For the first two years in primary school, I was an extremely shy girl. I had a few friends, but it wasn’t easy for me to be very outgoing, even if I knew them well. If I was with strangers, I was even quieter. So I was not good at meeting new people, I was in constant fear that I would do or say something wrong. As a result, on our school’s annual play day, I usually sat in a remote corner to watch the performance alone, although I hoped to sit in the front rows to see the actors more clearly.
One day in the third grade, my teacher Mrs. Sally called me into her office and said, “Oh, Mary, you’re great at memorizing things, and you have such a sweet voice. You are perfect for Jenny!”
But I bowed my head and dared not speak. The teacher saw this and then said, “Of course, plenty of girls would love the role, and I could find somebody else. But I hope you could try it for me. I had you in mind for Jenny while writing the play! If you really don’t want to, you can turn down the offer.”
My mind was running wild when Mrs. Sally, whom I loved and admired, asked me to play the role.
“She believes in me!” I thought.
Just then I looked up and happened to see on the wall a poster I had never noticed before. It showed a shooting star and read, “If you reach for the stars, you might at least grab a piece of the moon.”
Realizing it was time to throw off my shy mask and show the world who I really was, I said firmly, “Okay, I’ll try my best, Mrs. Sally!”
In the following five months, Mrs. Sally taught me how to put on makeup, memorize lines, create costumes and so on.
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。
The big day arrived at last.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At the moment, Mrs. Sally noticed my nervousness and approached me.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Leo and Matt, both aged 16, are best friends who shared a passion for environmental sustainability. They were both students at a bustling high school in the heart of the city, a school that was infamous for its morning and afternoon traffic jams. The narrow streets leading to the school were always clogged (堵塞) with cars, buses, and bicycles, causing a great deal of inconvenience and pollution.
“Look what we are suffering every day!” complained Leo. “Isn’t there a solution to the problem?” Matt sighed.
They decided to take matters into their own hands and find a solution to the sticky problem. Initially, they made some speeches, distributed leaflets and volunteered to relieve the traffic congestion (拥堵), trying to persuade some parents to park their cars a little farther away the school and not to use cars too often. But two weeks passed, there was nothing better. Then they realized it was no easy work to deal with the trouble. They needed more hands for help and a well-thought-out plan for it.
They first gathered ten schoolmates who shared the same ambition. Then they started to conduct a thorough survey to understand the root causes of the traffic congestion. They interviewed students, teachers, and parents, as well as observed the traffic patterns during different times of the day. They learned that the majority of the congestion was caused by parents dropping off and picking up their children, as well as the lack of sufficient parking spaces.
Armed with this information, the team designed a detailed plan. They proposed the creation of a carpool system for students, encouraging them to share rides to reduce the number of vehicles on the road. They also suggested dedicated drop-off and pick-up zones, clearly marked with signage, to help streamline the process.
To further reduce congestion, they advocated for the construction of bike racks (架子) and encourage students to cycle to school. They even proposed a rewards system for those who chose sustainable modes of transportation.
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 their plan in hand, Leo and Matt presented it to the school authorities.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A few months passing by, the school traffic congestion had significantly improved.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I always think of my mother as a superhero, because she never runs out of room in her heart for anyone or anything.
I could write about all of the wonderful things she has done, but I want to focus on one project she does every year that has shaped my whole family and everyone around us: She saves money, and she puts it in a little jar (罐子) that we refer to as “The Charity Jar”. Every year, she takes this money and puts it toward something—an act of kindness, anything that can help someone. Sometimes, she buys something for an organization that needs it.
If you ask her about this tradition, she will tell you that she is carrying on something that her mother used to do around the holidays. If you ask anyone else who knows her, however, they will tell you that she has a huge heart. She manages to get our whole family involved (参与) in this movement every year. Last year, she helped an organization where I volunteered—Ruth’s Place—a homeless women’s shelter in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
I had been helping a professor run a writing workshop in the shelter when I noticed the wish list on the wall: warm clothes, a coffee maker and supplies. I told my mom, and within a day, she had already asked if our family wanted to help Ruth’s Place. We all agreed and decided that the coffee maker and supplies would be the best things for our family to work on together.
A few days later, Mom found a coffee maker online, and showed it to us. With a few clicks, it was on its way. She also baked(烘焙) fresh chocolate cupcakes for the women in the shelter. We gathered the rest of the supplies and called the shelter to find a day when we could deliver them.
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。
That day I drove my mom to the shelter very slowly. _______________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As we left, we were met with heartfelt thanks. _____________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Every Sunday, June, a six-year-old girl, tied her sports shoes and walked to Grandpa’s house. Grandpa lived around the block(街区), and June was allowed to walk there by herself. Grandpa often told her stories. They also ate ice cream together while they talked. Sunday was June’s favorite day.
This Sunday, June got dressed. She put on one sports shoe, but she could not find the other shoe. “Mommy, where’s my shoe?”
“I’m sure it’s in your room. Look carefully until you find it. You can’t go until you have both shoes on,” June’s mother said.
