“April 23 is English Language Day,” says Melissa, jumping up and down. “What a surprise, dear. What would we have done without you reminding us?” jokes Lindsay.
Melissa burst out laughing loudly. “What I meant was that April 23 is a very special day for all of us and I just wanted to make sure non e of you forgot about it.”
“What are your plans for that day?” questions Rocky. “I want to do something special to promote our beautiful English language,” dreams Jennifer.
“I have an idea,” says Lindsay. “Mango Street’s house No. 10 has been recently occupied (居住) by a family who is not fluent in the English language.”
“Where are they from?” asks Melissa. “I don’t know that but I heard the lady talking to the grocery store owner. She had great difficulty explaining her requirements. Her son and daughter also could not understand much. Why don’t we help them improve their English?” wonders Jennifer.
“It is a wonderful idea. Shall we go and let them know what we think?” asks Rocky. “Not now. We will go to meet them tomorrow,” decides Jason.
The next day, the five friends ring the doorbell of house No.10. A young girl opens the door and smiles at them. “May we come in?” asks Melissa. “We are your neighbors.”
The girl calls her mother. The sweet fat lady invites them inside with a smile. All of them sit on the chairs laid out on the front porch (门廊).
Jason explains their plan of helping them understand and speak English better. The lady seems grateful.
“We will help you in learning how to speak and understand our language,” says Lindsay.
The lady smiles her thanks. She point s to the fruits on the table. Rocky picks up one fruit at a time and names it. Jason asks her to repeat. She tries a few times and is able to call each fruit by its name. Her son and daughter learn the names too.
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:
The friends stay for about an hour.
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On April 23, the new family holds a party for the five children.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1. 介绍自己利用网络进行的活动；
2. 谈谈自己的收获或感悟。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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One summer day, I decided to go for a walk in the nearby forest. I had my backpack prepared with water, food, and sunscreen. I was excited to spend some time in nature, away from the busy city.
The forest was attractive, with towering trees that seemed to touch the sky and colorful wildflowers under my feet. I walked deeper into the woods, attracted by the pleasant sounds of birds. The path I followed was winding and narrow, but I paid little attention, carried away by the beauty. I started to notice that the trees around me looked unfamiliar. Soon I found myself lost. I realized that I had no idea which way to go.
The sun was setting and I knew that I needed to find a way out before it got dark. I started walking, trying to remember which direction I had come from. But the forest was a maze (迷宫) of winding paths, and I soon found myself going in circles. Every tree looked the same, and every path seemed to lead nowhere.
The sound of leaves made me jump. Was it a wild animal? My heart was racing and I tried to stay calm as I listened for other sounds. But there was only silence, broken now and then by the distant calls of birds.
As the sun set, I fully understood the seriousness of my situation. There was no food or water left. I was completely alone, lost in a wilderness that could easily devour (吞噬) me. I walked nervously, tripping over things in my path, feeling frightened with a racing heartbeat. Hours passed, or maybe only minutes. Time had lost all meaning in this place.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
But then, as I was about to give up hope, I saw a weak light in the distance.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The house s owner welcomed me inside.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In Rome there was once a poor slave whose name was Androclus. His master was a cruel man, and so unkind to him that Androclus ran away. He hid himself in a wild wood for many days; but there was no food to be found, and he grew so weak and sick that he thought he would die. So one day he climbed into a cave and lay down to wait for death, and soon he was fast asleep.
After a while, a great noise woke him up. A lion had come into the cave, and was roaring loudly. Androclus was very afraid, for he felt sure that the beast would kill him. Soon, however, he saw the lion was not angry, but that his foot were hurt.
Then Androclus grew so courageous that he started to examine the lion’s paw to see what was the matter. The lion stood quite still, and rubbed his head against the man’s shoulder. He seemed to say, “I know that you will help me.”
Androclus lifted the paw from the ground, and saw that it was a long, sharp thorn that hurt the lion so much. He took the end of the thorn between his fingers; then he gave a strong, quick pull, and out it came. The lion was full of joy. He jumped about like a dog, and licked the hands and feet of his new friend.
The two became such good friends that Androclus found his new life a very happy one. One day some soldiers found Androclus in the cave and took him back to Rome. It was the law at that time that every slave who ran away from his master should fight a hungry lion. For each of these occasions, a fierce lion was locked up for a while without food, and a time was set for the fight.
Paragraph 1When the day came, thousands of people crowded in to see the fight.
