1 . A meaningful vacation
提示：暑假刚刚过去，你或许去到了一个向往已久的地方，或许见到了久未相聚的友人，或许参加了一项有意义的课外活动，或许在家帮助父母分担家务，又或许读了一本给你带来启发的书……请以“A Meaningful Vacation”为题。用英语写一篇短文，分享一个让你的假期变得有意义的经历。要求：
1.语言流畅，书写规范，卷面整洁，词数不少于80词；
2.文中不得使用真实姓名，校名，否则以零分计：如需使用英文名，请使用Gina或Mike，校名使用Guangming Middle School；
3.请将短文写在答题卡上，写在本试卷上无效；
4.不得抄袭阅读材料，抄袭部分不得分。
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“Oh, I must have forgotten my wallet at home. I’m so sorry. I’ll have to come back for these things later,” Mary said to the cashier, who started picking up the items and putting them back. Meanwhile, Mary prepared to walk away when the boy behind her in line spoke up.
“Wait, ma’ am. I’ll pay for them,” he said. He couldn’t be older than 12, and Mary noticed that he didn’t look particularly well-off.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t put you out like that,” Mary said.
“Sometimes, we have to do good things. That’s what my grandmother says all the time,” the boy said, paying for everything that Mary had picked out. Luckily, it was only a few essentials.
“Hey, I’m Mary Cummings. What’s your name?” she said conversationally.
“I’m Mark.”
“Thank you so much for what you did, Mark. It saved me a trip to the store. How about giving me your phone number so I can pay you back as soon as I get my wallet,” Mary suggested, and the kid wrote down his number on the receipt.
“Although I also believe in paying it forward like you and your grandma, we have to pay off our debts,” Mary said, and they said goodbye.
She got home and told her daughter, Anastacia, about the experience. “It was nice to see a young man being so kind,” Mary finished her story.
Mary called the kid to return the money the following day.
“Hello, Mrs. Cummings,” Mark said upon opening the front door. “I would invite you in, but I’m not supposed to have anyone over. My grandma would be mad.”
“Oh, where is she? Maybe, we can come later to meet her.” Anastacia added happily.
“She’s actually at the hospital and won’t get out for a while,” Mark explained with a frown (皱眉). Mary and Anastacia wanted to know more, so he continued. “She needs a huge surgery, and I started a GoFundMe, but it’s not that popular.”
“Oh, sweetie. You shouldn’t have to do that on your own,” Anastacia said, concerned.
“We don’t have anyone else. It’s only us,” Mark shrugged (耸肩).
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Mary and Anastacia looked at each other and came to a wordless decision.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Anastacia started writing everything that happened between Mary and Mark.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In the quiet community nestled by the twinkling lake, a unique tradition has taken root, bringing unexpected joy to the residents. The heart of this tradition is a young girl named Emily, whose beauty and kindness have made her a beloved figure among the locals. Emily’s hobby is as colorful and vibrant as her personality: she paints rocks and hides them around the lake for walkers to discover.
Emily’s painted rocks are more than just simple stones; they are miniature works of art. Each rock she selects is carefully cleaned and then transformed into something magical. Some are adorned with complicated patterns, others with creative creatures or inspiring quotes. The vibrant colors and detailed designs make each rock a treasure in its own right.
On a sunny morning, you might find Emily sitting by the lake, her art supplies spread out on a blanket. She often gets lost in her work, her brush moving gracefully over the smooth surfaces of the stones. Her fingers, stained with a rainbow of hues, move with the grace and precision of a seasoned artist. It’s during these moments that Emily feels most at peace, connected to nature and her community through her art.
The residents have come to cherish these painted rocks, seeing them as symbols of hope and happiness. It has become a local pastime to stroll around the lake, eyes scanning the ground for a glimpse of color that signals a new discovery. The joy of finding one of Emily’s rocks is indescribable; it’s as if you’ve stumbled upon a hidden piece of her heart.
