“No, little girl. You can’t get in without the money.” Jeffrey, the bus driver, told a little girl who wanted to get on the bus but only had a few pennies. She must have been around seven years old, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with unaccompanied children that day.
“Please, sir. I want to visit my grandmother,” the little girl begged. “Then go ask your parents for the money and come back next time,” Jeffrey replied and gestured with his hand for the girl to get out. She finally left the bus with her shoulders lowered. Jeffrey saw her sit down at the bus stop and drove off.
He finished his route and went home for the lunch, greeting his wife, Greta, and sitting down on the couch to rest. When he browsed his Facebook posts, an image caught his attention. A picture was shared of the little girl he had just turned away a few hours earlier. The word “Missing” was written on top of the image. He learned that the girl had disappeared a day ago, and her parents were desperately trying to find her.
“Dear! What have I done?” he asked himself, standing up and going to the front door. When Greta asked where he was going, Jeffrey said, “Greta! Quick! Call 911 and this number,” showing her the picture of the girl. “I saw this girl at a bus stop earlier, and I turned her away because she didn’t have enough money. I’m going to find her, but please make those calls.” Having told her where the bus stop was, he went out.
Jeffrey rushed to his car, speeding to the bus stop. Hopefully, the girl was smart enough to stay in one place. He couldn’t believe how careless he had been earlier. She was a little girl all alone. As he drove to the bus stop, Jeffrey vowed to be more careful in the future, especially when it came to children.
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, Jeffrey saw a tiny figure sitting on the bench at the spot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A few minutes later, the police and another car approached.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hettie’s eyes fell on a magazine she hadn’t noticed before in her bag. She took it out and read the Post-it note her mom had stuck to the cover.
Page 8! So Cool!
Love, Mom
Hettie smiled. Mom always slipped a little surprise into her bag. Hettie jumped onto her bed and wrapped herself in the blanket, opening the magazine to page eight straight. There was a huge ad: “DO YOU WANNA BE CALIFORNIA LEE’S BEST FRIEND FOREVER? Make a video telling us how much you love her and you could win a day with Pop Teen’s rising star CALIFORNIA LEE!”
Hettie tried to see the Cally she had known through the makeup and the fancy clothes. Her eyes sparkled (闪烁) the same emerald green as they had in Hettie’s backyard when Cally told her the big news. “I got the part!” She sang out as she bounced up and down on the swing. Hettie had been excited, too. Cally had really wanted this part. It was in Rock Club, a TV musical on Pop Teen. It was, she said, how all of Pop Teen Channel’s stars started out.
Then the musical came out and Cally, now California Lee, was busy all the time. The last time the two girls had seen each other was at Cally’s birthday party. Even in her best dress and new shoes, Hettie felt out of place. Most of the kids at the party were actors. Big boxes with massive bows covered the birthday present table. Overwhelmed and feeling shy, Hettie took her gift—a flashlight, and sat in a corner. No one came to look for her until her mom arrived to pick her up. Soon after, Cally moved to Los Angeles with her family.
The next day, Hettie arrived at school earlier than usual, with the magazine under her arm, her book bag over her shoulder. After making sure that no one in the schoolyard was watching, Hettie dropped her bag on the ground and pulled out her phone.
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 held the phone as far as she could from her face and pressed record.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hettie’s heart sank as she realized that she wasn’t the winner.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I didn’t like Del so much. He always called me the nickname “Germy”, which meant “dirty”, instead of my real name “Jamie”. Besides, he was known as a trouble-maker in school. So when the head teacher Mr. Smith asked Del to come to his office, I naturally thought that Del had done something mean to someone. Through the window, I caught sight of a smaller boy crying. Del seemed unhappy, too.
He did not return to class that day. All of us were discussing what had happened to him. What else could such an annoying boy do? “He must have hit the boy and was sent home,” I whispered to my friends. Their eyes widened. It felt good to see them so interested in what I said.
The next morning, the whole school was talking about Del being expelled(开除) for beating up a kid. I was surprised that my assumptions were passed on so quickly. So when Del walked into the classroom, all the kids were shocked. The kids next to him shift ed their desks away. “What’s your problem?” Del asked. “I don’t want you to attack me,” one kid said. Some laughed. “Yeah, I might,” said Del. I could tell he was joking, but many kids thought he admitted he did beat up someone.
During recess(课间休息), Del tried to join the kickball game. “Neither team wants you,” one of the players said. “Why?” Del asked, looking confused. “I always play with you guys.” They ignored him and went on playing. Del sat by himself while the rest of the school enjoyed their recess away from him. Del looked lonely and sad, much different from before. I started to feel sorry for him.
Later that day, I learned what really happened. The kid was Del’s little brother and he was crying because their mother fell ill and was sent to hospital. I felt even sorrier for what I said before. I started a rumor(谣言).
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。
At recess the next day, I saw Del sitting alone watching the kickball game.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Now that Del had forgiven me, I decided to do more before the recess was over.
