Finding Niesha’s Courage
Niesha could not forget the way she had frozen in front of the class today. Mr Roberts had divided the class into groups to do presentations. Today had been Niesha’s turn. However, her hands had shaken so badly that she couldn’t read her notes. Her voice had become softer even to silence. Mr Roberts kindly ended Niesha’s part of the presentation even though she had clearly not finished. He had also asked Niesha to stay after class for a moment.
“Niesha, I know you’re shy, but you worked hard on this project. I’d hate to see you give up on yourself.” Mr Roberts had hesitated, “If I give you another chance tomorrow, do you think you can find, your courage?”
Niesha had nodded, grateful for the chance. She had gone as quickly as she could to her next class. She had kept her head down and hoped the school day would end soon.
When she reached her back steps that afternoon, she could see an inviting light coming from the kitchen windows. Momma was baking.
Momma studied Niesha’s face as she came into the kitchen. “What’s wrong, Niesha?”
Tears shone in Niesha’s brown eyes. She told her the whole story. Momma was silent for a moment, her hands still busy with the cake.
“Why is it that you can talk to me about anything and everything, but you can’t talk to your class?” Momma asked. She set the timer and then said, “Let me show you something.”
Niesha followed Momma to her bedroom. There Momma showed her a book filled with newspaper clippings and pictures. In it there was a blue ribbon that said “First Place” and a picture of herself when she was very young, standing with her parents.
“I won it for public speaking. I started the school year as the shyest girl on the speech team, but I ended the year as the blue ribbon winner. It wasn’t easy because I was lacking in confidence—not sure of myself at all. I worked hard, and mostly I faced my fears. You just need to find your courage.”
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
That was the second time someone had told her that today.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The next day Niesha again walked to the front of the classroom to give her presentation.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I was walking on the pavement when a bus racing by took me back to a memory of the priceless gift given by a complete stranger five years ago.
It was a warm March evening, and I’d just taken a seat on the bus that would take me home. It was nearly 6:00 p.m., but the bus was not yet full. A middle-aged woman took a seat opposite me. She was crying. Not speaking to anyone in particular, she tearfully narrated her story. She had come to the city to visit her daughter. On the way to the terminal, a thief had snatched 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 shirt, so she fortunately still had some money left. The driver and other passengers listened to her tale. After a few minutes, she stopped crying, removed some cheese bread from her bag, and began to eat, worry still knitting her brow.
An old man in worn 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 collected tickets and began asking us where we were getting off. When he came to the old man’s seat, he became suspicious 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. Upon hearing this, the driver ordered the old man to get off the bus. The old man was almost in tears as he begged the bus conductor to let him take that bus so he could get home before dark.
The woman seated behind the old man was also listening and observing the incident. When the bus driver raised his voice at the old man, she interfered, “Stop forcing him! Can’t you see he’s only trying to get home?”
“He doesn’t have any money!” the driver shouted.
“Well, that’s no reason to throw him off the bus,” she insisted.
注意：续写词数应为150左右。
Then she said, “How much is his fare?”
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Everyone stared surprisingly at the woman, who, just minutes before, had been crying over the money she’d lost.
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3 . YosDive is on the waterfront. Next to it is a village with a beautiful sandy beach, with the house reef 100 meters out. We often
As I was considering ways to
Days later, more helpers
Then I realized this project might have a(n)
So we also bought some and
| A．worked | B．dived | C．studied | D．rolled |
| A．terrible | B．familiar | C．typical | D．simple |
| A．inspired | B．amused | C．shocked | D．puzzled |
| A．afford | B．handle | C．organise | D．appreciate |
| A．story | B．plan | C．excuse | D．suggestion |
| A．compare | B．connect | C．cover | D．fill |
| A．preparation | B．store | C．exchange | D．search |
| A．improved | B．failed | C．worked | D．changed |
| A．bags | B．boxes | C．candies | D．cookies |
| A．joined in | B．gave up | C．took off | D．calmed down |
| A．offers | B．awards | C．efforts | D．sacrifices |
| A．arguing | B．mixing | C．leaping | D．cooperating |
| A．future | B．ending | C．error | D．beginning |
| A．hats | B．gloves | C．T-shirts | D．shorts |
| A．converted | B．distributed | C．attached | D．applied |
| A．quiet | B．peaceful | C．powerful | D．acceptable |
| A．spread | B．reduce | C．explode | D．occur |
| A．secretly | B．unwillingly | C．bravely | D．voluntarily |
| A．contributions | B．discoveries | C．donations | D．comments |
| A．gained | B．refused | C．offered | D．lacked |
Jenny was the only child in her family. She had a quarrel with her mother that afternoon and ran out of the house angrily. She couldn’t help crying when she thought of the scolding (责骂) from her mother. Getting around aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a little hungry and wished for something to eat. She stood beside a stand (货摊) for a while, watching the middle-aged man busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand,she had to leave. The man behind the stand noticed Jenny and asked, “Hey, do you want to have the noodles?” “Oh, yes, but I don’t have money,” she replied.
