“Catch it!” My husband and I shouted, but saw the ball hit the grass near our four-year-old’s feet while he continued kicking at the dirt. It was mid-season, yet he showed no interest in the ball game. We called his name and told him to pick up the ball, but he just stared blankly before going back to kicking the dirt.
As the games went on, it was clear that the coach didn’t want our son to play. We practiced with him, showing him how to hold the bat and throw the ball, but he never understood running the bases or other things we tried to teach.
At the end of the season, our son once again received the “Most Improved” medal, which he had received in other sports before. My husband and I looked at each other and I said, “Well, at least he’s improving,” though it reminded me of other sympathetic gestures from coaches or teachers. I was used to the feeling of our son being different and unable to fit into ball games. The same year, his preschool teacher told me, “He’s not paying attention.” This was not what any parent wanted to hear, but I knew it was true. As a stay-at-home mom, I was tired of having to repeat instructions to him. Initially, I wasn’t sure how much of it was normal, as he was our first child. We decided to have him assessed, but it was a guessing game until he turned six, when a professional evaluation determined that he had Asperger syndrome (幼儿孤独症). My husband always believes our son will be a good boy. Fortunately, he is blessed with good looks, intelligence, and an ability to face the future. There are no obvious signs that he has Asperger’s, apart from frequent lack of eye contact.
A friend invited our son to her son’s birthday party after his diagnosis (诊断), but I turned it down because it was a dirt-bike party and our six-year-old couldn’t ride a regular bike.
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 didn’t go to the party, but at least it inspired us to get our son to try cycling.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The attempt was not a success, so we decided to expose him to swimming lessons.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Karl was Fred’s son. When his son was little, Fred’s wife passed away, so a mountainous responsibility landed on Fred’s shoulders. Fred was fond of and cared about his son so much that he raised his son with all his heart and soul. He taught him to walk, talk, read and write. He also taught him how to be a true and moral man. When Karl came home with an injury due to falling off his bike or something else, it would hurt Fred’s heart more than it would hurt the boy. Whenever Karl went down with a fever, Fred would sit beside him day and night, barely sleeping a wink (合眼). He always supported Karl in every aspect. Gradually, Karl grew up to become an adult.
How deeply Fred loved his son! However, Fred was unprepared for the day when his beloved son Karl told him he would leave and start his own business in a new city.
“But, Karl, you are too young to start a business,” Fred warned his son. “You still have a long way to go. I think you can help me manage the cafe my grandma left to me first. This way, I’d be able to teach you more about business.” But Karl was stubborn and wouldn’t follow Fred’s advice. “Dad, I am not a kid anymore, so allow me to determine my life. OK?” said Karl. One week later, Karl packed his things and left for the new city, leaving the sad and worried father behind.
Three months passed. One night, Fred got a call from his son. It was strange because Karl seldom called him up after he left for the new city. “Dad, I should have followed your suggestions and stayed at home. I went bankrupt (破产的) and I am in debt now,” Karl said. “I knew this would happen someday,” Fred painfully thought. He planned to help his son and made one of his most difficult choices. “Don’t worry, my son. Luckily, you will succeed to (继承) a huge amount of money from your uncle, soon,” Fred told Karl.
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。
“Oh, I am so fortunate,” said Kurl.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On his way back home, Kar l was wondering how his father was.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I still remember what I felt on a bright Saturday morning in late September, at a five-kilometer race in Clarkston, Georgia.
It was an unusual morning. About an hour earlier, when we drove into town to participate in the race, my 11-year-old son noticed a green tree cricket（蟋蟀） on my car. It was friendly, no longer than a fingernail. It jumped onto my son’s finger, and walked across my shirt, and then went back to my son’s hand, where it stayed so long that we eventually gave it a name: Little Friend.
