December 16, 2009 was the worst day of my mother’s life. It was the day I told her that her thirty-six-year-old daughter had stage Ⅲbreast cancer. I will never forget the look of hopelessness in her tear-filled eyes as I told her. Seeing my mother so b uncontrollably broke my heart. It was one of the few times in my life that I saw my mother weak and vulnerable (脆弱的).
Since I had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, the doctors had a heavy-duty plan of attack to beat it, which would mean a double mastectomy (切除), five months of chemotherapy (化疗), and five weeks of radiation. It also meant that an independent single woman who lived alone was in serious need of some help taking care of herself.
Thankfully, I was blessed with my own personal army of family, friends, and co-workers who had offered to help me out with whatever I might need, including meals and rides to doctors’ appointments. But as grateful as I was, there really was only one person who I wanted by my side—my mom. My mother lived more than 300 miles away, but didn’t even give it a second thought. She was going to be my primary caregiver, driver, personal chef, counselor, and shoulder to cry on. No one else in the world could fill her shoes. It was a job that only she could do.
The night after my first chemotherapy treatment is forever imprinted in my memory. I was never so sick in my entire life. I couldn’t even keep down a glass of water. And after hours spent in the bathroom, I weakly lifted myself into bed, weeping, “Please, take this away from me. Please make me feel better.” At that moment, my mother crawled into bed with me, wrapped her entire body around me, and cried with me. Just like when I was a little girl, her arms enveloping me made it better.
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。
In the following months, my mom experienced real hardship.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I feel greatly moved by what my mother did.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The art competition at school was always a highly anticipated event. This year was no exception, with students from all grades eager to showcase their creative talents. Among them were two friends, Jane and Sally.
Jane had a deep passion for art, but she often struggled with expressing her ideas on paper. She would spend hours in front of a blank canvas (画布), trying to capture the perfect image in her mind, but her efforts often fell short. Sally, on the other hand, was naturally talented and her artworks were always praised by teachers and classmates.
As the competition drew nearer, Jane worked harder than ever, staying up late into the night to perfect her piece. Sally, however, seemed to take it all in stride (大步走), casually sketching and painting without much effort. She often teased Jane about her lack of talent, making jokes that were meant to be light-hearted but stung Jane deeply.
On the day of the competition, Jane’s heart was filled with both excitement and fear. She had worked so hard on her piece, but she knew that it still paled in comparison to Sally’s effortless creations. As she set up her canvas and began to paint, she could feel Sally’s eyes on her, mocking (嘲笑) her every move.
Halfway through the competition, Jane encountered a difficult obstacle. She couldn’t seem to capture the essence of her subject the way she wanted to, and her frustration mounted. She looked around at the other students, seeing their confident strokes and vibrant colors, and she felt a pang of defeat. She wanted to give up, to throw away her brush and walk away.
But just as she was about to do so, she caught sight of Sally. Sally wasn’t laughing or mocking her now; instead, she looked at Jane with a mixture of surprise and concern. It was as if she realized that her words had hurt Jane more than she had intended. And in that moment, Jane found a new resolve. She wasn’t going to let Sally’s words or her own doubts defeat her. She was going to finish her piece, no matter what.
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。
With renewed determination, Jane returned to her canvas.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________She heard her name announced as the winner of a special recognition award for perseverance and dedication.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I can’t stop thinking about watermelons. Giant juicy wonderful watermelons. I’ve saved my money to buy my own, one all forme. Mom says I can’t eat a whole chocolate cake by myself because it’s bad for me and I’ll get sick. But a watermelon? It’s fruit. It’s good for me. I’m gonna eat it all up, except for the seeds.
At the store I look for the biggest, the juiciest, the most wonderful one I can find. And there it is, right behind some cantaloupes. Er . . . oomph. I pickup my watermelon and put it on the floor. I roll it down the aisle. I roll my treasure to the checkout line. The grocery clerk lifts my watermelon for the cashier to weigh. Fifteen pounds! After I pay, the clerk sets it back on the floor forme. I roll it out the door, then along the sidewalk, three blocks to my house. Sweat drips from my forehead onto the watermelon. I roll it into the kitchen.