“I’ll treat you today,” said the man. He brought her a bowl of noodles, the smell so attractive. As she was eating, Jenny cried silently. “What is it?” asked the man kindly.“Actually I was just touched by your kindness!” said Jenny as she wiped her tears. “Even a stranger will give me a bowl of noodles, while my mother drove me out of the house.” Hearing the words,the man smiled, “I only gave you a bowl of noodles. But it is your mother who has raised you since you were a baby. Can you number the times she cooked for you? Have you expressed your thankfulness to her?”
Jenny sat there, speechless;she remembered her mother’s familiar face.“A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful. Why haven’t I 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词左右，每段的开头语已为你写好。
2、 请按如下格式在相应的位置作答。
Paragraph 1：
Approaching the doorway, Jenny took a deep breath.
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Paragraph 2：
A gentle touch on her hair called her mind back.
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5 . When I was nine years old, I never dreamed that the small vending machine (自动售货机) I had owned would turn me into a small business owner. Wanting to inspire his daughter’s business sense, my dad brought home a vending machine he had purchased from a friend. Setting it down in front of me in our living room, he asked in all seriousness, “Do you want to start a business?” I said yes.
I owned 15 vending machines by the time I left high school, with all of the profits going toward my college fund. In addition to being a great bonding experience for my family, I couldn't tell you how many skills I learned from starting and developing my own business that helped me gain responsibility. I learned that not every experience in life led to the comforting encouragement: Well, you were tried. You should face bravely all kinds of difficulties.
Understanding both personal and professional finances is one of the most important life lessons to learn—the earlier, the better. I had to be fearless and confident—learning these skills at a young age saved me from speaking with difficulty through presentations later in life. Truly understanding what you're selling displays confidence and reliability, as does truly believing in it. Comprehending the ins and outs of your product and business shines through when speaking with clients though rejection happens all the time.
Throughout the unbelievable experience of running my own business in my childhood, I've learned valuable skills that help me in my school, job and personal life. I believe in the value of customer service. I go after clients and opportunities and understand that sometimes things don't go my way. With the help of my parents and customers who supported me, I grew up as a young entrepreneur with skills to keep for the rest of my life.
1. Why did the author's dad give her a vending machine?| A．To earn her college fund. | B．To raise her business awareness. |
| C．To solve her friend's financial problem. | D．To remind her how hard it is for him to earn money. |
| A．It was scary but smooth. | B．It was tough but worthwhile. |
| C．It distanced her from her family. | D．It taught her how to refuse clients. |
| A．Her attitude towards rejection. | B．Her understanding of financial crises. |
| C．Her insight into her business experience. | D．Her vision of the future vending machines. |
| A．It is too old to run the business. |
| B．One can succeed without support. |
| C．Abilities acquired at a young age are useful in the future. |
| D．Customer needs are always consistent with the enterprise. |
One day after school, Susan’s eight-year-old daughter Liz went home with disappointment. She cried sadly and told her mother that she failed to be chosen for the school basketball team. And Liz kept saying that she was an unlucky girl. Susan knew that her daughter enjoyed playing basketball and had been practicing hard for the chance, so she must be terribly sad.
After knowing about the situation, Susan decided to cheer her daughter up. She went over to Liz, asking, “ Would you like to come with me to the supermarket and be my helper ?” To Susan’ s surprise, Liz agreed at once. Susan then gave Liz twenty dollars and a shopping list, saying she could use the change to get a treat for herself. Liz was excited and rushed away to get ready.
