In my high school years, I tried not to be anybody’s best friend and avoid going to birthday parties or weekend trips with my peers (同龄人). That was not because I was too shy but because I couldn’t afford the expenses. My parents did odd jobs to support the family and our income was low and unstable. As the oldest of the three kids in my family I had started to take part-time jobs on weekends and during vacations to help improve the family economic conditions. However, in my heart I did have a best friend, Joseph. I never said that to him and I guessed he didn’t know it.
Joseph came from a very different family from mine. His parents were both senior executives (管理人员) of high-tech companies, who provided him with the best of everything and he had many friends around him. We did school projects together, had discussions about interesting topics and enjoyed our time together. But I never joined him in anything outside the school. I liked him but I knew I didn’t have much to offer.
I had decided to go to college after graduation from high school, so I needed to have excellent academic performance in all subjects to be qualified for scholarships. I worked hard and was doing well in everything except math. I knew math was important to me but there seemed to be no way out. I was struggling when Joseph came to my help. He was considered one of the smart boys by the math teacher, who gave us monthly tests and awarded best performance with chocolates and best progress with Skittles (彩虹糖).
Joseph was a frequent holder of the best performance award. I appreciated his help because he had great ways to get me thinking and guide me to solve problems. I was making progress in math and Joseph knew it. He encouraged me to go for best progress award first and then best performance.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Those awards seemed really big goals for me, but I decided to go all out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Three months later, my first goal was achieved.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One morning, as I walked to the market, I saw an old man, with a bandanna(印花大方巾) covering his face, sitting in front of a tea shop. He seemed to be just watching the traffic on the road, not paying attention to anyone. His bandanna was dirty and his clothes were crumpled(褶皱的). His hair stuck out because he wore a cap that didn’t fit well. I quickly assumed he was a beggar asking for money. I decided to give him some change on my way back from the market.
A little further down the road, there was a young man lying on the pavement(人行道) with his arms outstretched(张开的). No one passing by paid any attention to him. It seemed that he had drunk too much. Thus, I thought to myself that he was just a worthless man who had spent all his money on wine.
I finished my shopping at the market and headed back. Before reaching the point where the old man sat, I took out all the change I wanted to give to him. When I approached him and held out the change, he barely looked at me, but still looked ahead. He shook his head as if he was saying he didn’t need it. I insisted and pushed the change into his hand. As I stood there feeling proud of my act of charity, the old man slowly got up and walked to the young man who was lying on the pavement. The old man kept down, woke the young man up and whispered something in his ear. It seemed that they knew each other. The young man seemed to respond and then shook his head. The old man walked back and headed for the tea shop.
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 stood there, watching in amazement, as he walked to the tea shop.
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The old man noticed that I was still there so he looked up.
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Mr. Barnes was a very wealthy man who lived in the early days in the United States. It was one of his chief pleasures to walk through the countryside near his home, and as he walked, he often noticed a particularly fine group of cattle. One day he stopped to visit the rancher (牧场主) who owned the cattle and purchased a cow from him with the agreement that the cow would be delivered to his house the following day.
The next day as Mr. Barnes was out for his morning walk, he saw a young boy trying his hardest to lead the cow over to Mr. Barnes’ field. The boy, who did not know Mr. Barnes, called to him, “Please sir, would you come and help me with this cow? It is so stubborn!”
Mr. Barnes readily agreed and went over to help. As they walked along together, he asked the boy, “How much do you expect to get for delivering the cow?”
“I… I don’t know,” the boy said, “but I think I’ll get something because the people who are buying the cow live in that house, and those people are very kind to everyone.”
By now the stubborn cow was walking along nicely, so Mr. Barnes excused himself and took a path through a wooded area that led to his back door. As soon as he got into the house, he gave one of his trusted workers a fifty-dollar bill and told him to give it to the boy who was delivering the cow. After the cow had been left at the house and the boy was returning to the ranch, Mr. Barnes went out again and met the boy on the road.
