3 . It was June a few years ago right around the Summer Solstice (夏至). The first fireflies (萤火虫) had appeared, ______ on and off in the woods around my house. What a(n) ______ it was to see them again! How amazing the natural life was! Their small light made me smile, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful to ______.

As the daylight ______, I saw some children trying to catch the fireflies in the dark. A girl went inside and came back with a clear glass bottle. After several ______ attempts, she went to run after another one ______. Anyway, she was very happy.

All the other children including me were very ______. We gathered around, desiring to watch the fireflies’ light inside the bottle. Soon the girl’s mom walked to us’ and told us it was time to set the fireflies ______. One of the children ______. But the girl’s mom explained that the fireflies would die if left in the bottle. Then she said something that still stays in my mind now, “Let them go so they can share their ______ with the rest of the world!” Finally, we knew the meaning of life.

I ______ in our childhood, we used to sing the song, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine!” But as adults we find it ______ to do so. We often forget to share.

Don’t ______ your “light”. Don’t keep it in a “bottle”. Share your “light”, no matter how ______ it may be. Let love light up your heart and then give it to the whole world. Learn from the lightening fireflies and let the “light” within you ______ the darkness away.

4 . When Darrell Langworthy was growing up, Thanksgiving meant 30 neighbors sharing a potluck meal in the family driveway. “My parents worked at a golf course. They’d _____________all the workers to Thanksgiving dinner. They would never _____________anybody away,” he says. “If there was a kid in the_____________who needed dinner, he got it.”

Today, Langworthy_____________the tradition at his restaurant in Colchester, Vermont, where a(n)_____________of barbecue and community service has made Mark BBQ a hotspot, Colchester is a small town on the shores of Lake Champlain, just north of Burlington, Mark BBQ is _____________by the locals for its brisket burgers, pulled-pork sandwiches, and Tex-Mex meatloaf (烘肉卷).

For many, Mark BBQ is also as top on the road to recovery. Enter: Recovery Kitchen, a program that brings former _____________into the kitchen to build service industry skills. The effort was_____________by manager Casey De Guise, who arrived with a troubled history and even more_____________

“He had been turned down for 35 jobs,” Langworthy says. “We said ‘Let’s take a chance,’ and he’s never let me________________.”

Langworthy knows that a little help can go a long way. “I had a time when I was__________________ drinking too much,” he recalls. Now, he offers to others the ________________he once needed. He keeps cooler by Mark BBQ’s front door with __________________food for anyone who wants it. But his favorite pleasure is still watching full plates turn to__________________dishes.

“If we can pay the__________________and staff, we’re happy” says Langworthy. “If we can help the community, we’re happier.”

5 . One evening, Paul O’Sullivan felt bored in his Baltimore apartment. So he got on to Facebook to find out just how many others on the social network ___________ his name. Moments later, dozens of Paul O’Sullivans from around the world filled his ___________. The then-27-year-old employee sent friend requests to them all.

Many of his fellow Paul O’Sullivans ___________ him, but a few felt too curious to ___________ his invitation. Paul O’Sullivan from Rotterdam in the Netherlands says, “My first ___________ was ‘Who is this guy and what does he want from me?’ So I thought about it for a while.” Ultimately, he couldn’t resist the___________ friend request. As Baltimore Paul scrolled through the profiles of the Paul O’Sullivans who accepted his invitation, he noticed something four of them have in common: They were all ___________ . Wouldn’t it be funny if they ___________a band called The Paul O’Sullivans? The other Pauls all ___________ and they created a sort of musical assembly line. They managed to ____________ its first original song, “Namesake,” in March. It’s a passionate track about long-distance relationships. Not romantic ones, of course, but like the friendships they had____________developed.

But just months later, Baltimore Paul began experiencing health issues that ______________ him to take time off from making music. The other Pauls didn’t ______________their friendship. To make sure Baltimore Paul never felt alone, the other Pauls chatted live on Instagram, and checked in on Baltimore Paul and on one another.

“What are the odds (机率)” says Baltimore Paul, “that a random Facebook ______________ would lead not only to new music but to ______________ as well? Some things are just meant to be.”

6 . An old man with his pale blue eyes and a smile walked slowly into the restaurant. His old cloth jacket and warm personality made him easily to be noticed from the usual Saturday morning breakfast people.

A young waitress named Mary watched him walk toward a table by the window. She ran over to him and said, “Here, Sir. Let me give you a hand with that chair.”

In a soft, clear voice he said, “Thank you for your kindness.”

“You’re welcome, sir.” She replied. “And my name is Mary. I’ll be back in a moment and if you need anything, just wave me!”

After he had finished a big meal, Mary helped him up from his chair, and out from behind the table. She helped him walk to the front door.

Holding the door open for him, she said, “Come back and see us, sir!”

He turned with his whole body, smiled and nodded a thank you.

When Mary went to clean his table. she almost let out a cry. Under his plate she found a100-dollar bill with a note, which read. “Dear Mary, you have found the secret of happiness. Your kindness will shine through those who meet you.

