My husband and I enjoy seeing life through the eyes of our children. It’s amazing to watch as they discover their world.
While we were outdoors last summer enjoying the sunshine, our oldest daughter, Kaytlin, called me to the doorway. Beneath the steps was a baby red squirrel.
We watched it from a distance, not wanting to disturb it or scare off its mother. But after a long wait—and looking all around our house for signs of a nest or a mother—we realized the tiny squirrel was lost.
Shaking terribly, he was weak, thin, and hungry. We tried to find an expert to help, but the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website showed that there were no wildlife experts in our area. After some quick research, we concluded that the best way to give the squirrel a fighting chance was to care for him ourselves. So a trip to the local store for milk and supplies was in order. More research taught us how much to feed him, how to estimate his age, how and when to wean (断奶) him, and that we should let him go as soon as he could survive on his own.
Our daughters and I took turns in feeding “Squirt.” Kaytlin took on the most responsibility. She taught him to eat from a bottle, and she woke in the night for his feeds.
To our relief, Squirt soon became healthy and strong. Within a few weeks he became more active. He would chatter (吱吱叫) for his next meal, playfully go around the girls, and lie down on them for sleep. It wasn’t long before he was weaned onto solid food and reintroduced to the wild.
His first few visits to the great outdoors were funny. Just like a child, he would play in the grass some and then run back to Kaytlin for safety. Soon she had him climbing trees and finding nest material.
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。
One day in the trees, Squirt met up with a family of gray squirrels.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One night, Squirt didn’t come back to our house and it rained hard.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . When was the last time you used a telephone box? I mean to make an actual phone call — not to shelter from the rain. Ages ago, right? The last time I used a phone box for its intended purpose was…2006. I was conducting auditions (试演) for my play in my tiny old shared house in London. Hoping to impress some talented actors to come and work for me for nothing, I spread some throws over the sofas and lit candles to make it seem a bit more ”young professional”.
As I rushed outdoors to empty the wastepaper baskets, the door swung shut behind me. Suddenly I was locked outside. My mobile phone was inside, but luckily there was a telephone box across the street. So, I called Directory Assistance, got put through to our landlady’s managing agent, and had a spare key sent to me with just enough time to get back in before the actors arrived.
As it has been many years since I last used one, I should hardly be surprised that then are no longer any public telephones near my house. The last one standing has just been turn into a “mini community library”: any passer-by can “borrow” a book from its shelves return it later, or replace it with another title from their own collection.
For a few months after the “library” opened, I didn’t bother taking a look, as I had assumed that it would be stuffed full of cheese love stories. Then I noticed fork conducting spring cleans dropping boxes of voluminous books on various subjects there. And these books were free. This unbeatable price-point encouraged me to experiment with dozens of titles that I would never normally consider buying. And I’ve discovered some great books!
If I ever get trapped outside my house again, my local telephone box will, sadly no longer be able to connect me with my keys. But it can certainly keep me entertained while I wait for my wife to rescue me.
1. What does the underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refer to?| A．The play. | B．The shared house. |
| C．The sofa. | D．The telephone box. |
| A．To place an urgent call. | B．To put up a notice. |
| C．To shelter from the rain. | D．To hold an audition. |
| A．It provides phone service for free. | B．Anyone can contribute to its collection. |
| C．It is popular among young readers. | D．Books must be returned within a month. |
| A．He wanted to borrow some love stories. |
| B．He was encouraged by a close neighbour. |
| C．He found there were excellent free books. |
| D．He thought it was an ideal place for reading. |
3 . It’s about 250 miles from the hills of west-central Iowa to Ehlers’ home in Minnesota. During the long trip home, following a weekend of hunting. Ehlers
Back home, Ehlers was troubled by that
A local farmer told them the dog sounded like one
Jeff had
Ehlers returned to Minnesota, and then drove 100 miles to Minneapolis to put Rosie on a flight to Michigan. “It’s good to know there’s still someone out there who
“I figured whoever lost the dog was probably just as
| A．read | B．forgot | C．thought | D．heard |
| A．fighting | B．trembling | C．eating | D．sleeping |
| A．tried | B．agreed | C．promised | D．regretted |
| A．calmed down | B．stood up | C．rolled over | D．run off |
| A．injured | B．stolen | C．lost | D．rescued |
| A．home | B．past | C．back | D．on |
| A．preparation | B．explanation | C．test | D．search |
| A．cautiously | B．casually | C．skillfully | D．angrily |
| A．surprise | B．joy | C．hesitation | D．anxiety |
| A．predicted | B．advertised | C．believed | D．recorded |
| A．house | B．phone | C．street | D．car |
| A．called | B．copied | C．counted | D．remembered |
| A．fed | B．adopted | C．found | D．cured |
| A．hunted | B．skied | C．lived | D．worked |
| A．on purpose | B．on time | C．in turn | D．in vain |
| A．cares | B．sees | C．suffers | D．learns |
| A．place | B．trouble | C．waste | D．extreme |
| A．service | B．plan | C．effort | D．team |
| A．equal | B．allergic | C．grateful | D．close |
| A．suitable | B．proud | C．wise | D．willing |
4 . When Schauna Austin was 20 years old, she lost her husband in a car crash. Unable to raise a baby alone, she made a difficult decision during pregnancy — to place her baby for adoption. She gave birth to a child she named Riley, and held him for 72 hours straight. “It was perfect,” Austin said, holding her new baby. “I knew I would have him for a short time, so I made every minute count. I didn’t sleep for three days until the time came to let him go.”
