I used to be a lonely girl sitting at the back of the classroom. Having failed the college entrance exams and changed schools twice, I seldom smiled. Every day I would sit at the desk, staring into textbooks and exercises, motionless and heavy-hearted. However, my classmates were in a different picture. They were playing, laughing and chatting delightedly. Besides, I hated it when they were always answering the teachers’ questions, loudly and confidently. Obviously, I had no friends in this fiercely competitive class.
Life is harder for senior students. Hardly does a day go by without exercises or tests. Every time when the scores came out mine wouldn’t be the first or second but last. I was especially tired of the endless exercises and exams, which I seemingly would never do well in. I was under a lot of pressure, feeling like a fish being fried in a pan.
Hanging over me was a dark cloud. The only dim light came from Mr. Smith. Every time I stepped into the classroom, he welcomed me with a warm smile; every time my gaze began to wander over the classroom or stare out of the window, his caring eyes would draw me back to his class. Besides, he was the only teacher who invited me to the office, talking about my studies and scores. I remembered when I came out of his office, I felt refreshed believing that I could work harder.
I was feeling everything was changing for the better. I prepared hard for the final exam of the first semester, desiring to prove that I was not the last one. So before Mr. Smith told us the test result, I was expecting something good in store for me.
But I was still the last one in the class. A burst of sadness and shame consuming me, I was heartbroken.
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。
Right at that moment, Mr. Smith invited me to his office.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, the college admission letter came.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In fifth grade, my family moved across town. I hated being the new kid at school.
I was tall for my age and already wore a size nine shoe—how awkward! My ponytails (马尾辫) and short bangs (刘海) seems quite different from others. I wanted to fit in, but in vain.
Theresa was thin but strong, with blond bangs and tightly pulled-back hair. For a reason unknown to me, she decided that I was worthy of her attention, and every day she walked up to me and kicked me in the back of the legs. Theresa was smart and quick. No teacher ever saw her, and within a week, my legs were bruised (淤青) black and blue.
One day on the playground, as Theresa was about to close in on me again, I escaped away. I glanced over one shoulder and, with relief, didn’t see her and thought she had given up. I stopped abruptly and turned around, unaware that Theresa had been running full-speed toward me. She didn’t expect my sudden stop and crashed into me and fell to the ground. A group of kids standing nearby laughed. Angry, she got up and began to kick me. I couldn’t stand any more. So I made a fist and swung my arm wildly. I caught Theresa in the nose, and she was bleeding. I didn’t know which of us was more surprised. Then we made a big fight. Consequently, we were taken to the principal’s office. He said we should be punished and then filled a form, I stared at his desk and realized that I could read the form upside down. It reads, “Labor punishment for one week.”
Theresa leaned toward me and whispered, “I guess we should get a two-week labor punishment.” I shook my head and said, “No, one week. I can read the form upside down.” Both of us were surprised that we should talk with each other.
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。
We were arranged to take care of the flowers and plants in the school garden together.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I was surprised that Theresa and I have so many things in common.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When I was in high school, my art teacher asked me to participate in a regional painting competition. I hesitated at first. Although I loved art, I had always painted for myself, not for contests or recognition. My family, who had moved from Mexico, encouraged me to express our culture through my art, but I was unsure about exposing my work to the public. Painting was a personal journey for me, a way to connect with my roots and express my emotions.
But my teacher saw something in my paintings that I hadn’t. She said, “Your work tells a story, a vibrant narrative of your heritage and dreams. You should share it with the world.” Motivated by her confidence in me, I decided to take the leap.
I chose the theme of ‘Migration’ for my painting. It was a tribute to my family’s journey from Mexico to the United States, a blend of colors and emotions depicting both the struggles and hopes of moving to a new land. I poured my heart into that canvas, each stroke representing a piece of my story.
As I worked, I found myself lost in the memories and experiences of my family. The more I painted, the more I understood the sacrifices they had made for me. My doubts turned into determination. I wanted this painting not just to be seen but to be felt. I stayed up late for several nights, perfecting every detail, ensuring that every color and every line conveyed the emotions I felt so deeply.
When I finally finished, I was no longer concerned about winning. The painting was a part of me, a representation of my family’s journey and my growth as an artist.
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, and my heart was racing as I displayed my painting among the others.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After the competition, I walked up to my art teacher, filled with a mix of gratitude and pride.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Mom, I’m ready to go,” called Jason.
Every Saturday, Jason looked forward to going to Chinatown to shop for food because his mom let him pick his favorite snacks: roast pork buns and bubble tea.
The streets in Chinatown were crowded with cars and pedestrians. His mother could not find the same exotic vegetables in the local supermarkets, so they always came here to shop. What fascinated Jason was tasty roast pork, even the whole pigs hanging on big hooks in the windows, their skins roasted to a glistening brown. Jason’s mouth would water just looking at them.
