It was a summer evening. Alex, who lived in a suburban neighborhood, was getting ready for bed when he heard the sound of fire alarms and screams coming from the outside. He quickly realized that there was a fire in his neighborhood and that his neighbors might be in danger.
He looked outside and saw that one of his neighbors’ houses was on fire. He knew that he had to act quickly to help his neighbors. After calling 911, he ran outside and heard his neighbors’ little son crying inside their burning house. “He must be quite scared,” Alex thought.
Alex quickly assessed the situation and found that the house was almost surrounded by flames (火焰). The best way out was through the front door, but it was blocked by fire as well. He knew that he had to find another way to help the boy escape.
He ran back to his house, grabbed a ladder and then rushed toward his neighbors’ house. He placed the ladder against the second-story window and managed to help the little boy climb down to safety. Once the boy was safe on the ground, Alex climbed up into the burning house again to see if anyone else was trapped.
As he made his way through the smoke, he heard cries for help from a bedroom on the third floor. He quickly ran up the stairs and found an elderly woman who was too weak to move. Alex quickly picked her up and carried her down the stairs to safety. By this time, many firemen had arrived, and they managed to put out the flames.
Looking around, Alex saw that other houses in the neighborhood were also on fire. He realized that the fire was spreading quickly and that more people needed help. Without hesitation, Alex joined those firemen, who were working tirelessly to put out the flames. He helped elderly neighbors, families with young children, and even pets.
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。
After hours of effort, fortunately, the fire was finally put out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When he woke up the next morning, he found his action didn’t go unnoticed by his school.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was 10 years old when I asked my mum for piano lessons. She was recently laid off due to the economic downturn. She said a polite “no”.
That didn’t stop me. I Googled the dimensions of a keyboard, drew the keys on to a piece of paper and stuck it on my desk. I would click notes on an online keyboard and “play” them back on my paper one keeping the sound they made on the computer in my head. After a while I could hear the notes in my head while pressing the keys on the paper. I spent six months playing scales and chord sequences without touching a real piano. When my mum saw what I did, she borrowed some money from family and friends, and bought me 10 lessons.
I still remember the first one. I was struck by how organic the sound of the piano was, as I had become familiar with the artificial electronic sound. The teacher tried to explain where middle C was but I could already play all the major and minor scales, as well as tonic and dominant functions.
I took the first grade piano test after eight lessons and got distinction. By the time I started secondary school, we couldn’t afford lessons again, so I returned to my paper keyboard. I passed grade three, then grade five, practicing only on my piece of paper.
When the head of music at my school knowing my experience, he said I could practice on the school’s grand piano. I would wake up at 5: 30 am to get there in time and play until lessons started. I’d forgo lunch and then practice after school until the caretaker kicked me out. At home, I’d have dinner, do one hour of revision, and then mental practice until 11 p. m.
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。
One evening, when I was about 12, I came home, and my mum said she had a surprise for me.
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My dad was very much against me playing, but when he heard that piece, something inside him changed.
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Nola Ochs was born in Kansas in 1911. There were many farms and everybody had a job to do. Nola Ochs was raised under the endless sky, and the long arc (弧线) of the sun marked her chore-filled (满是工作的) days. Her life was common. She grew and married, had children and grandchildren, taught in country schools, and lived the quiet Midwest life. But she was different in one way: After her husband died in 1972, Nola began taking classes and finally earned her associate degree (准学士学位) at the age of 77.
“I still want to go to school. It is fun to go to classes. And if I have homework to do in the evening, that takes up my time in a pleasant way,” she recalled. After some years went by, Nola decided to keep going and get her master’s degree in Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, where her granddaughter studied. She emailed the university for admission (入学), mentioning that she was 80, and had prepared for studying further.
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。
A week later, she got an mail back for her admission.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On the day of her graduation, Nola was chosen to be a spokesperson.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In July 1971, I was taking a summer class in literature on the campus of SUNY Oneonta in upstate New York. Professor James walked into the classroom and announced that he had invited a special guest to class, but his guest had been delayed.
“Who’s coming?” someone asked.
“Alex Haley, who is the author of one of the books you have read for this class,” he said. “I need a volunteer to meet him in the lobby of the administration building and accompany him here.”
To my amazement, my right hand shot up as though it had a mind of its own. What was I doing? I wondered. I never volunteered for anything.
“Thank you, David,” Professor James said. “You’d better leave now. He’ll be arriving any minute.”
As I walked across campus, my anxiety grew as the massive administration building appeared ahead. I feared that I was about to embarrass myself in front of this famous gentleman by asking stupid questions. I reached the front steps and climbed them slowly.
As I pulled open the heavy glass door, I realized why I instinctively raised my hand to volunteer for this job. This man was what I wanted to be: a writer. He was living my dream. I could learn from him. I paced back and forth across the polished lobby floor until a black man with a briefcase entered the building. He stopped and scanned the lobby. His gaze fell on me.