The walk from the car to the registration table was perhaps a quarter of a mile. Little Friend stayed with my son. Then, we walked back across the railroad tracks and waited for the race to start. A few minutes before the race, Little Friend either fell or jumped off my son’s hand and landed on the sidewalk. Maybe it wanted to go free. But this was not a good place for that. Pedestrian（行人） traffic was heavy, so Little Friend was in danger. My son knelt and reached out his hand. It came back.
The race was about to start, and the tiny green insect was in for a wild ride. My son would run fast, and the race would be long. The race began. I ran well enough, and felt excited at the finish line. But that thrill gave way to anxiety when my son didn’t show up.
I knew he could run 5 kilometers in about 30 minutes. When I didn’t see him at the 35-minute mark, I began to wonder what had gone wrong. And as the 40-minute mark approached and he still didn’t appear, I went out looking for him. Had he got lost? I crossed the railroad tracks and looked down a long straightaway, hoping to see his face. Finally, there he was, just ahead of the 45-minute mark.
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。
Little Friend was riding proudly on one finger of my son’s right hand.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Smiling, we walked back to the car with Little Friend.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Ninny grew up with her grandparents. Her grandmother worked as a housekeeper, and her grandfather was too weak to move. In his wheelchair, Grandfather told her stories about flowers, princesses and sunrises. Those stories always ended with the same message: A simple act of kindness creates an endless ripple (涟漪) that comes back to you.
One day, Ninny was at the supermarket with her grandmother. They only bought the bare minimum. “Oh!” Ninny jumped when she spotted a chocolate cake. She pulled her grandmother’s sleeve. “Grandfather’s birthday is around the corner! Can we please, please, please have it?” The old lady eyed the chocolate cake. There were beautiful decorations on the top with fancy designs on the side. Picking up the cake, Grandmother took a close look at the price and sighed, “Ninny, we can’t afford it. It’s $40!”
Ninny pouted (噘嘴), trying to convince her grandmother. Yet she knew that her grandmother would not bend, even if she begged with her puppy eyes. No matter what, money did not grow on trees. Ninny sighed and turned around. Grandmother gave her a sad smile and turned towards the cashier.
Almost out of nowhere, a man with a 50 dollar bill and the chocolate cake approached her and handed these things to Ninny. “Have them, dear.”
Ninny took a closer look at the man. He was average. Average face, average clothes, and average everything. He was just a random man.
The man bent down and maintained eye contact with Ninny. “Do you know why I’m giving you these?” Ninny shook her head. “When I was a little boy, a man bought me a chocolate cake. He just overheard a conversation I had with my mother. Nothing else. He gave me some money and a small slip of paper. Then he left.” The man reached into his pocket and took out a dog-eared piece of paper. Looking at the words written, Ninny wore a smile on her face, for she was so familiar with the message.
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。
Ninny hugged the dollar bill, cake and the piece of paper to her chest.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Grandfather’s eyes widened, “You won’t believe it!”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The art competition at school was always a highly anticipated event. This year was no exception, with students from all grades eager to showcase their creative talents. Among them were two friends, Jane and Sally.
Jane had a deep passion for art, but she often struggled with expressing her ideas on paper. She would spend hours in front of a blank canvas (画布), trying to capture the perfect image in her mind, but her efforts often fell short. Sally, on the other hand, was naturally talented and her artworks were always praised by teachers and classmates.
As the competition drew nearer, Jane worked harder than ever, staying up late into the night to perfect her piece. Sally, however, seemed to take it all in stride (大步走), casually sketching and painting without much effort. She often teased Jane about her lack of talent, making jokes that were meant to be light-hearted but stung Jane deeply.
On the day of the competition, Jane’s heart was filled with both excitement and fear. She had worked so hard on her piece, but she knew that it still paled in comparison to Sally’s effortless creations. As she set up her canvas and began to paint, she could feel Sally’s eyes on her, mocking (嘲笑) her every move.