As they passed the newsstand carrying Chinese newspapers and magazines, Jason spotted an old man sitting on the sidewalk. His hair was long, white, and messy. The face beneath was lined, dirty, and unshaven. Frayed and torn clothing wrapped around his thin frame, and in this kind of cold weather, he even wore sandals, his feet blue with cold. He banged an empty can against the sidewalk. As Jason walked by, he could smell a musty odor and pinched his nostrils together. The old man reached out and touched Jason’s left leg. Instinctively, Jason gathered all his strength to jerk(猛拉) his leg away and kick the old man’s hand heavily. Frightened, he hurried to catch up with his mother without looking back.
“Mom, the old man touched me,” he cried, “He touched me with his dirty hands. It’s disgusting! And he smelled too.”
Jason’s mother glanced back at the man with a look of understanding and said gently, “Jason, he can’t help it. He’s homeless. He didn’t mean any harm.”
Mom’s words made Jason look back at the old man with regret, who now was looking up at other passersby, still banging his can.
On their way home, Jason asked, his voice filled with concern. “Why is that old man homeless? Where does he sleep?”
“I don’t know. It’s tough to be homeless, especially in this cold weather. He did look quite weak,” his mother replied.
Mom’s words made Jason’s regret deepened. He confessed his heavy kick to his mother, who reminded him that it was crucial to acknowledge his mistake and try to make up for 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。
The next day, with his mother’s help, Jason decided to do something.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing this, the old man looked at them with watery eyes.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Last Saturday, I drove back home from a long hard day. It was snowing heavily and the traffic inched slowly forward like snails. I was so hungry because I skipped my lunch that I decided to stop by KFC and had a quick bite before I continued my journey home. It took me a long time to find a place to park my car. With my face buried in my collar, I walked slowly in the snow. Soon my hands were numb(麻木) with cold, so I pulled my gloves out of my coat pocket and put them on.
I ordered some fried chicken and dug into my pocket for my wallet to pay, only to find it was not there! I remembered I did bring it with me before I set out. Embarrassed, I left the chicken on the counter and said I would return in a minute. Deeply worried, I got out of KFC and ran towards my car, wondering where my wallet, with everything in it, was.
Fresh snow was like a blank paper, recording my tracks. My attention fixed on the ground, I expected to find it on my way. Unfortunately, what I found was only the shape of it in the snow. Obviously, I lost it when I pulled my gloves out. Judging from the footprints on the ground, I was not the only one. There was someone else joining my way. But the footprints of this guy were messy. It seemed that he walked back and forth. My heart sank. At a loss of which way he went, I knew I could never claim my wallet back. Bye, fried chicken, not today. I walked towards my car helplessly.
A short, skinny man was standing by my car. He seemed like homeless because he was dressed in oversized worn-out coat and his face was dirty. He was stamping his feet to keep warm. I felt sorry for him because I had nothing to help him, no money, no food.
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 man noticed me and asked if this was my car.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Refusing my money, he was about to leave.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Ramu started a business with great enthusiasm but just after a few months his business went under. Time passed but Ramu didn’t start any new work. His teacher got to know about his situation and called him to his home.
The teacher asked, “Why don’t you start some other work?”
Ramu replied, “I gave my everything to my business and yet it still failed.”
The teacher tried to comfort him, saying “But that’s life. Sometimes we get success and sometimes we don’t. This doesn’t mean that we stop working.”
“What’s the point of doing work, when I can’t be sure of success?” Ramu replied with a bit of annoyance.
The teacher took Ramu to a room and showed him a dead tomato plant. Ramu was confused and said, “It’s dead. Why are you showing it to me?”
The teacher replied, “When I sowed its seed, I did everything right for it. I watered it, fertilized it, sprayed it with pesticide (杀虫剂) . I took great care of it but it still died.” He stopped for a while and then said, “Doing work is the same... No matter how hard you try, you cannot decide what happens in the end. However, you can control those things in your hands. Just do your best!”
Ramu asked, “But if there is no guarantee of success then what’s the use of doing anything?”
The teacher said, “You’d better not think like that...”
“What’s wrong with that... I have given so much hard work, so much money, so much time; if success is only a matter of chance, then what is the use of doing so much?” said Ramu and he was about to leave.
Just then the teacher stopped him and said, “Before you leave, I want to show you one more thing.”
注意：
续写词数应为150左右；
请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
He took Ramu to another room and opened the door.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
At that very moment, Ramu read the lesson of success.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dogs can do so much for us, whether they’re service dogs that can help with mental health problems or search and rescue dogs saving lives during a natural disaster. However, sometimes dogs are the ones who need a helping hand from us.
This year, I visited Ancoats Canal (运河) in Manchester with my two friends, Jack and Ben. where we could film lots of beautiful scenes. At the end of the visit, we managed to seek out a place to have a rest. Suddenly, we saw a man lying and struggling with a leash (狗链) over a wall. When we got closer. we realized the man was in trouble. At that time, I just took my camera to film some beautiful scenes.
The man held tightly to the leash to try to keep his dog from being dragged away. The dog fell into the canal. struggling to catch the leash. Obviously, the man was panicking (惊慌). With the camera putting on the wall, we quickly jumped in to help. We couldn’t let that dog down and not help. I climbed down the canal first. However, the wall of the canal was too high, so I was not enough to get the dog. We noticed the man in pain and the dog desperately moved his back legs in search of the ground.
