Nature, while beautiful, could also be unpredictable and merciless. But most importantly we bear in mind that in the darkest times, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, just like Mrs. Evans‘ cabin light.
One bright summer day, my friend Peter and I decided to venture into the unexplored trails of the Great Smoky Mountains. Blessed with rich biodiversity and fascinating landscapes, the national park seemed a perfect getaway. Little did we know that our casual hike would soon turn into an unexpected personal incident, forever engraved in our memories.
We set off early in the morning, equipped with our backpacks and a map that was supposed to guide us through the winding trails. The sun was up, casting long shadows on the forest floor as we set off on our journey. We trekked (艰难行走), laughed, and marveled at the beauty of nature around us.
As we trekked through the dense forests, taking in the natural wonders around us, we couldn’t help but feel a sense of adventure coursing through our veins. The trail was rugged and uneven, but we persevered through the challenging landscape.
Midway through our expedition, we stumbled upon a breathtaking waterfall, its glistening waters cascading down the rocks in a quiet and peaceful melody. We sat down by the water’s edge, taking a moment to get lost in the beauty of nature. The cool mist from the waterfall enveloped us, and we felt refreshed and energetic.
As the day wore on, we ventured deeper into the wilderness, eager to explore every corner of this natural paradise. We were so absorbed in the beauty of nature that just didn't notice our way and it seemed that we could not find the way back to the familiar part of the forest. Panicking, we scrambled to find our way back but the dense vegetation and winding trails only served to confuse us further. We tried to remember any possible signs that might lead us back, No sooner had we celebrated our return to the clear trails than something worse happened.
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。
Para.1:Suddenly, the weather took an abrupt turn.
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Para.2:Just when we were about to give up, a faint light flickered in the distance
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Living in the shadow of my two elder sisters at college who already had their lives planned out since they were little, I was always undecided about everything. As a teenager, I was fickle (反复无常的). I would like one thing for a week and then hate it the next. But I was constantly searching for the beginning of the rainbow. Changing my dream from a vet to an astronaut, I thought there were various options available to me. However, my parents would shake their heads and repeatedly asked me such questions as, “Why can’t you be more like your sisters? What are you going to do with your life? Aren’t you interested in anything at all?” After a couple of shrugs (耸肩), my parents usually stopped talking. I was not sure if they gave up or anticipated my dull reactions. I often responded, “I couldn’t answer all of your questions now.”
Actually, my parents just had high expectations that never seemed to be fulfilled. Plus, like other parents, they just wanted to give the best to me and expected me to achieve success. The arguments with my parents seemed childish. One day, my mother made her thoughts clear, “Your grades aren’t high enough. No schools are going to want you, dear. We didn’t pay so much money for nothing.” Hesitating for a while, I said, “No matter what you say, I believe I will enter a good college.” Still, I let my emotions control myself.
Certainly, I had never planned not to go to college. After another debate with my mom, I decided to make a change. No longer would I sit back and let my parents mistake me for a bad boy. It was time to take action.
I knew it was a crucial year at high school. Releasing my feelings, I began to collect all the knowledge I had learned and review it with all my heart. I didn’t argue with my parents any more, but instead turned to my sisters for help and tried my best to study. Finally, I took the national college entrance examination with ease and confidence.
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。
A few days later, I received a call from my school, saying my college acceptance letter had arrived.
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My parents excitedly said behind me, “Well, open the envelop!”
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When I was twelve, my parents let me babysit for Mr. and Mrs. Joseph who lived down the street with their two little preschool girls. Most of my babysitting occurred during daylight hours while Mrs. Joseph went shopping. One day she asked if I could stay with her daughters in the evening, promising she and her husband would be home by ten p. m. After pleaded with (恳求) them, desperate to earn fifty cents an hour for six hours—three whole dollars!—my parents agreed.
At four o'clock, I knocked on the Josephs' front door, greeted the kids, and received detailed instructions from their mother. A few minutes later, the girls and I were alone. We played hide-and-seek, did some finger painting together, and I fixed them scrambled eggs (炒鸡蛋) and toast soldiers for dinner. Then, at about eight p, m., I gathered the two kids beside me on the sofa and began to read them a story.
I heard a soft click, as if the front door had been opened, and I stopped. “Go on,” said Melanie, the four-year-old. “Keep reading.” “Wait.” I put my finger to my lips, “I thought I heard someone come in.” I heard the click again, and the lamp beside me switched on. All three of us jumped. Then the drapes (帘子) closed across the big window.