Halfway through the competition, Jane encountered a difficult obstacle. She couldn’t seem to capture the essence of her subject the way she wanted to, and her frustration mounted. She looked around at the other students, seeing their confident strokes and vibrant colors, and she felt a pang of defeat. She wanted to give up, to throw away her brush and walk away.
But just as she was about to do so, she caught sight of Sally. Sally wasn’t laughing or mocking her now; instead, she looked at Jane with a mixture of surprise and concern. It was as if she realized that her words had hurt Jane more than she had intended. And in that moment, Jane found a new resolve. She wasn’t going to let Sally’s words or her own doubts defeat her. She was going to finish her piece, no matter what.
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。
With renewed determination, Jane returned to her canvas.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________She heard her name announced as the winner of a special recognition award for perseverance and dedication.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Last summer, my team and I traveled to a reserve in Indiana for field work. After five hours, we finally arrived. We had been looking forward to this trip for over a year. We decided to stay at a local hotel and walk into the reserve the next day
Upon the information we received at the visitor center the next morning, we ultimately decided to hike on a canyon trail. It was supposed to be a calm day and it was supposed to bean easy job in the reserve. Little did I know that day would become one of the scariest in my life.
To be prepared for our journey, we brought along plenty of water and snacks. We kept moving and were on our way. With the purpose of studying different species, I tried to identify various types of trees and animals. I noticed an unknown creature running away
“Ill catch up with you guys,” I told my teammates. They continued on the path while imindlessly followed the creature. It had a short tail and its coat was a shade of beige (米色) with spots on it, unlike anything I had seen before. After following it fora while, I was able to get a close-up view, and determined it to be a bobcat (短尾猫), which was not friendly to me. When I realized it,it was too late, because I had wandered off the trail.
Never having been in this situation before, I was completely confused. What should I do? Since there was no cell phone reception, I knew calling for help was out of the picture. At this point, I realized I would have to be responsible and get back to the trail. I had to abandon all fears and go in “survival mode” to get to safety. “Help! Help!” I screamed, but the high wind was the only response. Trying to backtrack to my route, I only got deeper into the wilderness
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。
Suddenly, I heard a sound come from behind me.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I had to take action to ensure safety.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was a particularly dark and stormy night, with the fierce wind shook the windows wildly, as if some unseen force was beating them from outside. The clouds had gathered in a dense mass, blocking out the moon and the stars. Contrasting dramatically with the outside, the air in the house was filled with joy and warmth as family members gathered together, all eagerly anticipating the festival. The children were laughing and playing, chasing each other around the living room. Their laughter and chatter filled the air, creating a lively and festive atmosphere. The adults who sat around the dining table, sharing stories, were infected by their energy, finding themselves wearing smiles all the tire. It was New Year’s Eve and our annual party is in full swing.
Unexpectedly, our hearts skipped a beat as loud explosions echoed through the night, sending shivers down our spines. We rushed to the windows, hearts pounding, and looked out into the hills, where a terrifying sight awaited us. The electrical transformers (变压器) were now erupting in a chaotic display of sparks and flames. One by one, the lights in the surrounding areas began to flicker and fade. The darkness swallowed up the hills and just in a minute only a few scattered lights remained, twinkling weakly in the distance. And then, without warning, came a deafening explosion, and our own house went dark too.
I quickly gathered all the candles we had and lit them, casting a soft glow that transformed the room into a cozy atmosphere. However, we faced a challenge. With fifteen people gathering around. we still needed to prepare dinner. How could we possibly cook without electricity? The question hung in the air, but we knew we had to find a way to make the most of our situation and ensure everyone had a memorable New Year’s Eve.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
The barbecue!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the clock ticked closer to midnight, the excitement in the air reached a feverish pitch.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One click of my wooden stick, and the buffaloes (水牛) moved forward. I guided them along the road’s edge, through the heart of the village. We walked past mud homes and villagers bent over tending to their crops. We eyed the green fields, where the buffaloes could eat growing grass. This was my life in a small village in Sindh, Pakistan. We had little, but I had a big dream.
