!”
But then Lisa’s family won a five-day stay in a mountain cabin(小屋). Because Lisa’s sister, Alana, was spending the week with her grandparents, Lisa’s mom and dad said I could come along instead.
When I told my parents about the awesome invitation, my mom said, “That sounds fun, but keep in mind that five days is a long time to spend with a friend.” I shook my head. “Lisa and I are just like fish and water. We’re happy sticking together. Plus, the cabin is near paths where we can try snowshoeing and other outdoor stuff.”
A few weeks later, Lisa and her parents and I arrived at an adorable cabin surrounded by snow-covered pine trees. “What a great place!” Lisa’s dad said.
“It’s looking a little cloudy,” said Lisa’s mom, glancing at the sky. “Let’s hope it means snow and not rain.”
As you might have guessed, the clouds did mean rain. Lots of rain. And since our major plans involved snowshoeing and watching winter wildlife, we were stuck. “I guess we’ll have to find something else to do,” said Lisa.
We found a couple of board games and a pack of cards and sat down. At first, it was fun, but we ended up playing those games for about 100 hours, stopping only to eat and sleep!
“I can’t play anymore,” I said on the third day. “How about we just read by ourselves for a while?”
“I have a better idea,” said Lisa. “How about singing instead?”
“I think a little quiet time would be nice,” I said, opening a book I had brought.
“Oh, come on! Don’t be boring. I’ll pick the first song.” Lisa started singing “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”
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。
“Could you please leave me alone?” I shouted.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The fourth day was fine, and we went out to play sometimes together and sometimes apart, just as her father had said.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________How far can a penny go? Right now, one can quickly say that it wouldn’t get you that much. Or, to be more specific, it’s more of a novelty item now than a currency.
But Ryan Trahan, who is an online media content creator, wanted to prove that a penny can turn into something much more valuable and that the spirit of bartering (以物易物) is still alive and well. His goal will surprise anyone.
In his video, he shared that he would turn his penny into a house. Yes, you’ve read that right. He will barter his way to a house.
The challenge started as tough as you’d expect it to be because who would trade anything for a penny? The first thing he got was a pen. Then, he traded off his pen for a small dinosaur toy. Luckily, he met a dinosaur fan who was more than willing enough to trade it for a tin of mints (薄荷糖) —or at least what’s left of it.
It was a dead end from then on until he met two interesting strangers. Apparently, his campaign of “penny-to-a-house” is gaining attention. It gave him a chance to trade the mints for something of value—gas station earphones.
It snowballed from there. After the earphones, the value of his trade just got bigger when he decided to be creative. He called at a local garage sale and traded the earphones for a vintage Polaroid (老式拍立得) camera. He also gave a shirt, just so he wouldn’t feel bad.
However, it wasn’t as easy as he thought. Trahan thought he struck gold and that it was easy to exchange the camera into something much more valuable. After all, who doesn’t love a vintage camera?
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 answer, surprisingly, is “not a lot of people”.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________He got an amazing deal out of the camera for an item that’s three times its value, a piece of land.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Amy loved drawing, but her grandmother Bonnie was opposed to it, who thought those strange things Amy drew were not going to help her in the future. One day, when they were eating dinner at the table, the doorbell rang.
Amy answered the door to see a well-dressed man standing at the door. “Oh my God, I know you! Mr Henderson?” Amy said gladly. “You are my favorite cartoonist (漫画家)! Wow! Hello, sir!” Then she led Mr Henderson into her house.
Mr Henderson was a famous New York-based cartoonist. He worked for an art magazine.
“I received a letter with some samples (样本) of your artwork, Amy. And I must say I was so impressed by your talent. In fact, I wrote you letters, but In ever got a reply,” Mr Henderson said to Amy. “If I hadn’t visited you today, you might have missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“You sent me letters?” Amy wondered aloud. Amy noticed Bonnie sat uneasily in her seat, and she realized why the letters had never reached her. Her grandmother kept them hidden from her. Mr Henderson continued, “We are accepting applications for our arts training program this summer. I would personally teach the students the art of cartoons and everything related. For that, you need to pass a drawing test. If everything goes well, you will be able to learn from me later and pursue your dream for art.”
Amy was excited about the news, but Bonnie refused and said angrily, “You are wasting our time, sir. Please leave.”