“Lucy! What are you doing with that watermelon?” Mom asks.
“I saved up my money and bought it at the grocery store. I’m going to eat it all by myself.” Mom frowns. “You’ll get sick,” she warns. “No, I won’t. It’s fruit. It’s good for me,” I tell her. “Please?” Ibeg. “I’ve been saving for it.” Mom thinks about it, then smiles as if she knows something. “OK, but only if you eat it outside,” she says. I roll my giant, juicy, wonderful watermelon out the back door to our picnic table. Mom brings out a Knife and some paper plates. My sister follows her.
“Ooh, watermelon,” she says. “I want some.” “Sorry,” I tell her. “I’m gonna eat it all by myself.”
“Mom!” she whines. “Your sister saved her money and bought it herself. She decides what to do with it.”
My brother comes out next. “Oh, yum, watermelon,” he says. “Can I have some?”
“Noway,” I tell him. “I’m gonna eat it all by myself.” “Mom!” my brother howls.
“It’s your sister’s watermelon. She decides.”
“You can’t eat that all by yourself,” he challenges. “Yes, I can!” I replied.
Mom cuts the watermelon into four pieces, then cuts each of those in half. Eight pieces total. I reach for my first piece and take a bite. Red juice runs down my chin. My father comes out. “Oh, watermelon!” he says, seeing it. “Don’t even ask,” says my brother. “She won’t share,” my sister adds.
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: The four of them stand together around the picnic table, watching me.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Para.2: I suddenly feel greedy. I’m the only one having fun.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My mum died on a cold and rainy December morning. The dark clouds and constant light rain over her Cape Cod neighbourhood fit our sadness as my brothers and sisters and I arranged with the local funeral (葬礼) home for Mum’s last departure from her beloved house on the edge of the river.
All five of us were there, having been alerted (警觉) earlier that week. As soon as we had gotten “The Call”, we had immediately flown or driven from our homes in California, Florida, Georgia and New York to the house by the river.
As I joined my brothers and sisters at the house on the Cape, I felt oddly peaceful. Though I was afraid to lose my mother, I wasn’t anxious about the process. I knew that Mum had prepared well for her death. All we had to do was be present for her and each other during this final stage. She had done everything else.
Mum was a born teacher and a natural organizer. When she had received the diagnosis (诊断) of incurable cancer that September, she had planned her death as practically as she had planned her busy life as a wife, mother and professional.
Mum did think fondly of her neighbours and friends. Even though she had declined to share her remaining time with them, she wanted to acknowledge their friendly care and express her lasting affection for them. So Mum had asked my older sister to purchase, on her behalf, a case of wine. The small bottles were to be decorated with ribbons (缎带) and delivered by us in person, after Mum’s death, to those neighbours who had been her favourite local companions.
Accordingly, in the early afternoon, as the cold morning rain gave way to a watery blue sky, all five of us set out to walk through the neighbourhood together, braving the cold air. Taking turns carrying the heavy boxes, we visited every house. Together, we carried the news of her death, that final gift of beribboned bottles, and her instruction to her friends: “Please use this Champagne to toast to our friendship.”
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 hugged, and cried, and laughed, with neighbour after neighbour.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the five of us returned to the house, we saw, against the backdrop of the grey sky, a breathtakingly beautiful rainbow.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mama and I spent morning s cleaning up the dirt that blew into our house. Mama said all dust was due to the drought. It was dust y everywhere. Dust covered our clothes. We had to wash the dishes before each meal. We rarely drove the automobile because Papa feared the dust from the road would ruin its front lights and horn (喇叭).