June sat on her bed and looked around. Her room was quite messy. There were clothes on the floor and papers on the desk. She wasn’t sure where to start.
Then June remembered a story Grandpa told her. When he was little, he lost a coin that he planned to use to buy his mother a candy. He walked back over every place he had been to that day until he found it. He had to go in order so he wouldn’t miss anything.
June stood up. “I’ll start in the corner and go around the room in order,” she thought. “That way I won’t miss anything.”
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。
June began in the corner where her desk was.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________June quickly put on her shoe and ran out of the door to Grandpa’s house.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was a broke university student. I should have been going to university on a scholarship because I came from a low-income family, but a last-minute £100-a-year pay rise for my mum pushed my family over the threshold (门槛) for what defined “low-income” and I was suddenly no longer qualified for £15,000 a year in scholarship money. This news came after I’d been accepted by the university and signed the lease (租约) for my accommodation.
Despite my family not being labelled low-income anymore, I still wouldn’t receive any financial support from my family as all the income went toward taking care of my disabled brother and paying their own bills. It would be tight, but because I had savings from my part-time job, I decided to go to university anyway. After paying my rent, I had £10.20 a week for everything else including food, toiletries, and school supplies.
As I was in a new city, I really wanted to make friends, which was difficult when most of the social activities were expensive. Therefore, I jumped at the chance to do a relatively cheap coffee shop trip with my roommates who were pleasant to me.
I had £20 with me to get a cheap cup of coffee and my food shopping for a few weeks. So I headed for the coffee shop. While paying, I pulled out the note and a handful of change and realized I could pay without breaking the note, so I put it back in my pocket. It wasn’t until I arrived at the supermarket that I realized the note was gone. What should I do? I was desperate it was the equivalent (相等物) of two weeks of money. My roommates helped me look for the note. However, it was in vain. Finally, I went to school empty-handed.
注意：
(1) 续写词数应为150词左右；
(2) 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
P1: As a final attempt, I messaged the coffee shop’s Facebook page asking if they’d seen it.
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P2: I said, “Oh, ...This isn’t mine; my note was an old worn one.”
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Sam Hensen was celebrating his ninth birthday at summer camp. The counselors and fellow campers came together to throw a party for him, complete with cake and gifts thoughtfully sent by his parents. But Sam was not a popular boy. He was mentally disabled and couldn’t move around like the other children, setting him apart from his peers and causing unease among parents. But things were about to change on his ninth birthday. At camp, he was about to discover that there were people who genuinely cared about him.
One boy reached out to Sam and extended a warm hand of friendship. His name was Bobby, an eleven-year-old, and he had a younger brother who was mentally challenged. Sam’s presence reminded Bobby of his beloved brother, and their bond was unique, unlike any other.
Bobby’s kindness didn’t stop at a friendly gesture; every morning, he went to Sam’s cabin to help him prepare for the day. Their friendship extended to sports, especially baseball, which Sam adored. Bobby, with strong determination, took on the incredible challenge of teaching Sam how to bat.
The hours and days they spent practicing seemed to point to an impossible task. The camp counselors had also tried their best to teach Sam, but progress had appeared to be hopeless. But Bobby was not ready to give up on his friend, but Sam began to feel anxious.
One restless night, Sam couldn’t sleep as he thought of Bobby’s kindness and the counselors’ tireless efforts to help him. He felt the burning desire to practice more, despite the late hour. He decided to take action. With determination, he made his way to Bobby’s cabin and woke him up, whispering, “Come on, Bobby! Wake up! I need you to pitch (投掷) the ball.” Bobby, rubbing his eyes, was initially puzzled by Sam’s late-night visit. But as Sam pulled him out of bed, he realized the importance of this moment. Sam assured him, “It will only take a moment, and we’ll be right back.”
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 their counselors sound asleep, the two friends sneaked out, making their way to a poorly lit parking lot.
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Sam fell asleep that night with a smile of accomplishment on his face.
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Several years ago, shortly after going through months of chemotherapy (化疗) for breast cancer (癌症), I was burned out. I should have been happy. The treatments were over. Instead, a door somewhere in my heart flew open from the stress of dealing with my cancer diagnosis (诊断). All the feelings, worries, and fears made me struggle. It took a huge effort to get through each day. The world was dark. I didn’t care about anything. One day, I visited a counselor at the nearby cancer center.
“You need to make a treasure map,” she said. “How do I do that?”
“First, you make a list of the things you want to do or achieve in the future. Then bring it here next week.”
That afternoon, I started and wrote, “Walk for twenty minutes each day” and “Finish the book I started.” Then I began thinking a week and then a month ahead, writing, “Visit Sea World,” and “Start attending yoga classes.” And, finally, I was looking a year ahead: “Finish writing my novel,” and “Go to cheer for Diane.” (My sister was training for a sixty-mile walk to raise money for breast cancer research.) I felt a little better.
When I showed my counselor the list, she told me to buy a piece of poster board and cutout pictures of the goals I had written. That would be my treasure map, my working plan to lead my way to the future.
