“She needs me.” Those were the exact words I spoke to my husband when I spotted Dottie, a little dog we found at a local shelter eight years ago.
Dottie leaned (倾斜) away when I tried to pet her and refused to let me hold her. While the other dogs jumped and barked, Dottie returned to the back of the cage, curled up in a ball, hoping us to leave her alone.
On the entire drive home, Dottie was in fear. So, upon arrival at our house, we got right to work. I held her as much as possible, touching her head and softly singing in her ear. We learned that she loved belly touch, so every time we passed by, we would offer a gentle touch. Eventually, we noticed her presenting her belly as we walked by her. I knew we were making real progress when I found her quietly sleeping on a chair one day, her head resting on one of my shoes. My heart melted (融化) as I realized she had brought it there because it contained my smell, and she wanted it nearby.
Ever so slowly, our little dog came to life. She began to play with toys, enjoy walks, and rest on our laps. There was no special treatment, no fancy food or toys. All we did was love her. And she grew well. She was so broken when we first met her that we had no idea what her true personality would be. But now we found a sweet, playful, loving soul.
One day, a few years after her adoption, I was busy doing housework around the house, doing laundry and climbing the stairs from the basement up to the main floor. When I finished, I sat down and enjoyed a well-deserved break. That’s when I realized I hadn’t seen Dottie for a while. I called to her and began searching. My heart raced and my pace quickened as I began checking under beds and behind sofa.
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 remembered the door to the basement.
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I held her in my arms tightly, telling her how sorry I was.
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Though I was nine, Mama let me ride the bus alone because I was careful and I didn’t do silly things.
A boy got on the bus at the trailer park. He was older than me. He had long yellow hair and untidy clothes. Hands were put into his jean jacket pockets. He didn’t bring them out to pay for his ticket. He spoke to the driver so low that I couldn’t hear. But riders up front were frowning (皱眉). The driver didn’t seem to like the boy either and then put up a thumb (拇指) to show he should go to sit down quickly.
Right behind me, a man whispered (低语) loud enough to be heard by all our ears. “Trailer park’s people never have the money. They always expect a free ride. And they always get it.” I didn’t understand what they meant about “trailer park’s people”. I liked the trailer park. Some of the trailer homes had gardens with lively flowers. It looked like a fun place to live in. I didn’t know why these adults frowned at it or a boy who lived there. But I knew that feeling being hurt with unkind words.
So I stood out of my seat and put the money into the machine to pay for the boy’s ticket. The driver looked at me and his look told me to go back to my seat. I didn’t look at anybody. When I sat down, I heard a whisper from the seat behind me. “Don’t expect him to be thankful.” That’s not why I did it. I wasn’t even thinking that. Didn’t they know how it felt to have empty pockets? My family used to have no money all the time till my father got a new job.
Just then, a different voice came from behind me as well. “We shouldn’t stop kindness. We should look at those around us with kindness. I don’t think he’s such a person.” After a short silence, everyone whispered their agreement. After I got off at my stop, I didn’t think about it anymore.
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。
Two weeks later, I got on the same bus again, but I felt different from before.
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When I walked over to pay for my ticket, the driver looked at me with a kind smile.
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I was not satisfied with and even angry with my father in the first year of college, because he didn’t care about my feelings at all.
One day I had a serious quarrel with him. I was fed up with his direction and correction. How could he interfere with my life and my study plans? How could he understand the importance of my university activities? The only thing that he cared about was my academic performance! He didn’t understand my world and I didn’t understand his, either.
I stormed out and sighed all the way to school. Suddenly I realized that I didn’t have the assignment that was due (应交出的): a thought card. This class was taught by Mrs Smith. The thought card was the admission ticket to her Tuesday class. She would return them to us with her comment.
My first thought card read, “All that glitters (发光) is not gold.” She commented, “What does this quote mean to you? Is it significant?” Obviously, she was taking it seriously. I surely didn’t want to reveal myself to her.
The week progressed. Mrs Smith’s class was quite brilliant. She challenged us to think and come up with our own responses. But I had no handling strategies to deal with it.
