When I was seven years old, my family moved from Mexico to America. In Mexico, I was a cheerful girl who loved making people laugh with my jokes and inventing fun games to play with my friends. However, when I arrived in America, I found it hard to fit in, and I became quieter.
We lived in a small house with a modest yard where we grew vegetables—my responsibility. While I took pride in watching them grow, there were times when I dreamed of having a beautiful garden like my schoolmate Luella’s, with its delicate tulips (郁金香). Although Luella lived in the same neighborhood as me, we barely knew each other.
It was after a tornado that Luella and I finally became close friends.
The tornado struck on a Sunday afternoon.The gentle breeze transformed into a strong wind, and thick gray clouds filled the sky. Gradually, the tornado took shape, starting as a thin rope and growing into a large black funnel (漏斗). My entire family gathered in the bathroom, seeking shelter from the storm. Terrified, I sat close to my mom, knees in my chest. After the storm had passed, our worries and fears were replaced by relief that we were unharmed and that our house had remained undamaged.
As I stepped outside, I witnessed the extent of the damage the tornado had caused to our neighborhood. Across the street, a tall tree had fallen, crushing Luella’s garden in front of her yellow house. We hurried over to check on it. Fortunately, her family seemed to be away at the time, and no one was injured. However, her once-beautiful garden was in ruins, with the fallen tree destroying the tulips and debris (碎片) spread everywhere. I could only imagine how heartbroken they must feel seeing this.
Then my mom’s usual words rang in my ear, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” and my family started to think about how we could help.
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。
Just at that moment, Luella’s family returned in their car.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Even after the debris was cleared, I could still sense Luella’s sorrow for her lost garden.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The first time I can remember wanting to be a writer was when I was eleven or twelve years old. It happened in the kitchen on a weekday night. I had written a poem titled How do I know the World Is Real?
I was sitting at the kitchen table finishing it off when my father walked up behind. I could feel him reading over my shoulder. I felt anxious and embarrassed. This little thing I was making, this first poem, was being examined by a very serious critic. My father was a qualified writer, an award-winning playwright, a Shakespearean scholar and a teacher of literature, including poetry.
So there I sat, hoping he would be distracted (分心的) by something and go away but he didn’t. It must have only been a minute, but it felt much longer. Then I felt his hand on my shoulder, gentle and warm. “You may have a talent for writing,” he said. And then he turned his attention to the refrigerator, took out a beer and went back to his reading chair in the living room.
I wrote lots of poetry in the months that followed and I began to think of myself as a writer. I liked that feeling.
But soon other interests — touch football, the Junior Police Club, Virginia Lanzo — crowded themselves into my life. Gradually I wrote less and less. I still longed to be a writer and so I began to feel guilty about not writing. To relieve my guilt, I promised myself that my other activities were life experience and that I needed life experience to become the good writer I wanted to be. It old myself that it was okay not to write so long as I spent some time now and then wanting to be a writer.
This was the shape of my delusion (错觉) when, at 16, I asked my father finally, “So how does a person become a writer?”
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Unexpectedly, he didn’t highlight rich life experience.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My father’s words washed away my doubts and anxieties.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Having nice things can make you feel good, but at the end of the day, what truly matters is that we have people we love and care about in our lives.
Still, when someone is asked to sacrifice something in order to be with their loved ones in good health, it can be hard. That was the situation one man was put in two decades ago when his wife was diagnosed with cancer.
Years ago, Wesley Ryan learned his wife, Laura, had been diagnosed with cancer. The medical bills were piling up, and he knew in order to continue making ends meet, he would have to sell his beloved car.
Wesley loved that car and even nicknamed it Christine, based on the 1958 Plymouth Fury from Stephen King’s book, Christine. However, Laura meant more to him, and Wesley wanted her to continue getting the care she needed. So he handed over the keys.
“I know how much it broke him in half seeing that car drive away from him,” his son, Jake, wrote online. “It’s a day that I’ll never forget.” Jake and his sister, Jeni, knew they wanted to help their dad reunite with the car he’d loved so much. And over the years, the siblings had saved up enough money. So they started an online search and surprisingly, they were able to track down the old car online.
