As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the animal shelter, Sarah walked through the rows of cages until her eyes landed on a small, trembling dog huddled (蜷缩) in the corner. “I think I’ve found the one, ” Sarah whispered softly to herself as she looked into the dog’s sad eyes. This timid, abandoned dog had no idea that a journey of transformation with friendly people lay in store for him.
The shelter staff explained that the dog, named Buddy, had a difficult past and was very shy and scared. Sarah extended a hand, offering a soothing tone, “Hey sweetie, you must have a story to tell, but from now on, you’ve got a buddy in me. ”
Bringing Buddy home was just the beginning of their journey, which was rocky at first for him. Everything was strange and new, causing him to hide under furniture and startle at every sound. Therefore, Sarah provided a cozy bed, delicious meals, and most importantly, heaps of love and comfort.
Slowly but surely, he started to emerge from his shell, wagging his tail tentatively and gazing at Sarah with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. Under Sarah’s patient and loving guidance, Buddy flourished, even learning tricks and commands, and forming a deep bond with his new owner.
The journey of healing turned out to be a success. But Sarah had never expected it would bring about another one.
One day, while scrolling through social media, Sarah came across a heartwarming story about dogs being trained to assist children with autism (自闭症). Those children had social communication difficulties and had few facial expressions and gestures. Without hesitation, she inquired about the program and soon, Buddy was enrolled in training to become a certified therapy(治疗) dog. But she was unsure whether Buddy would be comfortable with the new challenge.
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。
Their first day at the therapy center was filled with uncertainty.
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As the weeks progressed, Sarah noticed a remarkable change both in the children and Buddy.
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December is certainly the time of Christmas spirit and with that comes a wave of kind acts — people are often much nicer and willing to be giving than any time of the year. While it seems like an expected sight, thankfully it still keeps surprising us. That’s just what I experienced while volunteering with Santa’s Secret Shop at a local school.
I volunteered to help with Santa’s Secret Shop at the school. Each child there paired up with a helper, mostly high school seniors. There was one guy with disabilities this afternoon and when he was helping a kid next to me, he found the kid was a little short of cash for Christmas gifts, so this senior opened up his wallet. I supposed they were brothers, and didn’t think much of it. However, I noticed he was always holding out his helping hand and allowing other children to choose gifts that were out of their budgets. I felt curious and reported my experience on Facebook and praised the mysterious young man called Timmy Sweeney.
What did people on the Internet think about his actions? Many people praised him, just as a post said, “This kid has a heart of gold. I so wish there were more kids like him! His parents definitely did an amazing job raising him.” Others expressed their gratitude.” This story brought tears to my eyes. Thank Timmy for being what this world needs: a kind person who is thoughtful and just happens to be watching out for others. The world is really becoming a better place because of such nice persons as Timmy.”
Deeply touched, I came up to Timmy to keep me informed of his motivation to do so, for I was really curious about his behavior. He responded. “I’m a senior at Susquehanna Community High School. I used to be very athletic until I was in an accident and I can’t play any more, which destroyed my faith in the future. That’s the reason why I need to do something meaningful to make a difference in the world.”
注意：1. 续写词语应为150个左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
He continued his story, describing his acts of kindness.
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Paragraph 2:
Eventually, his acts of kindness influenced others.
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3 . Brie Peters had a passion for music. She grew up singing in school choirs, learning piano and
Her music career showed instant
Peters is now celebrating her
She admits that nursing is hard work and can be
| A．stimulating | B．motivating | C．convincing | D．astonishing |
| A．no-excuse | B．no-brainer | C．no-motivation | D．no-expectation |
| A．nursing | B．singing | C．dancing | D．performing |
| A．permitted | B．helped | C．urged | D．allowed |
| A．effect | B．promise | C．response | D．reaction |
| A．for | B．in | C．at | D．on |
| A．interesting | B．curious | C．encouraging | D．personal |
| A．missed | B．resisted | C．escaped | D．rejected |
| A．finding | B．investing | C．pursuing | D．applying |
| A．preference | B．acceptance | C．application | D．preparation |
| A．looking forward to | B．looking up to | C．looking back on | D．looking down upon |
| A．exciting | B．embarrassing | C．innovating | D．exhausting |
| A．ever | B．never | C．forever | D．nevertheless |
| A．desperate | B．depressed | C．deliberate | D．nervous |
| A．aim | B．opportunity | C．honor | D．inspiration |
Mr. Watson’s store was widely known throughout the neighborhood. It sold many different things. Every day after school, Jess came to the store and he loved to look at the pipes (烟斗). One pipe especially caught his eye. He imagined that some day he would be a grown man and could smoke a pipe, just like this one. He did not remember his father, but he knew his dad smoked a pipe.
Jess reached out and touched the pipe. He kept thinking that when he was old enough, he would go to work and his mother could stay home. He would not have to wait three hours after school until she came home from her job. Oh, why? He wondered, did it take so long to grow up and take his father’s place.