When my sister, Faye, and I walked to school, we wore handkerchiefs over our mouths so we didn’t breathe in the dirt. On days when the air was so bad that they closed the school, we stayed home and helped Mama put wet sheets over the windows. But the dirt always found a way in.
Last Sunday, there was no dirt in the air, only bright spring sunshine and a clear blue sky. After church, Papa headed out to the field to check on the cattle while Mama started dinner. Faye and I played in the yard. The temperature suddenly dropped—it felt good. The heat had been building since dawn.
Then Mama shouted from the house, “Iris, you and Faye get inside, real quick now!”
I looked to the west and saw a huge black cloud of dust. All the birds flew away. “Faye, go with Mama!” I shouted. “I’ll warn Papa.”
Faye sprinted toward the house. The storm hit so fast, I barely saw her climb the porch steps. Fine sand beat my face and in an instant the day turned into night. I stumbled over our bicycles left carelessly in the yard. I screamed for Papa, hoping my voice would lead him back.
The dirt and sand stung my skin like a thousand bees. I needed to get to shelter. Covering my face with one hand, I felt my way toward the automobile and opened the door. Dirt flew in with me as I pulled the door closed. Papa was still out there! I needed to help him find the automobile.
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。
Staring at the automobile, I got an idea.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Papa nodded, “Good. We’ll wait out the storm here.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________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.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My son David was injured in his forehead so I had to take him to a hospital. I looked around the crowded waiting room in the hospital and sighed. I thought, “Will the doctor be able to see my eight-year-old son soon?” I tried steadying the ice pack (冰袋) over his forehead, but it was no use. I couldn’t stop shaking. The injury in his forehead was deep, but at least blood wasn’t pouring from it anymore.
His face was full of tears, but he seemed really brave for his age. I handed him the ice pack, and he covered his forehead with it. He was doing a much better job than I had. We were at the hospital because another child had thrown a rock at David during a break between classes as he was running around the corner. His teacher called me, and when I arrived, I found him sitting in front of her. His teacher was caring for his injury, trying to keep him calm. She felt terrible about what had happened, but I knew none of it was her fault.
David received four stitches (缝线) and didn’t cry once throughout the whole treatment. For the next two days, his forehead was swollen and black and blue. I felt like I’d had a mini nervous breakdown. Every time I tried to sleep or tend to housework, horrible thoughts crept into my mind. Fear had taken over, and then the fear turned to anger. I was angry with the child who’d thrown the rock. I just couldn’t shake it. What was she thinking? She should have known about that better.
David’s headmaster and teacher called me that evening to see how David was feeling and told me Cherry, the girl, felt terrible. I wanted to stand up for my son, do the right thing and protect him.
The next day, David’s teacher stopped by to see how David was feeling and dropped off a get-well card that Cherry had made. David and I read it several times, and I couldn’t help but feel a little choked up. It was a sincere apology.
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 card mattered a lot to us.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We wondered how Cherry would make a response after reading the letter.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________This new little stepsister is getting on my nerves. She won’t stop talking. What was Dad trying to prove with this family vacation? We can’t instantly become the ideal family. I just became a teenager, and Christina is only 8 years old.
Dad and I finished putting up the large tent. Then I walked back to the car for my backpack, only to knock a pink one to the ground. Before I could pick it up, Christina appeared. “Why’d you throw my stuff on the ground?” she roared.
After lunch, Dad suggested I take Christina to see the sequoia pines (红杉松树), circling on the map where giant sequoias were.
I jammed the map into my pocket and then set off. When I glanced back at Christina, all I saw was a pink cap. I shook my head. Dad and my new stepmom were crazy if they thought we’d instantly bond. I was not ready to be a big brother.
As we walked the along trail, the forest canopy (树冠) became thicker, blocking out direct sunlight, making the temperature drop slightly.
“You warm enough?” I asked. She nodded but didn’t look at me. I noticed her hands had got completely covered with the sap (汁液) of a plant. I took a hand wipe from my pack and wiped her hands.