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Have you ever been so depressed that you can’t sleep? You also can’t eat. You can’t read. You have no friends to call up and nothing is good on TV. So you sigh, press your face down harder into your pillow, and shed a few tears.
This was my life two years ago. I had just turned 14 but already found life a struggle. As I lay in my bed one Saturday, Mom peeked (瞄) into my room to make her regular “Is Emily still alive” check. I knew that if I spent more time like this, she would begin dusting me. After suggesting a few things for me to do that I immediately rejected, Mom made her move, “Emily! Get dressed! I’m taking the dog out for a walk, and you’re coming with me!” “Why?” I protested. “Because it’ll make you feel better.”
The thought of moving was unbearable. I felt as if all of my body parts were weighed down by tons of bricks I couldn’t remember the last time I had gone outside. Somehow I found the strength to slip on a pair of jeans and a black sweatshirt. Mom was waiting at the door, leash (狗绳) in hand and dog at her side.
Then, we stepped outside. It was a warm March day and it had been a long time since the warmth of the sun had touched my cheeks. Mom led the dog and me down some dirt paths, through a big field and reached Halsey Pond. But the signs of spring had yet to appear and the scene was rather colorless throughout the entire journey.
“I’m tired! It’s boring, Mom! When can we go home?” “Not yet,” she’d say. Mom stopped to say hi to every jogger, dog walker, runner, and bicyclist who passed us. Sometimes she would get into a conversation. They would talk about weather, dogs, and all small talk topics. She seemed happy, and was literally glowing (容光焕发). After walking for what seemed an age, Mom finally said it was time to go 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。
Paragraph 1: When I got home, a new feeling seemed to be awakened.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: A new Saturday found me asking Mom if I could take the dog out.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mr. Thompson dragged his feet slowly down the hallway, burdened with the weight of a hundred ungraded papers on his shoulders. It was Teacher’s Day, and colorful posters were pasted around. Despite scattered (零散的) “Happy Teacher’s Day” greetings from some students along the way, Mr. Thompson felt a familiar emptiness settle in his heart. Teacher’s Day usually meant an apple and a chorus of “thank yous” from his own class. Today, he expected nothing different.
The morning had been quite tough, filled with a host of math problems and forgotten homework excuses. One troublemaker in the class had again “accidentally” set his biology project on fire(thankfully contained). By the time the lunch bell rang sharply in the air, Mr. Thompson felt like a deflated (泄气的) balloon, the air of enthusiasm slowly leaking out of him.
After lunch, he entered his classroom. The whole class was in chaos. The usual pre-class chatter sounded like a dull roar in his ears. All of a sudden, a scream cut through the air. Mr. Thompson’s heart was in his mouth. Fights were a rare, but terrifying occurrence in his classroom. He cast his worn leather briefcase onto his desk, the forgotten pack of papers scattering like frightened pigeons.
“What in the world is going on here?”
His voice hoarse (嘶哑的) from shouting, Mr. Thompson rushed forward, envisioning images of black eyes and bloody noses. He struggled to make his way through the desks, the classroom suddenly deathly quiet.
“Break it up! Now!” he shouted, trying to control the situation.
Finally, he reached the center of the apparent fight, only to find himself staring at...a far more delicate, fragrant affair. Ethan, the class clown, was on one knee with a bunch of sunflowers and smiling at him.
Para 1: The whole class looked at Mr. Thompson excitedly.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Para 2: By the end of the day, Mr. Thompson’s voice was hoarse from laughter.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Near daybreak the previous day, my friend Jess and I set out on a journey southwest from our snow-covered home in Ottawa, bound for Arizona, a warm place to escape the freezing winter. After loading our equipment and my dog Bailey into my old car, we drove along the freeway with the radio playing lively tunes. Bailey, comfortably sitting on the back seat, added to the joy of the moment. Life couldn't have felt more perfect.
As the miles accumulated behind us, by noon the following day, we pulled off at a rest area with spring-like temperatures. It was an ideal setting for a picnic-style break outside the car. After a refreshing walk, we ate salads and cheese with the sun shining brightly on us. However, the road called us, so unwillingly we headed for the car.
Once the food was stored in the trunk, I opened the back door, throwing my keys onto the front seat, and settled Bailey on the back seat before shutting the door with force. However, as I reached for the driver's door handle, a sudden realization struck me.
“Oh, Jess, the door is locked.”
“What do you mean 'locked'? How did that happen?” Jess questioned with concern.
A wave of fear washed over me as I pieced together the situation. The remote likely triggered (触发) the lock when I threw it onto the driver's seat. Inside the car were our purses, keys, and most importantly, Bailey. The rising temperatures now posed a serious threat to her-being trapped inside a hot box without water.
Assessing the problem with a clearer mind, I instantly reached out to a local auto repair service for assistance. Unfortunately, they couldn't guarantee their arrival time due to staffing shortages, leaving me anxious about Bailey's well-being. The danger of heatstroke (中暑) weighed heavily on my mind, fueling my urgency to find a solution. Breaking the window, which had been my last choice, seemed to be the only one.