The second Tuesday came. I wrote on my card, “The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” The next day the card came back, “You seem to need a listener. Is this important to your life?” I couldn’t remember a teacher caring personally about me since primary school.
With all these memories filling my mind, I raced to class. Just outside the door, I took a card and wrote, “I have the most terrible dad of the world!” Then I dashed in. Looking up at me, Mrs Smith reached out for the card, and I took my seat. The moment I sat down, I felt terrible. I didn’t mean to let that out.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答。
That night I had difficulty sleeping, for I was afraid that she might reveal (透露) that to my father.
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“I will bear your words in mind,” I said, saying goodbye to Mrs Smith and heading for my home.
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A 14-year-old boy named Jacob lived in a trailer(活动房屋)with his parents. They struggled financially, as his parents were minimum wage earners.
Every evening on his way home, he would pass a large house of Mrs Jacobson who lived alone. One day, when Jacob was passing the big house, he noticed that the lights were off at night. And in the following nights, the lights were still off. He thought Mrs Jacobson couldn’t leave her house, and he hadn’t seen anyone pick her up, either. Something bad might have happened to her.
Jacob didn’t hesitate to walk towards the door. He knocked, but no one opened it. Suddenly, he saw a letter by the foot of the door and saw that the date was a few days ago. He was more sure Mrs Jacobson hadn’t gone out of the house in days. He had to get help!
Jacob ran home and told his parents about what he saw. His mom shrugged it off, saying she might have just gone on a vacation. Maybe she visited her son Adam in New York. Every-one knew he was a big shot lawyer there.
The boy wasn’t convinced. He knew that Mrs Jacobson’s son didn’t visit her, and it would be difficult for her to travel all the way to New York alone. He decided to borrow his mom’s cellphone to search for Adam’s number. When he found it, he decided to call.
“This is Adam Jacobson, how may I help you?” a man on the other side of the line answered.
“Hello, this is Jacob from your neighborhood in Wisconsin. Is Mrs Jacobson, your mom there?” Jacob asked.
“Hi, Jacob. No, I have not spoken to my mom in a week. Is something wrong?” Adam asked.
Jacob explained what happened.
“What? That’s impossible. She’s supposed to be home. Can you do me a favor, and check on her for me? There’s a spare key under the flowerpot by the door. I’ll rush there as soon as possible,” Adam begged with anxiety.
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。
Jacob and his parents ran there and found the key.
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As soon as Mrs Jacobson felt better, she came up to Jacob’s trailer with Adam.
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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；
Blake came home from the hospital in a wheelchair, to a big celebration organized by the neighbors and his two sons, Ryle and Max. Tears rose in his eyes on seeing the smile on all the people gathered there, including his sons.
“Dad! Welcome home!” Max shouted.
“Kids ...” Blake said, teary-eyed. “Your mom ... she is not coming back. She's with the angels (天使) now, and we only have each other ...”
“We know, Dad ...” Ryle said sadly. “When you were in the hospital, the neighbors visited you. They also looked after us when you were not home. I know I'm older than Max, and I was supposed to look after him, but I couldn't have done everything without the help of our neighbors ...”
After Blake met with the accident, he was unconscious (不省人事的) for weeks in the hospital. He had no idea his neighbors had been his rock in difficult times and looked after his two sons. Blake cried, but he was so proud of his two sons for being so strong in the face of the family tragedy (悲剧). And he was grateful to his neighbors for helping him and his family.
The next morning, Blake woke up late. Ryle assisted him in getting into the wheelchair, and as they exited the room, Blake was surprised to see the dinner table set for breakfast. He then entered the kitchen and noticed his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Sebastian, preparing more food.
Not just that, Mrs. Sebastian also assisted Max and Ryle in getting ready for school every morning. When Blake asked why she was helping them, she simply said, “Deary, my grandkids rarely visit me. I miss them, and your boys are like my grandchildren.”
