1 . On September 17, 2022, a father and son set out to begin the first of three legs of the Ironman competition in Oxford. David, 59, and his son, John, 28, weren’t the typical competitors. Despite difficulty in walking, John has his dream of being an athlete. His father would act as his arms and legs, carrying the weight of his son throughout the race.
To qualify as having finished, competitors must complete a hard 140 miles of swimming, bicycling and running in under 17 hours. David and John had participated together in five Ironman competitions, but they had yet to finish in the required time.
The race began with a 2.4-mile swim in the Choptank River. With one end of a rope tied to a belt around his back and the other end to a boat with his son inside, the father eased himself into the water. Swimming while carrying another person is tough enough — David also had to fight with jellyfish (水母).
The pair completed the swim in 90 minutes, and went through with the 112-mile bicycle ride in about nine hours, then set their sights on the final leg of the 26.2-mile marathon with David pushing John in the racing chair.
With minutes left and 200 feet to the finish line, his mom, on the sidelines, handed him the rolling walker. Not that long ago, John could hardly walk 23 steps. But after years of painful training, he increased his step count and was determined to finish the race on his own. He knew time was almost running out and worried they wouldn’t make the cutoff. “Not because I wouldn’t get my moment,” he says, “but because dad had worked so hard.”
After 16 hours, 55 minutes and 35 seconds — with just four minutes and 25 seconds to spare — father and son crossed the finish line together.
As the crowd flooded and cheered on John, the weary father kept a low profile. “He didn’t want his finish line moment,” says John. “He wanted it to be mine.”
1. How did David help his son in the swimming part?| A．By pulling a rope tied to a boat. | B．By swimming beside his son. |
| C．By pushing his son’s lifebelt. | D．By carrying his son on his back. |
| A．He wouldn’t get his moment. |
| B．His mom would be disappointed. |
| C．His father had put in lots of effort. |
| D．The audience had high expectations. |
| A．Responsible and selfless. | B．Brave and honest. |
| C．Committed and friendly. | D．Gentle and determined. |
2 . John Kerr and his 86-year-old grandma, Sandy Kerr, are nearing the finish line on a goal they once thought was impossible: Visiting all national parks together.
They kicked off their
“You don’t assume your grandma going with you on a camping trip is going to be anything but
As for
| A．vacation | B．trip | C．adventure | D．schedule |
| A．suffered | B．differed | C．prevented | D．arose |
| A．living | B．reading | C．learning | D．imagining |
| A．parks | B．deserts | C．hills | D．museums |
| A．frightening | B．artificial | C．wonderful | D．sorrowful |
| A．responsibility | B．regulation | C．resolution | D．possibility |
| A．advocating | B．advertising | C．recording | D．predicting |
| A．acquired | B．accepted | C．desired | D．submitted |
| A．outstanding | B．challenging | C．striking | D．fascinating |
| A．hope | B．regret | C．anxiety | D．fault |
| A．importantly | B．frequently | C．accurately | D．obviously |
| A．miserable | B．grand | C．common | D．tough |
| A．complaint | B．advice | C．decision | D．warning |
| A．seek out | B．take out | C．put out | D．lay out |
| A．community | B．department | C．corner | D．cupboard |
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.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . From the deserts of Southern California to the forests of Alaska, the U. S. possesses a diversity (多样性) of nature. For most of her life, Joy Ryan never saw the scenery beyond her home state of Ohio. Then, when she was in her mid-eighties, her grandson Brad Ryan decided to take her on a journey to all of the U. S. National Parks, which took eight years to complete. At the age of 93, Grandma Joy has finally seen all 63 parks, ending her journey in the National Park of American Samoa.
“When I learned she had never seen the great wildernesses of America-deserts, mountains, oceans, I decided to intervene (干预) in some way,” Brad says. This idea inspired their first trip to the Great Smoky Mountains. However, once they were on the road, Brad realized that they could visit more parks that were nearby. Over the years, they managed to see all of the famous sights at Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, the Redwoods, and so on. But Brad values the time spent with his grandmother just as much as the amazing places they were able to visit.
Despite Grandma Joy’s older age, she was able to hike mountains. Brad regards her love for life as the key to her good health. She is grateful for each new day and is always excited for the next journey. Finally, their long journey across the U.S. came to an end with American Samoa.
“I am thankful every morning for giving me another day,” Grandma Joy shares. “And you’re your choice whether you’re going to have a rainy day or a sunny day. So, smile at everybody, and let everybody know you’re having a whale of a time.” While her tour of the U. S. has come to a close, she and her grandson are not done traveling. Next up, they have their sights set on Kenya.
1. Why did Brad decide to intervene in some way?| A．To celebrate Grandma Joy’s 93rd birthday. |
| B．To complete a task he promised Grandma Joy. |
| C．To enrich Grandma Joy’s travelling experiences. |
| D．To realize Grandma Joy’s dream of visiting parks. |
| A．Tough and challenging. | B．Tiring but educational. |
| C．Stressful but eye-opening. | D．Amazing and worthwhile. |
| A．Her grandson’s inspiration. | B．Her positive attitude. |
| C．Her regular exercise. | D．Her adventurous spirit. |
| A．Stay Curious, Stay Young | B．Never too Old to Hit the Road |
| C．Laughter, the Best Medicine | D．Travelling Contributes to Long Life |
5 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
A 12-year-old boy saw something in a shop window. It was a necklace (项链) with shining pearls. But it needed five dollars.
Reuben couldn’t ask his father for the money. Everything his father made through fishing went to his mother, Dora, who struggled to feed and clothe her five children.
Nevertheless, he opened the shop’s door and went inside. He told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding, “Once we went to New York, my mum saw a same one. I know she liked it very much, because she fixed her eyes on it. I will buy it for her. But I don’t have the money right now. Can you please hold it for me for some time?”
