1 . On the April morning I found out about Lucy’s mother, it rained. I didn’t know what kind of cancer Mrs. Hastings had until later,
I love Mr. and Mrs. Hastings almost as much as I love my own parents, and Lucy is my best friend. But I didn’t want to go to school that day. And I
What could I possibly say to her? What do people say to their friends at such a time? I tried every trick I knew to get out of going to school.
But Mom
Strength? What was Mother talking about? I didn’t even know what to say to my best friend. I hid out in the choir room between classes
Lucy and I had last-period English in Mrs. Green’s room. I’d avoided meeting her all day, I was going to have to face her last period, and I still didn’t have a(n)
My heart tightened into a hard knot and I
I rushed out of the classroom, racing down the hall and out the front door of school. It had stopped raining, and the air smelt clean and fresh. In the distance I
As I drew nearer to her, my throat tightened, making it impossible to
| A．but | B．and | C．so | D．if |
| A．abruptly | B．apparently | C．surely | D．scarcely |
| A．agreed | B．insisted | C．hesitated | D．swore |
| A．efforts | B．sense | C．excuses | D．mistakes |
| A．in the wake of | B．in hopes of | C．in pursuit of | D．in light of |
| A．personal | B．discouraging | C．unusual | D．appropriate |
| A．plan | B．explanation | C．goal | D．clue |
| A．rocked | B．calmed | C．sprang | D．trembled |
| A．realized | B．spotted | C．greeted | D．expected |
| A．in case | B．as long as | C．even though | D．as though |
| A．again | B．suddenly | C．expectedly | D．surprisingly |
| A．tell | B．react | C．scream | D．speak |
| A．determination | B．strength | C．courage | D．fortune |
| A．palms | B．legs | C．shoulders | D．arms |
| A．special | B．outstanding | C．good | D．sad |
Joe and I had been looking forward to our retirement. However, when he suffered a heart attack last spring, he was forced to leave his job as a truck driver earlier than we had planned. As the medical bills increased, we realized I would have to continue working full-time while Joe stayed home and took over the housework.
This new arrangement was a disaster. One night, when I dragged myself to bed, I was horrified to discover Joe had turned our white sheets blue. He told me he had found out how to save on water, soap and electricity. He patted his blue trousers and announced proudly washing everything together was the secret.
When I awoke to the deafening rain the next morning, all I wanted was a hot home-cooked meal. However, what greeted me at the table was a microwave package. I knew my husband had his faults, but I thought he at least knew how to cook! I knew if I didn’t leave the house soon I would lose my temper with him. As the heavy rain thundered down outside, Joe offered to drive me to work. I ignored him as I struggled into my jacket and seized my bag with my teaching plans inside.
He insisted that he would take me and reached for his boots. I looked at the piles of newspapers and the dirty dishes still on the table. “Don’t you have enough to do? I can take care of myself.” I stormed out, not even kissing him goodbye. Joe shouted after me not to take the shortcut (捷径).
Ten minutes later, I ignored Joe’s warning and turned off the main route to take the shortcut. I thought it hadn’t rained enough to flood the road, but as I rounded the corner, water rushed across my path. After a few feet, the car got stuck. I opened the door and water poured in. I hurriedly closed the door. I couldn’t risk walking in this. Almost 20 minutes passed. The car began to shake. 1 got the fright of my life when I heard three long honks (喇叭声).
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1:
Looking over my shoulder, I stared into the flashing lights of a familiar truck.
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Paragraph 2:
After getting to our warm home, Joe held my hand tight.
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When a tornado(龙卷风) touched down in a small town nearby,many families were left completed ruined. Afterward all the local newspapers carried many human-interest stories featuring some of the families who suffered the hardest.
One Sunday, a particular picture especially touched me. A young woman stood in front of an entirely shattered(破碎的) mobile home, a depressed expression on her face. A young boy, seven or eight years old, stood at her side, eyes downward. Clutching(紧握) at her skirt was a tiny girl who stared into the camera, eyes wide with confusion and fear.
The article that went with the picture gave the clothing sizes of each family member. With growing interest, I noticed that their sizes closely matched ours. This would be a good opportunity to teach my children to help those less fortunate than themselves. I stuck the picture of the young family on our refrigerator, explaining their difficulty to my seven-year-old twins, Brad and Brett, and to three-year-old Meghan.