“But ma’am, this can really shape your granddaughter’s career,” Mr Henderson sad. “And if you’re concerned about the money, please don’t be. The committee will cover all the costs. A gifted childlike Amy can greatly benefit from the program.” Then Mr Henderson pulled out a file from his document case and gave it to Amy. “It’s a test assignment I know your grandmother is against it and things are tough, but I hope you’ll be able to do it,” he added as he left the house.
Amy couldn’t contain her excitement after Mr Henderson’s visit.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Amy’s strong love for drawing deeply touched Bonnie.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jackie was searching for her library book in her room. Outside her house stood her friend Sasha waiting for her to go to the library. But the book was missing.
Jackie then ran into her sister’s bedroom. “Have you seen my library book? Last week my book was bitten by your cat. The week before that, you dropped my book in the park,” Jackie asked angrily. Her sister shook her head. Despite her efforts, Jackie found no traces of the book there.
“What’s taking you so long, Jackie?” Mom’s voice rang through the house. “I need to find my library book. It has a red cover. It’s due (到期) today. If I have lost the library book, I am not allowed to check out any books for a whole month,” Jackie sighed, walking down the stairs. She nearly ran into her mom, who was carrying a heavy laundry (待洗衣物) basket.
“Good luck with that book. The library closes in twenty minutes.” Mom stopped to grab Jackie’s clothes from the railing and wrinkled her nose. “I’m putting these in the laundry,” said Mom, disappearing down the basement stairs.
Jackie ran around the house, looking under the sofa, in the fridge, and behind the piano. However, the book was nowhere to be found. Where was that library book? The thought of not being able to get into the world of stories and knowledge for a whole month made her feel very sad. Jackie sank onto the living room sofa, her mind racing with thoughts of the result she would soon face.
Just then Mom came into the living room and suddenly said, “Have you searched all the places? You need to think carefully and see if you’ve missed anything?” “I’ve searched everywhere I can think of, but I still haven’t found it,” Jackie almost cried. “I looked for you in your painting room in the backyard last night where you were practising your painting. I seemed to see a red thing. Maybe it was in the painting room,” Mom added.
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。
Without wasting another moment, Jackie rushed outside to the painting room.
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Rushing to the library, Jackie and Sasha found the door still open.
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In a small community located at a suburb of Exeter, a disheartening issue had been troubling the neighborhood for years. The once pleasant surroundings were ruined by piles of waste that seemed to multiply with each passing day. Residents were growing tired of the worsening environment, leading many to abandon their homes in search of cleaner neighborhoods. It was in this terrible situation that two young students, Emma and Mia, decided to take matters into their own hands.
Emma and Mia were classmates and best friends from Phillips Exeter Academy, both passionate about environmental preservation and deeply concerned about the pollution crisis their community was facing. Witnessing more and more neighbors’ leaving, they knew they couldn’t stand by any longer. Determined to bring about a change, they undertook a mission that would soon catch the attention of the entire community.
Their journey began with thorough research and planning. The two girls searched carefully on the Internet for information on environmental initiatives and connected with local environmentalists. They organized meetings with residents to understand the issues at hand, collecting data on the types of waste, the sources, and the areas most affected. Armed with this knowledge, Emma and Mia worked out a comprehensive plan and announced it to ask for opinions from the residents. Surprisingly it was strongly supported.
Their strategy was twofold. First, they initiated a waste classification and recycling program. They distributed recycling bins(回收箱) to every household and educated the community about the importance of responsible waste management. Soon, the streets began to show signs of improvement as the volume of garbage inappropriately thrown away decreased gradually.
The second part of their plan was more ambitious. Emma and Mia gathered volunteers from their school and the neighborhood to take part in a massive clean-up campaign. Armed with gloves and trash(垃圾)bags, they began systematically clearing the waste from the streets, parks, and even the local bodies of water. Their firm commitment and hard work inspired others to join the cause.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Half a year later, the changes were significant.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Emma and Mia received recognition and honors for their work.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I begged my mom to let me make cookies by myself. Even though I had never attempted baking before, I was nine years old and my friend Emmie had been baking cupcakes by herself for a year. I was determined to prove that I could make it.
My brother, Caleb, laughed at the idea of me cooking alone, calling it a disaster. Having a big brother can be annoying. Despite his laughing, my mom agreed to let me try. She reminded me to take my time and be careful because I’d had some messy spills before I was nine.
