A Blessing From A Homeless Person
On the way back from work every evening, more often than not, there would be a homeless man standing at the exit of the freeway. He seemed to be in his late 40s, but was probably a little younger. Although wearing ill-fitting clothes and a mismatched pair of shoes, he seemed neither scruffy nor gloomy. With a huge grin highlighting his face, he always waved at every car and sometimes almost danced, which made the thick moustache appear “stylish” and even adorable.
Every day after work I would remember to gather any spare change, and put it aside to give him if I saw him. A feeling of joy would come over me every time I caught sight of him while coming down the ramp. He did have that effect. I’d quickly roll down my window and give him the coins. Occasionally the red light would be on for a minute and we would ask each other about our day. His answer would always be the same— “I’m blessed!” I knew what his answer was going to be every time, yet I would still ask just as if his words could work their magic on me. It amazed me that even in his situation of being homeless he was so positive, and his answer would always remind me how blessed I was: a single mother of four amazing kids, with a place to call home and a job to provide for my family.
One day I was called into my boss’s office and informed that I was being laid off due to the depressing economy. This came as a nasty shock for a single mother whose big family survived on this salary. A feeling of helplessness and grief engulfed me, then followed by endless worry. For the rest of that day, all I could think of was “How am I going to provide for my kids? How am I going to pay rent? And what am I going to do?”
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。
Needless to say, I was very sad and upset on my way home that day.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________You see that day he gave me more than a dollar bill; he taught me a valuable lesson.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A Little Boy
A little boy selling magazines for school walked up to a house that people rarely visited. The house was very old and shabby and the owner hardly ever came out. When he did come out, he would not say hello to his neighbors or passers-by but simply just glared at them.
The boy knocked on the door and waited, sweating from fear of the old man. The boy’s parents told him to stay away from the house, and a lot of other neighborhood children were told the same thing from their parents.
Dusk found the boy lingering on and hesitating what to do. As he was ready to walk away, the door slowly opened. “What do you want?” the old man said impatiently. The little boy was very afraid but he had a quota (定额) to meet for school with selling the magazines. So he got up the courage and said, “Uh, Sir, I am selling these magazines and, uh, I was wondering if you would like to buy one from me.”
The old man just stared at the boy without a word. The boy could see inside the old man’s house and saw that he had dog figurines (小雕像) on the fireplace mantle. “Do you collect dogs?” The little boy asked. “Yes, I have many collections in my house. They are my family here and they are all I have.” The boy then felt sorry for the man, as it seemed that he was a very lonely soul.
“Well, I do have a magazine here for collectors. It is perfect for you. I also have one about dogs since you like dogs so much.” The old man was ready to close the door on the boy and said, “No, boy. I don’t need any magazines of any kind, now goodbye.”
The little boy was sad that he was not going to make his quota with the sale. He was also sad for the old man being so alone in the house that he owned. The boy went home and then had an idea. He had a little dog figurine that he got some years ago from an aunt. The figurine did not mean nearly as much to him since he had a real live dog and a large family.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
The little boy headed back down to the old man’s house.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From that day on something changed inside the old man.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Henry Crawley was a cab driver who drove long circuits every day. His job kept him away from family for long hours. It was the topic of many quarrels he had gotten into with his wife, who understood why he was away so often but could not resist the urge to cry out for her husband’s physical absence.
To make up for not always being there for his daughter, Leslie, Henry was determined to make it to her 16th birthday party on time. On the day of her birthday, Henry conveyed as many passengers as he could as usual. When he finally finished the last order to a distant town outside the city, Henry rushed back to his city for the small party.
However, he got caught up in a heavy snowstorm that restricted mobility on his way back. Stubbornly, he decided he would press on anyway and continued driving even though he had to go at a snail’s (蜗牛的) pace.
It was 6: 00 pm and Leslie’s party started at 6: 30 pm. He complained about the weather as he fastened his eyes on the slippery road. As time passed, he got closer to the city. Suddenly, he spotted a person sitting beside the road. He stopped his car to check on it, and found it was an elderly woman who was unable to speak but almost freezing. Her bedroom clothes told him she must be from the town nearby he just drove past.
