Benched?
Anxious, Devin sat in the back seat of the car. “I have so much energy!” he said. “Do I really have to sit and watch?”
“It’s just for one more game.” Devin’s father said as he drove into the parking lot by the outdoor basketball court. “It’s better to stay on the safe side.”
Devin sighed. “It’s been a week since I got injured,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt at all.”
But it did hurt when he was in last week’s game. He twisted to avoid a defender and ended up spraining his ankle. “The doctor said 10 days,” his father reminded him. “No jumping. You can ease back into basketball next week.”
Devin ran his fingers over the logo on his basketball uniform. He was ready for the game, but he knew he’d be spending it on the bench. The summer season was short — just eight games —and he’d already missed one.
“I just want to help my team win,” he said as he got out of the car. “I can’t do that if I’m not on the court.”
Devin loved hearing the thump (沉闷的撞击声), thump, thump of basketballs and the feeling of excitement before every game. Hip-hop music from the loudspeaker made him feel like dancing. The energy in the air would make it even harder for him not to participate.
Before the game, Coach reminded the players to make smart passes and play tough defense. Without Devin’s leadership and skill, his team would need a huge effort.
By halftime, Coach praised the players for their hard work. With Devin unable to play, the team had only one extra player, so no one was getting much rest.
The game was fierce. The score stood at 47 to 49 with three minutes left in the game. Devin sat down and rubbed his hands together. “I’m a loser here on the bench. I can do nothing to help.” he thought.
Coach called a timeout(比赛暂停) and gathered the players to give some advice.
注意：1. 续写词数为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答.
Suddenly, Coach turned to Devin. “Do you have anything to add?”
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The game was over and his team had a two-point victory!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________For more than 20 years I have been traveling the world, preferring often to spend a year or two in different countries rather than to just visit as a tourist. It has become an important part of my personality as I grew older and shaped the way I saw the world and myself.
My little taste of this amazing life was when I was 19 years old. I was selected among a small group of college classmates to spend a year abroad. This was long before people could travel the world through social media like Facebook and Twitter. In order to see a place, you had to go there and experienced it.
I was raised in a middle-class family and couldn’t afford to travel around the world the way I wished I could. The only way I knew about the world outside was through letters I wrote to pen pals from over a dozen countries as a kid, and from television. Growing up, I always loved the very funny British comedies that were shown on local public television every Saturday night. So when I got the chance to apply for a study abroad program, I chose London.
Living abroad can be exciting, scary and challenging. I thought it would be easier because I spoke the same language as the local people did. But I also like to relish (享受) the little differences between the British and American culture and language. I also learned that in England, they spell words differently than in the U. S. In British spelling, they put a “u” in words like favor to make it “favour” and an “s” in words like analyze to make it “analyse”. I was able to adapt quickly to this new way of writing since I was submitting papers all the time for my classes.
Academically, I got to take classes that weren’t offered at my college back home. For example, I had a course in sociology and learned about the native people of Papua New Guinea.
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: But there were also challenges that year too.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: Sometimes the difficult times made me sad and homesick.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jack was new to Woodberry Forest School this year. He carried a secret burden: a stutter (口吃) that often brought about laughter from his classmates. This made him very upset. Shy and reserved. Jack chose to fade into the background rather than draw attention to himself. He felt like an outsider, never quite fitting in.
Jack was eager to exchange ideas with his classmates, but afraid of getting into trouble. Jack's science teacher, Katherine, a warm and caring woman often wearing a smile, noticed Jack's stutter and shyness. She observed how Jack struggled to express himself in class and how he would shy away when called upon to speak.
Determined to lend a hand, Katherine took Jack under her wing, encouraging him to embrace bravery and believe in his own abilities. Subsequently, Katherine adopted a set of systematic methods to help him. She was glad to find the potential in him, the intelligence and creativity that lay hidden beneath his stutter. Whenever possible, Katherine was always ready to praise his efforts, always declaring, "You are so great!” Whenever Jack stumbled over his words, Katherine always smiled at him encouragingly, providing him with the strength to continue. Day by day, Jack found himself speaking with greater confidence and fluency.
One day, Katherine announced that each student should give a presentation of a science project in front of the class. Jack's heart sank, the familiar fear and anxiety wrapping around him. How could he possibly stand before his classmates to give his ideas clearly, knowing that they would laugh at him? As the presentation drew near, Jack's anxiety mounted. Then came the big day. He watched his classmates take turns to walk up to the front. They gave their presentation with confidence and backed to their seats with satisfaction. However, while Jack was waiting for his turn, his heart beat so violently that he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.
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。
Paragraph 1:
It was finally his turn.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
When Jack finished his presentation, the room erupted into applause.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________All my life, I’ve had this dream that causes me to wake up feeling strange. In it, I am a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get ready for school. Deep inside I know where the dream comes from and what it means. It is. God’s way of reminding me of some unfinished business in-my life.