I screamed, put a little girl under each of my arms, and ran upstairs to the bathroom. As I locked the door behind us, I heard music begin to play from a radio somewhere downstairs. The girls clutched (紧紧抱住) each other in fear as I calmed them down, saying, “There's a bad man in the house. You have to be perfectly quiet. ”
The three of us sat on the floor, ears pressed to the wooden door ... listening. Even two-year-old Tricia was very quiet. For two hours we listened to the music playing, but we never heard another sound. No footsteps, no creaking (嘎吱作响的) doors, or breaking of china. Definitely no one walking up the stairs.
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。
Then the front door opened with a bang and we all jumped.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mr. Joseph explained he had bought a smart home device.
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The Greatest Audience
I was 16 years old, and like many other teenage boys, I was in a band. One day, we were told to perform for a charity event at a large rehabilitation (康复) hospital. It wouldn’t pay much, but it was our first real job. For two weeks we practised hard, getting together every day after school to sharpen our skills and learn enough songs to fill a one-hour show.
Finally came the big day. We showed up early to check out the stage, then the hospital’s entertainment director came over to us. “OK, boys, I just want to share some details with you,” she said. “A lot of the people in the audience are suffering from severe physical or mental disabilities. Many of them are old, in their sixties and seventies. These patients have very few chances to see live entertainment, so they enjoy any kind of musical talent that we can bring in. Just play your regular show.” With that, she left, going into the auditorium (礼堂) to assist the patients to their seats.
Soon it was show time. As we picked up our instruments, we got our first real look at the audience. The auditorium was full. The majority of the people watching us had either been seriously injured in accidents or born with major birth defects (缺陷). Some were talking quietly, but most were just sitting there. The quiet was disturbing, as we were used to energetic audiences.
Tommy, the lead singer, signaled us to start the first song. Everything was perfect, and we played probably the best show of our lives. We hardly missed a note on any of our songs, even the ones that we’d only recently learned. My guitar solos seemed to flow effortlessly out of my fingers, and I felt surrounded by a wall of music. However, we couldn’t enjoy our performance.
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 each song finished, we didn’t receive thundering applause.
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What happened next shocked me more than anything.
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When I was admitted to the University of Alabama, I decided to get a puppy. So I adopted an adorable Golden Retriever(金毛猎犬) puppy against my parents’ wishes.
Soon, I realized my parents were right. The dog was so naughty that it caused me a lot of trouble every day. In fact, she soon earned the nickname(绰号) Bella the Devil at school.
However, as time went by, she taught me how to be a better dog mom, and I taught her how to be a better dog. We became best friends and did everything together. Bella was there for me all the time: parties, restaurants, games, even dates! We loved spending time together. By the time I was a senior, Bella and I developed a stronger relationship. She was truly my best friend.
In the third year, I worked at the local college l bar not far from the house. One night, I was running late. Bella and I had been with friends down the street when I realized it was already 9:00 p.m. We had to rush home so I could make it to work by 9:30. I ran through the front door and jumped to the bathroom to have a shower. Bella followed me into the bathroom and lay in her usual place on the bathroom floor. Then I heard my front door open. It was so loud that I thought it was strange. It couldn’t be my roommate for she had flown to New York. I turned off the shower and yelled her name. No answer.
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。
Instantly(立刻), I knew something was seriously wrong.
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Then I went outside to find Bella with the policemen.
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Trust
“Settle down!” Mr. Taylor was trying to calm the boys with a loud voice. The moment they entered the gym and saw the climbing walls towering over them, the boys got excited and started making noises. But Stevie was an exception, who was standing aside looking at his thin arms silently. Stevie didn’t like climbing. It wasn’t his thing. Getting along with people wasn’t his thing, either. He just felt nobody liked or trusted him at school.
Then came the coach, who taught the boys some basic skills. He said everyone should have a climbing partner and showed them how to belay (保护) their partner. “If you are a climber, trust your belayer and challenge yourself. Belayers, please remember that your partner’s life depends on you.”
The moment he finished, the boys couldn’t wait to match themselves with a partner except Stevie, who was left alone wandering around the gym. Noticing his embarrassment, Mr. Taylor raised his voice and said, “I need someone I can really trust to team up with!” He looked around. Then his gaze fell upon Stevie. “How about you, Stevie? Would you like to be my belayer?” “Me?” Stevie widened his eyes, surprised to hear Mr. Taylor even say his name. He had thought he was invisible. “I guess,” Stevie managed a weak smile.
Nervous as he was, he plucked up courage. “It doesn’t matter who gets to the top first. It’s about giving it a go.” Hearing Mr. Taylor’s words, Stevie gritted (咬紧牙关) his teeth and moved up slowly, his face pressed against the rough surface. “Done it!” Stevie finally called from the top with excitement. Then Mr. Taylor started to let him down through a perfect control of the rope.“Well done,” said Mr. Taylor when Stevie landed on the floor.
