1 . “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish, by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”---Albert Einstein
If you have a kid with special needs in the school system, you’re likely to have come across that saying hanging on a classroom wall. My five-year-old daughter Syona has cerebral palsy (脑瘫) and it means, combined with her communication and sight problems, that normal standard isn’t always an accurate measure of her abilities.
By now you have probably heard about Chris Ulmer, the 26-year old teacher in Jacksonville, Florida, who starts his special education class by calling up each student to give them much admiration and a high-five. I couldn’t help but be reminded of Syona’s teacher and how she supports each kid in a very similar way. Ulmer recently shared a video of his teaching experience. “I have seen their confidence increase rapidly.” he said. All I could think was: how lucky these students are to have such good teachers.
Syona’s teacher has an attitude that can best be summarized in one word: wonderful. Her teacher doesn’t focus on what can’t be done---she focuses on what can be done. Over the past several months, my husband Dilip and I have seen Syona’s confidence increase greatly. She uses words she wouldn’t have thought of using before. She recently told me about her classmates trip to Ecuador and was very proud when I understood her on the first try.
I actually wonder what the influence would be if we did something similar to what Ulmer does with his students in our home. We’ve recently started our day by reminding each other of the good qualities we all have. If we are reminded of our strengths on a regular basis, we will become increasingly confident about progress and success.
1. What does the author think of Albert Einstein’s saying?| A．Funny. | B．True. | C．Strange. | D．Confusing. |
| A．She is Syona’s favorite teacher. |
| B．She puts Einstein’s quote on the wall |
| C．She uses videos to teach her students. |
| D．She helps increase her students’ confidence. |
| A．They’ve invited Ulmer’s students to their home. |
| B．They visit Ulmer’s classroom regularly. |
| C．They give each other praise every day. |
| D．They feel thankful to people in their lives. |
| A．Supportive | B．Opposed | C．Indifferent | D．Negative |
Emily was a shy and quiet student in Greenfield High School. Emily was known for her quiet behavior and her love for literature, often found lost in the pages of a book during lunch breaks.
One day, as Emily walked through the hallway, she noticed a colorful poster announcing an upcoming English poetry competition. Her heart raced with excitement at the prospect of showcasing her talent, but her mind was immediately flooded with doubts. “What if my poem is not good enough? What if everyone laughs at me?”she thought to herself, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
As the days went by, Emily found herself caught between her desire to participate and her fear of failure. She talked with her best friend, Sarah, who had been by her side since they were little. She was known for her outgoing personality and her ability to make everyone feel included.
“You have a gift, Emily, ”Sarah said reassuringly, her blue eyes filled with encouragement. “Don’t let your fears hold you back. You never know what might happen unless you try. ”
With Sarah’s support, Emily decided to take a leap of faith and submit her poem for the competition. As the day of the event drew near, she felt a mix of nervousness and expectation. She spent hours perfecting her poem, carefully choosing each word and line to convey her emotions. She practiced her poem in front of the miror, trying to perfect her delivery and expression.
But despite her newfound confidence, Emily couldn’t shake off the feeling of doubt in her mind. These thoughts consumed her, making it difficult for her to focus on anything else.
It was during one of these moments of self-doubt that Sarah came to her rescue once again. “You’re an amazing writer, Emily, ”she said, her voice filled with warmth and sincerity. “Your poem is going to be incredible. Just believe in yourself. ”With Sarah’s words in her mind, Emily felt a renewed sense of determination.
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:
On the day of the competition, Emily took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
In the end, Emily’s poem won first place.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________1. 你印象最深刻的中华美德；
2. 具有该美德的人及事迹；
3. 对你的影响或启示。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 题目已为你写好。
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By the age of sixteen years old, Ben had always been an outstanding student. He went to great lengths to achieve high grades and managed to keep his parents delighted and proud. Neither of his parents had the opportunity to attend university and it was their biggest ambition that Ben could land a well-paid and decent job as a lawyer. He knew that achieving this goal would make his parents walk on air, but he wasn’t certain whether he would feel the same.
Since he was only a child, Ben had been passionate about computer programming. He taught himself how to use a computer, and by the age of 12, he had been proficient in three difterent programming languages. He did all of this in his spare time. He was quite an introvert (内向的人), so he preferred staying in with his computer, rather than going out socializing with his fellow classmates or playing sports in the brilliant sunshine. It was acceptable with his parents, as long as he continued to focus on his studies.
One day, while reading an article online about a young technology billionaire called Tom, Ben was fascinated by the magical power of technology and the wisdom and imnovation of the young CEO. The inner voice told him that he longed to become a computer programmer. Everything changed for Ben. In the article, the CEO said that his company was trying to create a new and improved way of paying for goods online but that they were struggling with the security system. He said if they could overcome this, they could launch the biggest and best online payment system in the world. It occurred to Ben that he had an innovative idea on how to handle this problem. Thinking that it wouldn’t come to anything, he emailed the CEO, introducing himself and explaining his idea.