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The people, who had expected to see the man killed by the lion, were filled with wonder.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jenny was the only child in her family. She had a quarrel (吵架) with her mother that afternoon and she ran out of the house angrily. She couldn’t help weeping sorrowfully when she thought of the scolding from her mother. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a little hungry and wished for something to eat. She stood beside a stand (货摊) for a while, watching the middle-aged seller busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand, she gave a sigh and had to leave.
The seller behind the stand noticed the young girl and asked, “Hey, girl, you want to have the noodles?”
“Oh, yes, but I don’t have money on me.” she replied.
“That’s nothing. I’ll treat you today,” said the man, “Come in.”
The seller brought her a bowl of noodles, whose smell was so attractive. As she was eating, Jenny cried silently.
“What is it?” asked the man kindly.
“Nothing. Actually, I was just touched by your kindness!” said Jenny as she wiped her tears. “Even a stranger on the street will give me a bowl of noodles, while my mother drove me out of the house. She showed no care for me. She is so merciless compared to a stranger!”
Hearing the words, the seller smiled, “Girl, do you really think so? I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you thanked me a lot. But it is your mother who has raised you since you were a baby. Can you remember the times she cooked for you? Have you expressed your gratitude to her?”
Jenny sat there, speechless and numb with shock: she remembered her mother’s familiar face and weathered hands. “Why didn’t I think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful. Why haven’t I thanked my mum for what she has done for me?”
On the way home. Jenny made up her mind to make an apology to her mother for her rudeness as soon as she arrived home.
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。
Nearing the doorway, Jenny took a deep breath.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At that time, her mother came back and touched her hair gently, which called her mind back.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“I’m not putting up a Christmas tree this year. I just don’t have the spirit,” my husband Bill’s mom said sadly over the phone.
My husband’s parents used to have a big Christmas. There were many lights in their yard, decorations hanging from the ceiling, a big well-decorated, freshly cut tree, etc. It was amazing.
But this year would be different. With Bill’s dad passing late that November, it was understandable that his mom’s holiday spirit was nonexistent. Christmas decorating had been something husband and wife had undertaken together for over fifty years, and she simply would not do it alone.
Still, it was heartbreaking to think that not even a tree would decorate their home this year. Phone calls were made to Mom and conversations were made with her children and grandchildren in order to try to bring back her holiday spirit. Yet, it was no use.
That season, every Christmas song I heard in the stores only made me sadder as I thought of the barren (荒芜的) spot in Mom’s heart. There had to be something that could be done to bring some joy back into her life.
One afternoon, while passing a discount store, I saw many fresh green tabletop trees. They were so beautiful. Then I got an idea. I walked into the store, and selected a multi-colored string of lights and many other decorations I could find. Then I grabbed the largest tree, paid for all the things and walked home with four bags in one hand and a tree in the other.
I couldn’t imagine what I looked like, out in the cold, carrying a tree for half a mile. I only knew I felt a boost in my own heart — a boost I hoped Mom would also feel when I delivered the tree to her. And I wanted her to know that if Dad had still been alive, he would have wished her to be happy. If he had seen her unhappy, he would have been sad.
When I got home, Bill saw the tree. I told him that I would give it to Mom.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
But he shook his head, saying, “I wouldn’t give this to her. She’s not going to like it…”
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Just when Bill and I secretly put the tree in Mom’s yard, the door suddenly flew open.
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To act with honesty was a habit with Susan who always follows the Golden Rule: “Do not do to others what you do not want others to do to you.” But when she thought over her past conduct, a blush of shame appeared on her cheeks, as many little acts of selfishness and unkindness came back to her memory. She was determined that for the future, both in great things and small, she would remember and follow the Golden Rule.
It was not long after this that an opportunity occurred, which tried Susan’s principles. One Saturday evening she went, as usual, to Mr. Thompson’s store, to receive the money of her mother’s washing for him, which amounted to five dollars. When she arrived, she found Mr. Thompson extremely busy. As Susan made her request for the money, he simply pressed a bill into her hand.
With the bill in hand, Susan happily went out of the gate. Pausing to put the money safely in her purse, she discovered that he had given her two bills instead of one. She looked around; nobody was near and her first reaction was joy at the unexpected prize.
“It is all mine,” said she to herself. “I will buy my mother a new coat with it, and she can give her old one to my sister Mary, and then Mary can go to school with me next winter. I wonder if I can buy a pair of shoes for my brother Tom, too.”
At that moment she remembered that he must have given it to her by mistake. But again the voice of the tempter whispered, ‘‘He gave it, and how do you know that he did not intend to make you a present of it? Keep it! He will never know 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。
This conflict was going on in her mind between good and evil.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Sir, you paid me two bills instead of one,” she handed him the extra note.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My mom was a kind woman. She had an unusual view on helping others that I didn’t really understand until one cold, winter day when we picked up my brothers at school.