He looked around the store and put the bowl of the pipe in his hand. He just wanted to get the feel of it — nothing more. He was lost in his dream, wishing he could be like his father.
Suddenly he was shocked out of his dream. He heard footsteps behind him. He turned around quickly. It was Mr. Watson, the friendly store owner. Jess was unable to move.
“Hello, Jess,” Mr. Watson said, and kept on walking. Jess struggled to answer but could not get his voice up. He swallowed and smiled weakly as Mr. Watson walked away. Jess’s thoughts became unclear. Was he suspicious?
Suddenly the store seemed extremely warm. Jess watched his feet begin to move and take him out of the store. He felt the cool air outside and it was good, yet, he felt an emptiness inside himself. Like one walking in his sleep, he moved toward the ground. He looked around and saw the empty swings. He slipped into one and leaned against its chain. The cold metal links hurt his side.
Sitting on the swing, he gave the ground a push with one foot. A sharp pain caught him in the stomach. He knew it was the pipe he felt. He had walked out of the store with it.
Paragraph 1:The sun was slipping down through the trees and it was time to go home.
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Looking at the long shadows of the trees coming towards him, Jess now knew what he had to do.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . I frowned at myself in the dressing-room mirror. I was wearing white tights, a white leotard, and a white swim cap that hid most of my hair. I was one of 10 snowflakes in my dance school's Winter Wonderland show.
“Grandma, I really don't feel like being in the show,” I said. Grandma Lani looked up from what she was sewing. “Why, mo'opuna?” Mo'opuna means “grandchild” in Hawaiian. Grandma Lani has always lived in Hawai'i. “You love to dance.” I used to love to dance. Then Ms. Tuttle gave the part of the Snow Queen to Christine Abrams. Christine got to wear a blue leotard and a feathery skirt that drifted out like a cloud every time she twirled. And she got to do a dance onstage all by herself. The snowflakes just had to run and spin to look like a snowstorm. I sighed. “I don't like our dance. And no one would notice if I wasn't there. There are so many of us.” “I would notice. So would your parents.”
As Christine walked toward us, Grandma paused and smiled at her. “What a beautiful costume!” Christine glided away, her skirt waving behind her. I hung my head. Grandma took my hand. “What's bothering my Avery?” “And you won't be able to tell me apart from the other snowflakes,” I whispered.
Grandma was about to speak. Then something outside the window caught her eye. She grabbed my hand and my coat and pulled me out of the dressing room and through the doors to the outside. It was snowing. Grandma held her breath and I suddenly thought of something. “Grandma, have you ever seen snow before?” “No, mo'opuna. In Hawaii, it snows only on the very tops of mountains.”
I had seen snow lots of times, but now I tried to see it differently. Like it was new. I saw snowflakes twisting through the air in different directions, sparkling and shining at us. So many snowflakes coming together to create something magical. “Aloha,” Grandma whispered to the sky. Aloha can mean many things, including “love,” “hello,” and “good-bye.” “I don't know when I'll see something like that again.” “I do,” I said. I took Grandma Lani's hand and pulled her back inside.
When the stage lights came up and the music started, I spun and ran with all of the other snowflakes. I didn't care if Grandma Lani could see me. I was helping her see a snowstorm.
1. What is the part the granddaughter played in the dance?| A．The Snow Queen. | B．A snowflake. |
| C．A snowstorm. | D．A granddaughter. |
| A．She lived with her parents and grandma. | B．Grandma would like to see snow again. |
| C．It doesn't snow at all where Grandma lived. | D．Her parents didn't come to the show. |
| A．She loved to dance very much. | B．She became more important in it. |
| C．She intended to show her talent. | D．She meant to please her grandma. |
| A．Selfish. | B．Childish. | C．Caring. | D．Emotional. |
6 . I made a pledge to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving. No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting a Biblical (圣经的) passage about husbands and their wives. Then he went on to say, “Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love.” To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well, for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said, “That new yellow sweater looks great on you.”
“Oh, Tom, you noticed,” she said, surprised and pleased. Maybe a little puzzled.After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, “Evelyn’s been alone here with the kids all week and now she wants to be alone with me.” We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed and happy, that’s how the whole vacation passed. I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love.
There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. On the last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Tom,” she said in a voice filled with distress, “ I don’t…”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…that checkup (体检) I had several weeks ago…our doctor…did he tell you something about me? Tom, you’ve been so good to me…am I dying ?”
It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I burst out laughing.
“No, honey,” I said, wrapping her in my arms. “You’re not dying; I’m just starting to live.”
1. In the first paragraph, “No ifs, ands or buts” probably means “________.”| A．Unintentionally | B．Inevitably |
| C．Impressively | D．Unconditionally |
| A．with his family | B．with Evelyn |
| C．alone | D．with his children |
| A．He praised her sweater, which puzzled her. |
| B．She insisted on visiting a museum, which he hated. |
| C．He knew something about her illness but didn’t tell her. |
| D．He was so good to her that she thought she must be dying. |
| A．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| B．he is just beginning to enjoy life as a loving husband |
| C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D．he is beginning to feel regret for what he did to his wife before |
7 . Yesterday, I went to the bookstore to pick up a present for my mother’s upcoming birthday. I found one of the books I wanted, but not the other one my mother had discussed with me the other day. When I went to pay, I asked the clerk behind the counter if I could order the second book.
