Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living. One night, I took a fare (出租车乘客) at 2:30 AM. When I arrived to collect, sanding on the sideway was a small woman in her 80swith a big suitcase.
After I helped her into the taxi, she gave me an address and asked, “Could you drive through downtown?” “It is not the shortest way,” I answered quickly. “I don’t mind,” She said, “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice (临终安养院).” I looked in the rear-view mirror (后视镜). Her eyes were wet. I quietly reached over and shut off the meter (计价器). “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.
For the next two hours, we drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newly married. She had me stop in front of a shabby house where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she asked me to slow in front of a particular building and sat staring into the darkness, saying nothing. At last, she said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”
We drove in silence to the destination. It was a grey low building.
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。
“How much do I owe you?”she asked, reaching into her purse.
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I said goodbye to her.
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On the walk home from school, my friend, Cherry, happily said, “Tomorrow is Mother’s Day. I’ve been saving up for the past month and plan to buy my mother the perfume (香水) she’s been wanting for so long.” Her excitement made me realize that I hadn’t prepared anything special yet. But I only had a little money left. I began to regret spending so much on snacks every day. “See you next week!” Cherry’s voice pulled me back to reality. We waved goodbye as she went into a perfume shop.
I continued walking along the road, carefully thinking about what gift I should choose. I planned to buy something like flowers or chocolate, but now it seemed like those were way too simple. Therefore, I pushed open the door to a mall (商场) and tried to find the perfect gift. The bright lights illuminated (照亮) the collection of various goods. I picked up a lipstick (口红) but immediately (立即) put it back after seeing its price. I could never afford that! Then I walked into another shop and saw a lovely cup. This cup, besides being beautiful, would also remind my mother to drink water. It’d be a wonderful gift. I picked it up and turned it over to see the price listed, hoping it was not too expensive. But once again, I couldn’t afford it even with all the money that I had. Feeling sad, I continued to wander around the shops. Time flew by quickly, and before I knew it, the sky began to darken, so I had to go home.
Since there was no time or money for me to pick out a gift, I decided to make a simple card. When I finished, the clock on my bedroom wall struck 11 p.m. I held up the card, examining its hardcover, handwritten letters, and the tiny pictures I’d drawn of my mom and me. It’s probably never going to compare to the expensive gifts that my friends bought for their mothers, I thought sadly.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Soon, morning came, and it was time to give my mother my handmade card.
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“I love this card!” My mother said excitedly.
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Thomas and Christine Noctor have lived and raised their family in the home for three decades. They and their 12-year-old grandson Dean, who lives with them, had most of their personal belongings damaged or destroyed after a fire broke out in Thomas’ home office on Saturday evening.
Ally Noctor was in the home with her mother, father, nephew Dean, and brother James when the incident happened. “My mom has COPD (慢性阻寒性肺病) so I said ‘just get out the back’, and she took the dog out the back,” Ally recalled. “My brother came running down looking for a fire extinguisher (灭火器), and my dad was screaming, ‘Fire !’”
The fire started in the box room It’s Thomas home office. He’d just done it up. It was clearly an electrical fault but no one thought at the time to turn off the electricity. The room started filling with smoke quickly and they had to leave immediately.
The house is located just a short walk away from the fire station. But when neighbors called, the available trucks were already out — so nearly 20 minutes had passed before the fire crew arrived.
Thankfully, they managed to prevent the fire from spreading to the attic (阁楼) or to any more homes in the community.
The family then went back inside the house to investigate what had happened and survey the damage caused. Dean’s gaming PC was melted, toys were melted, and even the shower was melted. All their clothes couldn’t be taken out.
“The downstairs is okay, but there is smoke damage and water damage. And all of the upstairs is completely damaged. My mom is still in shock. She’s just staring into space,” Ally said.
But Ally was quick to praise her community, who were right there to help the Noctors get out of the house the moment they sensed trouble and every one of the family got timely help.
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上作答。
Ally ran out the door without shoes on when escaping.
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The temporary house is OK but New Year may be difficult.
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“Not again!” Aliya shouted angrily, looking at the marks she had attained in her maths test.
It seemed as if failing in the math test had become a part and parcel of her life. Despite her efforts, she had been unable to perform well. Tears in her eyes, she quickly shoved (乱塞) the paper into her bag before any classmate could make a rude comment on her.
Effortlessly, using the back of her palm, she was wiping the tears when her teacher Mrs Leena noticed her. She came to Aliya’s desk and, in a soft voice, asked her to see her during the break time.
Wondering what it could be, Aliya waited impatiently for lunchtime. Finally, when the bell rang, she made her way to Mrs Leena. As soon as she saw Aliya, she gestured for her to sit on the empty chair beside her.
She carefully studied her face, cleared her throat with a bright smile and said, “You seem to be anxious. I think I know what’s bothering you. If you allow me I think together we may come up with a good solution.”