Actually, the man who bought the car found out about Wesley’s story and the meaning behind the beloved vehicle by accident. Moved by the sacrifice one man had made for his family and how his family stepped up to repay him in the sweetest way possible, he soon got in touch with Jake, who purchased it as soon as possible. And after careful consideration, Jake and Jeni decided to surprise their dad in a nearby parking lot. Moreover, Laura, cancer-free for 13 years at the time, joined them for the big reveal.
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。
Finally, the day came when Wesley reunited with his beloved car.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Wesley’s hands trembled as he reached out to confirm that it was real.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was nominated (提名) for the Junior Honor Society. When I came back home that day, I sat in the family room and filled out the honor society application. I tried my best to prove that. I had all the characteristics required in a candidate: scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship.
The next day, I turned the paperwork in to the advisor and waited patiently.
Months went by, and I received a letter from the school about the honor society. As soon as the school bus let me off that afternoon, I raced into the house. My mother was typing at the computer. “Mom,” I said, “I didn’t make the honor society.”
She smiled and held up her hand to give me a high five. “You jokester (捣蛋鬼).”
I felt tears well into my eyes. “No, really, they didn’t choose me,” I said and handed her the letter.
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. I thought you were kidding,” my mother said. “There must be some mistake.” She grabbed the phone from the charger and dialed the honor society advisor.
He told her that no mistake was made, but he couldn’t disclose the reason for my non-selection. The decisions of the committee were final. There was no appeal process (申诉程序). She contacted the school headmaster. His answers were the same.
Not being a member of the honor society wasn’t going to ruin my future, but it did hurt me. Nearly all of my friends were chosen for the honor society. You could never imagine how difficult those weeks were for me!
“It’s not fair,” I said one night at supper. “It bothers me that I don’t know why I wasn’t chosen,” I said. “The committee should give a reason, so the student can do better.”
My parents agreed. We discussed ways that the selection process might be improved.
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 managed to have a meeting arranged with our headmaster to share the ideas.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Unexpectedly, I received a special award for my ideas at the Junior Honor Society ceremony.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My mum died on a cold and rainy December morning. The dark clouds and constant light rain over her Cape Cod neighbourhood fit our sadness as my brothers and sisters and I arranged with the local funeral (葬礼) home for Mum’s last departure from her beloved house on the edge of the river.
All five of us were there, having been alerted (警觉) earlier that week. As soon as we had gotten “The Call”, we had immediately flown or driven from our homes in California, Florida, Georgia and New York to the house by the river.
As I joined my brothers and sisters at the house on the Cape, I felt oddly peaceful. Though I was afraid to lose my mother, I wasn’t anxious about the process. I knew that Mum had prepared well for her death. All we had to do was be present for her and each other during this final stage. She had done everything else.
Mum was a born teacher and a natural organizer. When she had received the diagnosis (诊断) of incurable cancer that September, she had planned her death as practically as she had planned her busy life as a wife, mother and professional.
Mum did think fondly of her neighbours and friends. Even though she had declined to share her remaining time with them, she wanted to acknowledge their friendly care and express her lasting affection for them. So Mum had asked my older sister to purchase, on her behalf, a case of wine. The small bottles were to be decorated with ribbons (缎带) and delivered by us in person, after Mum’s death, to those neighbours who had been her favourite local companions.
Accordingly, in the early afternoon, as the cold morning rain gave way to a watery blue sky, all five of us set out to walk through the neighbourhood together, braving the cold air. Taking turns carrying the heavy boxes, we visited every house. Together, we carried the news of her death, that final gift of beribboned bottles, and her instruction to her friends: “Please use this Champagne to toast to our friendship.”
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 hugged, and cried, and laughed, with neighbour after neighbour.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the five of us returned to the house, we saw, against the backdrop of the grey sky, a breathtakingly beautiful rainbow.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I was around six years old, we had a neighbor, David, who was restoring an old 40’s Ford in his garage, and I was a curious kid, so I would go across the street and visit him as often as I could.