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。
He forgot all about it, but then a month later; the most amazing thing happened.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With all these concerns in mind, Ben determined to communicate with his parents frankly.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was studying for a huge science test when my little brother and sister burst into the kitchen, singing at the top of their lungs: Squirrels (松鼠) in the garden, Squirrels in the tree, I’m a happy squirrel, Look at me. . . Then, just as soon as they finished, they started singing all over again.
“Wow! That’s a pretty catchy song, ” I said after the third time around. But I asked them to stop singing as I was trying to study.
“Sorry, Zona, ” said Indi. “But we really do need to keep singing it. Our music teacher said so!” “Yeah, ” said Tex. “Our class is putting on a squirrel play for Parents Night, and we have to memorize every single word by Friday!” Indi added that they had to make their own tails and ears and dumped (倾倒 ) out a bag full of furry costume parts. “Can you help us?”
“Maybe in a little while, ” I said. “Right now, I need to read my book. ”
Tex and Indi sang that song while they were making their costumes, while they were doing their housework, and even while they were brushing their teeth!
Since Tex and Indi squeaked (吱吱叫) and sang every day that week, I wasn’t as prepared as I wanted to be for my test on Friday. And in the middle of taking my test, the squirrel song started playing over and over in my head. It was almost impossible for me to focus on the last few questions.
When I got home that afternoon, all I wanted to do was a rest on the couch. The only thing was, Tex and Indi had beaten me to it.
“Can you please let me sit too?” I complained. “I had a bad day!” “We had a bad day too!” said Tex. “Yeah, ” said Indi. “A group of kids in our class got sick, so tonight’s play is canceled!”
We were just three unhappy persons sitting in silence for a really long time. Even though I had been complaining about their singing, it broke my heart to see them disappointed. They had been so excited about the show. I said after a while, “I can’t let all of your practising go to waste. ”
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。
“We don’t want to waste it, either, but what can we do?” Indi asked helplessly.
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As the lights went up, two cute little squirrels scampered ( 蹦蹦跳跳) into the middle of the stage.
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When I was about four years old, I started washing my face on my own. However, I always ignored the area behind my ears on purpose though my mom would often remind me.
One summer, in July of that year, my mom drove me to my grandparents’ house for our annual summer holiday visit. When we arrived, I was told that Grandma had gone on a trip with her friends and wouldn’t be back for another two weeks. Feeling a bit down, I went to the yard to play while my mom and grandpa caught up on some things. Although I couldn’t hear their conversation clearly, I had a strong feeling they were talking about me based on their gestures and expressions. Later, my mom returned home, and she would come back to pick me up two months later.
After dinner that night, Grandpa asked me to take a bath before going to bed. Since I loved taking baths, I happily agreed. With the bathtub (浴缸) filled with water, Grandpa reminded me, “Just make sure you clean the area behind your ears really well. You wouldn’t want potatoes to start growing there, would you?”
“Potatoes?” I stopped in my tracks and turned back to look at him. “Yes, potatoes. If you don’t clean the dirt behind your ears, potatoes might actually sprout (发芽) and grow there,” he explained, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. “But I don’t have any potatoes behind my ears, Grandpa,” I said as I ran my fingers along the back of my ears. He took a quick glance and replied, “Oh, I see a couple of sprouts: starting right there!” He urged me to get into the bathtub immediately and scrub (擦洗) them away thoroughly.
I nodded, still in disbelief. This was the first time I had ever heard such a thing. Why hadn’t my parents warned me about this before? I wondered, but couldn’t find an answer. Nonetheless, I felt shocked by Grandpa’s warning.
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 hurried to jump into the bathtub, carefully scrubbing behind my ears.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“What are you looking at behind your ears?” Grandma asked me curiously.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . When I was 19, determined not to spend my last teenage year in a suburb in Buckinghamshire, I took off with an Australian friend. We travelled around Europe for months. We stayed in the
That was in 1990, a time before mobile phones and the Internet appeared, when the primary
Before I left, Mom had made me a money pouch (荷包) to wear around my neck. She’d also made me two sleeping sheets so I could
It’s only now, as my 18-year-old daughter is preparing to leave on her own gap-year (间休年) trip, that I have more
Doing multiple jobs and saving money, my daughter has researched on her own where to stay, how to
When she first mentioned a gap-year travel, I was encouraging, expecting her to have her own experiences that will
| A．nearest | B．tidiest | C．cheapest | D．safest |
| A．lived on | B．passed on | C．turned in | D．hung up |
| A．responsibility for | B．contact with | C．belief in | D．response to |
| A．stamps | B．envelopes | C．text | D．mail |
| A．avoid | B．dust | C．spread | D．fold |
| A．confidence in | B．influence on | C．doubt about | D．sympathy for |
| A．get along | B．get around | C．get away | D．get down |
| A．frequently | B．regretfully | C．sorrowfully | D．rarely |
| A．courageously | B．deliberately | C．desperately | D．favorably |
| A．involved | B．thrilled | C．embarrassed | D．discouraged |
| A．calm | B．shape | C．control | D．resist |
| A．envious of | B．skilled in | C．ashamed of | D．ready for |
| A．stuck | B．busy | C．free | D．burdened |
| A．announcement | B．invitation | C．letter | D．gift |
| A．blame | B．comfort | C．bother | D．greet |
I had run away from home after finishing high school. My parents had insisted I go to college, but I was tired of school. I hated it. I was determined not to go. And, besides, my father was too strict. I had too many chores to do around the farm. I haled the work!
