When I was in middle school, my social studies teacher asked me to enter a writing contest. I said no without thinking. I did not love writing. My family came from Brazil, so English was only my second language. Writing was so difficult and painful for me that my teacher had allowed me to present my paper on the sinking of the Titanic by acting out a play, where I played all the parts. No one laughed harder than he did.
So, why did he suddenly force me to do something at which I was sure to fail? His reply: “Because I love your stories. If you’re willing to apply yourself, I think you have a good shot at this.” Encouraged by his words, I agreed to give it a try.
I chose Paul Revere’s horse as my subject. Paul Revere was a silversmith (银匠) in Boston who rode a horse at night on April 18, 1775 to Lexington to warn people that British soldiers were coming. My story would come straight from the horse’s mouth. Not a brilliant idea, but funny; and unlikely to be anyone else’s choice.
What did the horse think, as he sped through the night? Did he get tired? Have doubts? Did he want to quit? I sympathized immediately. I got tired. I had doubts. I wanted to quit. But, like Revere’s horse, I kept going. I worked hard. I checked my spelling. I asked my older sister to correct my grammar. I checked out a half dozen books on Paul Revere from the library. I even read a few of them.
When I handed in the essay to my teacher, he read it, laughed out loud, and said, “Great. Now, write it again.” I wrote it again, and again and again. When I finally finished it, the thought of winning had given way to the enjoyment of writing. If I didn’t win, I wouldn’t care.
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。
A few weeks later, when I almost forgot the contest, there came the news.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I went to my teacher’s office after the award presentation.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . "Mum, can I invite my classmate Brett over to stay tomorrow night, please? It's Friday, and we don't have any
"I'm so sorry, James," she said.
"I'm never allowed to have friends come to the house? Why, Mum?" James asked sadly, almost in
"I know it's
"No, they wouldn't, Mum," James protested. "We're not
Mum sighed heavily. "To tell you the truth, James, my neck has been so painful that it's given me a heavy
"I can help, Mum!" James said. "
"Well. . . " Mum began.
"Great! Thanks, Mum!" James almost shouted. "Just sit there, don't move. " He rushed over to the kitchen drawer and
"Easy," James said
"What about your father? Can you
"I'll try," James replied. He
"I guess so," replied Mum. "Your friends will just have to
| A．chance | B．message | C．homework | D．difficulty |
| A．asleep | B．reading | C．alone | D．standing |
| A．explain | B．see | C．agree | D．doubt |
| A．terror | B．tears | C．surprise | D．silence |
| A．fair | B．easy | C．good | D．hard |
| A．strange | B．normal | C．popular | D．anxious |
| A．headache | B．loss | C．task | D．day |
| A．ill | B．funny | C．sorry | D．well |
| A．As | B．If | C．Since | D．Before |
| A．kept | B．controlled | C．found | D．returned |
| A．requests | B．thoughts | C．repairs | D．instructions |
| A．sympathy | B．satisfaction | C．bitterness | D．politeness |
| A．embarrassedly | B．gratefully | C．impatiently | D．proudly |
| A．adjusted | B．collected | C．produced | D．covered |
| A．greet | B．accompany | C．help | D．ask |
| A．lifted | B．caught | C．gave | D．filled |
| A．television | B．power | C．light | D．gas |
| A．grew up | B．lay down | C．broke down | D．sat up |
| A．food | B．temperature | C．battery | D．blood |
| A．prove | B．expect | C．suspect | D．accept |
One fall,my wife Elli and I had a single goal:to photograph polar bears.We were staying at a research camp outside"the polar bear capital of the world”－the town of Churchill in Manitoba, Canada.
Taking pictures of polar bears is amazing but also dangerous.Polar bears-like all wild animals－should be photographed from a safe distance.When I'm face to face with a polar bear,I like it to be through a camera with a telephoto lens.But sometimes,that is easier said than done.This was one of those times.
As Elli and I cooked dinner,a young male polar bear who was playing in a nearby lake sniffed, and smelled our garlic bread.
The hungry bear followed his nose to our camp,which was surrounded by a high wire fence.He pulled and bit the wire.He stood on his back legs and pushed at the wooden fence posts.
Terrified,Elli and I tried all the bear defense actions we knew.We yelled at the bear,hit pots hard, and fired blank shotgun shells into the air Sometimes loud noises like these will scare bears off.Not this polar bear though-he just kept trying to tear down the fence with his massive paws(爪子）
I radioed the camp manager for help.He told me a helicopter was on its way,but it would be 30 minutes before it arrived.Making the best of this close encounter(相遇），I took some pictures or the bear.