He was the first person to introduce me to Go-Jo hand soap, which I thought had an unpleasant smell. He and his wife occasionally invited me to have supper with them, and it was there that I would learn about burgers with French dressing. Eventually, he moved away.
A few years ago, I ran into David again. He went to the same restaurant to have breakfast. David retired and still had that 1940 Ford and also a mid-forties truck which he would always drive, one or the other, to breakfast.
David and I enjoyed many conversations about life, cars, and car shows. I remember just a few years ago, he was sitting at a local pizza joint with his daughter, and I sat next to him to have a conversation. I asked, “Where’s your wife?” To which his face went blank, and his daughter told me her mom had passed away. At that moment, my heart ached because, after having lost my wife, I knew that pain all too well. From then on, I noticed when David came to breakfast, he had his wife’s dog with him. Yep, he had that dog with him always. Even at car shows, they had a close bond which I understood.
I looked forward to car show season. When I saw him at the shows, it always put an emotional tear in my eye watching him and that dog. I wanted to get a picture of him and his dog, but I was always in a hurry and kept saying I would get it at the next show. However, with COVID-19 and all the fear out, car shows were getting canceled, and David wasn’t at breakfast much anymore because he didn’t want to catch it.
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。
Paragraph1:
About a week ago, when going to pick up my breakfast, I asked my waitress Tanya “Have you seen David lately?”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
David’s death has really reminded me to the meaning of life.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I jumped into my mother’s car, shut the door and poured out my recent trouble. “Jenny is playing her mind games again. Training is less tiring than dealing with her and her feelings,” I complained.
Jenny and I were co-captains of our cross-country team. We’d been training for the coming tournament (锦标赛) for weeks: stretching, running, and making the seven of us into a team. Jenny, with exceptional running talent, always had a way to get ahead of her competitors on the course. She also helped all of us run faster and cheered us on. It seemed that she was anticipating the final show.
However, this week, her attitude shifted. She kept making excuses not to run with the team, from aching legs to headaches. I had to beg her, telling her repeatedly that the team couldn’t do without her. It went on all day and I was worn out. What’s her deal?
Mom pulled into our driveway, and turned toward me, “Well, I know a little about Jenny. She and her little brother have been together in foster care (寄养家庭). So close were they that every time they moved, Jenny would say that as long as they were together, they had a family.” My heart sank as Mom continued, “Jenny’s stepfather (继父) came for her brother this week, with gifts, hugs and big plans for their future. But Jenny wasn’t even part of his big plans.” My chest felt tight. “Poor Jenny, not to have a family.” I was close to tears. My mother patted my knee. “That’s it, honey. You got it.” And I did.
I decided that I should do something. I proposed that we organize a team gathering before the tournament. Each member was to write a heartfelt message for every teammate and prepare a special gift for the one they felt most connected to. I made sure that Jenny would come. It took some persuading, though.
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。
As the team gathering began, there was tension in the air.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The day of the tournament arrived.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was in the middle of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park that Amanda Barrows carefully placed a wooden nightstand (床头柜) on the ground. She attached a big sign reading, “Take a poem, leave a poem.”
Out of curiosity, an endless stream of tourists gathered to take a closer look. “It’s completely unexpected,” said Barrows, a park ranger (管理员) by day and a poet by night. “I’m really taken aback by the outpouring of support. And even if poetry isn’t really your thing, you might find enjoyment in reading something with a humorous bent.”
Since childhood, Barrows has been fond of poetry and is able to recite many famous poems. Later, due to various reasons, she did not specialize in this field, but she remains steadfast in her love for poetry.
It is admirable that she insists on creating her own works and is willing to make friends through poetry. Barrows has always considered herself a writer, so she enrolled in a class called Poetry for the People. The final project of the class is to find a way to “bring poetry into the community”. In fact, Barrows expects to start a club about poetry because she knows that lots of kids love poetry.
At first Barrows struggled to land on an idea. Eventually, she realized that she could combine her love for parks and her love for poetry. A coworker gave Barrows a weathered nightstand. She thought it would be the perfect tool for her project.
