Beautiful Birthmarks: The Power of Acceptance
Whenever you hear the word “birthmark (胎记)”, you probably think of one of those black or brown spots you have somewhere on your body. However, for me, it’s completely different — I have them both on my lips and inside my mouth, which make them quite visible and, to me, ugly. When
I was young, these birthmarks kept making me feel extremely awkward and self-conscious (难为情的). As these birthmarks always drew a lot of attention, people often asked me, “What are those black marks on your lips?” When I told people that they were birthmarks, they usually said, “How strange！”
In pictures, I used to hide my birthmarks by pursing (噘起) my lips, so I would not have to deal with people’s questions. As I was growing up, the situation didn’t get any better. In the school, my classmates would always tease me, making me feel hurt and helpless. In society, I often encountered individuals who would inquire about my birthmarks even before they knew my name.
Such experiences left me feeling disheartened. I felt like people judged me by my appearance without considering my personality.
My birthmarks are caused by a genetic condition from my mom’s side of the family. My mom’s mom has birthmarks on her lips, and my mom’s uncle and my uncle have some on their bodies. I used to try to cover them up with makeup, but it never looked good. I even consulted a doctor, wanting to have surgery to remove them. But when imagining the process, I would get nervous and eventually give up.
Whenever I cried to my mom about them, she would always comfort me and say, “Learn to accept them and see them as beautiful birthmarks.” However, it wasn’t easy for me to accept my own birthmarks. Every time I showed my birthmarks, people would look at me with strange eyes. I began to regret why I had given up on the surgery and chosen to accept my birthmarks.
注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 词左右。2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
One day, I met my cousin, who also had a large birthmark on his arm._
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From then on, when I met people, I began to change myself.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The ability of young children to remain calm during a crisis is often limited, but a five-year old girl Savannah from Hancock County, Indiana proved to be an exception, which can be life-saving.
The incident began with an emergency call to the local 911 dispatcher (调度员) , Jason Bonham. To his surprise, the person on the other end was a little girl. Despite the gravity of the situation, her behavior and the clear conversation left a significant impression on Jason and millions who later heard the call.
Savannah was up late seeing a movie with her father, Frank, and her mother was on a business trip. It was during the movie night that she heard disturbing sounds from the kitchen. With their pet dog barking ceaselessly, Savannah went to investigate.
In the kitchen, Savannah found her father on the floor, clutching (捂着) his chest. She was terrified but remembered her parents’ advice about emergency situations. Her father was unable to speak, indicating he was in critical condition.
Savannah took the initiative to contact emergency services, dialing 911 from the kitchen wall phone. Her parents had taught her what to do in such situations, which now proved invaluable.
Jason, the 911 operator, had been in this job for 11 years but was amazed by Savannah’s calmness. Despite the challenging circumstances, Jason was able to gather crucial information about Savannah’s father’s condition. Savannah conveyed her father’s symptoms of difficulty breathing and chest pains to Jason, which helped identify the emergency as a possible heart condition.
Jason kept Savannah on the line, distracting her with light conversation while making sure she was keeping an eye on her dad. Jason asked Savannah to unlock the front door for the convenience of paramedics' (急救医士) entering. Savannah kept communicating with Jason until the paramedics arrived. She performed admirably, not only updating Jason about her father’s condition but also taking practical measures, like unlocking the front door for the paramedics,
Before accompanying her father to hospital, Savannah called her mother. And her father was immediately taken into surgery the moment they reached the hospital.
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。
Savannah’s father made it through surgery successfully.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Her example demonstrated that even a child as young as five could make a difference.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________3 . When my daughter Sara was in the fifth grade, she came to me with a problem. “Marcy hates me!” she cried “Because Kathy is my friend, too. She wants me to be her friend and nobody else’s. You talk to Marcy. You tell her that I want to be her friend, but I can have other friends, too!”
Oh! I looked at her for a few moments, wondering how I got into this mess (困境), when suddenly an idea came to me.
Picking up two baskets from the living room, I explained, “When everyone is born, he or she has a little basket. This little one here is yours. The big one is mine. As you grow, so does the basket. You can see your little basket is inside mine because when you were born, there were too many things you couldn’t do for yourself. I did everything you couldn’t do on your own.”
She nodded.
“Well, as you grew older and began to do some things on your own, I began placing a few more things in your basket. When you learned to tie your shoes, that went in your basket.”
She said softly, “I can tie my own shoes.”
“Right. As you grow older, there will be more and more things you must do on your own.” As I spoke, I gradually took her basket out of mine and handed it to her. “You will finally carry your own basket with things only you can do.”
She looked up at me and said, “I understand. There are some things that I have to do by myself because they are in my basket.”