When they arrived at the supermarket, Susan advised Liz to put the twenty-dollar note in her pocket. Liz helped her mother collect goods and fill the shopping cart (购物车) while keeping an eye out for the things she wanted. She worked out how much change she would have, and then chose an apple pie as her treat.
With all goods collected, Liz went to the checkout counter (收银台) happily. Just then, she found her twenty-dollar note was gone! In tears, she rushed to her mother and told her about that. “What a bad day! I’ve met so many terrible things today!” she cried. “Take it easy. We’ll go to the help counter and see what the workers can do,” Susan comforted her.
The workers at the help counter made an announcement (公告) over the loudspeaker, “We have a little girl here who’ s very sad because she lost the twenty-dollar note her mother had given her for shopping. If anyone finds the money, please kindly bring it to the help counter.”
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Moments later, a worker gave Liz a twenty-dollar note, saying a lady just handed it over.
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“Well , actually I didn’t find the note. I gave away my twenty-dollar note,” the lady said.
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My parents worked very hard at ensuring that everything seemed pleasant and peaceful for me. I had a very calm childhood and I mostly ignored the fact that my elder sister was different. The child psychologist had term edit as “Asperger Syndrome”(阿斯伯格综合征). This diagnosis turned my parents’ world upside down, but they never let it affect me.
Only at the age often, I started to notice the differences, and became conscious of my social life and self-image that I had carefully cultivated. My sister, on the other hand, was socially awkward. She could not look at people in the eye. She would mumble(咕哝) to herself and repeat the words she had just said under her breath. She, however, was academically capable and hence we attended the same primary school. Despite this, I never, ever acknowledged in public that she was my sister. It was the incident that changed how I viewed my sister. It was the incident that changed me.
Being in primary six, about to graduate, my sister and her fellows had to put up a performance, whether in a group or individually. Due to her inability to integrate, my sister was the only one left without a group. The school had made it compulsory for everyone to put up an item, so my sister had to perform individually.” I’ll sing,” my sister told my parents, somewhat confidently. Hearing that, I was taken a back and completely shocked. How could my sister, who was socially awkward, sing in front of the school? I knew so very well that if I allowed this to happen, she would embarrass me, one way or another. “No!” I protested. My parents shot me a look and then turned to my sister, saying “Good idea!” That was when I knew my sister was going to perform anyway and I was going to be part of the audience watching her.
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 sat in the hall, waiting for her performance to start.
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Finally, my sister started to sing.
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8 . Terasa Hill did not intend to do something unplanned. It began when Terasa was observing a horse auction (拍卖). A chestnut: racehorse was for sale? “She was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, though it had an injured leg,” said Terasa.
When the bidding started, Terasa surprised herself by stepping in. Finally, Terasa became the new owner of Sierra, and Sierra, limping (跛) and hurt with pain from a broken knee, became a labour of love for Terasa. After three long months of nursing her under the guidance of a local animal doctor, the leg recovered.
It wasn’t only Sierra’s leg that needed to recover; Sierra needed to relearn how to trust people. Terasa thought the best way to win Sierra’s trust and fondness was to feed her treats. Terasa kept providing Sierra with many treats, but none passed the sniff (嗅) test. Desperate, Terasa experimented by making her own mixture of molasses and grains, which she baked in her own kitchen. The cookies were a hit with Sierra and other horses, sending Terasa’s life in a new direction.
Her treats, called “Barnies”, were sold to a local store and like hotcakes, within months local businessmen began demanding for more. Terasa’s kitchen was no longer big enough for the increased demand, moving her operation to an Oshawa company.
Then a serious health problem threatened to ruin her plans. Terasa called upon the same resolution that had helped her save Sierra to help her overcome her own illness. Family and friends came to her rescue and kept Barnies Ltd. going. Almost a year later, healthy and more resolute than ever, Terasa found a national distributor and Bainies began selling in 144 stores across Canada.
And what about Sierra, the inspiration for all this success and change? The horse has fully recovered and has become a wonderful riding horse.