With a puzzled look, she said, “Well ma’am, you know I have been struggling in maths since the beginning of the term. It seems as if no matter how hard I work, I am unable to get the desired result. I feel so upset,” she said sadly.
“You need not be so gloomy,” encouraged Mrs Leena. “With these three key ingredients: hard work, determination and resilience (韧性), you will move ahead and succeed. It’s always the first step that’s difficult, but once you decide not to look back and not give up, you will be successful, my dear. Come on, gather yourself and let’s work on it together.”
From that day onwards, Aliya worked hard, religiously following her teacher’s advice. By the time the final exams drew close, she had thoroughly revised her math book and well-prepared.
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。
On the exam day, a fear of failure upset her stomach.
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She passed her math exam with an unbelievable A grade on her report card.
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5 . 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。
It was the last day of school, and the long year spent in fourth grade had finally come to an end. It had rained heavily all day, and by the afternoon it became chilly. The sun had dipped below the horizon (地平线) as I got home soaked (湿透) and cold. I rushed into my room and slipped into some dry clothes. Once I had changed, I joined my mother in the kitchen. She had already lit the fire to prepare supper.
The wood soon caught fire, and the warmth spread around the room. I tried to get closer to the fire as my body was shivering with the intense cold. My mother gently rubbed my back and said, “I am proud of you, my little hero,” as I told her how my schoolwork had improved. I remember her bright smile and the joy in her eyes.
My mother started humming the lyrics to one of my favorite songs, “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. I immediately began to sing with my mother. We would always sing songs like this together. My mother knew how much I loved singing. She always felt sorry that she couldn’t afford to pay for music classes for me.
Life was not easy for us during that period. I was living with my mother after she separated from my dad, which happened the year before when I was in third grade. Sometimes the nights were tedious (单调乏味的) and tiresome as we did not have a television and the batteries in our old radio would often run out. However, I enjoyed the 20 songs that my mother and I sang together. As she hummed the tune and I sang along, I dreamed of a world where performing on stage would be the pillar (支柱) of my life. The turning point of my childhood came after the end of fourth grade. Our neighbor moved away and left his old piano to us.
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。
My mother was so happy that she could teach me singing at home with this piano.
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The next term, I became the lead singer of the school chorus, which was one step closer to my dream of becoming a singer and inspiring people with my voice.
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I was a bad boy in a village in India. At least I was labeled that way because I had no interest in school or studies. I used bad language, hung around with other “bad” boys, skipped school and ran through the fields. No one thought I would do anything worthwhile with my life. And I’d heard many people in our village talking. “Why bother going to school? These kids end up back on the farms anyway. He’ll never amount to anything.” My parents and teachers were disappointed with my average marks.
My mother envisioned a different future and knew the value of education to create a better life. By the time I entered the 12th grade, I had taken a good look at myself and realized the life I was creating. The bad boy image troubled me. I didn’t believe I was a bad boy. I didn’t want to be a bad boy. These realizations forced me to acknowledge that my mother was right — education was my only way out. I worked hard to finish my high school, and then I decided to apply for higher education in university. But this village bad boy faced too many challenges.
Firstly, my family had very limited money. In addition to that, my grades were not good. There was very little chance I’d gain admission to a university. Still, I took a chance and applied. The last day of admissions, I visited the university to check my result. I looked down the list, and there it was, “Parashram J. Patil”. Finally, I’d been admitted. Now, it was the last day to pay, so I had to find money to cover my fees.
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。
Helpless, I sat outside the department head—Professor Parth’s office.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From then on, things changed.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As The Jungle Book song Bear Necessities goes, “forget about your worries and your conflict” can be a little bit difficult when you find yourself face to face with a real bear.
Bears are common in the Northern Hemisphere. As human habitats stretch toward the wilderness, more and more animals cross their paths with those of humans. This can lead to dangerous encounters especially when precautions are not in place. In these situations, keeping your distance is still the best advice.
According to the National Park Service, one should also remain calm as bears, more often than not, are not really willing to attack you. Once in a standoff (对峙), avoid making sudden moves or loud noises as these can trigger aggression. 7-year-old Huxley did exactly what he was told when he encountered a massive bear.
It was a Sunny morning. Huxley was wandering on his way home when a big hulking (笨重的) figure emerges from behind him. A hurried glance backward, he knew it was a black bear. The bear approached cautiously at first, probably sizing up the figure in front of him. A second later, perhaps judging that Huxley was no match for it, the bear burst into a full sprint (冲刺) and ran its way toward the boy.
At first, Huxley was really frightened. However, he knew it was impossible to run or fight with the big beast. In the moment of crisis, he remembered his mother reminds him regularly about these possible encounters. She tells him that if Huxley finds himself face to face with a bear and there are no adults around, he should remain calm.
