1 . Our group had stopped to remove our boots before a small stream crossing after a morning of exploring the seaside foothills of Canada’s Torngat Mountains National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador. I looked up and there it was, about 150 yards away, staring at us: a polar bear. Our guides had warned us about the dangers of polar bear country, but I thought I’d be lucky if I saw one in the wild.
I’ve seen plenty of black bears, but never anything this big. This guy was a bruiser. We gathered together and began shouting at the bear, but when that didn’t frighten it, our guide, Rich, shot a flare(照明弹). The bear escaped to a ledge, and we crossed the stream into camp. It stayed there as we cooked and ate our dinner. When bedtime rolled around, I glanced up. The bear hadn’t moved. I started cycling through all the worst- case scenarios that could hap- pen, but I tried to remember everything we’d prepared to keep us safe.
Our guides had put up an electric fence meant to frighten bears away from our tents. It ran off a couple of batteries like you would put in a flashlight. The outfitter said if we touched it, the shock would blow us out of our hiking boots. I crawled into my tent and tried to get some rest.
I lay awake, trembling with anxiety, but eventually, sleep got the best of me. A few hours later, I stepped out of my tent to go to the bathroom, and the bear was gone. I felt relieved.
The sounds of rain and snow made me back to sleep. Around 2:30 a. m., movement outside woke me. I had been sleeping on my back and looked up to see a shadow towering over my tent. I recognized the shape immediately; two big bear legs, Obviously, the electric fence didn’t work.
I screamed, and tried to take flight.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Then, I heard a swoosh— Rich had about off a flare.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My father was sixty-five. Though he had planned on retiring at sixty, he was still working hard. For him, raising four children—especially now that my mother had stopped working and was at home full time—meant he couldn’t afford to retire. It also meant he failed to achieve anything he promised my mom. “Sweetheart,” he’d say, “I’m going to take you on a cruise (乘船游览).” He still told her that, and only these days he added, “as soon as the kids are out of college.”
I knew that putting all of us kids through college probably meant it was going to be a while before my father achieved his dream of going away with my mother on a cruise—though it didn’t stop him from cutting out ads about cruise vacations! It was cute, but it was kind of sad, too. I remember my grandmother always wanted to go to Nova Scotia. My grandfather would always say, “We’ll go next year, sweetheart.” Then she died. My grandmother never got to see Nova Scotia. I just didn’t want my parents to wait until it was too late.
I decided to save up my money to send my parents on a cruise even if it was a short three-day cruise. My friends said to me, “Get real! Saving up for a cruise is something you will never be able to do.” But I didn’t believe that. It was not like I could send them around the world or anything, but I didn’t think my putting together the money for a short trip was an impossible goal. I was determined that just as my parents had made my dreams come true for all these years from my first bicycle to my first soccer camp—I was going to do all I could to make their dream of going on a cruise come true.
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 started doing odd jobs (零工) and yard work around the neighborhood.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One year later, I finally saved up enough money!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mary was a high school girl with a strong sense of style. Her fashionable clothes and trendy hairstyles often set her apart from her classmates. Despite occasional misunderstandings, she remained true to herself.
One day, Mary arrived at school with a new hairstyle again. Her classmates surrounded her, asking why she had changed her hair to an ordinary haircut. Mary said that she decided to give up following fashion and devoted herself to studying. Their teacher, Mr Green, happened to hear this and smiled.
Once Lucy had a conflict with Mary because she criticized Mary’s strange hairstyle. However, this time, she praised Mary’s ordinary hairstyle and suggested they wear the same style as a sign of solidarity （团结） and friendship. But thinking of their last disagreement, Mary refused.
Later, Mary’s mother learned of her daughter’s trouble with Lucy. Recognizing the potential for a positive outcome, Mary’s mother reached out to Lucy’s mother with a heartfelt apology and a kind gesture. Mary’s mother offered to treat both girls to a day of relaxation and self- care, allowing them to choose the same hairstyle that made them feel confident and happy.
The experience brought the two families closer, and Mary’s mother taught her daughter the importance of empathy (同理心) and kindness. Together, they selected a book to give it to Lucy as a peace offering and a symbol of their shared sweetness in life.
On Sunday, Mary and her mother visited Lucy’s house, where they exchanged gifts. Mary’s sincerity touched Lucy, and they finally forgave each other. During the conversation, the two girls discovered that they shared a common passion for painting. As they painted together, they found themselves sharing stories and laughter.
“Mary, your use of colors is amazing!” Lucy screamed, admiring Mary’s work.
“Thanks, Lucy,” Mary replied, smiling. “I love the details of your work. We make a great team!”
Finally, they agreed to meet up after school to work on an art project, aiming to bring together students who had an interest in art and exchange ideas together.
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。
Mary and Lucy’s art project soon became a school- wide initiative.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One day, Mary entered the classroom to find Lucy wearing the same hairstyle as hers.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One spring, I helped my parents do some work in the yard at the beginning of the year. Dad was getting a flower bed ready for Mom to plant flowers in, I was picking up litter next to the fence and Mom was removing old leaves that had been in the yard since last autumn. I found a bird’s nest in the big tree behind our house. After a while, two birds flew back to the nest and I heard their calls from the nest. Dad said they were Robins (知更鸟).
I was about to climb the tree to get a good look inside the nest when Dad saw and stopped me. Dad said Robins did not want to be bothered. I nodded.
We went for quite a while and then decided to sit at the picnic table with a glass of cool water. As we sat there, I watched the Robin nest in the tree, wondering what was in it. Were there eggs? Were there baby birds? A moment later, we continued to work.
When we finished up our work outside, we went in to fix some food and ate supper, then got cleaned up, watched some TV and went to bed.
