Having held the interschool (校际) story tell g championship for the past two years, I was the shining star of my school. When it came to choosing the right candidate (候选人) to participate in such competitions, I was always the first choice. Naturally, I was once again selected to represent my school in the approaching contest this year.
Upon hearing the fact that I was chosen again, my classmates and friends acknowledged that I would undoubtedly be the champion again. Consequently, I became conceited (自负的). I was so proud that I ignored the importance of practicing for the contest.
A week before the contest, my teacher Ms. Sara asked, “Selena, would you like to stand in front of the class to rehearse (排练) for the contest?” She had tutored me in the past two competitions and knew how important practice was. “Just imagine you are on the stage
in the audience,” she added.“I’m sorry, Ms. Sara,” I replied. “I have a bit of a sore throat.”
This was usually the lie I would tell whenever my teacher requested me to practice in front of the class. I always found excuses to avoid doing it because I believed that I was the best and therefore the practice was unnecessary. On one occasion, I event old Ms. Sara not to worry too much as I was well prepared for the contest. In fact, I did everything but practice my script (讲稿) .I only managed to glance briefly through the story the day before the contest. As the best storyteller among the students of the local secondary schools, I was too vain to practice and expected everything to be fine.
The contest was being held in the local community hall. On the day of the contest, the hall was crowded with people. My schoolteachers and principal were there along with many of my classmates and schoolmates. I was the eighth contestant out of twenty in total. Those who spoke before me did extremely well. On seeing their fascinating and outstanding performance, I began to lose confidence in myself. My palms (手掌) sweated heavily and I started to feel nervous.
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。
Soon it was my turn to talk.
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________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I wasn’t the most popular kid in my first year of high school, not even close. I was not interested in fashion. I preferred reading to sports, and I had difficulty talking to boys. As a result, the first year of high school had not been kind to me. I had no close friends.
The girl, Ashley, was very different from me. She was fashionable, and she was very artistic, listening to bands I had never heard of. She was quite popular. We were always in the same classes throughout school, but didn’t talk much.
During summer school, the teacher asked us to pair up(结对) on a school project. Ashley didn’t seem to like working with me at first, but she gave in. I guessed it was because none of her “cool” friends were in the class. We met at the library to work on the project. Ashley did most of the talking. We sat by each other the rest of the summer and when classes ended, we continued to hang out.
I admired Ashley; she was the kind of person I thought I wanted to be. I began to wear the clothes she wore. I quit reading and started watching the TV programs that Ashley watched. I decided to take an art class though I had really wanted to take the theatre. When we started school again, I met Ashley’s group of friends, the “cool girls”. She was the leader of the group. To fit in with the group, I followed them around, laughing at their jokes and agreeing with their opinions I actually disagreed with. But I didn’t say much.
One day, I went to join the group again. They were chatting without noticing my arrival. One girl said, “Ashley, she just follows you around, trying to be you. She copies you; she doesn’t have her own personality(个性).” Ashley replied, “I wish she could find the group she actually belonged to.” I was shocked and sad. I thought I had fit in with them.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150字左右。
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
I ran home and told my mother what had happened.
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Over the next month, I went through a lot of changes.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sticking together was always important to my family — especially after my dad left us. I didn’t always talk to my mom about my feelings, because she was busy tending our farm. I talked to my sister, Alana, and I talked to Sister Belle — that’s what we called our cow. She was definitely part of my family, and we loved her very much.
Later on, as we needed to move, we had to sell our farm and all the animals, including Sister Belle. We wanted her to go to someone who would love her like we did, and we thought it was an answer to our hope when a man called. He told he could only pay 300 dollars, but that he had lots of pasture (牧场) and a large barn (畜棚). That afternoon, we went to his place. It looked really nice, and we were happy that we had found the right home for Sister Belle.
The next day we delivered Sister Belle to her new owner. I could feel tears stinging my eyes, but I convinced myself that Sister Belle would be better off in her new home.
A week later, while we were having our moving sale, a neighbor came up telling us she had seen our cow before the cow went to auction (拍卖会). My mom couldn’t believe it and asked who was sell ng the cow. When knowing who it was, I felt sick. We had trusted him, and just a week later he was selling Sister Belle away to make a profit!
We drove to his house. When he answered the door, mom told him what the neighbor had said and he shut the door right in our faces. Alana was crying, and my mom was begging him to sell Sister Belle back to us. But he wouldn’t open the door.
Back home, my mother started calling a lot of auctions and finally found one that had a record of our cow, and told us the cow would be auctioned off the next morning.
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 next day we arrived at the auction early.
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Therefore, we decided to join in the auction.