At home that day, I cleared off the kitchen table and took out some old magazines. At first, I felt silly looking for pictures, like I was back in kindergarten. But as I found what I was looking for, I became more interested. Before the cancer diagnosis, I had wanted to travel to see the Grand Canyon. I had forgotten that. I had wanted to learn to use my camera and to visit New Orleans. I had forgotten those, too.
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。
As I worked on creating the treasure map, my world began to change.
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I’m sure that following that early treasure map made things happen.
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In a small town, there lived a girl named Lily and her older brother, Alex. Lily had a dream to become a professional dancer, a dream which filled her life with both excitement and challenges. Alex, who had always been her role model, understood her passion more than anyone else.
While, growing up, Lily looked up to Alex. He was the star athlete of his high school, admired by many. But to Lily, he was more than that; he was her support system, always encouraging her to pursue (追求) her dream. However, Lily’s path to becoming a dancer was filled with difficulties. Financial limits and lack of resources in their small town were constant challenges.
As Lily entered high school, Alex noticed his sister’s struggles and knew he had to step in. He started by organizing dance workshops and fundraising events in their community. He spent his evenings helping Lily practice, turning their garage into a dance studio. His efforts brought the community together, and soon, Lily had a small but devoted group of supporters cheering her on.
With Alex’s help, Lily started to gain confidence. She improved her skills and began to participate in local dance competitions. Each time she performed, Alex was there in the front row, cheering the loudest. His strong belief in her fueled Lily’s determination to succeed.
As Lily’s senior year approached, a significant opportunity arose — a chance to compete in a national dance competition, with the prize being an entry into a famous dance academy. Lily signed up for it and practiced day and night for the competition. The night before the event, Lily felt extremely anxious. Alex stayed up with her, talking through her routines and reminding her of the strength and beauty in her movements. His words calmed Lily down and filled her with newfound confidence.
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 day of the competition arrived.
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Thanks to Alex, Lily’s dream was coming true.
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It is a challenging journey to change their lives for the best and get the healthiest they knew how to. Lexi and Danny lived their lives like most other young couples who fell in love with each other and then made the decision to spend the rest of their lives together. The couple spent a lot of time watching TV and going to different restaurants, and as you would imagine, the endless junk foods were their “go-to” choice. Though they would manage to lose some weight during the time, but before long, they would gain it back.
Lexi weighed a 485 pounds at the age of 25, a weight that was quite unbelievable to imagine. Danny, on the other hand, was also overweight himself even though he was 200 pounds less than Lexi. However, the sad part of everything was that they were both gaining more weight on what they already had with each passing day. Some of their daily activities, no matter how simple, became a real problem for the couple. They couldn’t go for walks or bicycle rides no matter how easy they were. However, in 2016 just after a year after the marriage, they decided to make a positive change in their life.
The couple decided to take on a challenge that would change their lives forever and for good! So many people make promises to themselves and others that they don’t really carry out but the couple were not about to do like the others. Theirs were destined (注定的) to come to reality. They made a detailed plan to go on a diet and take exercise on a daily basis. At first, they thought the whole process would have been a piece of cake. As they pressed on, each passing day showed them that this challenge would not be a walk in the park. They got a gym membership to help out.
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 weight-losing lessons offered at the gym were not easy, a real challenge for them.
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Just after a month, they both felt so much better, and they were pleased with the way they looked.
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One of my teachers once asked my class what our favourite memory was. She was asking for the moment in which “you felt the best, you felt that you had the world in the palm of your hand. ” Some described grand awards; others described winning a tournament. But I felt the best when I first learned how to ride my bike at thirteen. I didn’t mind my classmate’s stares and snickering, because I knew there was more to the story.
My brother and I shared a typical brotherly relationship: we couldn’t stand each other. Or, to be honest, he couldn’t stand me. I hero-worshipped him. My clothes mysteriously looked like his, and even my words tended to mimic those I heard from him. Many times, I even wanted to literally follow my brother, sobbing every time I was prevented from hanging around with him. Needless to say, I was an annoyance to him. Any sort of conversation we had usually degraded to fighting, and try as I might, my brother usually won.
After a while, I stopped trying to impress him and learned to be totally indifferent; perhaps the silent treatment would get more approval. I was wrong. We soon fell into a sad pattern—I avoided him, he ignored me, and deep inside, it hurt. Indifferent or hostile, he was only a brother in name. So that’s how it was between us. I believed we would forever be apart, two housemates without conversation, two strangers without warmth. And nothing more.
I still remember the day I learned to ride a bike. I had received it that Christmas, which was great, until I realized I had no idea how to ride it. My mom was too busy and had long since abandoned any attempt to teach me. I decided to teach myself to ride, a little bit each day, but in vain. On that fateful day, it was no different. I was coming to the end of my daily one-hour torture, and I was so frustrated that I threw my bike aside and began to cry.
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 guess that was what caused my brother to come outside.
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An hour later, I was showing off my riding skill to my mom.
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