I loved everything about school, even though the school I attended in Springfield, Ohio, in the 1920s was very strict. I loved books, teachers, even tests and homework. Most of all I longed to someday march down the passage to the music of “Pomp and Circumstance” (毕业进行曲). To me, that song was even more beautiful than “Here Comes the Bride”.
But there were problems. With seven children, Mom and Dad had no money for things like fine school clothes. But as long as I could go to school, I didn’t mind too much how I looked or what I lacked.
What happened next was harder to accept. My brother Paul died of an infection. Then my father died. The shock of these losses gave me a blow, and I fell behind in my schoolwork. At fifteen, I dropped out of my beloved school and went to work in a bakery. My hope of walking down the passage to “Pomp and Circumstance” was dead, or so I thought.
In 1940, I married Ed, a machinist, and we began our family. With the coming of children went the dream of schooling. Even so, I was determined that my children would have the education I had missed. All our six children eventually got some college training, and one of them is a college professor.
But Linda, our last child, had health problems. Now Linda was nineteen, and still she did not have her high school diploma. She was repeating my own experience.
I prayed about this problem, and I began to see an answer. I drove to the local high school to check it out. On the bulletin board, I spotted an announcement about evening courses.
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。
That’s the answer, I said to myself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________To my surprise, both Linda and I thrived in evening school.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In the town of Willowbrook, young Sarah was in a state of great excitement. Her school was putting on its annual play, and she had been offered a principal role. The school hall had been abuzz for weeks with rehearsals, prop (道具) preparations, and the students practicing their lines. Sarah had spent countless hours rehearsing, wanting to get every word and movement absolutely right.
However, underlying her anticipation was a growing sadness. Sarah’s dad, Mr Thompson, worked as an engineer in a big city, and his job often kept him away from home for a long time, which meant he frequently missed out on most of the special moments in Sarah’s life. This play seemed to be another addition to that growing list. He had a vital business meeting on the same day, and Sarah, although understanding, couldn’t help feeling disappointed. Her classmates talked excitedly about their families coming to watch, increasing her sense of loss.
It was bright and sunny on the day of the play. The school’s hall was noisy with students. Students in costumes rushed about, teachers gave last-minute instructions, and the air was thick with anticipation. Sarah peeped out from behind the curtains and saw the hall filling up with eager parents, siblings, and friends. Every seat was taken, except one — her dad’s.
The play started on time with Sarah and her classmates’ performance being the first. The actors delivered their lines with passion and the audience responded with laughter and applause at all the right moments. Sarah played her part with a mix of excitement and longing, wishing her dad could see her shine.
Halfway through, the host called for a surprise guest to enter. He described him as a “mysterious stranger” whose brief appearance would provide a turning point in the plot. As the lights dimmed slightly and suspenseful music played, a tall figure stepped onto the stage.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Sarah’s heart jumped faster.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When the final scene concluded and the curtains drew to a close, applause thundered through the hall.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Emily was a shy girl who often preferred the comfort of her own company. She found it challenging to express herself and lacked confidence in her abilities. However, her best friend Ada always believed in her and encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone.
One day, as Emily sat in her art class, her teacher, Mrs. Anderson, announced an upcoming art competition. The competition showcased the talents of students from various schools in the city. The room buzzed with excitement. Her mind flashed back to her bedroom where impressive art work was displayed on the walls, each piece seemingly more attractive than the last. Emily’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of participating, but her shyness held her back. Self-doubt crept in, whispering that her work wouldn’t measure up to the talent surrounding her. Emily wondered if she had made a mistake by even considering entering.
Ada, noticing Emily’s excitement and fear, whispered, “Emily, you should totally enter the competition! Your art is fantastic, and this could be a great opportunity for you to showcase your talent.”
Emily hesitated for a moment, contemplating (思忖) Ada’s words. A gentle breeze wafted through the open windows, carrying the distant sounds of laughter and chatter from outside. Emily closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing thoughts. She reminded herself of the countless hours she had spent honing (磨炼) her craft, the late nights and early mornings dedicated to perfecting her technique. She had poured her heart and soul into her art, and this competition was a chance to showcase her passion to a wider audience.
With a deep breath, she finally gathered the courage to approach Mrs. Anderson after class. “Mrs. Anderson, I’m interested in participating in the art design competition,” Emily said, her voice slightly trembling. Mrs. Anderson smiled warmly, recognizing Emily’s potential. “That’s wonderful, Emily! I think it’s about time you should share your incredible talent with the world. I’ll provide you with all the guidance and support you need.”