“Well, how much did you get?” asked Mr. Barnes.
“Five dollars,” answered the boy.
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。
Mr. Barnes felt surprised when hearing the answer.
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The boy agreed, and they walked back to the house together.
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I had run away from home after finishing high school. My parents had insisted I go to college, but I was tired of school. I hated it. I was determined not to go. And, besides, my father was too strict. I had too many chores to do around the farm. I haled the work!
There had been a quarrel between my father and me. I threw some things into a bag and left angrily, as my father shouted after me, “If you leave, don’t come back!” My mother cried openly, and I had seen those tears during a hundred sleepless nights.
Then it was time to write a letter to my father.
Dear Dad,It’s been more than a year now. I’ve traveled east to west. I’ve had dozens of jobs. None of them amounted to very much. Always the same questions: “How much education have you got?” It seems they always want college men for the good jobs.
Dad, you and Mother were right about everything. I know now that the work on the farm didn’t hurt me, and I’m convinced I need college. I’m also convinced that both of you loved me.
Dad, I’ve learned a lesson. I want to come home. I know you said if I left, I couldn’t come back, but I’m praying you’ll change your mind. I want to come home and be a part of the family again.
Give my love to Mother and the girls.
Love,Your son
As I folded the letter and put it into an envelope, I felt a refreshing relief. It was as if a heavy load had been lifted from my shoulders. And I had to be on my way home.
I started down the desolate road—the long road home. Fortunately, a car picked me up, and it was good to have someone to talk with. The driver was a salesman and very pleasant.
“Where you going, boy?” he asked good-naturedly.
There was a long silence before I said, “Home.”
“Been away from home long?”
I smiled, a little self-conscious, and said, “One year, one month and two days.”
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。
Having heard my story, he expressed his support for my final decision and told me something surprising.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, I arrived home when. it was completely dark.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My darling grandma has a collection of photo albums kept over several decades. I enjoyed joking with grandma about her preferred old-fashioned method of photo storage, but I know that these albums are precious for her. They are the records of our family and our identity.
One day while examining one of grandma’s albums, I came across photos of my mother and her brother as children in Disney World in the 1980’s. Grandma looked thoughtful and smiled. “Your mother and your uncle had such an amazing time,” she said. “I’m glad I was able to make that vacation happen for them. Every child should visit Disney at least once and just get to be a kid... happy and carefree.” As I continued examining the photos, I noticed something which didn’t sit right with me. In every photo my grandmother was in, she was smiling in an unsettled, half-hearted way where her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. When I asked her about it, she gently closed the album and said, “Oh, now enough of these old photos. Let’s talk about what we’re going to do for Christmas next month.”
That evening, I quietly asked my mother about the photos and the family trip to Disneyland. Mom breathed out. She explained that my grandparents were constantly fighting and that they had been having problems in their marriage. “I think that was probably the last trip we took together as a family before they separated,” Mom said. “Your grandma was so sad the entire week we were there, but she did everything she could to make sure your uncle and I had a great experience. We had been begging to go to Disney for so long. She organized the entire trip for our pleasure. I’m sure it was all physically and emotionally tiring for her.”
That night I turned restlessly in my bed thinking about the devotion my grandmother had for her children and about how even today she continues to put the needs of everyone in our family above her own. Grandma does so much for her children and grandchildren every day.
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。
Shouldn’t we do something for her?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We pulled over at Disney World, which surprised my grandma.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In her small town, Emma was known for her love and respect for all living creatures, and she believed that humans and animals should coexist peacefully and harmoniously. One day, while hiking in the nearby woods, Emma spotted a wounded (受伤的) deer caught in a hunter's trap. Without hesitation, she carefully freed the deer and nursed it back to health.
Over the next few weeks, Emma devoted her time and energy to caring for the deer. She visited it every day after school, bringing fresh fruits and vegetables. She carefully examined its wounds, applying some medicine to help it get better and prevent infection. As the days went by, the deer began to regain its strength, and Emma was overjoyed to see it stand on its legs once again.