Eilt and I feared the fence wouldn't last through 30 more minutes of the bear's punishment.The camp manager suggested I use pepper spray.The spray burns the bears' eyes,but doesn't hurt them. So I approached our uninvited guest slowly and.through the fence,sprayed him in the face.With an angry roar(吼叫），the bear ran to the lake to wash his eyes.
Para 1.A few minutes later,the bear headed back to our camp.
Para 2.At that very moment,the helicopter arrived.
My family moved from Taiwan to a smalltown in central Georgia, where my dad got a visa for his family and a job. I had just learned English, and from what little I could gather from my friends. Santa Claus would come down one’s chimney and put toys in one’s stocking on Christmas Eve! What a great country, I thought. After I looked up “stocking” in my Chinese-English dictionary, I knew what I had to do and always expected that day.
Finally, the big day came. On that wonderful night, after everyone went to bed, I sneaked out of bed, took my longest, cleanest knee sock and attached it to a nail already on the mantel (壁炉). Obviously, the previous owners of this house were no strangers to this Santa character. Gazing at the sock and imagining the delicately-packed gift in it, I couldn’t help giggling (咯咯笑). For the first time, I found it hard to fall asleep.
And for the first time, I woke up before everyone else in the early morning. Then I headed straight to the fireplace and was even ready for what to say after seeing the gift. However, what happened next was the least thing I wanted to mention. On the nail was the empty and lonely sock. I was hit with the reality of the empty sock and the biggest lie ever told. I tried my best to holdback my tears but failed. Bursting into tears, I quickly took down the sock and stuffed it in the back of a drawer.
Every December since then, the topic of Christmas memories would unavoidably come up, and I would amuse my friends with my poor-little-me story. I had to make it as funny as possible, or else I would cry once again. I didn’t know whether any of my audience ever noticed the sparkling tears hidden in my eyes.
How could I know that Santa was just late? Nine years ago, on Christmas Eve, I heard a knock on the door when I was watching TV. Unwillingly, I dragged my feet and opened the door.
(1)所续写短文的词数应为150左右；(2)如下格式作答。
Outside the door stood an old man with a white beard and a red cap, holding a well-packed box.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Through tear-blurred eyes, I recognized the handwriting on the card.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________That night, I quarreled with my mother, then stormed out of the house. While on the road, I remembered that I did not have any money in my pocket, I did not even take my cell phone with me to make a call home.
At the same time, I went through a noodle shop, and I suddenly felt very hungry. I wished for a bowl of noodles, but I had no money!
The seller saw me standing before the counter and asked, “Hey little girl, you want to eat a bowl?”
“But … but I do not carry money …” I shyly replied.
“Okay, I’ll treat you.” the seller said, “come in, I will cook you a bowl.”
A few minutes later the owner brought me a steaming bowl of noodles. After eating some pieces, I cried.
“What is it?” He asked.
“Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness!” I said as I wiped my tears. “Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is cruel (残忍的)!!”
The seller sighed, “Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother has been taking care of you since you were little, why were you not grateful and why did you hurt your mom?”
I was really surprised after hearing that.
Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful, and my mother has raised me since I was little and I have never felt so, not even a little.
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。
Just at that moment, many memories came back into my mind.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When arriving home, I saw my mother sitting at the dinner table, worried and tired.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My knees started shaking, yet my body froze. It felt as though my soul left my body and I had no control over it. Anxiously, I looked through the announcement posted on the wall of the locker room; my heart was beating harder and harder as I slowly saw all my friends' names on that list but could not find mine. I just couldn't accept that all my friends were on the team but I was not.
I was so convinced there was a mistake that I went and found the coach. But the coach just said, "There is always next year.” I could feel the hot, bitter tears building in my eyes, and I ran out of the room as fast as I could. As soon as I walked out, I saw my friends crowding into the locker room to look at the finalized team list. I heard them shouting and laughing as I slowly walked away, every one of them jumping around with excitement after seeing that they made the team. I felt dead inside, like nothing mattered.
After school, as I walked to the parking lot to get picked up, I saw all my friends gathered near the lot, celebrating and joking around. I detoured(绕行）around the side of the school to avoid them, trying not to think about being the only one in my friend group not to make the team.
I saw my father's familiar red Mazda pull up near the school lot, and I walked up to the car and got in. He smiled at me, turned on the radio, and started driving home. Then when we got home, he noticed my heavy steps and long face, and asked me what was wrong.
"Nothing. Well, it's just that all my friends made the school team. Everyone! Except me!" I said, not knowing how he would react.
“Well, what are you going to do about it? Are you just going to sit there and wait? "he asked.