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。
Over the following weeks, Emily dedicated herself to creating her masterpiece.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On the day of the competition, Emily nervously displayed her artwork.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I’ve always had a love for basketball, so when it came time to continue my basketball journey at Columbia High School, I resolved to make it onto the school’s varsity (校队) basketball team. Any time I wasn’t studying, I was putting on my sports shoes and hitting the school stadium. Just before bed, I’d look up videos of LeBron James and Kevin Durant, trying to learn from the professionals. Day and night, all I could think about was how to get better and how to improve.
After months and months of practice and playing on the junior varsity team, Coach Moore finally told me one day that I was going to be playing for our school’s varsity basketball team going into my junior year. Success! Time for the big league! What I didn’t know, however, was that I was going to face a pretty big challenge in the form of a new transfer student: Chet Harrison.
Harrison had just transferred from another school, Westmoreland High School, where he had already been playing for the varsity team. There were rumors floating around that he was nearly guaranteed a spot playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and maybe even the National Basketball League someday.
I’ll admit, the kid was a natural talent when it came to playing basketball. But Harrison’s biggest weakness was his personality. He seemed selfish and sometimes acted like a bully, always seeking attention and showing off after scoring goals. Despite his loyal following of fans, I couldn’t stand him. But after Coach Moore said that Harrison and I would be playing together, I decided to accept it and make peace with the situation.
After months of putting up with Harrison’s attitude, I nearly had enough. Just before the winter break, however, we played a home match against Harrison’s old school Westmoreland and we lost. Harrison in particular felt utterly embarrassed.
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 found Harrison struggling to fight off tears in a corner of the boys’ locker room.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After months of working together, we found ourselves again facing Westmoreland on the basketball court for the finals.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Pot On Happy Face
Sarai was attempting to halter (给……套上缰绳) her bay (棕红色) horse, Amadore, when an unfamiliar voice caught her attention. “I know what your problem is.” said a boy from the stall doorway.
Sarai threw a look over her shoulder but her focus remained on the horse in front of her.
Holding out a hand to her horse. Sarai said. “You heard what Dad said yesterday. If I can’t get this halter on you by tomorrow, we’ll have to send you back to the rescue ranch. I don’t want to send you back.”
“I know what your problem is.” the boy persisted, introducing himself as Cody.
Sarai sighed, propped her hands on her hips, and turned enough to see the boy but keep Amadore in her sight as well.
“I haven’t seen you here before,” said Sarai, frowning. “If you don't know me or my horse, how can you know what my problem is?”
“I just do,” Cody smiled again.
Sarai rolled her eyes and turned her back on Cody. Despite Sarai’s skepticism and her insistence on working alone, he offered to stay around in case she needed help.
The following morning, Sarai’s efforts were met with the same resistance from Amadore. Seeing him push himself back into the corner even further when she approached with breakfast, she frowned again, feeling frustrated and broken-hearted.
Realizing she might need assistance after all, she sought out Cody, who was now grooming a horse named Monty, preparing him for the Great Mustang Challenge.
“How's it going with Amadore?” Cody asked.
The words stuck in her throat, “Well…I need your help. Yesterday you said you knew what my problem was.” “It’s your face,” said Cody. “Horses can read a person’s facial features and determine what might happen because of the look on the face.”
Noticing Sarai’s struggle, Cody explained that her frown, likely a result of concentration, could be misinterpreted by the horse.
“That's silly,” said Sarai skeptically.
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 can prove it,” Cody smiled with a camera in his hand.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With a quick pace, Sarai went back to her own horse.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It had been a challenging but rewarding term, filled with hard work and a thirst for knowledge. As I handed in my final assignment and saw it was graded A, a sense of pride and satisfaction washed over me. Little did I know that my accomplishments had not gone unnoticed by my families, who had been closely observing my progress.
At the first day of summer vacation, my mother told me excitedly that we would pay a visit to Marco the next day to cheer for my progress in academic study. When I got the good news, I felt on top of the world and could not hold back my high spirits. As I lay in bed that night, a mix of anticipation and delight welled up in my heart, and I slid into a dream-filled sleep, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the coming adventure.
After we arrived in Marco, my parents said that we would first visit the Marco tower. Marco Tower, built in the late 19th century, is a historic landmark that showcases the rich architectural heritage of the city. It is also considered one of the top tourist attractions in the region. Upon hearing the inspiring news, I bounced up and down with joy. But then I felt a bit uneasy because of my fear of heights.
Inside the lift, my palms grew sweaty as the anxiety consumed me. I paced back and forth in the tower lift, unsure of whether I would have the courage. After the lift reached the specific floor, I gasped (倒吸一口气) in horror. The floor here was made of glass, so one could appreciate the height of the tower and take a real adventure. Seeing my family both take out their phones to shoot the grand views, I felt under pressure. Then my mother smiled at me and said delightedly, “Just take it easy and you can do 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。
I didn’t know whether to stay or not.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was totally struck by the height of the tower.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________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.
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