Her Riley became another family’s Steven. Like most closed adoptions, a firewall went up between Austin and Steven’s new parents — no communication whatsoever. But that only lasted about a week. Adoptive mother Jennifer Schoebinger and her husband, Chris Schoebinger, said they had no interest in excluding the birth mother. “You know, you can’t have too many people loving you, right? Why couldn’t he be both of ours?” Chris Schoebinger said.
So, year after year, they sent Austin piles of pictures and bound books detailing Steven’s every major and minor milestones. The Schoebingers said they did this so that when Austin and their son were ready, they could pick up right where they left off. The two reunited when Steven was 7 years old. Austin taught him how to fish, and they have kept in contact ever since. Austin felt blessed beyond words, and Steven felt he got the best of both worlds.
Steven is now 26, married, and with a baby boy of his own. Much to the delight of Austin, he named the child Riley. “I think the lesson we learned is that sometimes we create barriers where barriers don’t need to be. And when we pull down those barriers, we really find love on the other side,” Chris Schorbinger said.
That love on the other side has continued to grow. The families spend Thanksgiving as one, and will of course be getting together again in the days ahead.
1. What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?| A．The less people love you, the better. |
| B．There are too many people who care about you. |
| C．Being loved by many people is desirable. |
| D．It’s a burden to be cared about by too many people. |
| A．Tolerant. | B．Grateful. | C．Uneasy. | D．Angry. |
| A．They did not give birth to any children. |
| B．They contacted Austin as soon as they took Steven in. |
| C．They felt blessed beyond words when Austin taught Steven how to fish. |
| D．They believed it better to get the biological mother involved. |
| A．Biological parents are crucial to a child’s growth. |
| B．People create barriers where barriers don’t need to be. |
| C．Adoptive parents and biological parents should raise children together. |
| D．Love is found when we pull down unnecessary barriers. |
5 . Last year, Doctor Steve truly understood what it means to be at the right place at the right time. During a half-marathon, he found himself in the position to
Gregory had just reached the peak of an incline(斜坡) and was
Meanwhile, Steve saw this happen, and he could tell it wasn’t a simple
The rest of the race itself was
“I never expected something like that in my whole life to happen again, let alone in the same
The
| A．defeat | B．inspire | C．sponsor | D．save |
| A．randomly | B．rapidly | C．smoothly | D．obviously |
| A．disabled | B．unwell | C．familiar | D．excellent |
| A．relieved | B．surprised | C．annoyed | D．grateful |
| A．expected | B．tackled | C．demanded | D．remembered |
| A．mistake | B．fall | C．mode | D．goal |
| A．confirmed | B．stated | C．announced | D．reported |
| A．formal | B．fair | C．uneventful | D．uncompetitive |
| A．lesson | B．drug | C．device | D．help |
| A．caught up | B．broke down | C．passed out | D．sat down |
| A．place | B．race | C．hospital | D．peak |
| A．timing | B．setting | C．opportunity | D．background |
| A．agreed | B．failed | C．prepared | D．paused |
| A．proving | B．meaning | C．indicating | D．realizing |
| A．ending | B．recording | C．solution | D．review |
6 . When I was in fourth grade, I worked part-time as a paperboy. Mrs. Stanley was one of my customers. She’d watch me coming down her street, and by the time I’d biked up to her doorstep, there’d be a cold drink waiting. I’d sit and drink while she talked.