“I’ll try,” the shop owner smiled. “People around here don’t usually have that kind of money to spend on such good-looking but costly things. It should keep for a while.”
Reuben had made up his mind to raise the five dollars and not tell anybody.
Reuben had an idea. He could collect the hessian sacks (麻袋) thrown away in the street and sell them back for five cents a piece.
Every day after school, Reuben walked down the town, collecting the hessian sacks. Reuben kept on his secret task. Often, he was cold, tired and hungry, but the thought of the necklace in the shop window supported him.
Eventually, the time had come! It was Mothers` Day. He poured the coins (硬币) out and began to count (数). Then he counted again. He made it! Exactly five dollars, not a cent more, not a cent less.
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。
Holding the money in hands, Reuben went to the shop.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Mother opened the box carefully, and a shining necklace appeared.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . The text from my son said it all, “Dad, there’s an article you were born to write that the world is finally ready for: Bring Back the Handkerchief (手帕)!” As my son knows, there’s no “bring back” for me. For me, the handkerchief never left.
My mother raised me with several fixed rules. One was that a gentleman always has a clean handkerchief in his right rear pocket, a piece of simple cotton, roughly 15 inches square and less than four inches when folded. I was a dutiful son, but as a child, I had been wondering what it was there for. After 60 years, my body weight now feels wrong if I’m heading out of the house with an empty back pocket.
I am sure this habit has sometimes struck friends but in polite company nobody comments on somebody else’s business. Children like my kids think of my hankie ridiculously old-fashioned and they have their arguments. If you have to be prepared every day for allergies or a cold, why not choose a little packet of tissues (纸巾), which saves you from that disgusting business of blowing your nose in the thing and then stuffing it back in your pants?
I understand their point. But a handkerchief is more durable and has a far wider variety of uses. Can you grab the handle of a pot that’s boiling over with a Tempo tissue? Or do you recall the cases of skinned knees and drippy noses that hankie wiped? In fact, my wife gave me several new handkerchiefs as gifts. Neither of us can count the number of times she wiped her tears at a movie, or, as it happens, she’s needed to blow her nose.
Yet not even my mother could have predicted the hankie’s new role as an Essential Public Health Appliance. All of us have learnt how hard it is to follow advice from medical experts about not touching your face. Here is an answer. Use your hankie. In case of emergency, your handkerchief can become a makeshift DIY mask that can be pulled over your lower face like a robber entering a bank.
And it will certainly give me the chance to lift my chin and look at my adult children through one eye, asking in her good-hearted way, “What do you have to say now, smarty-pants?”
1. What kind of person is the author in the eye of his son?| A．His father is a born writer. |
| B．His father lost his handkerchief long ago. |
| C．His father will bring back the handkerchief. |
| D．His father has a habit of using handkerchief. |
| A．They like it very much. | B．They regard it as fashionable. |
| C．They consider it inconvenient. | D．They desire to have it someday. |
| A．The function of handkerchiefs has been updated. |
| B．Handkerchiefs will be taken over by tissues sooner or later. |
| C．The author’s wife feels embarrassed to give him a handkerchief. |
| D．The author was made fun of by his friends for his use of handkerchiefs. |
| A．Bossy. | B．Humorous. | C．Serious. | D．Critical. |
“Smile, smile at Mummy.” My baby moves, kicks and feels upset, his skin is irritating
| A．annoying | B．drying | C．punishing | D．alarming |
| A．tasting | B．roaring | C．working | D．fading |
| A．gives away | B．sweeps away | C．breaks away | D．puts away |
| A．flatten | B．reduce | C．wash | D．create |
| A．gets updated | B．is affected | C．is accepted | D．becomes popular |
Knowing me, knowing you
One night, a married couple got into a fight. The reason
However, her husband started getting anxious because he would catch a flight at 5:00 am the next morning. He always devoted
In order not to lose face, he didn’t speak with her directly although he wanted to, but he wrote something on a piece of paper, reading, “Please wake me up when it’s 5:00 am.” He put the note on his wife’s pillow,
The next morning when he woke up, it was already 7:00 am! He took
Most of the time, how you say something is more important than what you actually say. When you need something, do not let pride get in the way of asking for help in the right way!
Jenny was the only child in her home. She had a quarrel with her mother that afternoon and she ran out of the house angrily. She couldn’t help crying sadly when she thought of the scolding (责骂) from her mother. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt hungry and wished for something to eat, but it was impossible for her, since she had nothing with her. She stood beside a stand for a while, watching the seller busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand, she sighed and had to leave.
The seller noticed the young girl and asked “Hey, do you want to have the noodles?”
“Oh, yes ... but I don’t have money on me ...” she replied.
“That’s nothing. I’ll treat you today,” said the man, “come in.”
The seller brought her a bowl of tasty noodles. As she was eating, Jenny cried silently.
“What is it?” asked the man kindly.
“I was just touched by your kindness!” said Jenny as she wiped her tears, “Even a stranger on the street will give me a bowl of noodles, while my mother, drove me out of the house. She is so merciless compared to a stranger!”
Hearing the words, the seller smiled “I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you thanked me a lot. But it is your mother who has raised you since you were a baby. Can you number the times she cooked for you? Have you expressed your gratitude to her?”
Jenny sat there, speechless, she remembered mother’s familiar face. “Why did I not think of that? I appreciated a bowl of noodles from a stranger, but I have never thanked my mum for what she has done for me.”
On the way home, Jenny made up her mind to make an apology to her mother for her rudeness as soon as she arrived home.
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。
Para 1:
Approaching the doorway, Jenny took a deep breath.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Para 2:
A gentle touch on her hair called her mind back.
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