Huxley calmed down at thinking of this. He stared at the bear down without any movement. This might have been the reason why the young bear stopped dead in its tracks. They faced each other motionless, and there was only a foot distance between 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。
From around the corner, a neighbor hurriedly walked to the scene.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The neighbor continued to pressure the bear while the animal tried its best to find an escape route.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My sister Josie and I wanted a dog more than anything else. We begged our parents many times but always got the same answer. One summer night, however, in our yard stood a big black female dog. We couldn’t believe our eyes!
Josie made a little kissing noise and held out her hand. The dog came to us slowly, taking a few steps forward, then a step back. She was so skinny and her coat was full of dirt. When she came closer, I was glad to find no tags around her neck.
Josie brought milk and several eggs for her. But when she finished them, she ran into the bush and disappeared. “Don’t go!” Josie cried, “Come back!” But she was gone. “I think she’ll be back when she gets hungry again,” I said.
The next night, we set the food in the driveway. Soon the dog appeared. We called her Lucky, hugged her gently and showed her the food. She sniffed it, drooling (垂涎) and licking her mouth, but for some reason she wouldn’t eat it.
The next minute Lucky did something unexpected. She grabbed the plate in her mouth and dragged it away. In the following nights it was the same scene. But the strangest thing was that even though Lucky kept taking the food, she didn’t seem to be putting on any weight.
On the fifth night, Lucky didn’t come as usual. We were worried. When we almost gave up, she appeared. She barked at us and ran back and forth. Then she ran towards the bush slowly, still barking. We chased after her. She ran and barked, turning to see if we were following. After about ten minutes, Lucky finally stopped, wagging her tail quietly. She looked at us, barked and disappeared through a dark hole in the wall of leaves and branches. I pointed toward the hole. “No way I’m going in there,” Josie said.
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。
However, after hesitating for a little while, we finally made a decision.
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Worried but excited, we went home with Lucky and her four little babies.
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I was in my room, feeling unwilling to head to the community theatre with “my brother” Henry. He had recently been adopted by my parents and I was not in the mood for being on stage with him.
“Kirstie, come here,” my mom called. Following her voice, I found her outside the bathroom, holding a wet book. She gave the book a shake. “Henry’s book was in the bathtub. Did you put it there?” She glared at me, something she had never done before Henry came to our home. I hadn’t wet his book on purpose. Raindrops fell from my eyes. To make matters worse, she promised to buy him a new copy. My heart ached. Henry was stealing my mother’s love. He was ruining my life.
Meanwhile, Henry was nearby, absorbed in working on a complicated rope knot (绳结), something he liked to do. Why did a boy like him like doing girly work? It seemed far from manly (男子汉气概).
Soon, it was time to set off to the community theatre. As Henry walked ahead of us to the car, my mom took me aside and said in a low voice, “It will be Henry’s first time onstage. Be kind to him, honey.” I nodded but sighed (叹气). I hadn’t always found it this difficult to be kind. But since Henry had moved in, everything felt different. The theatre used to be a special place for my parents and me. With Henry involved, it didn’t seem so special any more. Finally, it was our stage time. My heart beat wildly. I forgot my annoyance at Henry for a while. As we kids lined up, ready to act out our short play, I realized how loosely I had tied the drawstring on my skirt. Sure enough, my skirt began to drop. I could hear the audience laughing. Even though I was wearing shorts under my skirt, I could feel my face burst into flames. However, my hands were full. If only someone could help me out.
注意：1. 所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:
Right then, Henry sensed my embarrassment.
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After the performance, I found Henry and tapped him on the arm gratefully.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________There was a girl called Cary, who was a new student in Esmarth Vil, a primary school in a small town.
She was the most hardworking girl at her school. Her marks were higher than the others. She was the best, but nobody wanted to be her friend. Her classmates didn’t want to play with her and some even laughed at her. Cary’s teacher Jared didn’t know that.
One day, Jared set an exam and Robert, a boy who was the king of all the students, signed his exam paper using Cary’s name, and changed Cary’s name for Robert’s quickly after Cary handed in her paper. It wasn’t noticed by anybody. When Jared returned all the exam Papers, everybody was shocked. Cary failed the exam, but the others seemed to be happy with that.
The next day, when Cary arrived at school, all the children wanted to be with her and invited her to play with them. Although Cary was surprised, she was happy to play with the other children. During their fun time, Jared suddenly appeared to inform Cary that there had been a mistake, and she hadn’t failed.
Jared explained to the students what had happened and punished Robert. After that, they all stopped playing with Cary again.
Cary couldn’t stop crying this time and ran to ask her teacher why she couldn’t make friends with good school performance.
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。
Jared was sorry to know what had happened to Cary.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After hearing Jared’s story, all the children decided to change themselves.
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