A lady was standing in line behind me at the checkout. The clerk said she could order the book, but asked if I would mind letting the lady behind me pay for her purchases first. The lady behind me said no and that it was fine to wait.
It took nearly 15 minutes to put my order through! The lady behind me chatted agreeably with us for the entire time. When it finally came time for me to pay, I placed two $ 10 off cards on the counter. The clerk informed me the offer was only valid for the book I was purchasing in-store and wouldn’t work for the book I’d ordered. This meant that I’d have one $10 card left.
“You can come back and purchase another book.” the clerk smiled. “The offer is valid until the end of the week.”
I thought about this for a millisecond and then turned around to face the lady behind me who’d been so patient, kind, and charming through the very long wait at the checkout. “Here.” I gave her the $10 off card. She was very surprised and said. “Really?”
The gift didn’t cost me anything. I knew I wouldn’t be back before the end of the week and it rewarded someone whose attitude left a smile in my heart. Most definitely a win-win moment.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?| A．The author couldn’t afford anything else but books as a birthday present. |
| B．The book store had no suitable books available as a birthday present. |
| C．Reading was probably appealing to the author and the mother alike. |
| D．The author was a regular customer of the book store. |
| A．Impolite. | B．Considerate. | C．Cold. | D．Easy-going. |
| A．The author was always very generous to strangers. |
| B．The $10 off card would become invalid next week. |
| C．The author believed the lady would smile at her/him. |
| D．The author wanted to thank the lady for her kindness. |
| A．Win-win Moment at the Bookstore | B．A Kind Lady |
| C．Lovely Delay at the Bookstore | D．Patience and Friendship Rewarded |
Residents of Xiazhuang, Chongqing, used to risk their
The construction work was rather more difficult than they imagined. Standing on the edge of the cliff, they were
9 . It's a beautiful day in Jáen, Southern Spain. As a father of the bridegroom
Dave and his wife Carol were in Southern Wales when their son Stewart called from Spain,
So the moment they
On the wedding day, the newlyweds hold hands and smile with
| A．prepares | B．opens | C．closes | D．addresses |
| A．come into | B．break into | C．run into | D．get into |
| A．particularly | B．actually | C．specifically | D．entirely |
| A．demanding | B．requesting | C．informing | D．begging |
| A．Delighted | B．Upset | C．Worried | D．Tired |
| A．Besides | B．Therefore | C．Instead | D．However |
| A．daughter | B．bride | C．translator | D．athlete |
| A．disappointed | B．determined | C．anxious | D．proud |
| A．held | B．turned | C．slowed | D．touched |
| A．amounted to | B．added to | C．contributed to | D．limited to |
| A．developed | B．downloaded | C．test | D．comfort |
| A．remind | B．accompany | C．test | D．comfort |
| A．steady | B．special | C．slight | D．sudden |
| A．rest | B．meeting | C．routine | D．amusement |
| A．notice | B．e-mail | C．letter | D．call |
| A．speech | B．decision | C．comment | D．suggestion |
| A．astonishment | B．embarrassment | C．shame | D．pride |
| A．trapped | B．lost | C．stuck | D．buried |
| A．hope | B．love | C．life | D．happiness |
| A．respect | B．praise | C．appreciation | D．affection |
10 . Last week, I had to travel by air. I was carrying two large
I arrived at the bus stop and there were a few other people
I
The bus arrived at my destination and I waited for everyone to
I then thought, “I should have hugged him.” Hope I will
| A．coats | B．tools | C．boxes | D．suitcases |
| A．alone | B．early | C．light | D．safe |
| A．station | B．airport | C．department | D．office |
| A．and | B．because | C．but | D．though |
| A．time | B．interest | C．food | D．room |
| A．wandering | B．waiting | C．struggling | D．driving |
| A．painfully | B．gratefully | C．proudly | D．angrily |
| A．check | B．advise | C．come | D．help |
| A．generous | B．busy | C．honest | D．young |
| A．settle | B．leave | C．fight | D．succeed |
| A．really | B．hardly | C．suddenly | D．secretly |
| A．thoughts | B．tastes | C．memory | D．action |
| A．sure | B．glad | C．afraid | D．sorry |
| A．kind | B．strong | C．relaxed | D．important |
| A．trip | B．position | C．career | D．race |
| A．take off | B．turn up | C．get off | D．break in |
| A．respected | B．inspired | C．promised | D．expected |
| A．discovered | B．carried | C．examined | D．fixed |
| A．smile | B．hug | C．opportunity | D．present |
| A．visit | B．choose | C．trust | D．see |