The man she had waited on was the owner of the restaurant where she worked. This was the first time that she or any of his workers had ever seen him in person.

Once upon a time, in a quiet countryside, there lived a humble farmer with a heart as vast as his fields. He had a litter of adorable puppies that he needed to find new homes for. One sunny morning, he decided to paint a sign advertising the puppies and set off to nail it to a post at the edge of his yard.

As he hammered in the last nail, he felt a small hand pulling at his clothes. Looking down, he saw the sincere eyes of a little boy looking up at him. The boy said. “Sir. I want to buy one of your puppies.”

The farmer, wiping the sweat from his face, replied, “Well, these puppies come from fine parents and costa good deal of money.” The boy’s head drooped (下垂) for a moment, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of change, holding it up to the farmer. “I’ve got 89 cents. Is that enough at least to take a look?”

The farmer’s heart warmed, and he smiled, saying, “Of course.” He then let out a whistle (口哨), calling, “Here, Dolly!” With that, a charming sight appeared as Dolly and her four adorable pups rushed out from the doghouse and down the slope. The little boy pressed his face against the fence, his eyes dancing with delight.

As the four puppies approached the fence, the boy noticed something moving inside the doghouse. Slowly, another little fur ball appeared, obviously smaller than the others, It wobbled (摇晃) down the slope, doing its best to catch up. The boy was very excited, and he pointed to the puppy, saying, “I want that one.”

The farmer, however, knelt down at the boy’s side and gently said, “Son, you won’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”

The boy took a step back, showing his disabled left leg.

The little boy’s face lit up with gratitude (感激).

8 . 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。

Catherine was the coolest kid in her class. Whenever she went, she was in the spotlight, with a bunch of kids following her and doing everything she did.

Her deskmate, Landy, however, was not in the cool kids’ group. Being the tallest kid in her class, she was teased by her classmates, who were always chanting “Landy, Landy, long as spaghetti (意大利面 )”. Every time Landy heard those silly chants, she could feel her face burst into flames. God knew how she wished the ground to crack and swallow her!

Catherine didn’t really like it when the kids chanted “Landy, Landy, long as spaghetti”. But she never told them to stop either, and nor did she ever talk to her. She liked being popular.

One weekend, Catherine went over to her grandfather for Thanksgiving. Her grandfather lives on a farm at the opposite end of town, where he keeps chickens. While helping to feed the chickens, Catherine noticed a peculiar one. Curling in the corner, it looked smaller than the others and was almost half-bare!

“What’s the matter with it?” She asked her grandfather, with a puzzled frown on her face. Her grandfather told her how chickens could act. “They have a pecking (啄) order,” he explained, wrinkles of concern spreading around his forehead. “If one chicken is different, the others will push it away and keep pecking it. Sometimes they peck it so much that it dies.”

“Oh, what a poor little thing!” Catherine let out a sigh as she scooped the frightened chicken up in her arms, whose heart was beating fast in the bony little body. Suddenly, she thought of Landy, the girl being “pecked” by her classmates. “I’m going to take it home and take good care of it,” she said with a determined look.

Back in school, Catherine told the cool kids about the chicken. “It’s looking healthy,” she said proudly. “It’s fatter and its feathers are growing. Even the cat likes it. She carries it around the garden, and...” Everyone was entertained by Catherine’s story of her lovely chicken, laughter lingering around the classroom.

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. Then Catherine spotted Landy sitting by herself in a corner.

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Paragraph 2. But Catherine walked directly toward Landy, regardless of what they said.

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9 . As a child, Shade Ajayi worked in her aunt’s shop instead of attending school. She now runs her own business making and selling purses and bags. But she believes her inability to read or write is holding her back. Until recently, Ajayi had never gone to school. Now 50, the businesswoman is learning to read and write alongside students nearly 40 years younger than her.

Ajayi attends a school in Ilorin, in Nigera’s western Kwara state. She wears the same uniform, or school clothing, as hundreds of girls at the school. “I’m not ashamed (惭愧的) that I wear a uniform,” she said.

Ajayi signed up to attend school last year, but the school closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Schools reopened in January and Ajayi finally got her chance. She sits in a class with students aged 11 to 13 and raises her hand to answer questions. Ajayi’s teacher, Nasrat Busari, said she did not appear worried about the age difference with other students. She has been coping well with them: playing together, talking together and discussing things together.

Ajayi’s daughter, Shola Adeboye, said at first, she was embarrassed that her mother attended school alongside children. But later, she supported her mother’s efforts. “She has always wanted to be educated but she couldn’t until now,” Adeboye said.

Ajayi still makes bags and purses after finishing classes. A helper serves her customers during school hours. She plans to continue her education for four more years, saying it will help her business. “People around me can read and write and they are succeeding in their businesses,” said Ajayi. And she does not seem to care what others may say about her. Ajayi said, “It’s my duty not to pay attention to what they’re saying.”