Mrs. Stanley talked mostly about her dead husband, “Mr. Stanley and I went shopping this morning.” she’d say. The first time she said that, soda(汽水) went up my nose.
I told my father how Mrs. Stanley talked as if Mr. Stanley were still alive. Dad said she was probably lonely, and that I ought to sit and listen and nod my head and smile, and maybe she’d work it out of her system. So that’s what I did, and it turned out Dad was right. After a while she seemed content to leave her husband over at the cemetery(墓地).
I finally quit delivering newspapers and didn’t see Mrs. Stanley for several years. Then we crossed paths at a church fund-raiser(募捐活动). She was spooning mashed potatoes and looking happy. Four years before, she’d had to offer her paperboy a drink to have someone to talk with. Now she had friends. Her husband was gone, but life went on.
I live in the city now, and my paperboy is a lady named Edna with three kids. She asks me how I’m doing. When I don’t say “fine”, she sticks around to hear my problems. She’s lived in the city most of her life, but she knows about community. Community isn’t so much a place as it is a state of mind. You find it whenever people ask how you’re doing because they care, and not because they’re getting paid to do so. Sometimes it’s good to just smile, nod your head and listen.
1. Why did soda go up the author’s nose one time?| A．He was talking fast. | B．He was shocked. |
| C．He was in a hurry. | D．He was absent-minded. |
| A．He enjoyed the drink. | B．He wanted to be helpful. |
| C．He took the chance to rest. | D．He tried to please his dad. |
| A．recover from her sadness | B．move out of the neighborhood |
| C．turn to her old friends | D．speak out about her past |
| A．Open up to others. | B．Depend on each other. |
| C．Pay for other’s help | D．Care about one another. |
7 . I’ve had some pretty serious issues with some people in my community recently.
As a result, I stepped away from them and did my best to
Yesterday, I was
Despite all of this, the strangest yet most
Through my recent practice in compassion, I
| A．understand | B．comfort | C．forget | D．entertain |
| A．disturb | B．frighten | C．inspire | D．relax |
| A．camps | B．bridges | C．shelters | D．faces |
| A．promised | B．allowed | C．persuaded | D．forced |
| A．exciting | B．depressing | C．confusing | D．embarrassing |
| A．quarreled | B．competed | C．chatted | D．combined |
| A．difficult | B．wonderful | C．important | D．popular |
| A．conversations | B．doubts | C．bargains | D．arguments |
| A．necessary | B．impossible | C．clear | D．strange |
| A．put off | B．turn down | C．worry about | D．think over |
| A．apologized | B．complained | C．recalled | D．imagined |
| A．pride | B．peace | C．gratitude | D．sympathy |
| A．recognize | B．suggest | C．insist | D．explain |
| A．risk | B．free | C．ignore | D．believe |
| A．generosity | B．patience | C．forgiveness | D．kindness |
8 . Huron, Ohio, was where I’d spent my twenties, working on a steamer out on the Great Lakes. My wife and I started our family there, and later we came back to Huron to retire. Then, during the final stage of construction on our new home, I had difficulty breathing. The doctor determined I needed open-heart surgery. I was admitted to a hospital in Sandusky.
The night before my surgery, I was so worried that I couldn’t sleep. I lay in my hospital bed praying and thinking about the events in my life that had led me to this point. I remembered how I had fallen in love with Huron and its people. I remembered a Christmas many years ago…
The shipping season had been good to me, so that winter I decided to buy some Christmas gifts and help out a family in town. “I know a family that would appreciate a visit from Santa Claus,” the owner of the store said. “A woman with six children just lost her husband.”
The store owner helped me wrap some presents and gave me the family’s address. That evening I delivered the packages. A little girl with brown eyes and the sweetest smile answered the door. “Santa asked me to bring these gifts to you and your family,” I said.
The girl’s eyes lit up even more. “Tell Santa ‘thank you’ from Dorothy,” she said. I never saw her or her family again, but all in town helped give Huron a permanent place in my heart. A heart now needed fixing badly.
A nurse came in to check on me. “Where are you from?” the nurse asked. “I’m from Huron,” I told her proudly.
