One of my favorite possessions is a little red can. It sits among my collections, looking somewhat old and out of place. But this can is special. It has a history. It was dear to me when I was younger, but mean even more to me now.
I’ve always loved to visit my grandparents in Cleburne, Texas, and as anyone in the family can tell you, there is always a gathering around the dining room table for meals and conversations so that we can keep in touch closely. It is important to keep in touch with the family members since we are busy with our own business, so my family members keep the tradition to have the gathering every month. We enjoy the moment when all of us meet in a place and communication helps us to solve the problem of isolation. As the first grandbaby, though, I was at a slight disadvantage. When I sat in the dining chair, only my nose could reach the table. Cleburne is a small town with a small population, and the phone book could only lift me an inch. So, Grandma and Grandpa came up with the idea of the little red can.
It was about ten inches high, made of tin, and painted a glorious shiny red. It worked perfectly, enabling me to bang away on the table with my little spoon and cup as I tried to keep up with the joyful talks around the table. After I finished a meal, I was placed on the floor, and the can was opened, and all sorts of surprises kept me busy while the adults visited. The can was full of lovely dolls which attracted little girls like me greatly. Besides, there were fresh and novel items that were mysterious to me and left me to explore.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Pretty soon, other grandbabies started to arrive, and each of them had their own turn on the little red can. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Decades later, Grandma proudly pulled out the little red can again when I traveled to Cleburne with my daughter. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。
When I was little, I lived in a house with a beautiful garden full of all kinds of flowers, and roses were the most beautiful of them. There was nothing I enjoyed more than sitting in the garden with my mother as she read stories to me. When I was in primary school and old enough to read, I enjoyed reading stories aloud to her.
I will never forget one day when I was in the third grade. I had been picked to be the princess in the school play, and for weeks my mother had rehearsed (排练) my lines so hard with me. But no matter how easily I acted at home, as soon as I stepped onstage, every word disappeared from my head. Finally, my teacher took me aside. She explained that she had written a narrator’s (旁白、解说员) part to the play, and asked me to change roles. Her word, kindly expressed, still hurt, especially when I saw my part go to another girl.
I didn’t tell my mother what had happened when I went home after school that day. But she sensed my pain. Instead of suggesting we practice my lines, she asked if I wanted to take a walk in the garden.
It was May and roses were blossoming and, under the trees, we could also see yellow dandelions (蒲公英) in the grass, as if a painter had painted our garden with red, yellow and green. I watched my mother casually bend down by one dandelion. “I think I’m going to dig up all these weeds,” she said, pulling it up by its roots. “From now on, we’ll have only roses in this garden.”
“But I like dandelions,” I protested. “All flowers are beautiful --- even dandelions.”
My mother looked at me seriously. “Yes, every flower is beautiful in its own way, isn’t it?” She asked thoughtfully. I nodded, pleased that I had won her over. “And that is true of people too,” she added. “Not everyone can be a princess, but there is no shame in that.” Relieved that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry as I told her what had happened. She listened and smiled, patting me gently.
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said.
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。
“But you will be a beautiful narrator,” she said,
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After the play, I took home the dandelions.
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One of my teachers once asked my class what our favorite memory was. My answer, however, invited giggles and hesitant smiles. Why? Because I felt the best when I first learned how to ride my bike-at thirteen. I didn’t mind my classmate’s stares and laughter, because I knew there was more to the story.
My sister and I shared a typical sisterly relationship: We couldn’t stand each other. Or, to be honest, she couldn’t stand me. I admired her. Her personality was the definition of cool. My clothes were mysteriously inclined to look like hers, and even my words tended to mimic(模仿) those I heard from home. Many times, I even wanted to literally follow my sister, crying every time I was banned from attending movies with her. Needless to say, I was a brat (淘气鬼) and an annoyance to her. Any sort of conversation we had was usually reduced to fighting, and try as might, my sister had an extra six years worth of insulting (侮辱的) vocabulary (which meant she usually won). After a while, I stopped trying to impress her and learned to be totally indifferent; perhaps the silent treatment would get more approval. I was wrong. We soon fell into a sad pattern-I avoided her, she ignored me, and deep inside, it hurt. So that’s how it was between us. Indifferent or hostile (敌对 的), she was only a sister in name. I truly believed that we would forever be apart, two housemates without conversation, two strangers without warmth. And nothing more.
I still remember the day I learned to ride a bike. I had received the bike that day, which was great, until I realized I had no idea how to ride it. My mom had long abandoned any attempt to teach me; I had proved to be a panicky, frustrating student.
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 couldn’t ride my bike, and on that day, it was no different.
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My sister never once let me fall.