One day, Mrs. Thompson, an elderly woman who lives alone, found a rock painted with a sunflower on her usual morning walk. The bright yellow petals seemed to radiate warmth, and a smile spread across her face. She carried the rock home, placing it on her windowsill where it could catch the sunlight. For Mrs. Thompson, that small piece of art brought a sense of companionship and light into her home.
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。
Children are especially enchanted by Emily’s creations.
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Emily’s generosity does not go unnoticed.
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People say there seems to be so much negativity in this world, but there are good people out there and sometimes we are made aware of them when we least expect it.
My family had been planning a yard sale for several weeks. Our five-year-old son, Braxton, asked if he could set up a lemonade (柠檬水) stand during the yard sale. He wanted to make a little money and save up to buy a set of Lego bricks, which might add up to $100. “I will earn it myself!” he declared proudly. He had been talking about it almost non-stop and couldn’t wait for the day to finally arrive.
Two days ago, we put up the sign “Yard Sale” in front of the driveway, telling neighbors about the time and items. On the very day, Braxton woke up early at 6:00 am and couldn’t hide his excitement. After setting everything out for the yard sale, he made the lemonade and baked some cookies to begin his business adventure.
After about an hour or more, we had several customers, but Braxton still had not sold any lemonade. He was a little sad. Then a young woman walked up with her baby to browse the items. While making small talk, we told her about Braxton’s plan to save his money for his little dream. She then selected a couple of baby toys for just $6 and paid with a $10 bill. “Keep the change, boy!” she said gently. Braxton offered to give her the lemonade and cookies he made. He couldn’t have been happier to receive his first little bit of money for the day.
The woman left with the baby toys, the lemonade and some cookies. We didn’t give it much thought after that, but the story didn’t end there.
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。
Several minutes passed and the woman returned.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Holding the envelope and the bill, we were so moved.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Colin often took his 6-year-old son Ethan to the park in the evenings. While Ethan played with his friends, Colin would sit on a bench watching him. But one day was different.
Colin was buried in his thoughts about his childhood. He was an orphan（孤儿）and was adopted by a couple, Jane and Robert, who took him in as a baby and loved him more than anything in the world. However, tragedy struck when Jane died of a heart attack and he had to go back to the orphanage. Robert assured Colin he'd take him back. But that day never came. In fact, Robert vanished and never came back looking for him. As a child, Colin never understood why Robert lied to him and abandoned him at the orphanage. But he was soon adopted by a new family and managed to lead a normal childhood.
Several years passed,and Colin had a family of his own. However, his past would still bite him, as it did that day in the park. “I will never abandon Ethan. I will never do what Robert did to me!” Colin vowed to himself while still deep in thought.
Suddenly, Ethan came running up to him. “Daddy, daddy! Someone needs help! A man is crying there,” he cried, interrupting Colin's thoughts.
“Huh ... where?” Colin inquired, taken aback by the abrupt distraction.
“There, Daddy!” Ethan said, pointing to a nearby bench where an older man was crying and wiping his tears. “We should help him, daddy!”
Colin nodded and approached the man. “Excuse me, sir,” he said. “Can I help you with something?” The man looked up, and Colin saw his eyes were swollen and red from all the sobbing.
“Can you fetch me some water, son?” he pleaded, his voice shaking. “Sure, sir, no problem,” Colin replied and walked to a local shop to buy a bottle of water for him.
After returning, Colin took a seat next to him. “If talking makes you feel better,just bring it on ... I'm all ears.”
“Thank you,” the older man replied and began to tell his story about his long-lost son.
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。
Colin couldn't fight back his tears as he heard the older man's story.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Before Robert could finish, Colin wrapped his arms around him.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After a week’s hard work, Jack went camping with his friends at the weekend. They longed to fully experience nature’s beauty and enjoy a good time with friends. Arriving at the mountain’s base, they discovered a house, in front of which Zac and his father had just finished loading a boat onto Zac’s truck. Jack went up to them and asked for the best place to camp. As a native who knows the mountain very well, Zac enthusiastically recommended that they head to the top and affirmed that the scenery would not disappoint them.
