When Dylan was just seven years old, he moved to the United States with his mother, Khadine, and his twin younger brothers. The family hoped that their new home would allow them to start over and find success. However, their dream didn’t work out exactly as they imagined it would.
Life as a single mother supporting three kids is incredibly difficult, but Khadine had a particularly difficult time after her twin sons had been diagnosed with serious heart conditions. As a result, the boys suffered from dangerous symptoms and required 24-hour care. As Khadine had to work three jobs to support her family financially, it became Dylan’s responsibility to look after his young brothers. To relieve Mom’s stress, Dylan also found a part-time job at a recreation center.
While Dylan never considered his family to be a burden to him, seeing his mother and brothers become vulnerable (脆弱的) made him determined to plan his future out correctly. He believed education was the only way out of their struggle, so he made a promise to his mother that he would be the first one in the family to go to college.
For that promise, Dylan made use of each and every minute to study while taking care of his brothers. He soon became an honor student at Henry High School and took several advanced classes to keep his grades up. The College of New Jersey was his top choice. He was determined to put that admission letter in his mother’s hands.
However, weeks before Dylan’s college entrance exam, both his family and his determination were tested again when Khadine fell ill and was unable to work for a while. Soon, the bills became unmanageable and the landlord evicted (驱逐) Dylan’s family after Khadine couldn’t pay the rent. The family had no choice but to live in the shelter. The place wasn’t an ideal place to study. It was often noisy and crowded, and the lights would go out at a certain time after 11 p.m.
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。
But Dylan continued to follow his dream.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Weeks after his application, an envelope carrying good news arrived.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Derek Veal found an old suitcase filled with photos, some more than 100 years old, when he explored his grandfather’s old house in Georgia. It belonged to his great-grandmother, who had Alzheimer’s(老年痴呆症)and lived in a nursing home. Veal and his grandfather went to visit her with the photos, hoping she could tell them more about the photos. What happened next changed Veal’s life.
“Everything came back to her when she saw these pictures,” Veal said. “She recognized her sisters, her aunts, her grandparents…It was the first time I had ever seen someone’s excitement from an old photo returning to them.”
The experience made Veal realize the power of old photos to hold precious and long-forgotten memories and restore a sense of identity. It never left him. Two years ago, when he came across old family photos for sale at a thrift store(旧货店), he decided to pick one picture and try to track down the family. Soon, he was inspired to buy more photos and started a Facebook group called Old Photo Project to aid in finding their families.
Veal is not alone in this hobby. David Gutenmacher, 26, lives in Queens, New York, and started his project, Museum of Lost Memories, in late 2020. He has already had over 300,000 followers on Instagram and over 750,000 on TikTok. “Some of my posts have gone viral and twice a person or family was tracked down in a matter of minutes!” Gutenmacher said. These lost pictures can bring the memories back to the families they belong to.
What makes this hobby so unique is not only how it gives people the chance to help others, but it also brings these enthusiasts a sense of purpose. “I feel like this is my calling,” said Gutenmacher. “The more I return memories, the more it feels like I’m supposed to be doing this.”
1. According to the text, what changed Veal’s life?| A．His awareness of the value of old photos. |
| B．The true stories about his great-grandmother. |
| C．His family’s history shown in the photos. |
| D．His exploration of his grandfather’s old house. |
| A．Have been updated regularly. | B．Have received some comments. |
| C．Have made people think deeply. | D．Have spread quickly and widely. |
| A．It’s not easy. | B．It’s not enough. |
| C．It’s his duty. | D．It’s just a hobby. |
| A．Returning Lost Memories | B．Old Photos for Photo Enthusiasts |
| C．The Power of Photos on the Internet | D．Researching the History of a Family |
The weather was extremely hot as the midday sun shone with all its might. 23-year-old Richard had just gotten down from a truck he hitchhiked(搭便车)and could barely stand on the hot road. His feet were getting baked in his smelly sneakers. He panted heavily, looking around for a drink. But as far as his sunken eyes could see, there was not a drop of water.
Since Richard’s band in Los Angeles broke up several weeks ago, he had to come to reunite with his parents. Just as he finished a two-mile hike on the deserted highway, he stopped on the roadside. Suddenly, he noticed a little bike lying there.