Finally, my friend, Jack, was seized by a sudden inspiration.
“I am the tallest of us. I am dangled(悬挂)upside down by the legs and you can drag my legs so I could reach the dog,” Jack said excitedly.
“That is a good idea,” the man said happily.
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。
We carried out our plan immediately.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The video of the moving rescue was posted online after we came back home.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Kevin was a member of a well-known family—well respected and industrious. However, a crisis left their family penniless.
Kevin decided to leave home city and make a living by himself because his family was too poor. Before leaving, he told his father, “I want to learn the circus (马戏) performance.”
His father was confused and wondered why he had such a strange idea.
What his father didn’t know was that Kevin loved the circus since childhood. Every time there was news of a circus performance, he hurried home on his bicycle. He ran through the front door. “Mum, Dad,” he shouted. “The circus has come to town.
He was very excited when his father took him and his sister to the circus the next day. At the circus, the audience always burst out laughing when the clowns (小丑) appeared. The attraction of the circus was endless.
He clearly remembered once they went and sat down, a lady in a shiny costume walked a tightrope. When a boy of Kevin’s age rode a unicycle (独轮脚踏车), he asked for a volunteer. Kevin raised his hand and he was picked. The boy taught Kevin to ride a unicycle. The audience clapped. He had a great time at the circus!
His father was unhappy with his answer, “What? No, you can’t do that. A circus is the place for clowns. Our family will be ashamed of you.”
But Kevin insisted (坚持). “Our family is so poor now. Which is more important to you, dignity (尊严) or food? I will give you some money every month from the circus. It probably will be a huge fortune. ” His father was very stubborn (固执的). “If you go there, somebody will know about it very soon and I’ll be very embarrassed, and it must be really tough to be skilled at performing such tricks.”
However, Kevin still left home and found a circus to stay regardless. He worked very hard studying magic and lived with animals. Every month, his parents would get a check from him.
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。
But they never knew Kevin’s address.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Kevin’s father went to the show.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Every child has the ability to learn and grow. Mr. White, an education expert, firmly believes in this. On many occasions, he has been telling a true story of his experiences to many young teachers who have just joined the profession.
Mr. White used to work in a remote high school for several years, teaching literature. He was an enthusiastic teacher and that rubbed off on all the children. A little girl named Meredith impressed him the most. The girl was a very well educated girl with a lively mind, a girl with ambition.
The seventeen-year-old girl always wore a bright smile. However, she suffered from a disease and had to use a walker most of the time. People didn’t speak to her very often. Maybe it was because she looked different and people didn’t know how to approach her. Meredith usually broke the ice with people she met with a big “Hi”.
Mr. White was particularly concerned about this student. He hoped that other students could actively approach her, but he never had a suitable opportunity. As a teacher, there are some things that cannot be clearly stated, especially in class when Meredith was present.
In one class, Mr. White gave the students an assignment (作业) to recite (背诵) a poem. He knew that poem was difficult for students to master. Mr. White only made the assignment worth a very small part of their total grade since he knew most of his students wouldn’t do it anyway.
In the class, one by one each student failed to correctly recite the poem. Finally, annoyed and half kidding, Mr. White said that the next student who couldn’t recite the poem had to do three push-ups (俯卧撑).
To his surprise, Meredith was next! Mr. White was at a loss for a moment, but he couldn’t take back what he had just said. After all, Meredith once told him not to have special demands on her.
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。
Meredith used her walker to move to the front of the class.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When she finished, a student asked, “Meredith, why did you do that? It’s not an important assignment!”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Missy was absolutely my best friend in the whole world. We had known each other since first grade, and we literally did everything together. We frequently visited each other’s homes, we knew each other’s families like they were our own. The interesting thing about our relationship, however the fact was that the older we got, the more our values seemed to differ. We still enjoyed a lot of the same things, but I was a bit more settled while she loved being associated with popular people and things. Although she was basically a good person, she had no problem with forcing things to go her way.
Perhaps this is why it seemed that her family actually trusted me more than they trusted her. So, on the day when Missy showed up at my house with a huge dent (凹痕) in her father’s car, I knew that we were in for a troublesome time.
She had banged the car into a tree while out that day, and she knew her father was going to have an explanation. So she stopped by my house in order to make up a story that would lessen her father’s rage. Missy decided to tell him that while in a parking lot, someone must have backed into the car and dented it. Looking at the dent with some crashed leaves and bark still sticking there, I attempted to perish (打消) her thought. “I don’t think your father will buy it.” “ Don’t worry,” she insisted,“even if my dad doesn’t trust me, he’ll trust you.” My role was to confirm for her. Now keep in mind that I had strong objections to lying and I wanted absolutely nothing to do with the situation. I loved her parents just like my own, and I did not want to be a party to this lie that Missy was creating. Nevertheless, after much request and a general questioning of my loyalty to our friendship, I decided that the least I could do was to act as a silent witness. That way, I wasn’t actually lying; I just wasn’t telling the full truth.
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: An hour or so later, we presented Missy’s father with the car and the inquiry began.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2: Her father looked at me with great disbelief.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