Parking their car next to Zac’s truck and carrying their camping equipment, Jack and his friends set off on the winding road. The mountain is high but the scenery is beautiful. Tall green trees on one side, a flowing stream on the other, the road eventually led them to a breathtaking clearing dotted with colorful wildflowers. They were shocked by the beauty and eagerly anticipated a delightful camping experience. So after a short rest, everyone began to put up their tent.
Just as they were preparing everything and making plans to cook, suddenly the sky became cloudy and it seemed that a storm was coming. They hurried into their tents and soon heard the rumbling of thunder, followed by a downpour of rain. Heavy rain enveloped the surroundings, making it impossible to see anything. They had no choice but to patiently wait it out.
It was raining harder and harder, from afar, the earth like hanging out with a tremendous bead curtain. After what felt like a century, the rain ceased. For safety reasons, they planned to go down the mountain. Without delay, they immediately packed up their gear (装备) and went down the mountain. However, they were worried and afraid when they found that a small stream they had previously crossed had turned into a wide and impassable river after heavy rains. With no cellphone signal, they were trapped without a means of seeking help. To make matters worse, darkness was approaching.
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, they heard the sound of a vehicle from across the river.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jack and his friends boarded the boat.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I went out one early November morning last year to walk the dogs, a break from caring for my husband, Dale. Some neighbors were passing by with their dogs too. I told them how weak Dale was. Even though he was finally home from the hospital after suffering two strokes and a heart attack, his breathing still labored from his initial Covid infection in September. I looked down our street, at the homes that would soon be lit in a communal holiday display, and pushed away the thought that this Christmas might be Dale’s last. “We’ll have to skip lighting up this year,” I said. “Dale’s all that matters, and I need to get these dogs walked so I can get back to him.” The couple offered to take care of our Christmas lights, but I turned their offer down because it was just too big a job.
We usually went all out, cleaning the house, wrapping the tree, lining the yard and driveway with candy canes. It was a full day’s work for Dale and me. Actually, Christmas was the reason we’d moved to Ashby Avenue in one of Des Moines’ must- see holiday neighborhoods. For the entire month of December, cars paraded down the streets from 6 to 10 pm. Carolers (唱诗班) and community groups filled the sidewalks. The whole neighborhood took on a festive air. I’d always dreamed of being part of it, and when Dale and I heard the news that there was a house going on the market three years ago, we jumped at the chance.
I returned with the dogs as fast as I could, in the meantime, feeling sad that we wouldn’t be able to celebrate Christmas as we used to do. Dale was lying on the bed awake, his eyes staring out of the window. I helped him sit up. He wasn’t able to talk much, but we only grew closer in our quiet time together.
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 phone rang a few days after I’d run into the fellow dog- walkers.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On the night of Christmas Eve, I pressed the switch to light up the house.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I was 24 years old, I made the life-changing choice to move to America, leaving my homeland that was 11,000 kilometers away. This courageous decision came with its own difficulties, especially the challenging task of fitting into a new and unfamiliar place. Besides, working from home increased my loneliness, as I was cut off from social interactions.
However, as fate would have it, an unexpected opportunity changed everything for me. I decided to dedicate my time and energy to volunteering at a local animal shelter, hoping to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need.
Upon arriving at the shelter, I was drawn to a small, grey and white dog named Luna immediately. Found abandoned and scared of humans, Luna hid in the corner of her small cage, her tiny body shaking with fear. Every part of her was tense, ready to run if she needed to. Her tail was wrapped around her, like a blanket to keep her safe. Luna’s ears were flat against her head, showing how scared she was. Her lonely green eyes filled with a deep sense of loneliness and fear seemed to mirror my own sense of displacement in this foreign land.
