Our three kids were all under age five. We’d recently moved to the suburbs, and I’d stopped working to be a stay-at-home mom. Most of our friends lived outside our immediate community and didn’t have children. This all added up to a nonexistent social life for my husband and me.
I needed to fix this, so I became a room parent in my son’s kindergarten class, partly to spend time with him, but also to make more friends within the school community. I also signed my son up for weekend soccer. While those activities gave me the opportunity to socialize with other moms, it was challenging to cultivate friendships. I only saw my fellow room parents a few times a -year, usually during class parties. On the soccer sidelines, I found it impossible to watch the game, keep track of my young children, and maintain conversations with other parents at the same time.
I desired deeper interactions with the smart, interesting moms I saw around school. But we all led busy lives. How could I make this happen?
“You should throw a party,” suggested a friend who happened to be a professional event planner. “I can’t do that. I don’t really know these women,” I replied quickly. I hardly even had my closest friends over to my house. The thought of hosting an adult party terrified me.
“Just invite a few people that you’ve talked to and ask them to bring along a friend. You’ll meet even more people that way. It will be fun,” my event-planner friend said. I ran this idea by my husband, and I was certain he’d agree it wouldn’t work. “Great idea,” he said. “I’ll stay upstairs with the kids, and the party can take place on the main floor.”
I picked a date and set up an electronic invitation, making a guest list of moms from my son’s soccer team, my fellow room moms, and a few other moms I’d started saying “hi” to at school pick-up. But I didn’t hit Send. I started to talk myself out of it. There were so many reasons this wouldn’t work.
注意：1. 续写词数为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
With four mess makers in my household, I imagined many “what ifs”.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________But you know what? Everyone showed up.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . One day at dinner, when Caroline set her fork down on the plate, it made a sound. And then something
But as
Caroline had
“Is our house going to be okay?” Caroline asked. “Everything is fine,” said Mom. “Earthquakes
Once Caroline heard that, she began to
| A．special | B．else | C．funny | D．strange |
| A．looked up | B．turned down | C．came over | D．went out |
| A．shinning | B．falling | C．shaking | D．moving |
| A．ashamed | B．scared | C．annoyed | D．excited |
| A．quickly | B．clearly | C．normally | D．early |
| A．dark | B．untidy | C．quiet | D．scary |
| A．earthquake | B．experience | C．disaster | D．warning |
| A．worried | B．read | C．dreamed | D．complained |
| A．held on | B．faded away | C．fell down | D．shook up |
| A．remain | B．exist | C．grow | D．happen |
| A．respond | B．escape | C．report | D．notice |
| A．stronger | B．longer | C．worse | D．greater |
| A．panic | B．laugh | C．relax | D．hide |
| A．study | B．feel | C．remember | D．miss |
| A．comfort | B．adventure | C．feast | D．process |
At the time of this writing. I have reached the age of 105. As I look back, I think of the many wonderful things that have happened in my long life. many of which have served to strengthen my belief that miracles really do happen. One of these that I recall today happened many years ago but is still as fresh in my mind as if it had happened yesterday.
Peter was a Russian Wolfhound (Borzoi) with the typical tall, long-legged build of the hunter he was supposed to be but never was. He weighed close to eighty-five pounds and had the long nose and narrow head of the Borzoi, so narrow that it didn’t seem to have much room for brains. In Peter’s case, it didn’t. He became easily confused, but his gentle nature made up for his lack of intelligence.
On the day in question, I had gathered up my dogs. one Old English Sheepdog, one Whippet rescue, and Peter. They were all settled in my covered pickup truck bed, and was headed out for our daily exercise, six miles into the country where there was no leash (绳) law and they could run free. They were all trained not to chase wild animals, to stay reasonably close. and to come when called.
After I had walked for about ten minutes, I noticed one dog was missing. Peter, of course! It seemed obvious that he had stopped to investigate some irresistible (不可抗的) smell, and then, becoming confused, had turned back the way we had just come, He would easily be able to follow our track, but in the wrong direction. And when a Borzoi runs, he covers a lot of ground in a very short time.
Feeling guilty, knowing I should have kept a closer watch on him, I retraced (折返) my steps, calling and whistling, but there was no sign of him. It was winter and would soon be dark. In desperation, I started to pray. “Please God, keep Peter safe.”
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。
After half an hour of calling at the top of my voice. I finally decided to drive the two other dogs home.
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Upon reaching home, I discovered a long nose waiting at the doorway.