When he approached near, he saw a water bottle and a small helmet lying nearby. He leaned closer and noticed fresh little muddy footsteps disappearing into the woods. Richard’s brows shot up in terror as he hurried toward the entrance of the dense forest. It seemed very unusual for a little kid to be all alone there.
Imagine a little kid out there alone! Richard’s instincts(直觉)told him something was wrong, so he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out to the child. Suddenly, he heard a faint cry from the heart of the woods. It was a little girl’s cry for help.
“Don’t give up! I’m coming!” Richard ran quickly after noticing a little girl and her dog holding onto a log(原木)and floating on the river.
The current was washing away almost everything on its course, and the girl was lucky that the log was stuck onto something under the surface. But that would not hold on for long as the current grew faster and stronger.
Richard wanted to pull the two out to the shore before they were washed toward the edge of the waterfall, which was just meters away. However, he couldn’t think of anything immediately. Just then, his mind acted fast, and he ran back to get something.
“Hold on…I’ll be right back,” he assured 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。
Moments later, Richard returned with a long vine(藤).
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“Thank you so much!" the girl cried as she finally fell on the muddy shore.
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4 . Alice had a serious disease. She needed a(n)
The doctor explained to Michael that it would save his
As the
While we may not be faced with such a life or death decision, being selfless can help us connect with others, which is rewarding and fulfilling.
1.| A．expensive | B．urgent | C．dangerous | D．complicated |
| A．passage | B．victory | C．survival | D．escape |
| A．difficulty | B．wonder | C．threat | D．secret |
| A．blood | B．brain | C．stomach | D．bone |
| A．anxious | B．nervous | C．worried | D．certain |
| A．mother’ s | B．father’ s | C．brother’ s | D．sister’s |
| A．ran | B．slept | C．hesitated | D．disappeared |
| A．dull | B．attractive | C．lucky | D．cruel |
| A．refused | B．stopped | C．decided | D．pretended |
| A．operation | B．opera | C．movie | D．performance |
| A．interested | B．fearful | C．happy | D．pitiful |
| A．greatness | B．life | C．home | D．earth |
| A．die | B．study | C．play | D．eat |
| A．expected | B．agreed | C．assumed | D．ignored |
| A．judgement | B．mischief | C．accident | D．misunderstanding |
5 . Ida Keeling had grown up poor in Harlem and done hard, grinding work in factories during the Great Depression. She had lost her husband early to a heart attack, and two of her four children—both of her sons—died in accidents. Keeling had sunk into a deep depression. Her health had begun to slide and her daughter, Cheryl, began to worry that she soon might be losing her mother as well.
Keeling’s daughter is a lifelong athlete. That may be what would pull her mother out from under her dark cloud. She suggested a run. Not just a jog around the block, but an official run. At the time, Ida Keeling was 67.
It had been decades since Keeling had done any running, and she would later recall that the first “mini-run” was wonderful. “I just threw off all my bad memories,” Keeling says. She hasn’t stopped running since, and it’s no longer the difficulty it was during that first meet. Since then, Keeling has set records for 60 meters in the 95-99 age group, and in 100 meters for the over 100 group. “I was just exercising,” she says, “and now I’m all over the world.”
When she’s not running, she’s working out. She’s in the gym three to four days a week, running, working out with weights and pedaling on the exercise bike—and even exercising while she’s cooking. Part of her healthy diet is an occasional dose of red wine mixed with her coffee or water to aid blood circulation. She’s written a book about her experiences, titled Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down: Chasing Myself in the Race Against Time. Her philosophy is also fit for a runner: “Every day is another day forward.”
1. Why did Keeling start to run at an old age?| A．She wanted her daughter getting out of dark cloud. |
| B．She wanted to learn from her daughter. |
| C．Cheryl persuaded her to do so. |
| D．Cheryl wanted her to be a lifelong runner. |
| A．Pleased | B．Curious. | C．Annoyed. | D．Proud. |
| A．She used to live a hard life. | B．She spends much time writing. |
| C．She is very fond of cooking. | D．She is very active in sports. |
| A．Early hard life of Keeling | B．The benefit of running for Keeling’s later life |
| C．The significance of caring for old people | D．Every day is precious for old people |
When I found out that my new friend Karina did not share my opinions about some stuff, I was very upset. It was hard to imagine disagreeing with her about anything because when we first met, we got along so well. It was as if we’d known each other forever.