The poetry nightstand reminded her of Little Free Libraries. That project features bookstands stationed across the city. People can leave and take books from little libraries. She only had a single nightstand to work with, so Barrows decided that she would leave it in a park for four days before moving it to a new location. San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department manages about 220 parks, and Barrow’s goal is to bring the poetry nightstand to all of them.
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。
On the first day, Barrows made thorough preparations and arrangements.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Barrows was surprised by the positive feedback and engagement.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In the busy city of Evercrest lived a young woman named Lily. She was a recent transplant from a small town, chasing her dreams of becoming a successful graphic designer (平面设计师). With stars in her eyes and a heart full of hope, Lily had moved into a tiny apartment in the city, ready to begin her new journey.
One chilly autumn evening, Lily got into an unexpected, tough situation. She had just left the local library, her arms laden (装满的) with books on design theory and software guides, eager to dive into her studies. As she walked towards the bus stop, her phone buzzed with a notification—her last email informed her that the deadline for a crucial design competition had been brought forward unexpectedly. Panic set in, she needed to submit her entry tonight.
With a growing sense of urgency, Lily quickened her pace, her heels clicking against the pavement. But fate, it seemed, had other plans. Just as she turned the corner, one of her worn-out shoes broke, leaving her walking awkwardly on one foot. The bus stop was still a good ten minutes away, and there was no way she could make it in time like this.
Feeling a mix of frustration and despair, Lily leaned against a nearby lamppost, thinking about what to do. It was then that a gentle voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Are you alright there, miss?” asked a tall, middle-aged man with kind eyes and a warm smile. He was dressed casually, wearing a faded jacket and holding a leather bag. Lily looked up, surprised by the stranger’s concern. “I…I’m okay, just my shoe broke, and I have to get home urgently,” she explained, gesturing towards her useless footwear.
Without hesitation, the stranger introduced himself as Mr. Thompson. “Please, let me help,” he offered, pulling out a small roll of tape from his bag. “It won’t be pretty, but it’ll hold until you can get a proper fix.” Grateful for the unexpected assistance, Lily watched as Mr. Thompson skillfully repaired her shoe.
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。
They chatted like friends while he worked.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Putting on the shoe, she felt warm and inspired to join in the design competition.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My wife and I live in an apartment. Because of the circumstances, we allow our elderly widowed (丧偶的) neighbour Mary to use our Wi-Fi connection. We’ve always gotten along really well with Mary, and her kids and grandkids live on the other side of the country because of work or other pursuits, so we’ve become a sort of “apartment family” together.
My wife just bought a new phone after her old phone crashed. After getting her new phone connected to the Internet, I went into our account to remove her old phone. When I saw the list of connected devices, there were four devices I didn’t recognize. I immediately changed the password to our connection and removed all of the devices except my own computer.
My wife and I got our devices set up, and since Mary was out shopping, we set a reminder to go over and help her reconnect when she got home. About ten minutes after I changed the password, I started hearing a lot of banging and shouting from the hallway. I opened the door and saw the man who lived across the hall from Mary pounding on her door.
I told him Mary was out right now. Then he said, “My kids were surfing online, and Mary’s Internet just went out. I’m trying to get it fixed before my kids throw an even bigger tantrum (发脾气).” I was surprised, “What do you mean, Mary’s Internet?” He replied, “She said I could use her Internet when my kids come over.”
“Mary doesn’t have her own Wi-Fi.”
“Sure, she does. I saw her password for it when I dropped off her mail yesterday.”
I knew that was not true. Mary didn’t ask him to collect her mail because if it was big enough that she couldn’t carry it up herself, she would have asked my wife or me to help her. That was mail theft. Finally, Mary didn’t have her own Wi-Fi; she used our Wi-Fi. And since my wife and I did not give him permission, and Mary would never give him permission without our permission. He was stealing our Wi-Fi.
I told him I’d be going to the building manager on Monday to let him know about all this.
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 man screamed at me.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The building manager thanked me for the information.
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