At 7:30 a. m. on Christmas Eve 2022, Yvonne White got a call from an unknown number. It was Sha’ Kyra Aughtry, a Buffalo resident who had rescued her brother, Joey White, from a deadly winter storm.
Joey, then 64, was mentally disabled. Yvonne had called him just before the storm hit, strictly instructing him not to leave the group home where he lives. He had promised her he would stay put. But as Buffalo’s worst snow storm in almost 50 years struck the city, Joey went outside. It’s unclear what time Joey left home or for what purpose, but Yvonne suspected he walked about 9 miles to North Park Theatre, a single-screen cinema where he had worked as a doorkeeper since 1980．She believed he got scared and eventually decided to walk back home.
At around 6:30 a. m. on Dec.24, Joey ended up in a snowbank directly outside Aughtry’s home. He was wailing and crying out in severe pain. Aughtry went outside and found a stranger, screaming and confused. She went into the storm with her husband, and they carried Joey into their home. Joey had visible signs of severe frostbite: His hands were severely swollen and covered in multicolored blisters and sores. Aughtry used a hair dryer to peel off his clothing, which clung tightly to his shaking body. She also cut off his frozen socks and removed the remnants of a grocery store bag that were stuck to Joey’s hands. After about an hour of trying to warm him up, Aughtry, a mother of three boys, then ages 5, 6 and 13, called up Yvonne. Joey had memorized his sister’s phone number. The women stayed in constant communication from then on.
Still, despite all Aughtry had done to treat his wounds, Joey urgently needed medical attention. Getting help seemed impossible, though, with the roads covered with heavy ice and snow. “We called 911 easily 100 times,” Yvonne says. “We tried everything. We were flipping out and crying. It was just getting worse and worse.”
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:
In a desperate cry for help, Aughtry posted a live video on a local Facebook group.
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Above all, though, thanks to the timely medical care, Joey is alive.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was a Saturday morning as I prepared to take my eight-year-old son, David, to the aquarium. His eyes were widened with excitement, and he chattered non-stop about the sea creatures we would see, the sharks, the dolphins... We boarded the bus, and after a few stops, we made ourselves comfortably seated. David gazed out the window, watching the world go by with wonder.
The bus continued its route, and with each stop, it became increasingly crowded. Passengers of varying ages and backgrounds filled the seats. David and I were engaged in a light-hearted conversation about marine life, our anticipation and joy building with each passing minute.
As we approached a mid-route bus stop, an elderly lady boarded, her movements labored and her legs visibly unsteady. The bus was full, and for a moment, there was an obvious hesitation among the passengers, each perhaps weighing the social morals against their own comfort. The elderly lady seized her walking aid, swaying slightly with each lurch of the vehicle.
Noticing the elderly lady’s struggle, David made a decision. Without a moment’s hesitation, he rose from his seat. His small hand gestured towards the elderly lady. “You can sit here, ma'am,” he said, his voice clear and sincere. The elderly lady’s face transformed with a mixture of surprise and gratitude. “Oh, thank you, boy,” she said, her voice filling up with emotion. David then took her hand gently, helping her navigate through the crowd to the seat he had left for her. With the help of David, the lady eased herself into the seat, her relief evident. I felt pride welling up within me as I watched what David had done. Looking at David, who was standing now, I saw not just the playful child he was known to be, but the empathetic and considerate young man he was growing into.
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。
As the bus rolled on, it was filled with renewed warmth among the passengers.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________That evening, as we returned home, I couldn’t help but reflect on the true treasure of the day.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Lilly paused, her plans — going climbing momentarily forgotten, as she watched the older woman’s wheels stuck in the railroad tracks. The woman, with a mixture of frustration and determination across her face, pushed against the stubborn wheels, trying to free herself.
Without hesitation, Lilly approached her. “Do you need some help?” she asked, her voice gentle yet clear.
The woman looked up, surprised and slightly embarrassed. “Oh, dear, I thought I could manage, but these tracks are more of a challenge than I expected,” she admitted.
Lilly smiled. “Let me help you,” she offered, placing her bag on the ground before grasping the handles of the wheelchair. With a joint effort, they managed to get the wheelchair back on solid ground.