I approached him and confirmed he was Mr. Haley. We shook hands and then began our walk across campus. I was struck by how approachable this man was. My fear was replaced by curiosity and purpose.
“Do you mind if I ask you a question?” I said. “No. Not at all,” he said.
“I’d like to become a writer, but I don’t know if I have the talent,” I said. “How did you discover that you had a gift for writing?”
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。
Mr. Haley laughed and said, “I didn’t. And I don’t.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After communicating with Alex Haley, I no longer cared whether I had the “gift”.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I don’t look like the rest of my family. As a matter of fact, I stand out quite a bit with my white skin and blue eyes. When people see us together, it is clear that I am adopted. I am happy to have such a loving and caring family, but sometimes I wish I knew who my birth parents are.
My friends often ask, “Are you sad that you don’t know your real parents?” I know that they are just curious and concerned about me — I’m fine, for the most part — but I feel like there’s something missing in my life, like a giant hole in my heart. My mother listens when I tell her about my feelings, and she feels that it is important for me to be in touch with my culture. Because of this, she and I go to Chinese Heritage Camp (CHC) each year in Snow Mountain Ranch.
CHC is a two-day camp where hundreds of adopted kids like me spend time with each other. We talk about how it feels to be adopted, and we participate in fun outdoor activities. It’s great because we can talk about our feelings without having the conversation get too intense. Confusion, occasional disappointment and anger are no longer strange; they are normal here. It makes me feel like I am not alone, and there is someone out there going through the exact same emotions. Whether we’re talking, laughing, crying, or dancing, CHC is always an experience to remember. I like all of the new people I meet, and I will keep them in my heart forever, because it always feels good to know there are people out there just like me.
In this way, my journey to find my roots continues for several years. I also gradually come out from the shadow of a seemingly inseparable teenager. Camp has changed the way I look at things. Each year seems to open up new surprises, adventures and friendships.
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。
CHC teaches me to learn that being adopted doesn’t mean that I’m strange.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I also sincerely love and thank my parents.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Look at this,” I said to my friend Mandy, holding up the paper I had got as we entered the library. “There’s a five-day art camp at White Cliff this summer.” Mandy took the paper and glanced at it. “That’s the same time as the Hill County Fair. But we always go to the fair,” she said.
Later, I called my friends Emily and Yoshiko. Yoshiko was going to the fair, and Emily would be out of town in July. I sighed and dropped my head down on the red paper.
“Will I attend the art camp? Probably not,” I said to myself. “None of my friends are going.” I had a hard time jumping into something with no familiar faces around.
“Maybe next year.” I sighed. “I’m going outside to draw the Westons’ pine tree. I’ll be out front.”
I opened the door and blinked (眨眼睛) at the bright sunshine as I sat on the front steps. I thought about art camp and wished I felt a little braver. By the time I started drawing, I had convinced myself I was happy to skip the camp. I drew the pine’s strong trunk. I added the beautiful branches, making sure the upper ones lifted gently toward the sun. Once I started drawing, I didn’t notice the fly buzzing around me or the sound of the lawn mower(割草机) a few houses down. That’s why I jumped when Mr. Weston said, “You’ve done a great job showing the strength of that tree on paper.”
“Thanks.” I smiled, glancing up. Mr. Weston was out for a walk. He used a cane (拐杖) , and I cut the grass for him every week.
“That pine was there when we moved in,” Mr. Weston said, “You have to spread out the roots near the surface so the tree can get enough water and grow tall. If you plant the root ball too deep, the tree will die.”
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 learned that roots grow out, not down.
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That night, I took a deep breath and filled in the application for the art camp.
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One school day, in the school dining hall, I set my lunch tray (托盘) on the table near my friend Leo and then said “Trade you some fries for some biscuits.”
“Deal,” said Leo, taking his bag of biscuits out of his lunchbox.
While Leo was opening his lunchbox, I noticed a folded piece of paper at the bottom of his lunchbox.
“What’s that?” asked Alice, a girl in our class. Before Leo could answer, Alice grabbed the piece of paper and she immediately unfolded it and read it in a loud voice: “Dear Leo, enjoy your lunch and share the food with your friends! I hope you have a great day. Love, Mom.”
Alice asked in astonishment, “Your mom puts notes in your lunchbox?”
Leo said in an unfriendly and even a bit annoyed voice, “Yes. My mother puts love notes in my lunchbox every day. She wants me to have a great lunch time with friends.”
Alice read the note again, to herself. It almost looked as if she wanted to keep it.
“What are you thinking? Alice! Give it back to Leo! It’s not yours!” I said.
“Well, who wants a note anyway?” Alice said.
To everyone’s surprise, Alice threw the note away and it fell to the floor. I picked it up quickly and handed it back to Leo, who put it into his pocket.
On the bus that afternoon, I thought about what had happened.