Henry decided to take the woman to her town, but he remembered that his wife would be upset with him if he missed his daughter’s birthday party. He called his wife to explain things. As he predicted, she said nothing, ending up the call. That made him uneasy and almost turn back to his car. But he knew that he could not leave the woman helpless. “I’d want someone to care for my wife or daughter if they ended up in such a tough situation,” he said to himself.
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。
Without any hesitation, Henry was determined to help the stranger.
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Upon his arrival, it was late at night and Henry became more uneasy.
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Kevin was a “slow” boy. He didn’t learn his ABCs as fast as other kids. He never came in first in the schoolyard races. However, Kevin could get along well with other people. And his enthusiasm for life was quite contagious (有感染力的). So, when he discovered that his teacher, Randy Moss, was putting together a basketball team, his mother could only answer, “Yes, you may join.”
Basketball became the center of Kevin’s life. He liked to stand in a certain spot near the free-throw line and shoot baskets. Patiently, he stood there throwing ball after ball.
The day before their first game, Randy gave each player a bright red jersey (运动衫). Kevin had stars in his eyes when he saw his number 12. He quickly put it on and almost never took it off again. Kevin and his whole team truly loved basketball. But just loving the game doesn’t help you win. More balls fell out of the basket than into it, and the boys lost every game that season, except one—the night it snowed. and the other team couldn’t make it to the game.
At the end of the season, they had the misfortune to play against the first-place team-the undefeated first-place team. The game went pretty much as expected, and near the middle of the fourth quarter Kevin’s team stood nearly 30 points behind.
At that point, one of Kevin’s teammates called a time-out. As he came to the side, Randy couldn’t imagine why the time-out had been called. “Mr. Moss, this is our last game and I know that Kevin has played in every game, but he’s never made a basket. I think we should let Kevin make a basket,” said the boy.
With the game completely out of reach, the idea seemed reasonable, so the plan was made. Every time Kevin’s team had the ball, Kevin was to stand in his special spot near the free-throw line and they would give him the ball.
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。
His first shot bounced around but missed.
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Soon, all the players threw the ball to Kevin and clapped for him.
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I am a proud mother of three children. My last little baby was born in the middle of August and her name is Aida.
Shortly after having Aida, my mother-in-law Ann showed me something she learned from her friend’s mother in an art class she attended weekly. She had a loom (织布机) and showed me how to knit (编织) a scarf. After, I learned some skills, she gave me a small loom with her half done project.
I realized the homeless population in my town really needed some more warm clothes. I started to give away my hats to the people asking for food outside the food shop down the street I live in.
My oldest son Siddhartha got involved in the project and made a hat as well. I found that there was a non-profit organization on the way home, which made masks for farm workers and was asking for winter warm clothing donations. I made a lot of woolen hats and gave them to the organization which would hand them out to farm workers.
Then I, together with my son, made woolen hats for everyone in my family as Christmas gifts, and gave woolen hats to all my neighbors I was close to, There was a new family that moved in down the street. I did not know them very well but why not break the ice with some handmade gifts? So I made hats for the mom and one-year-old baby. I knocked on the door and handed the gifts over and my neighbor was so happy to receive them. We talked happily and I learned she worked in a hospital.
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。
The new neighbor had limited knitting skills so she asked me to create sweaters for kids in hospital together.
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Later, my new neighbor wanted to learn my knitting skills to serve the elderly in the nursing home.
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“Mom! I’m home!” John happily said and ran into the kitchen. His mom was making cookies near the window. Outside, a robin was singing. Pop-Pop, John’s grandpa, who lived with them after John’s grandma died, came shuffling through the door. Pop-Pop said, “When the robin sings, spring is here.” John’s mom added, “Tomorrow, John, let’s do the annual spring cleaning.”