“These poor people now have nothing,” I said. “We’ll share what we have with them. I brought three large boxes down from the room upstairs and placed them on the living room floor. Meghan watched seriously, as the boys and I filled one of the boxes with canned goods and foods.
While I sorted through our clothes, I encouraged the boys to go through their toys and donate some of their less favorite things. Meghan watched quietly as the boys piled up old toys and games.
Meghan walked up with Lucy, her worn, much-loved rag doll hugged tightly to her chest. She came to the box that held the toys, pressed her round little face into Lucy's flat, painted-on-face, gave her a final kiss, then laid her gently on top of the other toys.
“Oh, Honey,” I said.” You don’t have to give Lucy. You love her so much.”
Meghan nodded seriously, eyes filled with held-back tears. "Lucy makes me happy, Mommy. Maybe she’ll make that other little girl happy,too.”
Paragraph. 1:The boys had watched,open-mouthed,as their baby sister placed her favorite doll in the box.
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I looked my children for a long moment.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . Tom’s father is a lawyer. In his spare time, he likes to go out in the country and take some pictures of animals.
For a long time, Tom had wanted to go with his father on one of his
Tom and his father drove to the farm which
It was still dark when Tom heard the alarm clock the next morning. He wondered why it was running so early. He couldn’t remember
He ran downstairs. The others were already in the
They ate breakfast quickly. They didn’t talk
| A．trips | B．buses | C．shows | D．mountains |
| A．after | B．when | C．until | D．unless |
| A．led | B．stuck | C．got | D．belonged |
| A．cost | B．spent | C．slept | D．took |
| A．where | B．how | C．who | D．what |
| A．happily | B．sleepily | C．quietly | D．suddenly |
| A．imagined | B．pronounced | C．forgot | D．remembered |
| A．valley | B．town | C．farm | D．station |
| A．dressed | B．ordered | C．eaten | D．prepared |
| A．bathroom | B．kitchen | C．dining-room | D．sitting-room |
| A．seemed | B．felt | C．tasted | D．smelled |
| A．lonely | B．soundly | C．much | D．highly |
| A．wake | B．go | C．put | D．come |
| A．of | B．with | C．in | D．by |
| A．before | B．what | C．after | D．that |
Jeff and I had many conversations during the year, but I will always remember the time he told me about his family. His father, a successful physician, was cold and strict in Jeffs words. His father had even paved the way for Jeff to attend the same college from which he had graduated.
Jeff was twenty-seven and a successful business planner at a company — without a degree. His passion was skiing. When he graduated from high school, he decided to decline his father’s offer and, instead, to work with a ski patrol (滑雪巡逻队). With pain in his eyes, Jeff told me he still remembered the day when he told his father he was going to give up college and take a job at a ski resort.
Hearing Jeffs decision, his father looked off into the distance. Then came the words that still echoed in Jeff’s mind: “You lazy kid. No son of mine is going to work with a ski patrol and does not attend college. I should have known you’d never amount to anything!” The two had not spoken since that conversation.
Later, he was back in the area near where he grew up and he certainly did not want his father to know he was attending college. He was doing this for himself, not for his father. He said it over and over again. Jeff’s sister had always remained supportive of Jeffs decisions. She stayed in contact with their father, but Jeff had made her promise that she would not share any information about his life with him.
The day when the graduation ceremony came, I walked around talking to people before it started. I noticed a man with a confused expression.
“Excuse me,” he said as he politely approached me. “What is happening here today?”
“It’s graduation day,” I replied, smiling. “Well, that’s odd,” he said, “my daughter asked me to meet her at this address.” His eyes sparkled and he smiled. “Maybe she completed her associate’s degree and wanted to surprise me!”
I helped him find a seat.
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: As I left him, he said, “Thank you. By the way, my name’s Dr. Holstrom.”
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Paragraph 2: Jeff was the last person to cross the stage.
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6 . Parents often think that their kids should be good at studies and do well in sports. That’s usually the case because parents feel that could get their children admission to top colleges. However, Melissa and Mark Wimmer think differently.
Their 14-year-old son, Mike, is a prodigy. He is a member of Mensa, which is the world’s top IQ club. He completed his high school, associate’s and bachelor’s degrees all in three years. That’s not all. He also ran two tech companies, founded a third one that works towards controlling the population of lionfish, an invasive (入侵的) species.