Blake was moved by his neighbors' kindness, which gave him the confidence to look on the bright side of life. He didn't want to sit in a wheelchair for hours in vain (徒劳无益地), so he decided to push himself and learn new things. He enrolled in (报名参加) an online marketing and programming course.
答。
Soon after, he came up with the idea of opening a “good deeds” online store.
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The website had few visitors in the beginning, but things changed with time.
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In the town of Pinecrest, a young girl named Emily had a dream of becoming a professional dancer. She was attracted by the grace and beauty of ballet and contemporary dance, often practicing her moves while watching online performances. Emily’s family owned a small restaurant, where they hosted travelers from all around the world. Regrettably, her family could not afford to send her to an expensive dance academy, and the town did not have any professional dancers who could train her.
Despite the challenges, Emily stuck to her determination to succeed. She spent hours every day practicing in her poor studio at home, learning from online courses, dance videos, and attending occasional workshops in neighboring towns. She would try to perfect the dance moves she observed in the videos and developed her own unique dance style, drawing inspiration from the beautiful natural surroundings. Emily’s passion and dedication caught the attention of the local community, and she was invited to perform at various town events and celebrations.
One day, news spread that a well-known dance company would be visiting Pinecrest to hold a talent show. The show aimed to discover ambitious dancers from remote areas, providing them with an opportunity to learn from professionals and share their passion with others. Emily, filled with excitement, decided to participate in the show, viewing it as a chance to learn from the experts and gain recognition for her talent.
During the show, Emily performed a dance that fascinated the audience and the judges with her graceful movements and emotive expressions. The artistic director of the dance company, who was also one of the judges, was impressed by Emily’s natural talent and dedication to her craft. Recognizing her potential, the artistic director offered Emily a scholarship to train at their dance academy in the city.
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。
Emily was overjoyed upon hearing the artistic director’s offer.
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Years later, Emily stood on the stage, taking a bow as the audience applauded.
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Once upon a time, a young girl whose name was Lily, lived in a small village in the heart of a forest. She was known throughout the village for her kind heart. She spent her days helping her neighbors, taking care of the animals and exploring the forests.
One day, as she was walking through the forest, she came across a small, injured bird lying on the ground. Its wing was broken, and it looked up at her with painful eyes. Lily knew she had to help the bird, so she carefully picked it up and put it in her arms.
She took the bird back to her house and dealt with its wounds. She fed it and gave it water, and soon the bird was on the way to recovering (康复). As the days passed, Lily came to love the bird. But she knew it belonged to the forest, so she helped the bird fly back to the forest.
Another day, Lily happened to see a group of children playing a joke on a young boy for his height, and the boy seemed to cry. Seeing that, Lily realized she had to do something to help.
She walked to the group of children and asked them to stop laughing at the boy. They looked at her doubtfully, but Lily seriously told them that it wasn’t kind to make fun of others. Finally, the children listened to her. They stopped laughing at the boy and even apologized (道歉) to him. Lily smiled, feeling proud of herself for standing up for what was right.
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。
As the years went by, Lily continued to spread kindness throughout the village.
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At noon that day, I drove back to my house after the performance. Just as I entered the living room, I heard a gentle sound coming from the bedroom upstairs — it was the sound of my favorite violin.
“Thief!”
I rushed upstairs. Sure enough, as expected, a boy of about 11 years old was petting my violin. The boy had messy hair and a thin face, his over-sized coat seemingly filled with something. At first glance, I found a new pair of shoes missing. It seemed that he was surely a thief.
Then, I saw his eyes full of fear and despair. My anger was immediately replaced by a smile. I asked, “Are you Mr. Tom’s nephew, Michael? I’m his housekeeper. Two days ago, I heard his nephew living in the countryside will come. It must be you. You’re really like him!”
On hearing my words, the boy was first astonished, but then quickly said, “Has my uncle gone out? I think I’d better first go out for a walk and visit him again in a little while.”
I nodded and asked the boy who was preparing to put down the violin, “Do you like to play the violin so much?”
“Yes, but I’m so poor that I can’t afford it.” the boy replied.