Up ahead laughter attracted my attention. A group of students came into view, their uniforms a contrast to my faded trousers and worn-out shoes. Fingers wrapped tight around my stick, I stepped forward and said sincerely, “Dear students, could you please show me your books?” The students looked from my face to my stick, to their books. They quickly opened their bags and showed me their books. Illustrations of people and places caught my imagination.
“Someday, I’ll go to school too,” I declared, returning their books. Actually, I was desperate to go to school so that I could broaden my horizons.
Months passed. Every day I rose to my chores and buffaloes. Until, one day I got my chance. My uncle came to visit. He and Father sat, drinking tea outside. “Brother, you must send Rasool Bux to school. Herding the buffaloes is not in his future,” Uncle convinced my father. that all children should go to school. The following week, I was studying in primary school. Now, armed with my own books, I set out to learn everything. I read textbooks, asked questions, and even read newspapers for my father and his companions.
By the end of the year, I proved to be one of the best students in the school. I resolved to study at college or university in Karachi, a big city over 150 kilometers away. Unfortunately, I suffered from a skin condition that left white spots on my skin. The constant loss of skin color was stressful, making me feel bad about myself and even drawing attention away from my studies.
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 thought of not being able to finish school made me feel extremely depressed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I visited my uncle after I did make it to university in Karachi.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It took a day’s drive, but distance was beside the point. I always enjoyed long journeys in my father’s car with my family. However, things went different that time. We were moving to a new town, not for any tourist destination, but to settle down, for my father had a new job there. My mother, sitting on the passenger seat in the front, was talking with my father. She looked excited for the coming new life. But I was down, feeling nervous about starting a new school life. Entering a new school meant adapting to a completely different environment and meeting new classmates and teachers, which I was not good at.
On my first day at the new school, I felt lost and out of place. The students already knew each other well, and they chatted happily during breaks. I missed my old friends terribly and wished I could go back to my old school. Feeling lonely. I often spent time alone during breaks and after classes, reading books in the library or drawing pictures in the art room. I missed the good days I had with my old friends and longed for that sense of belonging.
As the days went by, I still found it hard to fit in. I was shy and found it difficult to strike up conversations with my classmates. Some of the kids in my class noticed my discomfort and tried to be friendly, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling of being an outsider. I only had words with my desk mate, Alex, when necessary. Things took a turn for the worse when I knocked off Alex’s water bottle by accident, although I picked up the bottle immediately and apologized to him. He got mad at me and seemed not to forgive me. Soon I found we were avoiding 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.
However, I was assigned to pair up with Alex to design a poster.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Alex proudly introduced that the fantastic picture was drawn by me.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Vivid in my memory remains the scene when my dad gathered our family in the living room. After nearly eleven months of unemployment, we could sense what this meant. Even though my dad usually had a way with words, he skirted around saying what we knew was coming. Finally, he uttered the decisive words, “I accepted a new job.”And in turn, I had to accept my fate.
I blurted out the obvious question, “Where?” Before my father could finish saying “Austin, Texas,” I had burst into tears, practically inconsolable (伤心欲绝的). I would have to completely start over, which was less than ideal for a sophomore in high school. My crying continued well into the night. After that I was done. Not another tear fell.
Following that December night, I became numb, withdrawing into myself in an attempt to make leaving seem painless. While my dad commuted back and forth between California and Texas, I was allowed to finish out the school year.
This transition left me with six months to manage my relationships with those who cared about me. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness knowing that soon I would bid farewell to the familiar faces and cherished memories that defined my high school years. As a result, I felt detached (不带感情的), as if living a double life while hiding my departure from my friends and acquaintances. Consumed by self-pity, I began questioning the purpose of engaging in the world around me, knowing that my time there was limited.
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。
I sank into depression until one day my parents walked into my room.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From that day on, I decided to face the next six months positively.
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