1 . The older I get, the more I understand how my teachers have transformed my life.
On a recent Sunday afternoon, I went to see Mr. C at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills. His love of life has not dimmed despite the fact that his legs no longer work like they used to. He visited some of his former students while he was in town. At Beverly Hills High School, Mr. C taught ancient history, coached football and golf, and risked his life teaching driver’s training on Saturday mornings from 1964 to 1988. The gray and hobbled students lined up one after another to thank their favorite teacher. One called him a rock star. Another was grateful for helping him when he couldn’t say so. It was a beautiful tribute, especially in these times of catastrophic teacher shortages.
Spending that Sunday in the park with Mr. C was nothing short of magic. It was a reminder of all that is promising and possible in public education, including a teacher whose rare emotional honesty could be appreciated and honored decades later. It also brought to mind Maya Angelou’s saying “People will forget what you said and did, but never forget how you make them feel.” He made me and others in the park feel heard and seen.
Mr. C changed my perception of myself. Rather than seeing myself as a loser cheerleader who couldn’t compete with the smart kids, I realized how much I loved learning. His history class was so interesting. In his classes about the Persians, Greeks, and Romans, extra credits can be earned for creativity. During earthquake drills, we counted on Mr. C to scream his head off in mock terror.
It should come as little surprise that I’d value the role of teachers in my life. Both of my parents taught; so did my siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins. I, too, have become a teacher and I try to follow in Mr. C’s footsteps. Some days, I fantasize what it would be like to go on a teacher tour, reaching out to my mentors to express my deep gratitude for all they’ve given me. Seeing Mr. C sparked that fantasy again. When I finally worked up my courage to thank him, knowing a floodgate of tears would open, he said to me with his typical modesty: “You were doing me more good than I was doing you.”
1. What does the underlined word “tribute” mean in Paragraph 2?| A．enthusiasm | B．admiration | C．devotion | D．commitment |
| A．To make a suggestion. |
| B．To introduce a celebrity. |
| C．To show respect to an educator. |
| D．To interpret the influence of education. |
| A．Enjoyable. | B．Intolerant. | C．Incompetent. | D．Patient. |
| A．A reunion. | B．A rock star. | C．A surprise. | D．A great teacher. |
2 . Every time I stare at the rows of jars filled with my parents’ homemade tomato sauce, I wonder: “Should I really use one?”
I have been keeping these jars like precious treasures. No matter how hard I try to find alternatives, nothing compares. Store bought sauce? It doesn’t taste right. Even if I try to recreate it, it will never taste the same.
While growing up, I hated the tomato season. My parents would use the basement to ripen the tomatoes they had collected locally in September. Like the other Italian families in the area, we would then take them to the garage when they were ripe enough. There they were cleaned and boiled.
Having been stewed (炖), whole tomatoes were passed through my father’s homemade machine to. Separate the sauce from the skins. Jars at the ready. We filled them with sauce and seasoning. The jars would be hot for a few days, sealed (密封) to keep their own heat. They would then be lined up and ready to use.
This tradition was hard to carry on when my father got ill. After being diagnosed (诊断) with cancer in 2019, he spent most of his time in hospital. In September that year he came home, and on the weekend we decided to continue the tradition. I have glorious memories of that day as we once again made the sauce. It was a beautiful but short-lived moment. My father died soon after.
I can’t keep these jars forever. But it doesn’t make it any easier to open one. Every time I go to reach for one, something stops me. My mother, ever practical, is visiting us recently and just stares at them.
“You should use these or they will go to waste.”
What will it feel like to use that last jar? It would mean the end of an era. Who knows? Maybe it’s time to bring new traditions into life.