From that moment on, I made it my mission to gain Luna’s trust and help her adjust to her new surroundings, just as I was trying to do in this foreign land. I patiently spent countless hours sitting by her side, offering gentle care and unconditional love. Firstly, I made sure Luna had a comfortable and safe place to sleep, with enough food to eat, fresh water to drink, and fun toys to play with. As Luna gradually opened her heart to me and the surroundings, I knew it was important for Luna to socialize and rebuild her faith in humans. I slowly let Luna meet others in the house, always watching to make sure everyone was nice.
Slowly but surely, Luna began to respond, stepping out of her shell and allowing me into her world.
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。
As days turned into weeks, Luna and I developed a bond.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My time at the shelter provided a valuable understanding of settling down in a new country.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Ms. Freebody liked her job as a teacher. She paid attention to every pupil of hers and special attention to kids who needed extra care, like Tammy Harper.
Tammy belonged to a poor family, and he was hard-working but failed in all subjects. To her shock, one day, Freebody saw Tammy doing something strange. He was picking up several dollar bills fallen off the floor and stuffing them back into his locker (锁柜). The teacher’s heart sank. “Where did he get all that money?” was the first question that crossed her worried mind.
The whole school knew Tammy came from a humble background, so the money certainly wasn’t something he got from home. Besides, the boy was so poor that he couldn’t even afford new clothes and shoes. “Oh dear, this child…” Freebody’s heart shuddered (发抖) to think where Tammy could’ve gotten all that money. She couldn’t just turn a blind eye to it as she cared about him. He was a little boy, after all.
Forcing a smile on her face, she decided to approach him. He was busy picking up the bills, so she gave him a helping hand, and he seemed terrified. “Ms. Freebody...You...This is my money!” he said, and Freebody didn’t say anything. She picked up the last of the fallen bills, folded her arms across her chest, and then spoke, “And would you mind telling me where you got them, child?”
Freebody noticed the tears welling up in Tammy’s eyes. “Can... Can you please give me that money back, Ms. Freebody? I …I need it. Please?”
“There you go,” she said, extending the bills to him, and he quickly stuffed them in his looker. Then he said a small “thank you”.
But Freebody wanted to get to the bottom of the matter. “Where did you get that money, Tummy? Are you in any trouble? Did someone force you to get into the wrong kind of things…like stealing?”
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 dad… My younger sister Miley wants to go to school,” Tammy whispered.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing that, Freebody said, “Take me to your home. I’ll talk to your dad.”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Chase counted his gifts for Valentine’s Day one more time as he put a robot-shaped eraser into each envelope.
“Twenty, twenty-one.”
“Do you have one for everyone in your class?” Mom asked.
“Yep!” Chase said. “I’m ready for the party tomorrow!”
When Chase got to school the next day, he saw a new girl in his classroom. She stood near Ms. Robins and looked around shyly. “This is Eva,” said Ms. Robins. “Will someone volunteer to show her around today?” Chase raised his hand. He liked showing the new kids around and helping them feel welcome. “Thanks, Chase,” Ms. Robins said. “Now let’s get busy with our work so we’re done in time for the party.”
That’s when Chase realized he didn’t have a gift for Eva. No one else would have one either. Chase pictured his classmates’ desks covered with gifts while Eva’s desk was empty. He felt a sad lump in his stomach.
After class, he was careful not to mention the party as he showed Eva around the playground. At lunchtime, he walked Eva to the lunchroom, still worried about what would happen at the party. Eva had brought a packed lunch, so Chase showed her where she was supposed to sit and introduced her to some of the kids at her table. Chase picked up a tray and joined the rest of his classmates in the lunch line. As the lunch server placed a heart-shaped cookie on Chase’s tray, Chase suddenly remembered that kids often included candy hearts or other treats with the valentines they exchanged. An idea popped into his head as he sat down round the table. He whispered it to the kids around him. Soon everyone at the table was nodding and whispering. When they were back in the classroom after lunch, Chase told Ms. Robins about their plan and asked for a piece of red paper. Ms. Robins smiled. “That’s very thoughtful,” she said. “Let’s go 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。
Eva didn’t know a surprise was waiting for her.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, they passed out their valentines at the party.
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