1. Why did Terasa create her own cookies?| A．To show superb cooking skills. | B．To provide a special diet for Sierra. |
| C．To find a way to bond with the horse. | D．To lay the foundation for her business. |
| A．Inflexible. | B．Pessimistic. | C．Confident. | D．Determined. |
| A．It raises a valuable question. |
| B．It provides surprising information. |
| C．It returns to the topic of the opening paragraph. |
| D．It continues the focus of the paragraph before it. |
| A．A remarkable encounter. | B．A famous food company. |
| C．A rescue of a weak horse. | D．A career from previous devotion. |
9 . Most Chinese know the story of Chang’e, the Chinese goddess of the moon. People can’t hear the word “Chang’e” without thinking of romantic images of a moon goddess.
For this reason, China’s mission to the moon was calling out for a strong female figure. Therefore, a young female space commander ( 指 挥 员 ) is under heated discussion on Chinese social media for her work on the Chang’e-5 Moon exploration program with comments about how she is a “frontline soldier in the field of aerospace” that young Chinese can look up to. Soon her pictures spread quickly on social media.
Ms Zhou, a 24-year-old lady of Tujia ethnic group, is China’s youngest ever space commander. She was involved in the successful launch of the Chang’e-5 lunar probe on 24 November, in charge of the rocket connector system, described as a key role.
In Wenchang space launch site, though she is only 1.58 meters and looks “mini”, she is called “big sister” for her attitude and energy. Since senior high, she has dreamed of being a member of a space research team. With her great efforts, she was admitted to an aircraft system and engineering major of a domestic university in 2014, making her aerospace dream come true. To grow into a commander, in two and a half years, she changed five positions to be familiar with different posts and types of work, each of which takes great courage and is full of challenges.
Her story has received attention from Chinese state-run media as well as overseas media outlets. However, it has not appeared to have had much of an effect on her. According to the media, she declined repeated requests for interviews because she does not wish to let fame get in the way of her work.
1. Why is Chang’e mentioned at the beginning of the text?| A．To introduce the topic. | B．To give an example. |
| C．To tell a romantic story. | D．To spread Chinese culture. |
| A．Her youth and beauty. |
| B．Her pictures on the media. |
| C．Her identity of Tujia Ethnic group. |
| D．Her role in the moon-landing program. |
| A．She was too busy with her work. |
| B．She was shy and was not used to interviews. |
| C．She feared her fame might affect her career. |
| D．She considered fame nothing but a burden. |
| A．Many hands make light work. |
| B．Hard work makes up for inability. |
| C．The grass is always greener on the other side. |
| D．Attitude determines how successful one becomes. |
I waited by the side of the highway for three hours but no one stopped for me. Finally, a man walked over and introduced himself as Gordon. He said that although he couldn’t give me a lift, I should come back to his house for lunch. He noticed me standing for hours in the November heat and thought I must be hungry. I was doubtful as a young girl but he assured(使……放心) me I was safe, and he also offered to help me find a lift home afterwards. When we arrived at his house, he made us sandwiches. After lunch, he helped me find a lift home.
Twenty-five years later, in 2003, while I was driving to a nearby town one day, I saw an elderly man standing in the glaring heat, trying to hitch a ride. I thought it was another chance to repay someone for the favour I’d been given decades earlier. I pulled over and picked him up. I made him comfortable on the back seat and offered him some water.
After a few moments of small talk, the man said to me, “You haven’t changed a bit, even your red hair is still the same.” I couldn’t remember where I’d met him. He then told me he was the man who had given me lunch and helped me find a lift all those years ago. It was Gordon.
1. The author had to hitch a ride one day in 1978 because .
| A．her work delayed her trip to Sydney |
| B．she was going home for her holidays |
| C．the town was far away from Sydney |
| D．she missed the only train back home |
| A．He helped the girl find a ride. |
| B．He gave the girl a ride back home. |
| C．He bought sandwiches for the girl. |
| D．He watched the girl for three hours. |
| A．she realized he was Gordon |
| B．she had known him for decades |
| C．she was going to the nearby town |
| D．she wanted to repay the favour she once got |
| A．Giving sometimes produces nice results. |
| B．Those who give rides will be rapid. |
| C．Good manners bring about happiness. |
| D．People should offer free rides to others. |