Reaching a small hill, we climbed up it. Sunshine filled the meadow (草地) below. I could see the tops of sequoia pines popping out above the forest on the other side. I pointed them out excitedly to Christina and finally saw a smile light her face.
“Come on, Sean!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me down into the meadow. Then I saw it, sitting on a rock in the middle of the field: a brown-colored bear cub (幼熊).
注意：1. 续写词数应为 150 左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
Cute as it seemed, I knew it was dangerous.
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Paragraph 2:
Still keeping a tight hold on her hand, we walked on along the trail marked on our map.
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Being the youngest in my family has had its advantages, of course. But being the youngest also came with its fair share of troubles. I was often told what I couldn’t do and why. I knew that my family loved me. They always tried to protect me, help me and take care of me, but I couldn’t wait to show them I could do things by myself.
It was a hot day in Florida. The school year had just ended and it was time for summer vacation. We had just gotten a little black dog who we named One-Eyed.
Everybody wanted to do something for the dog: feed him, teach him tricks and take long walks with him. Everybody was so happy to have this little active, playful new addition to our family. I was so desperate to pet One-Eyed myself, too.
Every time I asked my brother or my sister if I could do that, they would shout, “No!” or tell me that I had germs (细菌). Once, they even convinced me that I had so many germs and that if I touched One-Eyed he would die! I really believed them and was scared that something terrible would happen to the dog. Once I even confessed to my mom that I touched the dog when no one noticed. At first, my mom seemed very confused about what I was telling her, but then she realized that they were playing a joke on me to keep me away from the dog. My mom criticized my brother and sister, “You’d better stop teasing your little brother!” Little brother! That’s exactly what I was. That really got my blood boiling.
The depression built up inside me as I watched them enjoy their time with One-Eyed, excluding me from the joyous moments. I knew I was capable of taking care of myself and forming my own connection with our new lovely friend. Determination filled my heart, fueling a newfound sense of independence.
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 to prove to everyone I could pet and play with One-Eyed.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Seeing this, my brother and sister couldn’t believe their eyes.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When the shrill (尖锐的) ring of the phone echoed (回响) through the living room, Jane was still sleeping. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes and looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was already nine o’clock! Though still sleepy, Jane knew she had to get up because her mother had been working in her office day and night for several days and she couldn’t expect her younger brother Tom, who was sleeping like a pig, to answer the phone. She quickly put on a coat and dashed into the living room. As she picked up the receiver, on the other end came the warm greeting, “Good morning, my dear!”
It was the voice of her father, a sea man who seldom returned home due to his duties earning money to support the family. On hearing her father’s voice, Jane’s sleepiness disappeared.
Born in a not-so-rich family, Jane and Tom felt the stress of life, but they were happy to enjoy the family atmosphere. At school, they were straight-A students and took part in various after-school activities, earning the pride of their loved ones.
“Good morning, Dad. Why are you calling so early on a weekend?” Jane inquired, pretending to be slightly annoyed. “Tom and I have been very nice recently.” “My dear, today is your mother’s birthday. I have ordered a cake online and it will arrive at our doorstep in the late afternoon. Do remember to take the cake. It is my surprise for your mother.”
Upon hearing her father’s words, Jane felt a twinge of embarrassment. How could she have forgotten such an important day!
While chatting with her father, Jane’s gaze (凝视) wandered around the room and saw a lot of dirty clothes scattered (散落) on the sofa. The floor hadn’t been cleaned for a few days since her mother had been too busy with work this week to attend to such domestic matters.
Glancing at the clock again, Jane realized she still had enough time to prepare a surprise for her mother.
“Well, Dad, now I’m going to wake Tom up. We will give Mum a surprise, too!” Jane said and hung up the telephone.
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。
Paragraph 1:
Jane hurried to Tom’s room and shared her plan with him.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
“Happy birthday, Mum!” Jane and Tom shouted when their mother opened the door.
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