1. What did the author feel when she heard her daughter’s problem?| A．Angry. | B．Crazy. | C．Proud | D．Helpless. |
| A．She didn’t have a basket. | B．She didn’t want her own basket. |
| C．She couldn’t deal with (处理) her friendship. | D．Her mother was too hard on her. |
| A．gifts given by God when everyone is born | B．something that people use to keep vegetables |
| C．growing abilities as you grow up | D．friendship that needs repairing |
| A．would talk to Marcy herself | B．wouldn’t make friends with Kathy |
| C．was too young to deal with (处理) anything | D．managed to persuade her mother to help her |
Penny’s Present
The sun was shining when Penny woke up. Usually she jumped out of bed with a happy smile for the new day. But today she just lay there frowning (皱眉).
This was the day before Mother’s Day, and Penny still had no present for Mama. She had forgotten about Mother’s Day until she had heard her brother Peter and sister Elizabeth talking last night. “I made Mama an apron (围裙) in sewing class,” Elizabeth had said proudly.
“What are you going to give Mama?” Peter asked Penny. Penny had not answered. She had ducked her head, ashamed to admit that she had spent her pocket money. She had nothing at all to give Mama on her special day.
Penny got out of bed and dressed slowly. The bag of candies she had bought yesterday reminded her of her terrible mistake.
“Well, here’s our littlest sleepyhead,” Mama said as Penny walked into the kitchen. She gave her a good-morning hug, and the smell of baked apples floated up from her apron. In a way, that made Penny feel worse because it reminded her of all the good things Mama did for her.
She remembered a hot day last summer when Mama had spent a whole afternoon making strawberry jam, because she knew Penny liked it. She thought of the moment when Mama polished her shoes and taught her to cut and arrange flowers. Sometimes she also taught Penny to make paper flowers with colorful petals (花瓣).
“Penny dear, can you eat a little faster?” Mama was talking to her. With surprise Penny noticed that everyone else had finished breakfast.
“I’m sorry, Mama.”
“Well, finish up. I have to visit old Mrs. Logan and read for her. But first, I want to get this kitchen cleaned up.” Penny watched her mother hurriedly cleaning up the kitchen. Mama was a very busy person. It seemed to Penny that sometimes Mama could use an extra pair of hands and two more feet. Suddenly she had an idea! There was a present she could give Mama, and it might be better than anything she could buy.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右;
2．请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The next morning, Penny slid into the room with a package.
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“Read the petals of the Promise Flower, Mama,” Penny said.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1.写信目的；
2.你的观点和理由；
3.询问对方的看法。
注意：
1.写作词数应为 80左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear Mary,
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Yours,
Li Hua
6 . Shortly before Dad died, I got a call from Betty. She was a
I got another call from Betty. She told me about the card game they had
Betty phoned again, telling me one day when Mom drove, she
Looking back, Dad had been
Alzheimer (阿尔茨海默症) is a very
I am
| A．relative | B．friend | C．doctor | D．coworker |
| A．sensitive | B．mean | C．forgetful | D．weak |
| A．looked forward to | B．gave way to | C．paid attention to | D．flashed back to |
| A．similarly | B．fortunately | C．frequently | D．actually |
| A．repeat | B．ignore | C．treasure | D．manage |
| A．imagined | B．updated | C．arranged | D．associated |
| A．agreed | B．gathered | C．doubted | D．witnessed |
| A．turned | B．stopped | C．ran | D．relaxed |
| A．player | B．shopper | C．driver | D．patient |
| A．apologizing | B．applying | C．cooking | D．covering |
| A．pretending | B．experiencing | C．dismissing | D．describing |
| A．routine | B．grief | C．relief | D．anxiety |
| A．obvious | B．typical | C．gradual | D．awful |
| A．regretful | B．satisfied | C．convinced | D．grateful |
| A．troubling | B．disappointing | C．surprising | D．embarrassing |
In Texas, a concerned father named Bradley learned that his 17-year-old son, Brad, was causing trouble at school. It wasn’t just a one-time occurrence; Brad’s physics teacher had complained multiple times about his constant talking during class. As a result, Bradley was faced with the challenge of finding an effective way to discipline his son and teach him a valuable lesson.
In a moment of inspiration, Bradley came up with an idea that parents around the world would later praise him for. He decided to teach his son a lesson. He declared, “If we receive another call from your physics teacher, I will go to your school and sit beside you in class.”
However, Brad didn’t take his father’s words seriously and continued his loose conduct in his physics class. And his father received another call from the teacher, and now it was time for the father to keep his promise.
Friday arrived, and Bradley, who normally had this day off from work, was awakened by his wife. He reluctantly got ready to go to his son’s school. Upon arriving at the school, he made his way to Brad’s physics classroom. The other students chatted joyfully, unaware of what was about to happen. Bra d entered the room as usual, and to his shock, he saw his father sitting by his desk. It hit him like a ton of bricks. His dad had actually come to school and was sitting right next to him in class. The once happy-go-lucky teenager was now filled with embarrassment and regret.