There had been a quarrel between my father and me. I threw some things into a bag and left angrily, as my father shouted after me, “If you leave, don’t come back!” My mother cried openly, and I had seen those tears during a hundred sleepless nights.
Then it was time to write a letter to my father.
Dear Dad,It’s been more than a year now. I’ve traveled east to west. I’ve had dozens of jobs. None of them amounted to very much. Always the same questions: “How much education have you got?” It seems they always want college men for the good jobs.
Dad, you and Mother were right about everything. I know now that the work on the farm didn’t hurt me, and I’m convinced I need college. I’m also convinced that both of you loved me.
Dad, I’ve learned a lesson. I want to come home. I know you said if I left, I couldn’t come back, but I’m praying you’ll change your mind. I want to come home and be a part of the family again.
Give my love to Mother and the girls.
Love,Your son
As I folded the letter and put it into an envelope, I felt a refreshing relief. It was as if a heavy load had been lifted from my shoulders. And I had to be on my way home.
I started down the desolate road—the long road home. Fortunately, a car picked me up, and it was good to have someone to talk with. The driver was a salesman and very pleasant.
“Where you going, boy?” he asked good-naturedly.
There was a long silence before I said, “Home.”
“Been away from home long?”
I smiled, a little self-conscious, and said, “One year, one month and two days.”
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。
Having heard my story, he expressed his support for my final decision and told me something surprising.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, I arrived home when. it was completely dark.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was fifteen when my world took a hopeless turn for the worst. My mom was diagnosed with cancer again. She had undergone surgery and beaten the cancer. Then the cancer came back. However, there was more to worry about than the disease that my mom was battling. My dad had left us years before. Besides, because of the mounting medical bills she was paying for her previous cancer, we were on the edge of financial ruin. I was too young to get a job.
That winter was the worst. We didn’t have money to pay for electricity. Our neighbor, Sophia, allowed us to use her electricity so that we could have one lamp on in our home. The gas stove in the living room was the only heat in our house. My mom slept in her cold room, with as many blankets as we could pile on her.
Thanksgiving Day came. I searched our cupboards for food and there wasn’t much. I started slamming doors as I looked through the cabinets for a can of food we might have missed. The more I searched, the angrier I became. The noise must have woken my mom, because she came to the kitchen wrapped in a blanket. She looked worried at me and asked, “Baby, what’s wrong,” I retorted, “I’m hungry. I’m freezing to death in our own house,” I wasn’t angry at her. I was angry at our situation.
She opened her arms toward me and said, “Come here. Right now things are hard, but hope is always there. Whatever difficulties we meet, we should be strong. All you have to do is have faith. Why not believe we can be better by using our own hands?”
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 was deeply ashamed of what I had done and said.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Just as I wondered what to do to spend the night, Sophia knocked at our door.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Unable to hold back my curiosity any longer, I opened the beautifully wrapped present. It was a shiny, new laptop. I had scored straight A’s for my examination and this was my reward. I had always envied (嫉妒) my friends who were always exchanging news about “chat rooms” or “e-mailing”, which I knew nothing about. Now I was going to find out.
It started out simply enough. I was searching for some information online when I came across a social networking site. Soon I became attached to my new-found electronic friend. I began to spend more and more time on YouTube and became controlled by Facebook and Twitter. Whenever I was not accessing these social networking sites, I would be going through gossip (八卦) or fashion websites.
As time passed, I would lock myself in my room during weekends, refusing to come out and take part in family discussions. I preferred to stay connected to the “friends” online whom I had never met. Soon I was spending the early hours of the morning surfing the Internet. Sleep became broken naps and my grades at school also began worsening.
It was about this time that my parents started voicing their disapproval. I was asked to reduce my usage of the Internet. Yet, however hard I tried, I was unable to pull myself away. I was thirsty for just another click, or just another look at message board. Then one day, my father took away my laptop. I cried, shouted and even begged but in vain. Dad had made up his mind.
Over time, I realized that Dad and Mum had always wanted the best for me. That was when I decided to take the big step—to quit my internet addiction. Quitting was harder than I expected. But with strong determination, I knew that I would be able to do it. I promised my parents that I would turn over a new leaf.
1. Why did the author’s parents buy her a laptop?| A．To reward her for her excellent grades. | B．To let her make more friends easily. |
| C．To meet her curiosity about chat rooms. | D．To help her set up a social networking site. |
| A．She went out with new friends a lot. | B．She suffered from sleeplessness. |
| C．She got anxious and lost her temper. | D．She ignored the people and things around her. |
| A．Her father’s demand. | B．Her boredom with the Internet. |
| C．Her worsening school grades. | D．Her parents’ love and expectations. |
| A．It’s never too late to mend. | B．Action speaks louder than words. |
| C．Behind bad luck comes good luck. | D．A bad beginning makes a bad ending. |