Emma also took the time to learn about deer behavior and their natural habitat. She researched the best foods to feed the deer and created a comfortable place for it to rest in during the day. She even made a small water fountain to ensure that the deer had access to clean drinking water.
As the weeks turned into months. Emma watched as the deer grew stronger and more confident. It would often follow her around the backyard, nudging (轻推) her playfully with its nose. Emma felt a deep sense of satisfaction knowing that she had played a part in saving this beautiful creature's life.
One sunny afternoon, as Emma sat in her backyard reading a book, she heard a familiar sound. She looked up and saw the deer standing near her, looking at her with gentle eyes. It was clear that the deer had fully recovered and was ready to return to the wild.
Emma felt a sense of sadness but also knew that it was time for the deer to go back to its natural habitat. She opened the gate and watched as the deer bounded away, disappearing into the forest. From that day on, Emma continued to care for animals in need, knowing that she had made a difference in the life of at least one creature.
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。
Months later, Emma had almost forgotten about the deer when one day, she received an unexpected visitor.
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From that day on, the deer became a regular visitor to Emma's backyard.
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Writing assignment had always been difficult for fifth grader Jimmy and this time it just seemed impossible. The English teacher Mrs. Davis gave them the title, I Pride Myself on…Jimmy racked his brains but found nothing he was proud about himself. He was only average in everything both at home and at school.
At home, his parents supported and took care of the family; his elder sister Julia was sometimes helpful with housework and taking care of his baby sister Lily, who was twelvemonth sold. As for Jimmy, he was the kind of middle kid who seemed nonexistent except for his appearance at the dinner table for each meal. At school, he was average in all subjects and never had a chance to standout in school activities. It seemed to him that all his friends deserved certain kind of praise either for their academic performance or for a favorite hobby, except him. His teachers would be satisfied if he didn’t get himself into some kind of trouble each day.
It was Friday evening. The composition would be due the next Monday but Jimmy was still trying to figure out what to write about. After dinner, he stood by the kitchen window, wondering what the teacher would say if he failed to finish the composition on time. He could hear Julia promising Mom and Dad she would take care of Lily so that Mom and Dad could leave for a movie and have a good time.
“Jimmy, what are you up to there?” Julia asked putting Lily in the stroller (婴儿车). Jimmy went overhanging his head and poured out his trouble. “That’s really a problem,” said Julia with compassion. “But if you will look after Lily this evening, I will tell you what you can pride yourself on.” That seemed a fair deal for Jimmy and he accepted it. After some instructions on baby care, Julia left Lily to Jimmy and went upstairs.
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。
It was the first time for Jimmy to sit a baby but he was determined to do a good job.
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The next morning, at dinner, Jimmy told Julia he had already known what to write about.
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Eleven-year-old James walked hand-in-hand with his parents, Ava and Richard Waters, through the Atlanta Christendom Market. It was only a few days before his favourite holiday, and he thought about what he hoped Santa would bring him. The most important item on his list was a new iPad, as his old one was already too slow for his games.
“Did Santa get my letter, Mum?” he asked innocently. His mum looked down at him and smiled.
“I’m sure he did, honey. Don’t worry. In any case, Christmas is not really about what you receive, it’s about spending time with your family and remembering all the good things that happened to you this year,” his mother answered, hoping that her child wouldn’t grow up to think that presents were an essential part of any holiday.
“I know, Mum. But I was really good this year! I deserve a gift!” James continued.
“Yes, you were good. I’m sure Santa knows that. Let’s get some hot cocoa, OK?” his father suggested and pulled them towards a vendor (自动售货机).
As they continued walking, James suddenly yelled, “Mr. Williams!” He let go of his mum’s hand and ran towards the direction of a man sitting on a bench by a tree.