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4 . Last week, my 8-year-old daughter was listening to Nimo’s song Empty Hands. Suddenly, she put forward, “how about we
Every day they made a few cards—they cut the cards into shape of hearts, wrote kind messages and wishes and then
Within a week, they had around 50 cards ready to be
Finally, on Friday, July 10th, kids
Beautiful souls (灵魂) with so much
| A．form | B．apply | C．make | D．describe |
| A．neighborhood | B．stadium | C．downtown | D．apartment |
| A．put | B．kicked | C．taken | D．set |
| A．operated | B．addicted | C．spread | D．decorated |
| A．suggestions | B．messages | C．news | D．information |
| A．hearing | B．suffering | C．destroying | D．spreading |
| A．arranged | B．demanded | C．damaged | D．delivered |
| A．since | B．once | C．while | D．before |
| A．nodded | B．shook | C．raised | D．hung |
| A．softly | B．excitedly | C．crazily | D．anxiously |
| A．went around | B．turned around | C．went up | D．turned up |
| A．unique | B．mild | C．fluent | D．warm |
| A．behave | B．refer | C．react | D．imagine |
| A．at | B．by | C．to | D．until |
| A．advance | B．effort | C．love | D．praise |
5 . Many years ago, I bought a house in the Garfagnana, where we still go every summer. The first time we
What we discovered is that it’s
It’s good to eat things at the correct time, when they’re
| A．waited | B．met | C．camped | D．stayed |
| A．making | B．searching | C．squeezing | D．feeling |
| A．lend | B．send | C．bring | D．show |
| A．choice | B．comment | C．promise | D．gesture |
| A．simple | B．real | C．shiny | D．fun |
| A．more | B．good | C．new | D．easy |
| A．tried | B．sold | C．returned | D．mixed |
| A．unnecessary | B．uncertain | C．unwise | D．unusual |
| A．size | B．shape | C．color | D．taste |
| A．smell | B．look | C．become | D．work |
| A．happy | B．vivid | C．short | D．vague |
| A．clean | B．check | C．count | D．pack |
| A．perfect | B．useful | C．convenient | D．familiar |
| A．on view | B．on sale | C．in season | D．in need |
| A．cooked | B．given | C．bought | D．told |
Although it’s been almost two years now, I can still remember that day as if it were yesterday. We were all glued in front of the television, when Dad came rushing into the house after work to tell us that he had just bought a new boat. He promised us that the following week he’d take us all on a fishing trip. We were all very excited and happy at the prospect of it.
The much-awaited day finally came. After we packed everything onto the boat, Dad started the engine and steered it slowly out of the harbour. We headed out until we were a good distance from the shore. Then, when we found what seemed like a good spot for fishing, Dad stopped the engine.
The sky was crystal clear and the sea was as calm as a sheet of glass. We spent a good couple of hours bathing in the sun, fishing rods in hands, without a care in the world. It was fantastic just being there, staring out at the beautiful blue sea. We caught a good number of fish.
We must have lost track of time, chatting and laughing, because the next thing I remembered was being put into a darkness which was so thick that one could almost cut it with a knife. Looking around, it was all pitch-black. Then, out of nowhere, a big wave came crushing into the boat, nearly overturning us all overboard. If that wasn’t bad enough, we could hear the rumbling (隆隆声) of thunder in the distance—it was unbelievable how the weather had changed so quickly before our very own eyes. The storm was rolling up on us fast and it wasn’t long before the rain started to come down in showers. The rain was so dense and heavy that we could barely breathe.
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。
Dad immediately rushed to start the engine but it would not start.
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Suddenly, we started to hear what seemed like the sound of a helicopter approaching.
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My family had only recently moved into a new neighborhood. All of my neighbors have been very friendly and helpful since we moved in.
However, Mrs Davis, an elderly lady living in the last house on the other side of the road, escaped associating with us, or anyone else. When I asked around the neighborhood why, they warned me not to go after her because they thought she was insane (精神失常的) and preferred staying alone after losing her husband and only daughter in an aircraft crash. After that, she stayed isolated (孤立的) from all the neighbors, refusing all the care and help.
I often saw her on the streets during the evening, but she was always by herself. She appeared weak and I always wanted to help her, but after hearing what my neighbors had said about her, I wasn’t sure whether I should.
One day, when I was on my way to the supermarket, our paths crossed. I was walking past her and overheard her singing a tune. It immediately drew my attention because my parents used to sing the same song with me. I began to sing along with her, and she smiled at me for the first time. But when I smiled back, she quickly hurried her pace and went home.
She seemed very different to me that day. I refused to trust my neighbors’ claims that she had cut herself off from the rest of society because she was insane, so the next day, I knocked on her door. Mrs Davis was home, and instead of letting me in, she just looked at me silently through the window. I noticed her staring at me and was about to walk to the window when she quickly closed the curtains.