Throughout the class, Bradley silently observed his son’s behavior. He witnessed first-hand the disruptive comments and constant talking that had been causing so much trouble. It was clear that Brad was not taking his education seriously, and his father realized that something needed to be changed.
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。
After the class ended, Bradley apologized to the physics teacher for his son’s behavior.
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Later that day, when Bra d returned home, his father was already waiting for him.
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8 . I noticed one of the smiling faces just recently, a tiny one cut out from an old photo. It was my youngest son Casey as a(n)
I felt the
Like my son Casey, each one of us has a bright, beautiful and shining soul within full of love and light. It is
| A．baby | B．actor | C．dancer | D．audience |
| A．tirelessly | B．curiously | C．cautiously | D．happily |
| A．away | B．close | C．right | D．high |
| A．leaked | B．fell | C．shone | D．broke |
| A．beautiful | B．restless | C．creative | D．lonely |
| A．tricks | B．concerns | C．signs | D．assumptions |
| A．strict | B．decisive | C．impressive | D．dependent |
| A．rescuing | B．inspecting | C．becoming | D．cheating |
| A．pain | B．risk | C．horror | D．hope |
| A．worried | B．guessed | C．imagined | D．remembered |
| A．referred to | B．pointed to | C．looked into | D．sought for |
| A．love | B．anger | C．expectation | D．confusion |
| A．linked | B．purified | C．predicted | D．affected |
| A．degree | B．purpose | C．target | D．mark |
| A．due to | B．up to | C．next to | D．far from |
“Jennifer, do you hike?” Karen said to me. “Yes, I hike,” I replied. Karen’s slim figure and sun-kissed cheeks suggested she was a regular hiker.
“Great, do you want to come with us tomorrow? We will meet in front of Bobbie’s house at 6:30 before it is too hot, and we will go over to Thunderbird Mountain. It is about three miles in total. Does that sound OK?”
Three miles. I wasn’t sure how long that was, partly because I didn’t actually hike. I was somewhat familiar with the area where they planned to go, but our family had just moved from Oregon to Arizona. I walked our dog around the neighbourhood all the time before we moved here. But I wasn’t sure if I had gone three miles. Being new to town and excited about an invitation from women I wanted to befriend, I accepted, saying, “Sure. That sounds great. We all benefit from hiking.”
When this hiking conversation among my new friends occurred, I was at a monthly dinner for moms in my new neighborhood. The group was four women in their forties, all with high-school kids, jobs, a fondness for reading and music and tricks for simplifying work-life.
I was honored to be invited since making friends in my forties in a new town wasn’t easy. After this re-location for my husband’s career, making friends wasn’t as simple for me as it was for him. He came to the community for a full-time position at a busy university. Our teenaged son and daughter immediately plugged into school through sports and clubs. I was enormously grateful for the ease of the transition for my family, but nervous for myself. So, while at the monthly ladies’ gathering, when hiking came up, I just played along, wanting to try something new.
The next day, I got up early and carefully selected comfortable hiking clothes. When I arrived at the designated friend’s driveway a little early, Karen was standing there waiting. “Hey, Jennifer, I’m glad that you can come to hike,” she said cheerfully and hugged me. When the others joined us, we started walking. I was sweaty and a little out of breath before we even started going uphill.
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。
“So, where did you hike in Oregon?” one of them asked, offering me a bottle of water.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________By accepting the invitation to hike that day, I received a lot.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mrs Thompson, who was in her seventies, lived alone in her old house, with her children and grandchildren living far away in a big city. Every day, she would sit by her window, watching the world go by. Next to her house lived an eight-year-old boy named Sam. Sam seemed to be always busy. He would go to school, come home, do his homework, and then rush off to his part-time job at a local flower store. He was saving up to buy a new bike for traveling to and from school and his part-time job. His parents struggled with money, so Sam wanted to offer his help any way he could.
One day, Mrs Thompson noticed that Sam seemed sad. She called him over and asked, “You seem to be unhappy. What’s wrong, dear? Is everything okay at school? Do you need help with any of your homework?”
Sam hesitated, and then said, “I have a big test coming up, but I don’t have time to study. I have to work part-time at that flower store every day after school.”
Mrs Thompson thought for a moment. “How about this?” she offered. “I can help you. Come over after school, and I’ll watch over you while you study. I can even make some snacks for you.”
Sam’s eyes lit up. “Really? That would be very amazing, Mrs Thompson!”
And so, it began. Every day after school, Sam would come over to Mrs Thompson’s house. She would prepare some delicious cookies or a sandwich for him, and quietly, he would sit at her old wooden table and study. Mrs Thompson would knit or read a book, occasionally helping Sam with a tough question.
As the days went by, Sam’s grades improved gradually. He and Mrs Thompson became close friends. They would talk about everything—from his dreams of going to college to her memories of her youth.
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。
One day, Sam came home from his job to find a new bike waiting for him.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Years passed, and Sam went off to college.
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