The next day John and his mom cleaned the house. When looking at Pop-pop’s chair, John’s mom said, “That old chair has to go. We’ll buy Pop-Pop a new one. Let’s take it to the roadside. Tomorrow the garbage truck will pick it up.” John agreed because the chair was worn. As they attempted to move the chair, Pop-Pop came. He tried to stop John and his mom, saying he didn’t need a new one. Finally, John’s mom let go of the chair and said, “We’ll discuss it tonight when Matt gets home.” Matt, John’s dad, was still at work.
With a sigh of relief, the old man sank into his chair. “Pop-Pop, why not get rid of this old chair?” John asked when his mother left the room. “You all don’t understand, John,” Pop-Pop whispered. “I sat in this chair, with your grandma right here, when I asked her to marry me. It was so long ago. But when I sit there, I feel she’s near. And the night your father was born, I sat in this chair, too. I was so happy when they placed the tiny baby into my arms.” As Pop-Pop continued telling his connection with the chair, John understood this chair was more like a friend to him.
That night, however, when John and Pop-Pop were asleep, John’s parents carried the chair to the roadside. It was a starless night. Spring had moved away temporarily, and snow fell silently and covered Pop-Pop’s chair. The next morning, when John came downstairs, he saw Pop-Pop standing by the window and looking outside. John followed his sad look. Snow-covered, the chair stood out on the street.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为 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:
The noise of the truck pulling up to the house shocked John into action.
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Paragraph 2:
And then John's mom said sorry to Pop-Pop and decided to get his chair back.
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My wife, Megan, and I went out to dinner with an old friend who we had not seen for a while. There had been some talk of COVID-19 on the news, but it was early in the outbreak and people were still going about their daily routines. Even though everyone in group felt perfectly, we took precautions (预防): we washed our hands with soap and used hand sanitizer (洗手液), did not share food, and had no significantly close contact.
A few days later, our friend called and told us that she had tested positive for the coronavirus. She had felt some mild symptoms for a day or so after that dinner and was able to be tested because she is a doctor. On the following day, I started to feel a little tired and my head was a bit cloudy. I decided to stay in the master bedroom away from the rest of my family. The next morning, I woke up with a 39-degree fever. That was when we realized that I might have caught the virus from our friend.
At once, Megan called our state’s coronavirus hotline, who then called in our primary care doctor and the head of our local hospital system’s coronavirus team. We explained that we had been in contact with someone who had been tested positive, and I was having symptoms. They quickly approved me to receive a test at an urgent care center located 5 kilometer’s drive from my house. The result made my heart sink-I was also tested positive, and the local hospital didn’t have the facilities for my disease. As a mild case, I was recommended to stay home and quarantine (隔离) myself.
Following the doctor’s advice, Megan and I quarantined ourselves and our kids. With my symptoms developing, I started isolation in the bedroom, and the only interaction I had with Megan was when she brought in food. She slept on a small couch in our home office away from the kids’ rooms. She also minimized her contact with our kids in case she was carrying the virus.
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。
Para.1:
We decided to call everyone we had contacted over the course of the past week.
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Para.2:
Though worried about the seriousness of the virus, I knew I had to be brave
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I had a problem. Talent Night was coming up, but I had no talents.
Kate can make anything using origami (折纸). Tommy creates breath-taking beats on overturned plastic buckets. Olivia trains her petty dog to do tricks. And those are just my friends. My grade also boasts four dancers, a gymnast, two bakers, a yoga expert, six singers, and five artists, among others.
Every day my teacher asked if I’d decided what to do. And every day I reminded her that I had no talents.
“Nonsense, Benjamin,” she said. “You’ll think of something.”
“I’ll just have to be sick the day of the show,” I announced to my friends one afternoon. “If you get a cold, be sure to cough on me.”
“You must have a talent,” said Kate. “Let’s make a list. What are you good at?”
“Eating,” I answered. “Watching TV.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Benjamin, be serious.”
“Tormenting (捉弄) my little brother.”
“Are you kidding me?” Kate looked at our friends. “Come on, guys. What are Benjamin’s talents?”
“He’s good with dogs,” said Olivia. “My dog adores him.”
“Oh, great,” I said. “I can sit on the stage while he licks my face. Benjamin Belinski, Human Dog Toy.”