“Thank you, young lady. I’m Martha,” the woman introduced herself.
“I’m Lilly. It’s nice to meet you. Martha. Are you heading somewhere nearby?” Lilly asked, curious about the woman’s journey.
“Yes, just across the street to the park. My granddaughter is playing in the school band there. It’s their first public performance, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Martha explained, her voice filled with pride.
Lilly glanced at her watch, realizing her own plans could wait. “Would you like me to walk with you to the park? It’s no trouble.” she offered.
Martha’s face lit up with a grateful smile. “I would appreciate that very much. Lilly.”
As they made their way to the park, Lilly learned that Martha had been a music teacher for most of her life, instilling(灌输) a love of music in countless children, including her own granddaughter. Lilly found herself absorbed in Martha’s stories of past concerts, and the joy that music brought to her life.
Upon reaching the park, they found a spot where Martha could have a clear view of the stage. The air was filled with the excitement of parents, friends, and locals, who gathered to support the young musicians.
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。
“Would you like to stay and listen to the performance?” Martha asked Lily.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the concert drew to a close, Martha opened her eyes and turned to Lilly.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In my childhood, under the influence of my el der brother and my peers in the neighborhood, I tried a number of outdoor activities. Of course, I was not so taken by all of them. whether I was doing them for the first time or continuously. However, fate had its own plans in store. You never know when an outdoor activity will change my life.
The name of this activity is “fishing”. About ten years ago, I didn't really like the idea of sitting on the bank of a lake or river, spending long hours under the sun's ultraviolet rays, which can cause sunburns and skin damage, and anxiously anticipating some fish to be kind to take my bait(诱饵). In fact, I used to think of this outdoor activity as some kind of “hide-and-seek-game” that is popular with most young kids, except that it was much harder because I could see my “prey (猎物)” only after catching it.
However, all that changed when I paid a visit to my aunt in the countryside during a summer holiday. I was finally convinced by one of my cousins to accompany him to a nearby lake in order to do some fishing practice with him. In fact, he even assured me that fish would eat my baits. So I agreed and went to the lake expecting to catch some fish. Before throwing my fishing line into the water, my cousin did some tricks attaching some sort of food to my fishing pole.
Learning to fish in a river or lake can be challenging for the beginners like me. The act of dropping a line is easy, but being a successful fisher is hard. That's why they call it fishing but not catching But with practice and patience, it can become easier over time. Patience is essential in lake fishing. It may take some time to find the right spot or lure (鱼饵) that will attract fish.
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。
My cousin had to repeatedly remind me to keep patient.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When we finally left the lake, I had caught three fish!
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Crab Lessons
My son Geordi was a rather spirited boy. Very little held his attention for long. He spent most of his spare time thinking up new ways to scare me half to death. Like the time he decided to “surf” on a tiny plastic table that was meant to hold a few drinks rather than a six-year-old boy. Geordi had just begun learning about the ocean in school and was surprisingly fascinated by it. We lived in Delaware, so any discussion about the ocean usually included horseshoe crabs, which crowded our coasts to mate in the late spring.
As part of the lesson, Geordi’s teacher brought horseshoe crab shells (壳) to school for the children to touch and examine. Hearing that horseshoe crabs had been around for over 300 million years, even before the dinosaurs, Geordi thought that was officially the coolest thing he had ever heard. He could not stop talking about it for days, and I decided it was time for us to take a drive to the Delaware Bay.
As we stepped out from the car, strong wind nearly blew my poor forty-five-pound child to the ground. Being a six-year-old mischievous (调皮的) boy, Geordi saw this as an opportunity to showcase his amazing talents, which included falling down, getting up, falling down and, yes, getting up again. This, of course, was always complete with giggles (咯咯笑). The drama came to a sudden stop as Geordi spied the dozens of army-truck-looking creatures in the sand. The next sound effect was “Wow!” as his body froze and his eyes widened with wonder.