“Who is that child?” Mom pointed at a skinny, angry-looking girl across the street. “She doesn’t even have a coat. It’s freezing!” “That’s Becky Ingler. She always looks mad like that,” I replied. Becky didn’t have a father, and everybody laughed at her. “I’ll visit her tomorrow,” Mom said.
The next day, we went to the Inglers’ house. A tired-looking woman appeared, and Mom smiled, “Hello, Mrs. Ingler. I’m just visiting some of our neighbors.” Once inside, I noticed there was a rusty coal stove and a big messy bed. Mom looked at each of the children carefully.
As we left, Mom told Mrs. Ingler she would visit them again soon.
Mom’s old sewing machine (缝纫机) worked for two days and nights to turn some shabby clothes into stylish winter coats. She said to me, “I need your help to send these coats to the Inglers this afternoon.”
“Wow!” I said. “They’re lucky to get these.”
“No,” said Mom as she faced me. “We’re the lucky ones to be able to help them. We must make sure these coats are given freely, without the Inglers paying a price for them.” I didn’t understand what Mom meant. Mom explained, “I don’t want these coats to cost them their pride or dignity (尊严). We can’t show we are somehow better than they are.”
I asked Mom what we should do if they refused the coats. Mom smiled and said, “I have a plan in mind.”
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。
Later that day, we went to the Inglers’ house again.
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As we left, I noticed Becky examining the coats happily.
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On the first day of high school after moving to St. Louis, Missouri this summer, I was really nervous. I had decided the night before that I would be much happier if I made friends that were so-called “popular”. I bought a new outfit (套装) regardless of the high price just so the first day would be perfect.
Scared, yet anxious, I walked up the stairs to the front door. My first class was math, but where was that? I was standing in the hall looking confused, when a short, blond girl wearing glasses came up and asked, “Are you new? You look lost. I’ll help you find your class. My name is Diane. What’s yours?” Even though she seemed a bit strange, definitely not the kind of person I wanted to be associated with, I decided to answer her anyway. I was, after all, lost.
When we reached my room she said, “Well, here you are. It was nice meeting you. I hope your day goes all right.” I said thanks and waved good-bye.
Once inside the classroom, I saw a guy in the middle of the class who was wearing a letter jacket. A group of people crowded around him. I decided this guy was popular. He was talking about wild and crazy things he had done in the summer. A few minutes later, the teacher came in and told everyone to find a seat. I managed to get one right next to the guy. I said, “Hi, my name is April and I’m new here.” He said, “Hi, I’m Johnny.”
That lass dragged on and on Finally the bell rang. I turned to him and asked, “I’m not sure where my next class is. Could you help me find it?” “No!” he said, turned back to his friends, and walked out of the classroom. As they were walking out I heard him say, “Did you guys see that the new girl trying to get into our group? That outfit was way too strange.”
注意：1. 续写词数150左右；2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
They all laughed and some of them turned around and stared at me.
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The next day before class started, someone came up behind me and said, “Hi, again. How was your first day?”
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When I first met George, I was in my early thirties, trying to find something creative to getaway from the boring housework and raising little ones. My children, then aged three and five, were just entering kindergarten and school life.
At 55, George had recently retired and was seeking a rewarding hobby for his golden years. For both of us, painting was “it”, and we met at a local painting class. Thus we began a friendship that was to last for 25 years, until the day he died.
George was a man who lived life to the fullest; he worked hard, played hard and had an opinion about everything. He loved his family and friends, took pride in his fitness and health and walked three kilometers every day. And as the only male in a painting class full of women, George ruled the roost and we were his hens. He looked after everyone with the same attention.
He took to painting with a great passion and commitment, even transforming the spare bedroom of his home into a studio. His painting equipment was comprehensive — an easel (画架), quality paints, brushes, palette, canvases, charcoal pencils, etc. George housed many of these items in a red metal tool box with original shop sticker with the price. Not fancy, but shiny and very red.
For about six years, George and I studied together until the completion of the course drew us apart. We kept in touch as we lived within a couple of kilometers of each other. I would sometimes see him on his daily work or at local shops, and occasionally we’d chat over afternoon tea.
Last year,George was about 80 years old. He rang one day and asked me to come to his house. While his wife Dorothy served tea and cake, George explained that he was giving up painting and giving away all his stuff.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答案卡的相应位置作答。
He said he would give me everything — paints, boards, canvases, completed works and even the precious red tool box.
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I failed to persuade him and felt quite upset about his decision.
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