Now it’s Stevie’s turn to control the rope. Bearing in mind his responsibility, Stevie carefully watched as Mr. Taylor climbed up, pulling in the rope hand over hand. He felt his heart racing wildly. Finally, Mr. Taylor arrived at the top. “Ready to let me down now?” said Mr. Taylor. “Okay,” Stevie took a deep breath, his palms sweating uncontrollably.
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 Stevie loosened the grip, the rope slipped through his hand much faster than expected.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Suddenly, the boys burst into wild applause and yelled encouragement at them.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A month ago, I received an admission letter from Berkeley University, America, which made my whole family excited. Very soon, it was time for my leaving. On an unforgettable morning, my sister came to see me off. We arrived at the airport just in time for my flight. “Well, here we are,”my sister said with a sigh. As I watched her unload my luggage, I could see the sadness in her eyes. We had both been fearing this moment for the past week. After one last hug and a final goodbye, I would be on my way to a new life abroad.
I didn’t put my bag in the overhead locker;instead, I just placed it on my legs. The departure meant I could not see my dear sister for quite a long time. I was lost in thought, recalling the happy moments my sister and I had spent together. Growing up, my sister and I would do everything together. One sunny summer day I was playing outside when she came up to me and said, “Want to come to the attic(阁楼)?” We both knew that the answer to that question was always “Yes”. We were frightened of the attic but also fascinated by its smells and sounds. Whenever one of us needed something, the other one would come along.
Before I knew it, the plane took off. But while it was going up, the plane shook heavily and the bag on my legs fell onto the floor. My aspirin, hairbrush and a book I planned to read were spread out on the floor. I was about to bend down to gather them up when I saw an unfamiliar little book in the middle of my belongings. It was not until I picked it up that I realized that it was a diary.
注意:续写词数应为150左右。Paragraph 1:
Immediately I recognized my sister’s handwriting.
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I returned home two years later.
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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 was backpacking in Panama over Christmas in 2018, and planned to climb Volcán Barú. It is one of the only places on earth from where you can see the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans at the same time.
I set off before sunrise. It was a bit cold, so I had pulled on leggings under my trousers. I’ve always felt safe travelling as a solo (单独) woman. I love the freedom. When I got to the base at 7 am, the ranger (护林员) was unwilling to let me go alone, but relented (缓和) because an American couple were behind me.
The first part of the climb was beautiful. I walked for an hour and had reached a fair height. The views were impressive, so I stopped to take a photograph. Suddenly I heard violent barking behind me.
I turned and saw two dogs running aggressively towards me. I could see their teeth looked sharp, and they looked angry. There was nowhere for me to run. I tried to keep calm, but my heart was racing. They stopped a dozen feet from where I stood and kept barking. I knew they could move fast, so I didn’t want to try to outrun them.
I kept walking, saying, “Good dog, calm down,” as evenly as possible. But I was terrified. Then one dashed up and sunk his teeth into my leg below the knee. I was shocked. He held on for a few seconds. The pain took my breath away as I felt his fangs (犬牙) in my flesh. I considered bending down to get a rock to fight him off, but was nervous in case he went for my neck or the other one launched at me.
I tried to keep walking, and he finally let go. Then he was behind me, growling (嗥叫). I kept going, my body shaking, until after about 15 minutes I was out of their sight.
When I thought it was safe, I stopped.
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A pickup truck appeared, driven by the ranger.
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My efforts to learn, read, write and speak English have been a significant challenge in my life. When I first came to the United States from Hong Kong about 12 years ago, I could barely communicate in English. Today, although I still have much to learn, I realize I have made a good amount of progress in my years abroad.
I grew up in a small village in China, where no one I knew spoke English. I wasn’t exposed to English or any other language through books, magazines or TV. Only when I later went to study in Hong Kong, was I exposed to American and Western culture through movies, music and other media. Although English is common in Hong Kong due to its history, I still couldn’t speak, read or write much after graduating from high school.
In my early 20s, I decided to move to New York City and I was determined to make a new life for myself there. However, I didn’t want to end up speaking my native language because I knew that learning English was very important if I wanted to be successful in this new country. New York seemed like another world and without speaking much English it was even more difficult to make friends.
I didn’t have a teacher at first, so I tried every way I could to learn the language. One way that was very useful was listening to the radio and watching TV, mostly news. I tried to speak like the people I heard on TV. They spoke more clearly and it was easier to understand than the English I heard people speaking in my neighborhood. I picked up one word at a time, and looked them up in the dictionary. I would also try to write down the words and remember them. I made a goal of learning at least 20 new words every day.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
After a while I made friends.
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Thinking back on the ways I have learned English over the years, I have something to say.
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