Geordi ran around excitedly, not knowing which one to check out first. He settled on a horseshoe crab that was on its back, legs waving wildly in the air, desperate for water. “Mom, look at this one!” he screamed. “He’s cool!” I pointed out the different body parts of the crab for him, and he listened quietly and absorbed the information. He said, “I really liked him. I think I will name him Spike because he had all those really cool, spiky (尖的) things on his back.” Then I picked up the crab, turned it over to its proper position and placed it at the edge of the water.
注意：1.续写词数应为150 左右;
2.请按如下格式作答。
Geordi asked what I was doing.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Geordi spotted many more horseshoe crabs on their backs.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Twenty-five years ago,our neighborhood had a new family: a six-year-old boy called Tim, his little sister Cassie and his mother. They lived in a tiny house next door to us. They wouldn’t live there long — perhaps four or five months, extending through the up coming Christmas that year.
Things were difficult for the family. They were struggling to make ends meet, and it was usual to find them without electricity because of unpaid power bills. I tried to do what I could, but it wasn’t much because I was on a tight budget myself.
That Christmas, like others, my children Lily and her little brother Tom were up early opening gifts, running around the neighborhood, and showing off their gifts. As I handed my neighbors my usual spread of Christmas baked treats over the fence, Cassie walked by with her new baby doll.
Tim,smiling proudly, waved his only Christmas gift — a race car he had been dreaming of. These two kids spent hours on that Christmas day playing with their beloved toys. I was surprised when Lily noticed and said sadly, “Mom,they both only got one toy.”
The following morning, after breakfast, I prepared to go to the cinema with my kids, who had looked forward to it for a very long time. I had been saving money for the movie tickets, and finally I could afford them.
When I was preparing for the trip, I saw Tim’s mother put a box in the backseat of the car. Tim stood there crying as the car pulled away. I wasn’t sure what had happened until Lily told me the truth later.
“Mom, Tim told me his mom took his race car back to the store. His mom said they needed the money,” Lily said, taking pity on Tim. “Did his mom take Cassie’s doll back, too?” I asked. “No,just Tim’s,” Lily answered again. I felt upset but helpless.
Later, when I asked my kids to catch the bus to the cinema, I found Tim sitting before their door.
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。
With empty hands, he looked down at the ground.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was struck by my children’s big hearts.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It all started after a routine doctor visit. I’d been planning on getting healthy, but the number s showed that my vague efforts weren’t working at all. Weijing 325pounds, I found my blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure were all way over target. Things had to change. Dradically.
But I was definitely not doing another diet of cramming (塞满) denial and shame down my throat until I hit some number on a scale. I was tired of watching the weight return again and again. bringing with it more guilt and shame. Clearly, I needed to make lifestyle changes.
It occurred to me that I knew a lot about what didn’t work, since all my previous attempts had led me to this sorry state. I needed to get healthy, but in a slow, steady, rest-d-my-life kind of way.
I’ve been a software developer for twenty-five years, so naturally I went to that skill set. I thought. “What if the system I need to redesign is me?” I decided to reboot (重启) my own system. Could I make it easy? Make it fun?
That idea seems radical (过激的). It goes against diet culture and the advertising messages we’ve been bombarded with our entire lives. We’re told over and over that getting health y is difficult. No pain, no gain, right?
But I found out it doesn’t have to be that way. I started upgrading my system by reviewing all the times I tried to get healthy in the past. I made a list of what didn’t work. Then I wrote down what did work, or at least worked for a while, and why it stopped working. There were some surprises. My membership at 15-Minute Fitness, for example, was a huge success. I worked out with a trainer for an intense fifteen minutes twice a week and saw huge gains.
One by one, I went through every failed attempt. I realized that the consistent elements across all of them were guilt, shame and internal bullying.
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。
Then I came up with new rules.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After my first 100 days, I sat e big improvements.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The instant my family boarded the plane, I felt like every head turned to us, looking at us with a fake politeness. I knew what they were thinking: “Oh! No. Please, don’t sit in the aisle next to me.” In my head I could even hear the flight attendant saying, “You can feel free to store your... child in the overhead compartment (隔层).”