“James!” his mum called out in a panic. The crowd was too big, and James was just a little boy. He could get lost easily. But James had reached his destination where his former neighbour Mr. Williams sat. “Mr. Williams! Do you remember me? I’m James,” he asked the old man.
“Ah, yes, James. How are you, kid? Are you keeping up with your reading I used to encourage you to do?” Mr. Williams asked.
“Yes, I am. But I miss you, sir. Why are you here alone?” James wondered.
Unfortunately, Mr. Williams got sick around a year ago and had to miss about a year of work. He lost his job and it was hard for him to afford his apartment and find other employment. During the car ride back home, James’mum told him that their neighbour was probably homeless after losing his job.
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。
James had an idea that night and he wrote another letter to Santa , asking him to help his neighbour.
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His mother read what he wrote and cried, unable to believe her son’s kindness and thoughtfulness.
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On a bright Saturday, my peaceful lunchtime was suddenly interrupted when my dad surprised me with an unplanned idea. I couldn’t hide my annoyance as what was supposed to be a relaxing Saturday turned into a day focused on football — a sport I wasn’t very excited about.
Many of my friends loved sports, while I preferred to find comfort in the pages of a good book rather than run around on a football court. My lack of interest resulted in average performance on the team, and I often felt like I was a problem for both my coach and teammates.
Things changed last week when our coach announced a coming match against the champions scheduled for a month later. The realization that this important game would have a big audience only made me more anxious. The fear of possibly letting down the team weighed on me.
Determined to make a positive impact, I decided to practice hard every day. My motivation came from wanting to help the team and to overcome the self-doubt affecting my performance.
As the match day approached, my teammates seemed unsure about including me in the lineup (阵容). I wouldn’t have minded sitting out, but the situations were different. With one player short, they reluctantly (不情愿地) included me, and The Thunder Strikers, our team, stepped onto the field to enjoy cheers from the crowd.
The pressure was intense. The game started, and within the ten minutes, I received a warning. Before long, the referee showed me a second yellow card, forcing me to leave the field. When I got back into the game, the score was tied, and the next goal would decide the winner.
As the ball came toward me, I felt a bit scared. My teammates seemed tired, and the other team really wanted to win. With great courage, I kicked the ball. The opponents (对手), maybe not expecting much from me because of my earlier struggles, were surprised when the ball went past the goalkeeper.
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 Thunder Strikers won!
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After this win, football became different for me.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I had spent the long winter months waking up each morning with the sun and birds. Each day began like the previous one: sneakers (运动鞋), headphones and stretching. The fresh air filled my lungs as I ran out the front door, greeted by the empty streets and sidewalks. The world became my own training ground. As I ran, I found peace in the rising sun. This boring time quickly became my favorite time of the day.
I was born into a “running family”. I lost count of how many marathons my dad had participated in, and I was pretty sure my mom traveled on foot more than she did by vehicle. My brother, Mike, followed in their footsteps by running when he could, and competed in at least 4 races throughout the year. Unlike him, I didn’t naturally fall into the running life.
“Running is the best thing for you. I don’t know how people can dislike it,” my dad questioned during many dinner conversations in grade school.
“You would be a fool not to join the track team, Colleen,” my mom suggested in her serious voice.
“Of course I will,” I replied while rolling my eyes. “What could be funner than running?”
After hundreds of practices and a handful of track meets later, I found myself agreeing with my parents and laughing at the idea that I once disagreed with them. The time had come when my dad finally asked the big question, which I had been nervous about for a while.
“So, the marathon is in November. What are we thinking?”
I felt my heart sink and speed up at the same time. Oh no, was I ready for this? The words suddenly came out before I could even fully process the question.
“Yeah, let’s do it!”
I couldn’t let him down. He had been waiting years for this experience. Finally, we spent hours training and bonding together until the big day came.
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。
It was at mile marker 20 when my legs began to lose feeling.
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The finish line was finally in view.
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