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4 . My father was one of the most intelligent people I knew, but his mind was so focused on big issues that he often forgot about daily matters. He’d have to be
He was so thrifty (节俭的) that he never
One year on Halloween, my
Just imagine how
| A．encouraged | B．reminded | C．invited | D．warned |
| A．cheer up | B．take up | C．show up | D．grow up |
| A．threw | B．sorted | C．checked | D．taken |
| A．official | B．deadly | C．economic | D．powerful |
| A．debates | B．solutions | C．comments | D．efforts |
| A．responsibility | B．admiration | C．preference | D．impression |
| A．flooded | B．trapped | C．credited | D．packed |
| A．hair | B．nose | C．bone | D．face |
| A．compete | B．attract | C．wrestle | D．transport |
| A．brother | B．mother | C．father | D．teacher |
| A．paired | B．compared | C．designed | D．mixed |
| A．explored | B．removed | C．wrapped | D．arranged |
| A．straight | B．shiny | C．dirty | D．wild |
| A．demanding | B．typical | C．graceful | D．unique |
| A．embarrassed | B．frightened | C．disappointed | D．worried |
5 . I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled (给贴标签) everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. So we both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming, “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened,I saw my shoes flying at me.I jumped to my feet and started yelling (叫喊). She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled (爬行) under her covers (被子), sobbing (哭啼). Obviously, that was something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart. Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression was such disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the meaning of living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1. What made Kate so angry one evening?| A．She couldn’t find her books. |
| B．She heard the author shouting loud. |
| C．She got the news that her grandma was ill |
| D．She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed. |
| A．she was scared by Kate’s anger | B．she hated herself for being so messy |
| C．she was asked by Kate to do so | D．she wanted to show her care |
| A．By showing differences. | B．By analyzing causes. |
| C．By describing a process. | D．By following time order. |
| A．My Friend Kate | B．Hard Work Pays Off |
| C．Learning to be Roommates | D．How to be Organized |
It was the first week of Lily’s middle school. The bell’s ringing brought her out of her daydreaming. She nervously gathered her books, preparing to reach another classroom for the next new class.
Lily followed the other kids and rushed into the hallway. Others walked in groups, chatted, and laughed, using the break to socialize. Lily, instead, walked alone along the wall of the hallway, with her head down. She was a shy girl, afraid to speak in front of other kids, and didn’t think others would like her.
Lily finally sat in Mr. Johnson’s Language Arts class nervously. “Welcome to Language Arts,” said Mr. Johnson. He told jokes as he talked about English. Lily forgot to daydream and laughed along with the rest of the class. “We’ll have some fun with language,” he said. “Just wait and see.”
Fun was far beyond what Lily desired. She just wanted to be like other kids—running with friends in the hallway, laughing and joking between classes. Reminded of her pimply (长粉刺的) face, she felt hopeless and disappointed.
“Take out a piece of paper,” the teacher continued, when pointing at words on the blackboard. “Write for the next thirty minutes on this topic.” Lily began writing crazily as idea after idea fought for recognition in her head. The final result was a short story about a beautiful beach house. As she wrote, she could smell the salty air, hear the crashing waves and feel the pull of the sand beneath her feet. For just a moment, she forgot where she was. She was lost in the story.
“OK, pass your papers forward,” said the teacher. “Let’s see what we have.” For the rest of the class time, the teacher read each individual work aloud. Lily originally thought it would be awkward. However, she was gradually attracted by the excitement in the teacher’s voice. “He’s actually enjoying this,” she thought. When the class would be soon over, there were still fifteen students’ papers not read, including Lily’s paper. Then, Mr. Johnson announced his decision, asking these students to read their work themselves in front of the class next class.
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:
A week later, the bell rang and the Language Arts class began again.