But the parents are proud that they were able to help Mike with his social skills along with his intellectual skills. Melissa told CNBC that people expected “Young Sheldon” before they met her son. Young Sheldon is a television show about a child talent who is an indoor man and lacks social skills. “But once they talk to Mike, they understand that he’s just a normal 14-year-old that happens to be able to do amazing things,” said Melissa.
Mark and Melissa got to know about their child’s intelligence when he entered preschool. A child psychologist told them that their son would need a different course to support his fast-track development. Many parents aren’t comfortable with putting their children with 18-year-olds, but Mike’s parents saw the value in letting their child go through it. “I wanted him to be social and be able to deal with all the different personalities in the classrooms with older children,” said Melissa.
The parents shared that they were able to do this by letting Mike find his own voice and put it to use. “We let him order food when he’s 3 or 4 from the waiter or waitress and introduce himself to people. Those kinds of things are done to encourage him to engage with everyone else and be more comfortable talking to others outside of our environment,” said Melissa.
Thanks to his parents, Mike has learned to get along with young and old alike.
1. What do the underlined words “a prodigy” in paragraph 2 refer to?| A．A gifted person. | B．A famous student. |
| C．A brilliant biologist. | D．A successful businessman. |
| A．He likes to make friends. | B．He is a well-rounded man. |
| C．He is a popular child actor. | D．He is poor at dealing with people. |
| A．Through a recommendation from a child psychologist. |
| B．Through observing Mike’s behavior in preschool. |
| C．Through participating in a special educational program. |
| D．Through the information provided by Mike’s school teachers. |
| A．Teach him some communication rules. | B．Encourage him to speak in class. |
| C．Place him in social situations. | D．Let him go to school alone. |
After a very meaningful conversation with my dad about the old days, we came up with an object that we both remembered clearly. It was my first bicycle. My mind told me I got it when I was seven, who was cheated to ride it for fifty yards alone the first time I tried!
My dad put together all the small pieces of the bicycle from a beautiful material that he called, “Your own car.” Of course I knew he had some magical ability, but I didn’t think he could make such an awesome object. He added the seat and the pedals (脚踏板) so that I would not have any problems. My dad recalled the bicycle was the smallest he could find while I remember how huge it was. I was so afraid of it and there was no way that I was going to control that monster-sized material. The bicycle was left in my backyard as a decoration for a month because I refused to ride it. Honestly, I was scared to try it.
After a month, my dad gave me a lecture to teach me what being a man was all about. I was finally determined to try it. My dad was proud of me and I felt very manly. He and I went to the park to see what we could do there. The park was empty when we arrived. I had no doubt that my dad told everybody not to be there because we had to use it. I felt sorry for other people, but I was proud to have such an capable person as my dad. We found a smooth and open space. My dad was holding the back part of the seat to make sure I didn’t fell. He promised me that I was not going to fall because he would be running right behind, holding the bicycle.
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 started to pedal and the bicycle moved.
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I turned around and found my dad was not behind.
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When I was about ten years old, my brother and I received a wonderful gift — tennis rackets and balls. We had never had the opportunity to play tennis, so this was exciting. However, there was one problem — the small town we lived in did not have a tennis court.
One Sunday morning my brother said, “Hey, I’ve got an idea. Let’s take our tennis rackets and balls to the school and hit the balls against the school building.”
“Great idea! Let’s go,” I agreed, not realizing what a lesson we would learn before the experience was over.
When we got to the school ground, no one was around, so we began hitting our balls against the side of the two-story brick building.
“I’ll hit it the first time,” my brother suggested, “then you hit it the next time. We’ll hit it back and forth to each other.”
So we began taking turns hitting the ball, getting more confident with each stroke. Actually, we became pretty good at returning the ball and we were hitting the ball higher and faster each time.
Suddenly, the unthinkable happened — the ball got out of control and went crashing through one of the upstairs windows.
We looked around and no one was in sight — except there was an old man stting on a porch halfway down the block.
Quietly, I asked, “Now what should we do? Our ball is inside the school.”
“Well,” my brother responded, “no one will know whose ball it is. And no one saw us, except that old man down there. And he probably can’t see this far.”
“He probably doesn’t know who we are anyway,” I added.