“Benjamin’s funny and humorous,” said Tommy. He turned to me. “You could do a comedy routine.”
“Yeah. Every joke could be about how I have no talents,” I said.
“Benjamin,” said Kate, “maybe you don’t know how to juggle (变戏法), but your birthday parties are the best.”
“Yeah,” agreed Olivia, “and you always get us together to do stuff. Like having game nights or riding bikes after school—or when we held that yard sale. The week you had the flu we didn’t do anything fun.”
“You’re like the glue that holds us together,” added Tommy.
“Oh, great,” I said. “Benjamin Belinski, Human Glue Gun.”
But their comments got me thinking. Lying in bed that night, I came up with a plan so exciting that it took me two hours to fall asleep.
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。
In the morning, I couldn’t wait to tell my teacher.
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On the night of the big event, I felt so nervous that I had to force myself to eat dinner.
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“Number 7, Jobie Nymble, takes the lead,” cried the announcer. “Just one more hurdle and…”Cheers erupted.
“Jobie Nymble from Riverside Middle School takes first place in the girl's 100-meter hurdles!”
“County championships, here we come,” screamed Jobie, patting her worn neon-green track shoes. They were bursting at the seams, but she didn't care. They were her lucky shoes and she loved them. “Next Saturday, we're taking home the gold,” Jobie whispered to her lucky track shoes, excitedly retying them. Pop! She sighed as she stared at the broken-off piece of shoelaces dangling between her fingers.
“Don't forget, guys,” chirped Marisol, one of her teammates. “My birthday party is next Friday at Hidden Park.”
“Beep. Party recorded in calendar,” joked Jobie in her best robot voice.
Next weekend couldn't come soon enough. Jobie was excited all week long. At track practice, she leaped over those hurdles faster than she'd ever leaped before.
The day of Marisol's party, Jobie put on her favorite outfit and her lucky track shoes. "Perfect." She smiled at herself in the mirror.
The party was in full swing when Jobie arrived. She saw two of her teammates rushing toward her, breathless and barefoot. “Come on,” they said excitedly, “You have to try the slide”. “Slide? What sli…” Suddenly, she saw it. The BIGGEST inflatable slide she had ever seen was on the far side of the park. Without thinking twice, Jobie threw aside her shoes and run toward the slide. Its ladder stretched to the sky but she reached the top in no time. She slid down, and closed her eyes as she let go. “Woo-hoo!”
Jobie couldn't get enough. When it was finally time to go home, she reluctantly made her way back to the track where she'd left her shoes. As she eyed the area from a distance, panic set in.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按照如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
She picked up her pace. When she reached the place she'd left them, her heart stopped.
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Paragraph 2:
The next day, all the teams gathered for the championships. Jobie felt uncomfortable in her brand-new shoes.
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Jenny was a brighteyed, pretty fiveyearold girl.One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at 
2.50.How she wanted that necklace, and when she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, “Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money.After all, I’ll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chores that you can do to pay for the necklace.And don’t forget that for your birthday, Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too.Okay？” Jenny agreed, and her mother bought the pearl necklace for her.
Jenny worked on her chores very hard every day, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a brandnew dollar bill for her birthday.Soon Jenny had paid off the pearls.How Jenny loved those pearls！She wore them everywhere to kindergarten, bed and when she went out with her mother to run errands(差事)．The only time she didn’t wear them was in the shower.Her mother had told her that they would turn her neck green!
Jenny had a very loving Daddy.When Jenny went to bed, he would get up from his favorite chair every night and read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he said, “Jenny, do you love me？”
“Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you, ” the little girl said.
“Well, then, give me your pearls.”
“Oh！Daddy, not my pearls！” Jenny refused.“But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll.Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday.And you can have her tea party outfit, too.Okay？”
“Oh no, darling, that’s okay.” Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss.“Good night, little one.”
注意：1．所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2．续写部分分为两段, 每段的开头语已为你写好；
3．续写完成后, 请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story.
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Paragraph 2：
Several days later, when Jenny’s father came in to read her a story as usual, he was surprised to find
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