I raced to the kitchen and went to work. I cracked eggs and put a cold stick of butter into the bowl. I turned on the mixer at medium speed—and whoa. Whoa. Whoa! What a disaster! I had to wipe butter off my face, then off the table and floor.
Caleb made fun of me again, calling me a mess. I chased him away with a spoon and turned back to the mixing bowl. I started again with softer butter. Referring to the recipe, I poured everything needed into the bowl and mixed it. After that, I put round batter (面糊) onto the cookie sheet and put it into the oven (烤箱). Within a minute, a fantastic smell filled the kitchen—the smell of cookie success!
I was going to prove that I was responsible. No more eye-rolling from my brother. No more “You’re too young” from my parents. I was grown up and in control.
I stared into the oven, and my heart sank. The neat, little balls had melted (融化) and overflowed to the edges of the cookie sheet. I pulled the pan out just as Caleb wandered back into the kitchen.
“What in the world?” He started to laugh. “Cookie soup?”
“You just be quiet,” I whispered, trying not to cry. “Just leave me alone.”
“How’s it going in there?” Dad called from the living room.
Caleb raised his eyebrows and bit his lip. I responded that everything was fine, pouring the melted batter into the bowl quickly.
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: I picked up the directions, wondering what had gone wrong．
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Paragraph 2: I brought a plate of cookies into the living room for my parents．
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Once upon a time, there lived a poor but cheerful shoemaker. He was so happy that he sang all day long. The children loved to stand around his window to listen to him.
Next door to the shoemaker lived a rich man. He used to sit up all night to count his gold. In the morning, he went to bed, but he could not sleep because of the sound of the shoemaker’s singing. One day, he thought of a way to stop the singing. He wrote a letter to the shoemaker inviting him over for a cup of tea.
The shoemaker came at once, and to his great surprise, the rich man gave him a bag of gold as a gift. The shoemaker took the bag and thanked the rich man. When he returned home, the shoemaker couldn’t wait to open the bag. He had never seen so much gold in his life! He sat down at his bench and began, carefully, to count it. The children watched through the window.
There was so much there that the shoemaker was afraid to let it out of his sight. So he took it to bed with him. But he could not sleep for worrying about it. So he got out of bed and went to hide it in the attic (阁楼), but he was not sure if that was a good place.
Very early in the morning, he got up and brought his gold down from the attic. He had decided to hide it up the chimney (烟囱) instead. But after breakfast, he thought it would be safer in the chicken house. So he hid it there. But he was still uneasy, and in a little while he dug a hole in the garden and buried his bag of gold in it.
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:
He was in no mood for singing and found it difficult to focus on his work.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
At last the shoemaker felt so unhappy that he took his bag of gold and ran next door to the rich man.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In a small town, there was a community talent show held every year in the local park. The event was a highlight for many, with performances from various local talents. Among the audience was a woman named Emily, a kind-hearted local librarian, along with her 12-year-old daughter Anna. Both of their eyes were filled with excitement.
As the show began, Emily and her daughter watched a young girl in amazement, about eight, confidently sing a song. Her voice was surprisingly powerful for her small body. Then a group of teenagers followed. Their hip-hop dance routine was full of energy, leading to cheers from the crowd. There was even an elderly gentleman who performed a series of magic tricks. However, as the sun began to set, many in the audience grew tired and the applause (掌声) after each act became less enthusiastic (热情的).
Then came the turn of a young boy, around ten years old, nervously holding his violin. As he started playing, it was clear that he was a beginner. His notes were shaky and he missed a few beats. The audience, already tired, responded with only a little polite applause. Emily noticed the boy’s frustrated face as he finished his performance.
It was at this moment that Emily recalled a powerful memory from her own childhood—the time when she had stood on a similar stage, her voice trembling (颤抖) through a song. But the kindness she had received from a stranger in the audience pushed her to carry on. Drawing from the lesson she had learned from the past experience, Emily stood up, clapping loudly and cheering for the boy. “Great job! Keep practicing, and you’re doing wonderfully!”she called out. Her enthusiasm inspired other members of the audience to join in the applause, their clap growing louder and more sincere.
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。
Anna looked up at her mother, surprised by her actions.
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Since that day, Anna carried her mother’s lesson with her.
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