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My sister Tina and I are very different. I'm a just simple-minded girl, at least in her eyes, while she is literally the symbol of perfection. When I was young I wanted to be like her. If she wore her hair in a new style one day, I would do the same with mine the following day. I always tried to follow her and her friends around and begged to be included, but her life didn't really have much space for a bothersome two-year-younger sister. Over time, my admiration for her had turned into indifference. Living in the same apartment as strangers, we barely spoke to each other.
I even felt relieved in secret when she informed me this year that she would be spending eight months studying abroad. I assumed I'd use her video player and wear the dresses she left behind. That was the only way l thought her leaving would affect me.
I sat in my room that first evening after she departed and tried to concentrate on my homework. However, I couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was wrong, or something was missing. I looked around the apartment and everything was the same. But it was so silent that I could hear my own breathing. I went to Tina's room. Both her video player and her talk on the phone with her friends were absent. When I sat down on her bed, I became sharply aware of how different my life was without her. Even though we didn't always talk, just having her there made me feel secure.
Sitting there, I looked back at the wasted years and regretted trying to live my own life and overlooking hers. I felt particularly bad because I had not even given her a hug before she boarded her plane, and that made my heart ache.
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。
As the night went on, I decided to do something to make it up.
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For a long time there was nothing but silence on the other end of the line.
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“Daddy, I have something to tell you. I wanted to ask your permission to go to America.” I didn’t finish my speech as he shouted, “No!” “But why? What…”, I replied. “If this all is about money, then you may not worry, I got a scholarship …”
I didn’t know what to do. I felt a warm tear running down my cheek. I thought there would be no problem because he always knew how much I dreamt about studying abroad. I was so angry and said: “But why do I have to ask your permission? I am already 18 and I’m not a kid anymore. You can’t tell me what is right and what is wrong.”
I shut the door so hard that it staggered. I was so disappointed that all these years he couldn’t see what I was doing. The tears were flowing on their own. I realized how much my love for dad was, however, I just could not stay at my hometown anymore.
I left home and my eyes were full of anger and tears. I didn’t know what to do and what to expect, but I decided to go far away from home and start creating my dream life. I took a bus and went to the airport.
I closed my eyes and felt that something was wrong. Everything was so silent when suddenly I heard my phone ringing. It was a nurse from the local hospital:
“Hello! Are you the daughter of Kuat?”, she asked. “Your dad has had a heart attack and he’s in a coma now. The situation’s serious. We want you …”
I wasn’t listening to her anymore. Tears were flowing and I started to choke when all of a sudden I heard a man’s voice and opened my eyes. I realized that it was a nightmare.
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 searching for my phone and wanted to hear my dad’s voice.
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“Here you are, my sweetie. I’m not letting you leave because I don’t want you to forget me.
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A Bowl of Noodles
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 he scolding from her mother. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a little hungry and wished for something to eat, but it was not even possible for her, since she had nothing with her. She stood beside a stand for a while, watching the middle-aged seller busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand, she sighed and had to leave.
The seller behind the stand noticed the young girl and asked, “Hey, girl, 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 noodles, whose smell was so attractive. Jenny thanked the man and started to gobblle (狼吞虎咽) up the delicious food...then cried silently.
“What is it?” asked the man kindly.
“Nothing, actually I was moved 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 showed no care for me. She is so mean and cruel!”
Hearing the words, the seller smiled “Girl, do you really think so? 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 that she has cooked for you? Have you expressed your thanks to her?”
Jenny sat there, speechless and numb with shock; she remembered her mother’s familiar face and weathered hands. “Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful, 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.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:
Approaching the doorway, Jenny took a deep breath.
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Paragraph 2:
Her mother came back home, which called her mind back.
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Lily was the only child in her home. She had just had a quarrel with her mother that afternoon and had run angrily out of the house. She couldn’t help crying when she thought of the scolding from her mother. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a hungry and wished for something to eat. However, this was not possible for her, since she had no money. She stood beside a stand for a while, watching the middle-aged seller busy doing his business. With no money in hand, she sighed and decided to leave. The seller behind the stand noticed the young girl and asked, “Hey, girl, do you want to have some 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 noodles, whose smell was so appetizing. Lily thanked the man and started to gobble up(狼吞虎咽)the delicious food with silent tears running down her cheeks. “What is it?” asked the man kindly. “Nothing. I was just moved by your kindness!” said Lily as she wiped away 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 showed no care for me. She is so mean cruel!” Lily added.
Hearing the words, the seller smiled kindly and whispered, “Girl, do you really thinks so? 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 count the number of times that she has cooked for you? Have you expressed your thanks to her?”
Lily sat there, speechless and numb with shock, remembering her mother’s familiar face and weathered hands. “Why did I not think of that?” she thought to herself. “A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful, but I have never thanked my mum for what she has done for me.”
At that moment, Lily knew that as soon as she arrived home, she would give her mother an apology for her terrible rudeness.