1. What stops the author from using the tomato sauce?| A．It has gone bad. | B．He doesn’t like tomato sauce. |
| C．He keeps it for future use. | D．He values it too much. |
| A．The tomato harvest. | B．The homemade machine. |
| C．The fruitful tomato season. | D．The making of tomato sauce. |
| A．Open one jar. | B．Keep the jars. |
| C．Collect tomatoes. | D．Make tomato sauce. |
| A．Practical. | B．Faithful. | C．Loving. | D．Sensitive. |
Emily came from a musical family. Her father was a famous pianist in his early years and later was a music instructor. Her mother, however, was a performer and composer. Emily’s older brother was a Cello and part of the church’s choir. However, Emily wasn’t like her brother. She was unable to play any instrument.
“You have to be an instrument that you’re playing. Why aren’t you able to do it?” Emily’s father said to her, advising her to learn to play the piano. From time to time, her mother would show the wish that Emily could develop her ability to perform on the stage. It seemed that the whole family was pushing her to play music. Every time this happened, it was a massive pain for her. Emily felt that she wasn’t part of her family. It was her dream to become just like the rest of them. However, no matter how hard she tried, she was unable to.
“Being different doesn’t mean that you aren’t blessed with any potential or talent,” said Sarah, a teacher of Emily. “Maybe there is something interesting that I can do,” Emily thought. Every evening, Emily spent time sketching or drawing and painting in her bedroom. Her paintings showed her father on the piano and her brother on the Cello as well as her mother performing on the stage. Her paintings were vivid and the emotions were real. The paintings revealed how much her family was devoted to music. The paintings also revealed the things Emily was skilled at.
But her family did not even know. The only thing they knew was that Emily was unable to sing and play one musical instrument. And they weren’t happy with her at all. Emily was a lover of her loved ones, and she loved them dearly. She wanted to be the pride of the family someday. How could this happen when she wasn’t able to do what they asked her to accomplish?
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 answer was found when Sarah saw her gift for arts.
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When her parents saw her artwork, they were moved deeply.
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4 . I’m a single mom. Unluckily, I was
My sons knew we had
One day, we were at a grocery store(食品杂货店) and I was
They came over and asked me if we could get the man some hot coffee because it’s
I hugged both my kids, because they had
| A．hired | B．helped | C．supported | D．fired |
| A．easy | B．hard | C．wonderful | D．proper |
| A．school | B．home | C．hospital | D．church |
| A．money | B．health | C．housing | D．grade |
| A．sent | B．provided | C．argued | D．turned |
| A．worrying | B．asking | C．bringing | D．hearing |
| A．leaving off | B．setting aside | C．coming up | D．taking off |
| A．results | B．chances | C．rice | D．change |
| A．common | B．average | C．same | D．challenging |
| A．watched | B．heard | C．made | D．felt |
| A．warm | B．cold | C．sunny | D．cloudy |
| A．water | B．dishes | C．noodles | D．coffee |
| A．bills | B．families | C．sons | D．jobs |
| A．valuable | B．awkward | C．narrow | D．official |
| A．bought | B．paid | C．shown | D．sold |
5 . An important part of raising your children is teaching them good manners as it helps them be more successful in life.
Saying “thank you” to service workers
Saying “thank you” is the base of all good manners but these days many children overlook thanking the people that help them in many little ways each day, like wait staff, store clerks, and bus drivers. It’s not just about politeness but about teaching children to recognize and acknowledge others’ contributions as valuable.
Taking turns talking
Teach your children to touch your arm and then wait patiently for you to acknowledge(理会)them before speaking. If they do interrupt, calmly tell them it’s rude to interrupt and let them know you’ll acknowledge them shortly.
Using their indoor voices
Covering a cough or sneeze
These days it’s more important than ever to teach children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow. It’s not just a matter of hygiene(卫生)——no one enjoys getting sprayed.
| A．Remember it goes both ways. |
| B．Therefore it makes others feel cared about. |
| C．Games are very important for children’s good manners. |
| D．Crying, laughing, or just talking, children can be very loud. |
| E．Lacking basic manners will affect kids in all areas of their lives. |
| F．It is also a way to help others feel safe and comfortable around you. |
| G．Eventually it’s about teaching them not to treat others as their servants. |