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。
Surprised, I didn't know what to say, and I just shook my head and went into my room.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After almost a year of practicing and training, I tried out for the team again.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Five years ago, I had a nine-to-five job, and I usually commuted (通勤) to work by bus. Those long tiring hours of travelling were always annoying. But one day, it was healing.
It was a warm March evening, and I’d just taken a seat on the bus that would take me home. I sat in the third row, by the window, on the driver’s side. It was nearly 6:00 p.m., but the bus was not yet full and the driver gave no signs that he intended to get the bus on the road anytime soon.
A middle-aged woman took a seat opposite me. She was crying. Not speaking to anyone in particular, she tearfully told her story.
She had come to the city to visit her daughter. On the way to the last stop, a thief had stolen one of her bags. It had contained half of the money she’d brought with her. The other half was rolled in a handkerchief and hidden under her blouse, so she fortunately still had some money left.
The bus conductor, driver, and other passengers listened to her story. After a few minutes, she stopped crying, took out some cheese bread from her bag, and began to eat, looking still worried.
An old man in tattered (破旧的) clothes got on the bus. He sat in the seat directly in front of the woman.
After a few minutes, all seats were taken. The driver got behind the wheel and started the engine. The bus conductor collected tickets and began asking us where we were getting off. When he came to the old man’s seat, he became doubtful and asked the old man whether he had any money. The old man admitted that he did not. He explained that he had spent all his money this morning when he’d accidentally got on the wrong bus and now he was trying to go 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；
3.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Upon hearing this, the bus conductor ordered the old man to get off the bus.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The woman seated behind the old man was also listening and observing the whole thing.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ayala's colleague, Marcos Heredia, took a photo of the
“I want to make public this great gesture of
Ayala said she did not think twice about
The local fire department where Ayala volunteers in her spare time
As a result of her selfless
| A．thin | B．quiet | C．disabled | D．wounded |
| A．Unless | B．Now that | C．While | D．In case |
| A．touch | B．see | C．adopt | D．feed |
| A．careful | B．merciful | C．respectful | D．trustful |
| A．finally | B．luckily | C．soon | D．once |
| A．expression | B．love | C．fun | D．success |
| A．recognized | B．indicated | C．responded | D．read |
| A．refuse | B．analyze | C．suspect | D．hesitate |
| A．smell | B．result | C．illness | D．pleasure |
| A．keeping | B．educating | C．helping | D．arranging |
| A．lovely | B．energetic | C．hungry | D．unhealthy |
| A．protect | B．hug | C．check | D．control |
| A．also | B．even | C．still | D．just |
| A．challenge | B．congratulate | C．approach | D．encourage |
| A．tried | B．stopped | C．regretted | D．arrived |
| A．pride | B．concern | C．patience | D．practice |
| A．act | B．wish | C．record | D．promise |
| A．evaluated | B．announced | C．demanded | D．described |
| A．decided | B．agreed | C．managed | D．waited |
| A．duty | B．skill | C．doctors | D．police |
9 . Nine years ago, a few days before Christmas, I was a director at a company in San Francisco, and I was called into a meeting that was already in progress. That meeting turned out to be my exit interview. I was 64 years old at the time. It wasn’t completely unexpected. I signed a pile of papers and left the company.
So, 40 plus years of employment was over. I had a good reputation and background. Retirement was not a choice for me. I wanted to do something. And then an idea came into my mind, born from my concern for our environment. I wanted to build my own business, designing and producing biodegradable(可生物降解的)packaging from waste. This is called clean technology, and it was really meaningful to me. It could help reduce billions of pounds of single-use plastic packaging wasted each year.
Five years later, I’m delighted and proud to share with you that our income has doubled every year and we have no debt. Meanwhile, I have a wonderful partner, and we’ve won more than 20 awards for the work that we’ve done.
And I am doing the most rewarding and meaningful work of my life right now. But what I really long for is to find other first-time entrepreneurs(企业家)who are my age. I want to connect with them.
So I want to do something about that in a few years. I want us to start talking more about people who don’t become entrepreneurs until they are seniors. And then connecting all of them across industries, regions and countries—building a community.
1. What happened to the author nine years ago?| A．He retired from his former company. | B．He failed an interview. |
| C．He had a good family background. | D．He changed his job to a better one. |
| A．It was beneficial to the environment. |
| B．It developed a clean technology. |
| C．It provided jobs for lots of people. |
| D．It brought in quite a lot of money. |
| A．Cautious. | B．Disappointed. | C．Ambiguous. | D．Positive. |
| A．To do something else about environment. |
| B．To help people who want to become successful. |
| C．To meet more people from different backgrounds. |
| D．To build a community for senior entrepreneurs. |