She smiled. “I grew up there,” she said. “I loved it, even though life wasn’t easy. You see, I lost my father when I was just a child.”
I looked into her brown eyes and knew I’d seen them before. “Do you recall a sailor bringing presents to your door one Christmas?”
She stared. “That was you!”
“Yes, Dorothy,” I said, suddenly confident about my surgery. “That was me.”
1. What was the author worried about the night before his surgery?| A．Huron and its people. | B．The uncompleted house. |
| C．His rough life experience. | D．His poor physical condition. |
| A．She kept silent with smile. | B．She totally ignored it. |
| C．She answered it amazedly. | D．She hesitated about it. |
| A．The love of people in the town Huron. |
| B．The reward of a kind action years ago. |
| C．The encouragement of the young nurse. |
| D．The high quality service of the hospital. |
| A．An Unforgettable Open-heart Surgery |
| B．A Young Girl Finds Her Way Back Home |
| C．Huron Holds A Special Place in My Heart |
| D．A Precious Gift I Received Before Surgery |
Everything about moving day was a puzzle. I didn't know anything about our new building on a new street. Our old life was broken into pieces and packed up in piled boxes. I wondered if it would ever fit back together again.
Mom introduced me to our new neighbours, the Chens. Mrs Chen worked with Mom at the job she'd just started. Mr Chen was a famous craftsman(匠人) from China.
Mom said it was a fresh start, but it felt broken to me. I just wanted things to go back to how they had been before.
After the first day at my new school, I walked home alone. Mom had told me she had to work. I was still hoping she'd meet me after the bell. I had to open the door myself with the new key. I felt a bit hungry and went straight into the kitchen, ripping tape from the packed boxes while I searched for a clean plate. My fingers slipped, and something went crashing to the ground.
“Benjamin” cried Mom from the doorway. I didn't hear her come in. “What just broke?” she asked, kneeling to pick up the pieces. In her hands, I recognized the shattered pieces. It was Grandma's bowl. “I can't believe you broke this,” she said.
“Well, I can't believe we have to live here now! I can't believe I have to switch schools, and I can't believe you didn't even meet me after my first day” I ran into my room, slamming the door behind me.
The broom swept across the kitchen floor. Then the click of Mom's bedroom door closed behind her. I sneaked out into the kitchen and found the fragments in the dustbin. There were so many pieces in here, but maybe I could put them back together. Turning the pieces, I tried to match them,but this bowl would never look the same again.
“I'm sorry I yelled,” said Mom, as she opened her door. “Please just throw out the pieces. We can't make a fresh start with broken things.”
As I wandered down the hall, Mr Chen was emptying his garbage.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1：
“Are you sure you want to throw that out?” he asked.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2：
I brought the repaired bowl into her room.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When school was over, the students were informed that there was no school on Monday-the Labor Day. “Enjoy your extra day off,” said the teacher. An extra day of fun suited Flora just fine. She loved breaks and expected to go out to play with her friends. When the school bus dropped Flora off, she ran into the house happily.
“How was school, Flora?” asked her mom.
“It was great, Mom. I am excited about no school on Monday.”
“You just started back to school two weeks ago. Already in need of a break, huh?” asked Flora’s mom with a laugh.
Flora slept in the next morning. Saturday was her favorite day of the week. It rained most of the day, so Flora enjoyed playing video games inside. On Sunday, her friends came over and they played basketbal1 for several hours. Then it was Labor Day, you know, the extra day off that Flora was so looking forward to. But Flora was awakened early that morning by her dad. He told Flora that in honor of Labor Day, the family would be cleaning both inside and outside the house. Flora couldn’t believe it. This was a holiday, a day when she was supposed to be enjoying freshly squeezed lemonade while playing in her tree house. As Flora rubbed her eyes, she began to wonder if this was just a bad dream.
“Flora, your breakfast is ready. We have a lot of work to do today. Let’s get a move on,” said Flora’s mom. As she sat down at the kitchen table, Flora asked her parents, “Are you serious about working today? Isn’t Labor Day a holiday?”
“Yes, Flora. It is,” replied her dad. “But your mom and I thought working hard today would make you appreciate why Labor Day was observed in the first place.”
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．
Flora felt disappointed at her parents’ plan for the holiday.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Things began to change as she was doing the chores.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
