My mother believed in using things up. Last year, our cornfield had a bad harvest because birds feasted on the crops. It was probably then that Mom’s frugality(节俭)became even more extraordinary. She began keeping everything that seemed useless in the attic(阁楼)—worn-out clothes, old sheets, broken umbrellas, and some other old items. Mom’s favorite saying was “waste not, want not”(俭以防匮). My brother Josh and I weren’t sure what that meant until the “Affair of the Scarecrow(稻草人)”, which, as it later became known, left a lasting impression on us.
The story began with a pretty hat that Mom received as a gift to protect her from the sun. However, Josh and I could see that Mom’s frugal nature and fashion sense were in battle. Mom really didn’t want to get rid of the hat—it was new and had a lot of use left in it—but neither could she stand wearing it. She tried to take off the fancy decorations, but they were stuck on tight. She’d have to find some other solution.
Josh and I watched as Mom headed upstairs to the attic with the hat. “Waste not, want not,” she called back down. We heard boxes being moved around. Moments later, Mom leaned out, holding a flour bag full of straw, and with a mysterious smile, she placed the hat on it.
“What is that for?” I asked, confused. “A scarecrow! ” Mom exclaimed. “But not a good one yet.It needs a strong body to stand firm in the field,” she said with a frown. “And it doesn’t look scary enough,” Josh remarked. I had to admit that Josh, though younger than I was, could sometimes be more imaginative. Josh and I turned to each other, searching for a good idea. Soon enough, Josh’s eyes lit up with inspiration.
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: “Come with me!” Josh called out.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: In the following days, the scarecrow stood proudly.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sunlight flooded through the window when Tomas was sitting at the kitchen table, struggling with a literary classic. Not far away, the huge new tower blocks lined the road. The faint sound of cars was dimly heard.
His mother was chopping (切碎) tomatoes for their dinner as usual. Suddenly she said,
“You know, the thing I miss most is cooking a really hot salsa (辣番茄酱) with fresh peppers straight from the garden. That’s what I miss most about Mexico. But now I could only use this instead.” She sighed, waving a packet of chilli spice powder at him. Tomas looked up from his book in surprise. His mother had never talked like this about their old life before. He studied her now. She looked a little sad and swept the pile of chopped tomatoes into the cooking pot.
Watching his mother busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, Tomas thought about the insight his mother had given him into her feelings, and he realized that he felt the same way about leaving Mexico and coming to this new country now.
Tomas missed his old home and his mother missed Mexico, too. She had loved working in her market garden, selling the fresh vegetables that she had grown herself and then coming home to cook up huge, tasty meals for her family. Tomas’s stomach rumbled (饿得咕咕叫) at the memories.
He thought about how different things were for them now, living in this large, gray apartment where there was no garden and no friends visit to share their delicious meals.
He sighed. At least they were still able to speak regularly every night after dinner with his grandmother back in Mexico over the computer—Grandma! Rosa!
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。
Suddenly Tomas had an idea.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A week later, a package arrived from Mexico.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Kevin woke to the blaring beep of his alarm clock. “Can’t wait for that camping trip,” Kevin thought, filled with excitement. As he was leaving home, his dad grabbed him by the hand and said, “Before you go, just tell me the directions on where you and your friends are going to stay.”
“But dad!” Kevin complained.
“No buts!” Kevin’s dad added.
“Fine.” Kevin told him the directions and left.
The three friends, Kevin, Jay and Nathan, had been planning this adventure for weeks, packing their stuff-tents, snacks, and a map-preparing for a 3-day outdoor exploration. Excitement ran through Kevin as they departed for their campsite. “This trip is going to be awesome, ” Nathan excitedly yelled as they set off. But little did they know that nature had a surprise in store for them.
The first day at the campsite was going great, setting up tents, collecting firewood, and sharing stories. “Man, we nailed these tents, ” Kevin said. “I know it was easy really,” Nathan replied. The friends were happy.
Yet towards night, as the dark clouds gathered overhead, the atmosphere shifted, and a sudden storm erupted with unforgiving anger. Rain poured down from the heavens like a relentless waterfall, transforming the peaceful campsite into a muddy battleground. Worse still, a huge tree was uprooted and crashed down with a deafening crack on their only means of escape - their car. Kevin’s eyes widened in horror as he spotted the damaged wreckage beneath the fallen giant. “Our car!” he screamed over the howling wind, his voice a mix of disbelief and despair. “We’re stuck here,” he declared, his words barely audible against the backdrop of thunder and raindrops. They realized that their plans had been violently spoiled by forces beyond their control. The once quiet campsite now stood as a deserted battlefield, the fallen tree serving as a painful reminder of the unpredictable nature of the world around them.