“No way!” I said, as I sat next to her on the first day of karate (空手道) camp. “Are those banana chips in your lunchbox?”
“You like banana chips?” she said in a surprised voice. “They’re my favorite snack.”
“My aunt brought some the last time she visited, and I’ve been craving (渴望) them ever since,” I said.
“I guess today’s your lucky day,” she said, handing me the bag. “We have a big box that’s kind of taking up space in the cupboard. So, you’d actually be helping me out!”
Right then is when I knew that Karina and I were meant to be friends forever. Whenever we got to pick a partner at camp, we picked each other. Whenever we had a break, we hung out together. The more time we spent together, the more we realized how amazingly alike we were. We both had two adorable cats, we both had an awesome younger sister, and we both had the same favorite song.
But then something happened. Karate camp was next to a piece of beautiful land that had a bunch of large old trees on it. Whenever it was nice out, we’d get to eat our lunch at picnic tables that were right by some of those trees.
After we finished lunch, our coach, Miguel, reminded us to keep the forest as clean and perfect as it was when we got here.
And that’s when things got complicated.
Sam, one of our teammates, asked us, “Have you guys heard that shopping mall rumor? They want to cut down a bunch of those trees to make room for a shopping center.” To my surprise, Karina said, “My parents told me the shopping center would make new jobs for people who really needed work and people’s jobs were more important than trees.”
Paragraph 1:
I completely disagreed with Karina about cutting down trees.
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Paragraph 2:
Later, I suddenly realized Karina had her reasons for believing what she did.
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The sound of breaking glass was immediately recognizable. Hearing the sound, I turned around and froze. “Oh, no, not the vase,” Lisa said. “Why? What did I do?” My face turned red. “Abby, that glass vase is our family heirloom (传家宝),” Lisa replied nervously. “If you broke anything else in the apartment, I would gladly say ‘I did it’. But this time you have to tell my mom that it is your fault.” I was afraid and regretful. Why did I have to jump around like that?
We gathered up the pieces. I kept saying maybe it could be fixed but Lisa said gently it didn’t look possible and that her mom would be home soon. Would her mom shout at me or punish me? I couldn’t stop playing those seconds over in my mind. The only thing I could think of to say was “I’m sorry”.
Soon, we heard the key tun in the lock. Her mom was home. We could see she was in a good mood, “Hello! It’s hot today. I want to treat you two to ice cream. Let’s go!” her mom said. “Before that, I need to tell you something.” I said. “We can talk later.” “No, I need to tell you now. It’s important,” I insisted. I could feel my voice shaking. “What is it, dear?” Her mom walked closer to me. I could feel she studied my face thoughtfully. My heart beat faster.
“I’m sorry. I broke your vase by accident. I’ve leaned it is your family heirloom. We have save the pieces, and if it can be fixed, I will pay to fix it. I’m so sorry.” Her mom looked at me expressionless and saying nothing. This scared me even more. Then she let out laughter and hugged me, kissing me on both cheeks. “Oh, thank you! I always hated that ugly vase, but I had to keep it because it was passed down in my family. Now it’s gone! You’ve done me a huge favor!” she said and kissed me again.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式作答。
I was so relieved to have apologized, but I was also in shock.
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When I reached my adult years, I understood Lisa’s mom’s behavior and kindness.
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8 . Every year, in preparation for New Year’s Day, my family holds Baking Day, a very important tradition to our family. It began years ago and is nearly
For our Baking Day
| A．acknowledged | B．applauded | C．prized | D．promoted |
| A．recreation | B．routine | C．purpose | D．challenge |
| A．delicious | B．common | C．meaningful | D．popular |
| A．made | B．appointed | C．supposed | D．named |
| A．life | B．love | C．labor | D．link |
| A．recipe | B．permission | C．recommendation | D．opportunity |
| A．prepare | B．enjoy | C．expect | D．serve |
| A．handed down | B．taken over | C．brought back | D．got in |
| A．unique | B．proper | C．suitable | D．typical |
| A．feelings | B．preferences | C．memories | D．relationships |
| A．Surprisingly | B．Sadly | C．Undoubtedly | D．Obviously |
| A．convince | B．encourage | C．coach | D．allow |
| A．aware | B．proud | C．respectful | D．certain |
| A．sent | B．handed | C．taught | D．read |
| A．simple | B．appealing | C．peaceful | D．extraordinary |
9 . The unique pink box in the front yard was originally created to serve those in the community. “Ever since my teaching partner told me about Little Free Libraries, I have known I wanted to make one,” says Carrie, a teacher in Illinois. Little Free Libraries, first created in 2009 are a way for people to take a book to read, or leave one for someone else to find.