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。
Just then a large truck approached.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally Bailey was saved and my car remained whole.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mama and I spent morning s cleaning up the dirt that blew into our house. Mama said all dust was due to the drought. It was dust y everywhere. Dust covered our clothes. We had to wash the dishes before each meal. We rarely drove the automobile because Papa feared the dust from the road would ruin its front lights and horn (喇叭).
When my sister, Faye, and I walked to school, we wore handkerchiefs over our mouths so we didn’t breathe in the dirt. On days when the air was so bad that they closed the school, we stayed home and helped Mama put wet sheets over the windows. But the dirt always found a way in.
Last Sunday, there was no dirt in the air, only bright spring sunshine and a clear blue sky. After church, Papa headed out to the field to check on the cattle while Mama started dinner. Faye and I played in the yard. The temperature suddenly dropped—it felt good. The heat had been building since dawn.
Then Mama shouted from the house, “Iris, you and Faye get inside, real quick now!”
I looked to the west and saw a huge black cloud of dust. All the birds flew away. “Faye, go with Mama!” I shouted. “I’ll warn Papa.”
Faye sprinted toward the house. The storm hit so fast, I barely saw her climb the porch steps. Fine sand beat my face and in an instant the day turned into night. I stumbled over our bicycles left carelessly in the yard. I screamed for Papa, hoping my voice would lead him back.
The dirt and sand stung my skin like a thousand bees. I needed to get to shelter. Covering my face with one hand, I felt my way toward the automobile and opened the door. Dirt flew in with me as I pulled the door closed. Papa was still out there! I needed to help him find the automobile.
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。
Staring at the automobile, I got an idea.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Papa nodded, “Good. We’ll wait out the storm here.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Offices
3. Teaching Buildings
4. Library
5. Lake
6. Canteen
7. Dorm
8. Playground
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
My husband, Robert Stone and I were enjoying a peaceful afternoon together in Barbados — our vacation destination. It was sunny and warm, and we decided it was the perfect time to go for an ocean dip.
When we were floating around, I said, “What a nice holiday! Let’s swim out, not that far but enough to be out of our depth.” But we hadn’t considered just how strong the current was on that particular day. Although we had visited Barbados several times, we didn’t realize the specific area we floated to was known for its strong current.
Noticing that we were floating in the direction of the neighboring beach, I decided to swim toward the beach we came from, against the current. I soon realized that my husband was falling behind and was suddenly too far away to even hear me. I attempted to swim to the shore to get help but struggled to push past the current. I just couldn’t get anywhere and began to scream out for a lifeguard. But no one came after a few minutes.
Just then I saw two teenage girls boogie-boarding near the shore. “Help! Help!” I screamed. Hearing my cries for help, the girls swam toward me and helped pull me onto the boogie board. One girl told me to hold on tight and tied the boogie board tether (拴绳) to her wrist. The other girl was by her side for support. They managed to swim to the shore and brought me to safety.
Grateful but still scared, I repeated that my husband was stuck farther out in the ocean. I asked for a lifeguard. The girls told me there wasn’t a lifeguard around, and they would go get him. “You can’t do that!” I told them, “Strong current!” The girls reassured me that they were in Barbados as part of a swimming camp and insisted that they were both experienced in the water.
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。
Before I could say anything further, they swam off with the boogie board.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Relief washed over me as the girls and Robert reached the shore.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It had been a challenging week, marked by a sudden large increase in oil prices coinciding with a sharp drop in temperatures in Boston. It was nearly below zero degree. With three missed workdays under my belt, my upcoming paycheck was going to be lower than normal. The stress weighed heavily on me as I carefully sought for every conceivable opportunity to save pennies, ensuring that I could afford both groceries and keep the house warm.
My eight-year-old son didn’t understand when I told him we were struggling that week. He had his heart set on a particular brand of yogurt, but I didn’t have the extra three dollars to buy it for him. It was the kind of yogurt decorated with a cartoon child skateboarding on its packaging, containing a mere two spoonfuls per cup. Such products, designed to lure children with their flashy marketing, only served to make me hate advertising.
However, a bunch of parental guilt gripped me as his innocent eyes met mine, silently questioning, “Why is yogurt such a big deal?” Determıned to sweep his disappointment, I made a sacrifice typical of single mothers. I returned an item needed to the shelf, ensuring that he could enjoy his favorite yogurt.
On the journey back from the grocery store, a sight caught my attention—a homeless man, holding a sign by the roadside. My heart ached, and I turned around, observing passers-by purposefully steer (绕开) clear of him, avoiding any meaningful interaction. Even my son didn’t seem to care much. either. Yet, upon closer inspection, I noticed the man—bare hands grasping a piece of cardboard, snot frozen to his face, a worn-out jacket. And there I was struggling because I had to buy oil and groceries. But I decided to help. I pulled over to the man and handed him a five-dollar bill.
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。
Seeing this, my son became confused and surprised.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On that day, my son performed an act that most adults wouldn’t have done.
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