My father arrived home just after I did. “How was your day, honey?” Father asked. “A girl in my class was mean to Leo,” I said. And then I explained the way Alice had acted. Suddenly I had an idea. “That’s it! I know how to help Leo and Alice.” I explained my idea to Father. Father agreed to help and we worked on the plan all afternoon.
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。
At lunchtime the next day, I hurried to the cafe, setting out 23 folded pieces of paper on a table by the entrance.
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Now everyone knows how it feels to get a lunch note.
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I just wanted to share something that happened last Friday afternoon. I was at a restaurant eating with my family. As we finished up, a homeless man entered with a handcart (手推车) full of his belongings, who was clearly very hot from walking outside and clearly hungry and thirsty.
When we got up to leave, he walked past us and sat at the table we’d just left and started eating the food we had left.
We noticed the restaurant workers signed to each other to take away the plates from the table. As we walked out, we heard someone say “excuse me”.
It was the man sitting at our table. He noticed that I’d left my purse behind and he was walking towards us to give it back.
I said thank you from my heart. My husband then ordered him a meal and a few drinks to express our thanks.
On our drive home, I took the opportunity to explain to my six-year-old son what had happened and the importance of helping others, as well as being thankful to have food to eat and a house to live in.
In a further shaming and annoying turn, two days later I looked in my purse for a card and found I had $50 in cash in it. I so badly wished I could have given it to him! He could easily have taken it but he didn’t. I was just too busy trying to explain the importance of kindness to my child and it never crossed my mind to check the purse in the first place.
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 son suggested buying more things for the homeless man.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I advised him to live a normal life and offered to help him find a new job.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On a sunny day with no clouds, Sally sat on a chair in the garden, hemming (缝边) a handkerchief. All of a sudden, there came a little ant. It was in such a hurry. Finally it ran across the small stone table and stopped by her side. The sewing was not done, for Sally easily got a little bit distracted by this little ant. Suddenly, she dropped her thimble (顶针) over the little ant by accident while she was looking at it.“Can it mind? But it is only such a little tiny thing,”said Sally in doubt.
Then Sally ran away, for her mother called her to have lunch, and she forgot all about the ant under the thimble and the handkerchief outside. There the little ant was, running round and round in the dark place, with little horns on its head quivering, little perfect legs bending as beautifully as those of a racehorse, and it was very scared.
If Sally had remembered the ant, she would have heard this little ant say, “I can’t get out! I can’t get out! Is there anyone out there? Can someone help me out?” But unfortunately, till the bedtime, Sally failed to hear the little ant's silent calling and just went to sleep. In the midnight, there was thunder, lightning and heavy rain. The next day, when Sally woke up, she came to the garden, only to find the handkerchief was soaked (湿透的) as if somebody had been crying very much. When she was about to fetch it as soon as the sun shone, it suddenly came to her who was under the thimble. “Oh, how could I forget that little ant? I hope the little ant is doing fine,”said Sally, running with her worried face.
But when she lifted up the thimble, what came to her sight was the little tiny an t lay stiff and still. It seemed like this little poor thing was away from this world. “Oh, did it die of being under the thimble?”Sally said aloud with her trembling voice. “Why did you do that, Sally?”said her father, who was close by and looked unsatisfied.
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。
“Dad, I didn’t mean to,” said Sally.
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“Where is the ant in such a hurry to go, Sally?” said her father.
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“And that’s ‘The Ray of Hope’ for you!” Asta said as she ended her book review. She took a deep bow and was given thundering applause. I, too, gave applause. I was happy for my friend. Well, I was pretending to be happy for her. Deep down inside, I was rather feeling envious of Asta. She was always the one who makes speeches, debates and tells stories to others. Me? No! I had stage fright and was always the shy, quiet one who was never courageous to speak in front of others. I had never managed to do a presentation without stammering(结巴). Every time I saw someone making a speech, I would imagine myself in his or her place, receiving the applause and praise.
I was walking to the canteen with Asta. She, as usual, was looking at the script. She had been chosen to be the presenter for the National Day Celebration. I sighed to myself. Why could I not be like her, always loud and brave? If only there was a way to prove myself...
Just then, I caught a glimpse of a poster on the noticeboard.
“Minute to say it?” I read the poster out loud.
It was a competition where one has to prepare a speech about a particular topic and summarize it on the stage within one minute. This could be my big chance to overcome my stage fright! And the best part was, if I won the competition, I would receive a mini-trophy (小奖杯).
Without thinking twice, I grabbed a form and filled in it. I took a seat in the canteen with Asta and told her what I had done, after which she said that she had also signed up for the competition. Suddenly, regret hit me like a 20-pound hammer. I was competing against Asta who was the best speaker in the school! I was bound to lose! Why was I so ill-fated? I just wanted a chance to prove myself that I could overcome my stage fright.
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 big day finally arrived.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Next, it was Asta’s turn.
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