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:
Approaching the doorway, Lily took a deep breath._
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Her mother came back home, which called her mind back.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The boys and girls picked up the bus to Fort Lauderdale. Vingo was on board from the beginning.
As the bus passed through Jersey, they began to notice that Vingo never moved. He sat in front of the young people, frozen into silence.
Somewhere outside of Washington, the bus pulled into a Howard Johnson’s, and everybody got off except Vingo. He sat rooted in his seat, and the young people began to wonder about him, trying to imagine his life. When they went back to the bus, the girl sat beside him and introduced herself.
“Want some wine?” she said. He smiled and took the bottle. He thanked her and retreated again into silence. After a while, she went back to the others, as Vingo nodded into sleep.
In the morning they awoke outside another Howard Johnson’s, and this time Vingo went in. The girl insisted that he join them. When they went back on the bus, the girl sat with Vingo again, after a while, slowly and painfully and with great hesitation, he began to tell his story. He had been in jail in New York for the last four years, and now he was going home.
“When I was in jail I wrote to my wife,” he said. “I told her, I understand if you can’t stay married to me, get a new guy and forget about me. And she didn’t write to me. Not for three and a half years.”
“And you’re going home now, not knowing?”
“Yeah,” he said shyly. “Last week, I wrote her. I told her that if she had a new guy, I under-stood. But if she didn’t, if she would take me back she should let me know. We used to live in Brunswick, with a great big oak tree. I told her if she would take me back, she should put a yellow handkerchief on the tree, and I would get off and come home. If she didn’t want me, forget it, no handkerchief, and I’d keep going on.”
“Wow,” the girl said. “Wow.”
She told the others, and soon all of them were in it, caught up in the approach of Brunswick, looking at the pictures Vingo showed them of his wife and three children.
注意：1．续写词数应为150左右;2．请按如下格式作答。
Paragraph 1 Now they were twenty miles from Brunswick.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2 Then suddenly all of the young people were up out of their seats.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My parents grew up poor. But as a family, we were comfortable, though we didn’t have much what would be considered luxuries. One year, my father went on a trip to Italy and brought my mother an opal ring. It was her favorite stone, and she cherished that ring. It represented Dad’s love for her.
Dad died at the age of 53 in 1980 after a grueling battle with cancer. Mom was working at Burlington Coat Factory Department store. She usually wore the ring to work. Over the years, the ring became impossible for my Mom to wear because of her swollen knuckles (指关节). I had the ring fitted with a clasp so that Mom could wear it again. She took great pride in the frequent compliments as she got on that ring.
One day during her shift, the ring slipped off. She didn’t realize it until the following day. Mom was sad. The ring did not have a high monetary value, but it meant as much to her as life itself. I decided to go and look for it.
I encountered Chloe, one of my Mom’s co-workers at my Mom’s workplace. She led me to the store where Mom worked, and then left. It was packed with clothes, racks and tables. I started row by row crawling on the floor to see if I could find the ring underneath all the clothes. When I got to the last row and hadn’t found the ring, the thought occurred to me that it might have fallen into the pocket of a coat as my Mom was hanging or rearranging the clothes. I started feeling around in the pockets of some of the coats, but quickly abandoned. There were at least 20,000 pieces of clothing in that department. The attempt seemed useless.
注意：续写的词数应为150左右;
I stood by a small table in disappointment when Chloe came in.
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I called my Mom and now I was choking back tears.
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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 backpacking in Panama over Christmas in 2018, and planned to climb Volcán Barú. It is one of the only places on earth from where you can see the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans at the same time.
I set off before sunrise. It was a bit cold, so I had pulled on leggings under my trousers. I’ve always felt safe travelling as a solo (单独) woman. I love the freedom. When I got to the base at 7 am, the ranger (护林员) was unwilling to let me go alone, but relented (缓和) because an American couple were behind me.
The first part of the climb was beautiful. I walked for an hour and had reached a fair height. The views were impressive, so I stopped to take a photograph. Suddenly I heard violent barking behind me.
I turned and saw two dogs running aggressively towards me. I could see their teeth looked sharp, and they looked angry. There was nowhere for me to run. I tried to keep calm, but my heart was racing. They stopped a dozen feet from where I stood and kept barking. I knew they could move fast, so I didn’t want to try to outrun them.
I kept walking, saying, “Good dog, calm down,” as evenly as possible. But I was terrified. Then one dashed up and sunk his teeth into my leg below the knee. I was shocked. He held on for a few seconds. The pain took my breath away as I felt his fangs (犬牙) in my flesh. I considered bending down to get a rock to fight him off, but was nervous in case he went for my neck or the other one launched at me.
I tried to keep walking, and he finally let go. Then he was behind me, growling (嗥叫). I kept going, my body shaking, until after about 15 minutes I was out of their sight.
When I thought it was safe, I stopped.
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A pickup truck appeared, driven by the ranger.
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