We found our seats. My son sat by the window, my wife in the center, and I took the seat on the aisle. I saw a “cool guy” get onto the plane, a man about my age. He was wearing a concert T-shirt, ripped jeans, and I could hear that he’s listening to rock music on his iPhone. This guy represented who I was as a traveler before I had a child. He took the aisle seat directly across from me. We took off.
Planes are not designed with children in mind. There is no ball hole, no playground. To keep my child occupied, my wife and I took turns walking him from the pilot’s cabin to the tail. Suddenly, we hit turbulence (强气流) and needed to take our seats. The plane was shaking. My son’s ears began hurting from the drop in cabin pressure, and he had a meltdown. This is a child who has difficulty with crowded social situations and excessive stimulation. My wife and I could do nothing but held him to live through this moment.
I looked over at Cool Guy, and he was staring at me, trying to pour Coke. I wanted to say, “Look, Cool Guy, I am sorry if we are ruining your time on United Airlines, but we have a crisis here, and if anyone on this plane needs to drink, it’s me!”
Finally, my son fell asleep from exhaustion. And that wave of exhaustion flowed over my family. I just sat there, listening to the slight sound of the engine and hoping we would start our landing in Chicago soon.
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:
Then, I felt that somebody patted my shoulder.
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My son’s eyes lit up, and he eagerly grabbed the toy, delighted.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I first moved to the south of America in the summer holiday before middle school, I realized that I was stepping into a completely different world. New Orleans, Louisiana, was unlike any place I had ever been to. In the French Quarter, tourists walked around all year with long skinny cups in their hands, and there was a popular game going on the streets which were crowded with cars but had few people. What surprised me more than anything, though, was the constant friendliness and compassion of the people of New Orleans.
“What can I get for you, sugar?” a waitress about my age asked me on my first day in New Orleans.
I was taken aback. The waitress did not even know me, but she treated me like family. She smiled down at me as I pointed to an item on the menu.
“Is the pasta good?” I asked her.
“It’s not my favorite,” she admitted with a smile. “But I’m more of a girl who prefers rice!” She shrugged, letting out a loud laughter.
I looked at her in shock. What was I supposed to say to that? I couldn’t believe that the waitress had just prevented me from ordering something. Actually, she had given me her honest opinion, as if we were best friends. She even told me her name—Mary. She even told me that she just worked as a part-time waitress and that she would be a high school student soon.
After a few days in New Orleans, I got used to kind reminders and polite greetings. I also realized how comforting it was to be treated like I belong wherever I went.
As soon as I settled into my new high school, I adapted myself to the school life. I was drawn to the lively music scene that New Orleans was famous for. I was a trumpet (小号) player, and I wanted to join the school music club. However, I was afraid that I was too poor in music to be qualified for the school music club.
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。
One afternoon, I was surprised to see a group of students including Mary practicing jazz in the school playground.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, with Mary’s encouragement, my hesitation slowly melted away.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My dad was more than a father to me; he was my friend and confidant (知己) and one of the most amazing people in my life. So when he passed away suddenly from a stroke at the age of 51, my world fell apart. I was lost, along with my mother who had been with my father since age 16, two brothers, and everyone who knew him. We were thrown into a thick fog of anger, sadness, and shock.
I cried every night and tried to hold onto all my memories of him. I replayed every moment I could remember — writing down thoughts, printing out old e-mails, reading old birthday cards — anything I could hang on to because I didn’t want to forget. As I was going through all these old memories, I began to wonder about all the things I had missed. My dad was a quiet man who was known for his listening skills, his patience, his humor, and his smile. He was often the one listening instead of telling stories. I wanted to know what stories I had missed by losing him so soon. So I decided to compile (编纂) a memory book as a surprise Christmas gift for my mom and brothers.
I started my project in November, contacting everyone I knew who was close to my dad or had been in the past. I sent e-mails and letters asking for friends and family of Gary Force to send me their thoughts and memories of him. I asked them specifically to share funny stories about my dad and the stories that maybe no one had ever heard or had long forgotten. I told them to respond no later than one week before Christmas. I waited and waited and got very few responses by December. I began to wonder if this was a horrible idea or if anyone even cared.
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。
And then the responses started pouring in.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I gave it to my family as the last gift on Christmas Day.
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