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: The next day, they found themselves facing the immediate problem of finding water.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: On the third night, a distant engine sound broke the terrible stillness.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。
I stared at myself in the mirror: blue tights, yellow vest, an aquamarine fish tail trailing behind me, and large googly eyes (sitting atop my head. I raised my eyebrows quizzically at my mom with uncertainty about this costume. Mom ensured that she followed the pattern exactly. “Maybe the makeup will add something,” Mom said hopefully. I sighed and looked back at the mirror. Somehow Mom had convinced me to do a play this summer. So here I was about to play the Fish Footman (鱼仆人) in the local community theater production of Alice in Wonderland. I can’t say it’s been the time of my life. Actually, I even wanted to withdraw from the play.
“Well, there’s no turning back now,” she said. “You’ve been rehearsing (彩排) for two months. I couldn’t be prouder-of you.” She gave me an encouraging anile, pulling me in for a fierce hug. I had to admit: Mom’s hugs are the best. But despite that, I felt u knot in the pit of my stomach that got worse as the hour of opening night drew nearer.
That day I followed Mom to the backstage of the theater, wearing the questionable costume. I shrank inside myself, but Mom pulled me toward the makeup table. When my makeup artist had set down her last makeup brush and Mom led me over to a mirror, my jaw dropped. A mass of blue spread from my forehead down my nose, and lime green circles bubbled over my cheeks.
“Mom! I can’t go out on stage like this!” I cried. “I’d be a laughing stock!”
“Riley! This is Alice in Wonderland. You’re not the only one in an odd costume. I’m going to watch you go out on that stage tonight. She turned away to leave, but then leaned down and kissed me on the forehead.” I love you, honey. And she went away.
Tears filled my eyes as chaos closed in around me. It felt like I stood there alone for hours, but in reality it was more like ten minutes before the assistant stage manager came in and called my name.
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。
My scene was coming up.
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Applause flowed through the audience.
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Sarah, a high school student, had a great passion for baking. With her parents’ support, Sarah dreamed of opening her own bakery, a place where she could turn her interest into a business. However, she knew the importance of improving her skills and gaining real-world experience.
Therefore, every Saturday, without fail, she would set up a small but charming table at a local park. The park, filled with families and laughter, was the perfect place for Sarah to sell her creations. Her table, neatly laid out with colorful homemade cookies and cakes, attracted passers-by with the desserts’ smell.
On a particularly bright and sunny afternoon, as Sarah was carefully arranging her chocolate cookies and cakes, her attention was drawn to an elderly woman sitting alone on a bench. The woman, with her silver hair and sad eyes, seemed lost in thought. As the hours went by, Sarah noticed that the woman remained where she was, seemingly forgotten by the world. A sense of concern washed over Sarah. So she decided to act. She poured a cup of warm tea carefully and cut a generous slice of her rich chocolate cake, a crowd favorite, and approached the woman.
“I thought you might like some snacks,” Sarah said with a warm, inviting smile. The woman’s face lit up as she accepted the treat. “Thank you, dear. I haven’t had such a delicious treat since my retirement,” she responded, her voice soft yet filled with gratitude. As she enjoyed the cake, tears rolled down her face.
A little shocked, Sarah asked what had happened. The woman introduced herself as Mrs. Wilson, who had been a baker before she retired. Since losing her husband to cancer a week ago, she had been living alone. Her visits to the park were her escape from the loneliness that filled her quiet home. Sarah listened attentively, her heart touched by the woman’s story.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Sarah decided to help Mrs. Wilson out.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Over time, their unlikely friendship became noticed in the park.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1. 活动的时间和地点；
2. 活动的内容；
3. 个人感想。
注意：短文词数应为80个左右。
参考词汇：冬令营 winter camp
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An awkward experience
I was walking along the road to school one day and I met my friend Raine. He suggested that we skip school and go to the movies. I refused because my dad was very strict and I knew he would be mad. Raine offered various reasons but I still refused. Finally, he said there was a Will Smith movie at the local cinema and that I couldn’t afford to miss it. Finally curiosity got the better of me and I agreed to go.
So we set off to the movies together, bought our tickets, popcorn and drinks and settled down comfortably. The movie was due to start in fifteen minutes and the lights were still on. We watched people coming in groups, families and there were couples too. Some of them looked like school students cutting classes like us. As I turned around, I suddenly caught sight of my uncle Andy and aunt Jane walking in. I sank into my seat quickly to avoid being spotted. I signaled to Raine that there was someone I didn’t want to see. But Raine made it more obvious by turning around and asking “Who? And where?” loudly, which made me sit even lower in my seat.
To make things worse, they came and sat just in the row behind us. I couldn’t help but overhear(偷听) their conversation. They were discussing how much I would have loved to come to this movie, knowing my admiration for Will Smith. They were even commenting about the students cutting classes. They spoke in a low voice, but their words were loud enough for me to catch. They discussed the bad influence of cutting classes and the importance of studying hard at school. My heart sank with these words. It was as if they were unknowingly lecturing me, reminding me why I shouldn’t have given in to Raine’s suggestion.
注意：
1. 续写短文的词数应为150左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1:
Soon the lights were turned off and the movie began.
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Paragraph 2:
To my surprise, my uncle and aunt were standing at the exit smiling.