Carrie’s husband, Matt, promised to make her one for her birthday in May 2020. In June, she was found to have breast cancer. Designing and planning the Little Free Library became a helpful distraction(分散注意力的事).
The book exchanges are often made on different, creative themes. Carrie always posts her adventures with greyhounds Rose and Flattery, German Shepherd Dog Kuster, and Belgian Shepherd Dog Kiva on the Internet, which make a difference to her life. She decided to create a dog-themed library featuring dog related artwork, a metal dog on top and a jar of dog treats. The library took her husband almost a month to build and another few weeks to paint.
The project has given Carrie something positive to focus on as she goes through her treatments. In addition, it has shown her how many people care about her -from her husband and another relative who helped construct it, to a nephew who painted the artwork, to friends who donated books. She also has a better understanding of them. The Little Free Library holds about 25 books. As people stop by, she discovers another benefit. “After many years of living here, we’re finally getting to know some of our neighbors.”
1. Why were Little Free Libraries set up in 2009?| A．To collect books to donate. |
| B．To help neighbors exchange books. |
| C．To serve needy people in communities. |
| D．To draw Carrie’s attention away from cancer。 |
| A．Her battle with cancer. |
| B．Posts about lovely dogs. |
| C．Experiences with her dogs. |
| D．Her teaching partner’s advice. |
| A．It helps her overcome physical pain. |
| B．It focuses on positive things. |
| C．It strengthens her bonds with others. |
| D．It inspires her to support neighbors. |
| A．Sociable and practical. | B．Caring and creative. |
| C．Adaptable and honest. | D．Brave and cautious. |
10 . Betty Sandison was having lunch with some friends when the subject of wish lists came up. Although she had spent more than 30 years working as a registered nurse, Betty told her friends that she regretted never finishing the bachelor’s degree she’d started more than 67 years earlier.
Betty was the first person in her family to pursue higher education. With a dream of becoming a nurse, Betty enrolled at the University of Minnesota. But when she was just 25 credits short of getting her degree, for some reason, Betty dropped out of school and soon got married. Her career was put on hold as the couple moved around for her husband’s job, spending time living in different places.
Many years later, Betty returned to community college to become a registered nurse. She worked as a nurse for more than 30 years before retiring in 2013.
But in 2018, she still felt regretful over her unfinished degree. Encouraged by her friends, Betty decided to return to university to complete her bachelor’s degree. She chose to live in the dormitory and got on well with her roommates. She enrolled in classes and started working on those last 25 credits. However, she was discouraged by the new technology used when taking online courses during the coronavirus pandemic. Even so, Betty persevered.
At age 84, Betty got her bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from the College of Continuing and Professional Studies. She described the accomplishment as “pure joy, pure satisfaction”. Betty may even audit (旁听) college classes now that her degree is complete. She is not sure what’s next, but there’s one thing she does know: Life’s too short to live with regrets!
1. Why didn’t Betty get her bachelor’s degree?| A．Because she decided to marry her beloved one. |
| B．Because she didn’t achieve the required credits. |
| C．Because she dropped out of school to work as a nurse. |
| D．Because she volunteered to fight the coronavirus pandemic. |
| A．The difficult courses. | B．The new technology. |
| C．The coronavirus pandemic. | D．The interpersonal relationship. |
| A．Accomplished and friendly. | B．Popular and caring. |
| C．Determined and hard-working. | D．Ambitious and responsible. |
| A．Genius is nothing but labor and diligence. |
| B．Not matter of the today will drag tomorrow. |
| C．Be the change you want to see in the world. |
| D．It is never too late to cross items off the wish list. |