“Then, I can give this violin to you.” The boy looked at me questioningly, but he picked up the violin.
Going out to the living room, he suddenly saw on the wall my huge color photo in which I performed in the Sydney Opera House. He involuntarily trembled for a moment and ran out without looking back.
I was sure that the boy had understood what happened, because no one would decorate the living room with the housekeeper’s photo.
A few years later, I was invited to be a judge at a music competition of senior high school students. Fascinated by the gentle sound of one participant, I was wholeheartedly impressed by his wonderful performance and solid strength. As I flicked my eyes up to glance at the performer, I was so astonished to see a thin face, so familiar, yet now lit up with joy and confidence. The “thief”! For an instant, I was amazed that the kindness I offered to cover the boy’s misconduct would make such a big difference!
注意：1.续写词数应为 80 词左右；2.请按如下格式在以下位置作答。
After the competition, “Michael” ran to me, holding a violin box.
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I was eating breakfast at home in Hampshire in March this year, scrolling through social media on my phone, when a story caught my eye. It was about a nine-year-old dog, Charlie, dubbed (称为) the loneliest in Britain. He had been in a rescue centre in Somerset for more than 500 days.
For some reason, nobody wanted to adopt him. I clicked on the link and straight away these huge, sad eyes stared back at me. I was emotional. I turned to my husband, Sam, and said: "We’ve got to have him.” He read the article over my shoulder and felt exactly the same way. We wanted to give Charlie a happy home and a new lease of life.
Over the past few years we have tried to adopt a few different dogs, but we haven’ had any luck — we were never top of the list. Sam and I got used to filling in forms and not hearing anything. We’d almost given up hope.
But Charlie is an older dog and we felt we’d be suited — even older dogs have a lot of love left to offer. So we took our time with the application, sent photographs of our house and garden. We explained why Charlie would be happy with us, and then forgot all about it.
A few days later we received an email from Brent Knoll animal centre, saying we’d been shortlisted. We were thrilled. They asked us to visit Charlie to be interviewed and to see if he liked us.
When we arrived we were taken to the staff room. We didn’t know what to expect. We hadn’t been told much about Charlie’s circumstances, but as he had been given up for adoption and hadn’t been placed with a new owner for so long, we thought there might be issues. But the dog that bounded (蹦跳) in was full of joy and charisma.
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。
He came straight over to us.
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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On a cold winter evening, I, together with my 6-year-olds on Bob, was on our way home, heading towards a bridge, when I heard some strange noise ahead.
As we approached the bridge, dusk was starting to fall and I could see a figure lying on the bridge floor, uncomfortably close to the railing (栏杆) of the bridge. It was a young man, clearly in great pain, crying and shouting, and his whole body was shaking. I was shocked, and suddenly realized the serious situation. The bridge ran over a high-speed train track and was a well-known death trap. A local family had lost their teenager in that exact place a few weeks earlier.
I quickly looked around but there was no one else nearby. I knew I wouldn't be able to live with myself if his death was reported the next day and I'd done nothing about that.
Without any hesitation, I inched towards the figure, and little Bob followed quietly on my side. I asked the young man if I could sit down, and then lowered myself on to the bridge floor opposite him. I tried a few gentle questions, asking, “What's your name? How old are you? What do you do?” His answers were rather simple, which were “Tom. 21. Computers.”
“Are you OK?” I asked. “No, I'm not!” He shouted back. He said something about a betrayal (背叛), and not knowing what to do. His emotions were changing wildly. I tried to make a connection, so It old him my name, where I lived, and how I was a mother of two children. After asking him where he went to college, I pretended to be amazed that my niece (侄女) had studied there, too. I told him that his life was very valuable and the betrayal was just one tiny part of it. I even found myself telling the story of Neil Lay bourn, who had persuaded a man to be down from Waterloo Bridge in London, “They're great friends now and have even run a marathon together for charity,” I said. “Who knows? That could be us.” I kept talking gently and eagerly.”
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答。
I thought a train could come at any time.
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Then I broke the silence.
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