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A Dream Come True
For many years, I kept having the same dream. I was a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get ready for school.
“Hurry, you’ll be late for school,” my mother called to me.
“I am hurrying, Mom. What did I do with my books?”
Deep inside I knew where the dream came from. It was about some unfinished business in my life. As a kid, I loved everything about school. I loved books, teachers, tests and homework. Most of all, I longed to someday march down the aisle (走廊) to receive my diploma (毕业文凭). That seemed more appealing even than getting married.
But at 15, I had to drop out because my parents couldn’t afford tuition. My hope of getting a diploma was dead, or so I thought. Years later, I married and had three children, and I thought, “There goes my diploma.”
Even so, I wanted my children to be educated. But Linda, our youngest child, had juvenile arthritis (幼年型关节炎) in her hands and knees, which made it impossible for her to function in a normal classroom. I felt really sorry for her and I didn’t want her to live her life with regret. I didn’t give up hope of her going back to school in some way.
One day, I saw an ad. in the newspaper for evening courses. “That’s the answer,” I said to myself. Linda always feels better in the evening, so I’ll just sign her up for night school.
Linda was busy filling out enrollment (登记) forms when the secretary said, “Mrs. Schantz, why don’t you come back to school?”
I laughed, “There’s no way. I’m 55.” But he persisted, and before I knew what I had done, I was enrolled for classes in English and art. “This is only an experiment,” I warned the secretary, but he just smiled. So, I told myself to try for just a semester and to see if it would work. Anyway, my dream was still there in my heart.
续写要求：
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。
It was exciting to go to school again but it was no picnic (不轻松).
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Linda and I helped each other through this difficult time.
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Ollie Simmons was good at maths, but Ruby Riley wasn’t. Well, Ruby didn’t think she was. She sat next to Ollie and so she just copied him. This was the best way she had found to do maths and she didn’t have to think at all.
One day the teacher said, “We will be having a maths test after lunch.” Ruby felt there were butterflies in the stomach. “Can I copy off you?” she whispered to Ollie. Ollie thought for a minute. “What will you give me?” he whispered back. Ruby showed Ollie a stone she had. It was round and smooth and the colour of the sea. “OK!” he said, “Give me the stone, and then you can copy my answers.” Ollie got full marks in the maths test and so did Ruby. Their names went on the top of the maths champion chart.
Every week there was a maths test and every week Ollie and Ruby got full marks together. Ollie had to share the top place with Ruby, but it was worth it. He had a torch, a key chain, a golf ball and a gift box!
One day, there was a maths test again. This time, Ruby picked a watch, thinking everything would go as usual—Ollie would let her copy and they would be on the top of the chart together again. But she was wrong. The headmaster came into Ruby’s class. “I want to see Ollie Simmons,” she said. Ollie was gone for a long time. Then the door opened. It was the headmaster again. “Ruby Riley,” she said, “Come with me, please.” Ruby felt like a bird in a cage—there was no way to escape. The headmaster told Ruby that every lunchtime for five weeks she had to do maths. “You have to learn to think for yourself,” she said. “And Ollie has to learn a lesson, too. He’s going to teach you.”
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。
Hanging her head down, Ruby felt so regretful for getting Ollie into trouble.
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Ollie proved to be a good teacher for Ruby.
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Dad and Madison were walking through the party store, gathering decorations for Madison’s upcoming birthday party.
“But I don’t want to invite Lucy Gilbert! I don’t like her!”
“Madison, you are being unreasonable. If every girl in your class is invited to a party but you, you’ll feel left out. It would be a big mistake not toinvite Lucy to the party. ”“She never even talks to me! ”
Dad sighed and moved down the aisle ( 走廊). “Lucy is a new girl in class. She just moved here a little over a month ago. Think about how that must feel. She doesn’t know one single person in the school. She left all of her old friends behind and now she has to try to make new friends. Your party will be a great chance for her to get to know everyone. ”
“No, it won’t. She will probably sit in the corner and not talk to anyone. Every day at lunch she sits all by herself. She wants to eat alone!" Madison shrugged and rolled her eyes (翻白眼).
“Madison, I’m done discussing this. You will invite every girl in your class, including Lucy Gilbert!"
On Saturday morning, the family blew up balloons and decorated the house cheerfully. Madison was dressed beautifully for the day, wearing her new blue dress. It was not typical of her to dress herself like this. She usually wore sports clothes because she loved to be outside riding her horse Star with a lead rope (缰绳).
Madison greeted her friends at the doorstep, picturing (想象)various presents her friends would bring her. In the meanwhile, she was wondering whether Lucy would ruin the party if she came. Anyhow, all the girls she invited came finally, including Lucy. The girls had a fantastic time by singing and dancing while Lucy sat in the corner silently alone. Later, all the girls gathered around the table as Madison opened her presents. Opening them one by one, Madison thanked her friends, with a bright smile on her face.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式作答。
Paragraph 1：
Lucy’s present was the very last to be opened.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Deeply moved by what she said, Madison held the lead rope tightly in her hands.
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