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After Lily finished her reading, the clapping from her classmates continued for a long time.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________7 . I have a friend who says that every day she tries to do a good deed and not get “found out”. The friend tells an inspiring story about how this started. She was assigned to take a bouquet(束) of flowers into a nursing home and walk out before the receiver can express
She did it and made a clean escape, saying the receiver looked pleasantly puzzled. Feeling excited, she
This is where the exercise took on an unexpected dimension. She
I tell my students this story every year and encourage them to do a good deed and not get
| A．regret | B．anxiety | C．concern | D．thanks |
| A．thankfully | B．immediately | C．patiently | D．widely |
| A．arrangement | B．adventure | C．news | D．experience |
| A．decision | B．call | C．choice | D．comment |
| A．realized | B．doubted | C．recognized | D．reminded |
| A．simple | B．open | C．secret | D．valuable |
| A．knew about | B．described as | C．judged from | D．translated into |
| A．discovered | B．discouraged | C．changed | D．paid |
| A．imagined | B．donated | C．responded | D．returned |
| A．how | B．when | C．why | D．where |
| A．disabled | B．injured | C．healthy | D．lonely |
| A．Impressed | B．Confused | C．Satisfied | D．Annoyed |
| A．combine | B．compare | C．unite | D．match |
| A．Suddenly | B．Occasionally | C．Currently | D．Strangely |
| A．offer | B．opinion | C．arrangement | D．task |
A few years ago，we adopted(收养) a lovely dog whom we named Gypsy. We didn’t know her age, background, or how she ended up wandering the streets of a large southern city with no owner. But we felt sure she’d had a difficult life, as she moved back whenever we wanted to touch her. She seemed particularly afraid of strange men. Gradually, Gypsy adapted to her new home with us, and she followed me around everywhere I went silently. Nothing seemed to make her bark (叫)，but we thought she was just a quiet dog as she seemed happy with us otherwise.
Not long after we brought her home, I had an operation on my leg. Gypsy seemed to dislike the coming and going of doctors, and visiting nurses-especially the males. She was still silent, but she barked at the ones she liked least. This led us to believe it must have been a male who had mistreated her before.
One day about a year after my operation, I was in the bathroom giving Gypsy a bath. Suddenly，I fell onto the floor. Luckily，I fell between the tub(浴盆) and water pipe. If I had hit one of them, I feel certain that would have been the end of me.
Unfortunately, I had no way to seek for help. The door was closed, and I didn’t have my phone with me. My husband wouldn’t be home from work for hours, so I did the only thing I could think of: I started shouting for help as loudly as I could.
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。
Gypsy was clearly confused(困惑的) by my shouting.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Soon, my neighbor was in the house.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A cross between dinner and performance art, Dining in the Dark is a new trend where diners enjoy a meal with one of the key senses removed in order to strengthen your other senses, such as taste. Many of these restaurants are operated by the blind in order to offer a chance into their world and a unique experience on the world around you. The very first dine in the dark restaurant was opened in 1999 in Zurich, Switzerland, and is called Blindekuh (Blind man’s Buff). Since then, they have grown in popularity and popped up on nearly every country.
Encouraged by online reviews, my husband and I found Nox, a dine in the dark restaurant in Singapore and we booked a dinner in the dark , all ready to challenge my taste buds and table manners. We started in the entrance and had a glass of wine with the manager who explained the process. First, we put phones, watches, and anything that could reflect or provide a light source into a secure locker. Before entering the dark room, we were seated in a lighted room and given some starters while reviewing the drinks menu. Soon after, we were introduced to our waiter who was visually impaired. He was responsible for guiding us up to the second floor of the restaurant (the dark room) and bringing us to our table. There were 2 other couples with us and we were requested to form a single line and rest our hands on the shoulders of the person in front of us as the waiter guided all of us up to the room.
Paragraph. 1
My first response to stepping into a completely dark room was
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Paragraph.2
This experience had instead given me a much-needed attitude towards life.
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On a cold windy day, a poor boy tried to pay his way through school by selling goods door to door. Wandering on the street, he was not a successful seller. What’s worse, he found that he only had one dime left. His empty stomach reminded him constantly that for days he hadn’t eaten anything. He had no choice but to beg for a meal at the next house. Hesitantly he knocked at a door, thinking about what to say when it was opened. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. “What can I do for you?” asked the young woman. The boy paused for a while, “Would you please give me some...a drink of water?” the boy dared not to look directly into her eyes. She looked at the bony boy and thought he might need something to give him energy so she brought him a glass of milk. His head rising and small hands taking the cup, he drank it up slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?” “You don’t owe me anything,” she replied with a warm smile on her face. “My mother has taught me never to accept pay for a kindness.”Deeply moved, he said sincerely, “Then I shall thank you from the bottom of my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but it also increased his faith in the whole human race. As a matter of fact, he was about to give up and quit before that point.
Years later the young woman became critically ill. However, the local doctors were unable to give an effective medical treatment. Finally they sent her to a hospital in the big city, where specialists can be called in to cure her rare disease. Among those famous specialists, Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately, he rose and went down through the hospital hall into her room.
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。
Dressed in his doctor’s gown, he went in to see her.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The bill was sent to her room.
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