“Let’s go home,” my brother suggested.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Should we tell Mom and Dad?”
“I don’t know,” my brother answered.
Then we picked up the rest of our balls and headed for home, keeping silent all the way with our heads drooping.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式作答。“What happened?” asked my mother, seeing us in low spirits.
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The following morning my brother and I went to the headmaster’s office.
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9 . I still remember that busy autumn evening as I hurried with my eldest daughter, Athena, to get to her classroom on time for the parent-teacher night. We walked in and all eyes were on me. A few adults quickly quieted their kids’ whispers. A classmate yelled to my daughter, “What’s wrong with your mom’s face?” Shocked, I started to explain my condition, but my six-year-old daughter looked at him and said, “It’s my mom’s birthmark! Don’t be rude!” I was extremely proud of how she handled that situation.
I was quite young when I realized I looked different because of my large facial birthmark. I always thought I would be alone because of it. Being compared to Batman’s evil Two-Face made me believe I could never find love. But I was lucky enough to meet my husband, who saw me for who I am inside. When I had my first daughter, I was overjoyed, but I began to worry if the world would judge my children. I always worried I might pass my condition onto my children; I didn’t want them to grow up feeling judged. Unfortunately, my facial difference has impacted my children. My daughters get disinvited from birthday parties or sleepovers, or I learn certain kids are no longer friends with mine after their parents saw me at school.
When my kids were young, I explained how my special purple skin was rare and we talked about acceptance and never judging others on how they look. When my girls kiss my purple-skinned cheek, I feel “normal” around them and their unconditional love. With time going by, both my daughters have become my strongest supporters. Thanks to them, I’ve begun to feel more self-confident as I try to be a good role model.
Their worldviews are similar to mine. We see the world a little differently and with a kinder, more accepting heart. As the saying goes, your daughters will grow up to be your best friends. I know that will be the case for me!
1. What happened when the author went to attend the parent-teacher night?| A．Athena was praised by others for her bravery and optimism. |
| B．Athena defended her mother against her classmate’s rudeness. |
| C．Some parents criticized their kids because of their misbehaviour. |
| D．The author felt shocked at her daughter’s response to her classmate. |
| A．Friendship needs to be watered by love. |
| B．We should treat our children as best friends. |
| C．We should accept other people’s differences. |
| D．Our ability to handle difficulties can be developed. |
| A．They have to drop out of school. |
| B．They have the same physical condition as me. |
| C．They have difficulty maintaining friendships. |
| D．They feel worried because they are often judged. |
| A．A birthmark to live with. | B．My strongest supporters. |
| C．A kind and accepting heart. | D．The confidence to be different. |
“A nursing home would be safer, Dad,” Arlyn told her father, Jim.
“No way,” Jim interrupted. His wife passed away just a year before. At 91, he still wanted to remain in the cottage he and his wife had built.
Jim started experiencing an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Arlyn found his decline was indeed all-consuming. However, she herself was in her late sixties; her house was a 40-minute drive from the cottage. One day, when she read about a new eldercare service called Care. coach, it fueled her interest. For about $200 a month, a computerized avatar (头像) (controlled remotely by a human caregiver) would watch over a home-bound person 24 hours a day. She signed up immediately.
A week later, a tablet arrived. Following the instructions, Arlyn uploaded dozens of family pictures. Then an animated dog appeared on the screen. She presented the tablet to Jim, pointing to the screen pet, and said excitedly, “Here Dad. You have a new companion.” Jim, doubtful about the dog’s service, knew he had to learn how to get along with the dog before Alzheimer’s took hold.
Within a week, Jim and his dog, whom he named Pony, settled into a routine. Every 15 minutes or so, Pony would look for Jim calling his name if he was out of view. Sometimes Jim would “pet” to awake the sleeping Pony on screen. Pony reminded Jim which caretaker would be visiting to do the tasks: preparing meals, driving him to a senior center, etc. Pony would read poetry aloud or discuss the news. When Pony praised Jim’s sweater, Jim repaid by petting Pony’s screen with his finger sending hearts floating up from the dog’s head. One evening when Arlyn came to visit her father as usual, she was amazed to find that Pony was holding up a photo of her late mum to her dad between its paws.
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。
Jim stared at the photo fondly, with tears welling up in his eyes.
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Seeing the close bond between Pony and her dad, Arlyn felt a relief.
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