Morning came quickly with the sun shining in through the windows. While we ate breakfast, we talked about what we needed to do for the day. Since it was the weekend, we wanted to do some more work in the yard to finish the jobs we had started the day before.
We met outside in the front yard this time to do some touch-up work to the front of the house. Dad got out a big tank of white paint to take care of some chips (缺口) along the lower edge of the house next to the basement windows. It was another nice sunny day. As Dad did the painting work, Mom and I picked rocks out of the grass.
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。
And I saw a thing in the grass under the big tree — a bird nest.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With Dad’s help, I climbed up the tree carefully with the meet.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________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.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1. 感谢信任; 2. 简述调查结果; 3. 提出个人建议。
注意: 1. 词数80左右; 2. 请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Findings on Preferred Celebration Activities
I have always been passionate about football, but my enthusiasm was often overshadowed by others who always laughed at my short stature and fat figure, they would laugh secretly, copying how I walked with big steps and making fun of my love for the game. Their laughter was always there in the locker rooms and on the sidelines, reminding me that not everyone shared my passion.
One day, while attending a match with a team named Boreham Wood, I had an unexpected encounter with a famous football player, Chris Bush! He was rather ordinary- looking, even a little short and chubby, but he's the center of attention on the court. Everyone was attracted by his superb skills. Watching him play, I felt a surge of hope and inspiration. His skill and determination seemed to defy the doubts that had been cast upon me. Gathering up my courage, I approached him with a mix of nervousness and excitement when the game was ended. I introduced myself and expressed my admiration for his game. To my surprise, he stopped and engaged in a conversation with me. I shared my struggles, how the constant mockery (嘲笑) made me feel like an outsider in a world that celebrated height and lean muscle. Chris listened carefully, his eyes reflecting a depth of understanding that only someone who has faced their own battles could possess.
He shared his own story, he had once been in my shoes, ridiculed for his size and told he would never make it in football. Chris told me how he used his size to his advantage, how he became quicker, smarter, and more determined than anyone else on the field. He told me that football was a game of heart and determination, not just physical attributes(特征). His words were like a beacon of hope, and I felt a renewed sense of determination.
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。
Inspired by his words, I regained my confidence.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In a competition half a year later, Chris watched the game I participated in.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The waiter carefully placed our food on the table. “Enjoy your meal. Let me know if you need anything,” he said with a polite smile as he walked off to serve the other guests in the restaurant.
Raul lifted his fork to begin eating before I interrupted him, “Wait, can I take a picture for my blog?”
He sighed, “Go ahead.” I took out my cell phone and took the picture. Then, I spent the next thirty seconds deciding on how to make a perfect post.
By the time our ice cream dessert came around, I was getting ready to take my fifth picture of the night. Raul rolled his eyes. I quickly had a shot of the dessert before asking him, “Sorry, am I bothering you by taking pictures?”
“I’m not going to lie. It’s a little annoying, ” he said hesitantly. “But it’s okay. I want you to do what makes you happy.”
I put away the phone, a little bit embarrassed, and decided to just enjoy our dinner. While we conversed over dessert, his statement lingered(逗留)in the back of my mind. It wasn’t until I reached home that I really thought over the issue. Did taking pictures of my life to show someone whom I barely spoke to make me happy? Well, there was definitely that indescribable feeling I felt when my post gained over twenty likes. It felt good; it felt like I won, But, what was the prize?
I looked through the stream of photos that I had posted of Raul and me. Most were of our time spent at fine restaurants or the latest attractions near our city, and the brand name gifts we bought each other on holidays. I clicked on the profiles of other people I knew and noticed a similar trend.
Well, when my post gained over twenty likes, it felt good. But does it really matter?
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。
I called Raul that night.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“How about doing something meaningful for at least the next year?” I answered.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“MEATLOAF AGAIN?” I stared at the plate with a feeling of disappointment.
My mom knew how to make seven meals. That was all. She kept all seven recipes labeled with a day of the week. That day was Meatloaf Monday. Again.
“It’s just, it had been Tuna Tuesdays and Spaghetti Saturdays for, like, my entire life. Not every meal had to start with the same letter as a day of the week.”
My mom’s eyes flashed. But she said nothing. I knew she didn’t consider learning new recipes due to her overwhelming stress.
The next day I was sitting next to Tania, whose dad was the best cook, in our school’s brand- new- since- six- months- ago kitchen classroom. Everything— the tables, the stove, the pots and pans—— shone and sparkled. I was about to ask Tania about a new recipe, but Mr. Bruin, our teacher, interrupted.
“I’ve got exciting news,” he said. Exciting news? The class stopped talking and looked expectantly at Mr. Bruin. “To finish off our unit on kitchen skills, we were having a competition where you didn’t have a recipe and you had to make something with whatever ingredients the judges gave you.” An eager murmur traveled through the class. “You’ve learned a lot this term— accurate measuring, food prep, cooking techniques. Just add some creativity to the mix.”
“Will there be prizes?” asked Samantha.
“Absolutely! And the first-place prize was the newest book in the Cave of the Dragons series,” said Mr. Bruin, holding up a copy for everyone to see.
The class erupted into squeals and cheers. Cave of the Dragons was the best book series ever! It had been sold out everywhere. During the break, all anyone could talk about was the cooking competition .“I’m totally going to win,” said Tania. “Genes, like, cooking was in my DNA.” And if there was some sort of cooking gene, my mom definitely didn’t have it. So, if I wanted to win, I needed to practise and innovate.
注意:(1) 续写词数应为150左右； (2) 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
After school, I told my mom my plan.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
The day of the competition arrived, and the kitchen classroom was filled with activity.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1.简述该环境问题的现状；
2.分析该环境问题的成因；
3.解决该环境问题的措施；
4.恰当结尾。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.开头语已为你写好。
Nowadays our environment problems are becoming more and more serious.
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