The next day, I revisited her house. “Hello, I brought you something,” I called out to her. “It’s the record of the music you were singing yesterday.”
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 door opened and Mrs Davis’ eyes widened in surprise at the sight of me standing there.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Several days later in the morning, the doorbell rang at my house.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was there for the 1,500-meter race. Yes, you heard it right — four times around the track, 1,500 meters, at the age of 93.
In advance of the tough race, we’d stood baking in the sun for at least an hour while the committee got the race walk organized. We’d walked almost the full distance of the race getting registered and into position. We’d stood in the sun listening to the directions: heel first, then shift weight to the ball of the foot.
There were forty-four other contestants but only two in my age group, ninety- to ninety-four-year-old women, so I was counting on the bronze. I decided to keep my mind on “weight-on-the-heel, weight-on-the-ball-of-the-foot, go Jean go”.
As I passed the finish line for the first time, my son cheered and yelled, “Go, Jean, go!” By the time I finished another lap and passed the finish line a second time, other people sitting in the stands joined in. I yelled back, “Thanks!”
I was soon being passed by walkers from other age groups. As they went by, they said, “You can do it. Keep going.”
I started getting the little red dots at the back of my eyes that signal lack of oxygen. I kept blinking my eyes, trying to see. I passed the finish line a third time. I was on the last lap.
I tried to change my posture (姿势) to put the stress in a different place. My cane (拐棍) was having trouble finding the ground. I was gasping (喘气) for breath.
Two judges came running toward me. “Don’t give up,” one of them said. “You’re going to make it.” The other told me to move over a lane, which would be slightly shorter. My cane was having trouble again. “The finish line isn’t far now,” the judge said.
“How far?” I asked.
“Up there, that line of trees.”
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 last 100 meters felt like a marathon, but I was determined to finish the race.
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An hour later, I came to, surrounded by my son and a doctor.
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Another disappointing day was passing, and he was driving his beat-up old car home. He was out all day looking for a job. It was getting dark and light snow was coming down, so he almost didn’t see the old lady standing on the side of the road. It was clear that she needed help. He pulled up in front of her obviously brand new and expensive car and got out.
While nobody had stopped to help for the last hour and there was a smile on his face, she was worried when he approached her. He didn’t look safe. He looked poor and hungry.
He could see she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He said, “I’m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in your car to keep warm? My name is Bryan.”
A tire was flat. Bryan fetched tools from his own car to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening her car’s nuts, she rolled down the window, said thanks and asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened without his help.
Bryan never thought twice about the money. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance they needed. He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home.
Soon the lady saw a small restaurant. She went in to grab a bite to eat and warm up before she made the last leg of her trip home. The waitress came over with a sweet smile and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant(怀孕的). Although the waitress looked tired and walked painfully due to the pregnancy, she still served the lady.
Paragraph 1:After the lady finished her meal, she paid with a one-hundred-dollar bill. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:That night when the waitress got home from work, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On Monday night, Cindy' s nine-year-old daughter Daisy announced she was going to practice one last time for the upcoming third grade talent show. The following day, she' d be performing "Fight Song" by Rachel Platten, which they both knew would be a crowd pleaser among her young classmates. She had prepared herself for the show for nearly two months, during which she herself made the final decision to sing to the guitar. She had learned to play the guitar for two years.
As she began to play, Cindy closed her eyes, imagining for a moment what the children' s faces would look like as she began to play and sing. Most of her classmates had never heard this girl sing, let alone play the guitar. As she shared her musical gift in that spotlight moment, Cindy knew it would be hard for her to contain her smile. Cindy guessed that she would be a little nervous before so many students and teachers. But she wouldn't be invited to witness what would happen. She was a little disappointed.
"Parents aren't allowed to come to the third grade talent show, Mom," she said matter-of-factly two weeks ago, breaking her heart right in half.
“What? You must be mistaken," Cindy said, feeling inappropriately emotional about this news. They were only students of the third grade. They should be accompanied by their parents on such important occasions. They may be nervous. Her mind was full of kind thoughts and love, but she said nothing. Perhaps that day she had something unhappy so she was unwilling to talk much with her. Perhaps her school would give out invitations to all the parents welcoming them to appreciate their children's performances. She decided to offer her puzzle, so she asked with caution, "Would parents be invited to the show?"
"No. No parents. It's just for kids. " she said, doing nothing to soften the blow…that is, until she saw the look on her face. Tapping her hand gently, she said with confidence, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll be fine.”
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。
Cindy knew she would be fine.
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Cindy desired to watch her growth especially on such occasions.
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