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.
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___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My problems started when we were having a biology class. Students were curious about a picture of ducks and wanted to see the kind of animals. Mrs Reno, our biology teacher, told us that she had a baby duck in her yard and could take him to us to know him. But baby ducks were on my list of terrifying things. Because I’ve always been afraid of these furry (毛茸茸的) animals.
To make matters worse, Trent Dillard was in my class again, Last year, I had to sit in front of him. He knew I was afraid of furry animals, and all the year he pretended to put them on my hair.
The next day. Mrs Reno took a cage, a baby duck inside it. She pulled out the baby duck and set him on the desk. “This is Ripley,” she said. Strangely, he seemed to understand what Mrs Reno said, and he was quiet and stayed at the desk.
Trent whispered (小声说), “I think you’re scared of him.” “I am not!” I said. Mrs Reno looked towards Trent and me. “What’s wrong?” she asked. “Amy’s scared of Ripley,” Trent announced. “No, I’m not.” I was nervous. “I love ducks. They’re my favorite animals.” Mrs Reno smiled, “I was going to ask for a volunteer to feed Ripley at recess (课间休息), but since you’re a duck lover, how would you like the job?” She probably thought I was speech-less with joy. But I was very frightened.
At that time, Trent stood up and said, “I want to join Amy.” Mrs Reno said, “OK. I guess Amy can have a helper.” During the recess, Trent opened the cage and caught Ripley. “Careful!” I cried, surprised that I was worried about him. Trent looked out the window. “Hey, the guys are playing football and I’ll go. Take Ripley.” “You can just put him down.” I meant for Trent to put him down inside the cage, but Trent set him on the floor and ran out-side. At that time, Ripley walked towards the door.
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 took a deep breath (呼吸) and caught Ripley.
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In fact. Mrs Reno knew I was afraid of Ripley and was glad that I could overcome my fear.
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In middle school, my family moved to New York, where my parents established a small grocery store beneath our new home. As a reserved girl adjusting to the complex city life, I faced the challenge of fitting in. One day, my school announced a talent show for the local food bank, sparking excitement and anticipation. Despite my self-doubt, a popular classmate, Lily, approached me with an unexpected proposal.
Lily, known for her charming personality, suggested we collaborate(合作) on a singing performance for the talent show. Surprised and thrilled, I couldn’t believe someone with her status acknowledged my modest singing talent. With Lily’s beautiful voice, it felt like a bit of good fortune. Encouraged by Lily’s enthusiasm, we decided to embark on this musical journey together.
As we started preparing for the talent show, we faced numerous challenges, from selecting the right song to coordinating(协调) our harmonies. The process became a bonding experience and I began to embrace the idea of sharing my talent with the public. Lily’s infectious energy and encouragement helped me overcome my shyness.
Days turned into weeks, and our rehearsal sessions became a regular after-school routine. Lily and I poured our hearts into perfecting our act, drawing inspiration from various musical genres(音乐流派). However, fate took an unexpected turn the day before the performance. Lily fell ill with a sudden fever, leaving me in a state of panic.
Worried about Lily’s sudden illness, I felt a mix of fear and determination. With the talent show only a day away, we had to come up with a plan quickly. In the midst of my concern, Lily, despite her weakened state, reassured me and insisted that the show must go on. Drawing strength from Lily’s determination, I took on the responsibility of carrying our performance. The night before the talent show, I practiced tirelessly, determined to do justice to our hard work.
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 following day, I stepped onto the stage alone.
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After the performance, I saw Lily backstage.
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It was a beautiful day for sightseeing. We were a group of students just out for some fun. The weather was perfect for a picnic, so when lunch time came, we set our sights on a small park. Since we all had different things to buy, we decided to get what each of us wanted, and meet back on the grass in a few minutes.
When my friend Joy headed for a hot dog shop, I decided to go with her. We watched the seller put together the perfect hot dog, just the way we wanted it. But when we took out our money to pay the bill, the seller surprised us.
“You are the first customers to visit, and the first order is given to you for free,” he said.
After we thanked him, we joined our friends in the park, and dug into our food. But as we talked and ate, I was distracted (分心) by a man sitting alone nearby, looking at us. I could tell that he hadn’t showered for days. Another homeless person, I thought, like all the others you see in cities. I didn’t pay much more attention than that.
After we finished eating, we packed our lunch bags and prepared to throw them away.
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。
Suddenly, a strong voice came from that homeless person.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Joy asked me to wait for her for a minute and ran to the hot dog shop.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When Sophie left the grocery, it suddenly started raining — a heavy downpour, in fact. She had neither her jacket nor her umbrella.
Sophie held her paper bag over her head and made a rush. The rain hit her face as she ran up the street. As she stood waiting for the lights to change, Sophie glanced down to see a child’s toy lying on the sidewalk. She looked around, wondering who might have dropped it, but the street was deserted. What should she do? She couldn’t just leave it there. Sophie bent and picked up the toy — a grey elephant with a dirty label, and very wet. As the light went green, she had to make a quick decision. She held the elephant tightly and hurried on her way to her office.
“Why did you bring it with you?” Gemma asked while Sophie poured a coffee. “When they realise they’ve lost it, they’ll probably return to the place. You should’ve displayed it where you found it. Somewhere noticeable.”
That made sense. “It was getting completely wet,” Sophie protested, “It might have been destroyed.”
“It might as well be, if you can’t reunite it with its owner,” Gemma replied. “Some toddler (学步儿童) is going to have trouble getting to sleep tonight without their elephant.”
Oh, dear! Sophie had tried to do a good thing, but acting on impulse (冲动) might not have been the best choice. She decided to go back at lunch — find somewhere to set it up high. For the rest of the morning she placed the elephant on the radiator (暖气片) by her desk. At least it would be a bit drier by the time she took it back. But at lunch time, another heavy shower arrived. She picked up the toy elephant and gave its large ears a rub.
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。
“What am I going to do with you?” she asked, staring at the toy.
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The man on the phone, who said his name was Arthur, sounded excited.
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It was bright and sunny on May 26, 1997. It was also a special day for me. Friends came over, along with their parents who were holding gifts of all sizes. Even though I wanted to open them right away, my parents would not let me. To pass the time my friends suggested we play hide-and-seek.Everyone agreed. I had great fun playing with them.
After what seemed like only a few minutes, we were called inside to continue the celebration. Everyone started singing “Happy Birthday” to me and I joined in. I blew out my candles and made a wish. Then we went on to eat the wonderful food, like the chocolate cake and jerk chicken, which my mom had made. We had a wonderful time eating and talking together. Finally, the time was here. I quickly walked to the pile of presents and eagerly opened them one by one. Among them were Spiderman action figures, some video games, and a remote controlled car with working light.
After I had opened all the presents, I realized that I received nothing from my parents. Feeling a little sad, I asked them why. They led my away to the backyard. I thought I was going to get an excuse about why they couldn’t get me a present, but I was wrong. Waiting for me in our backyard was a large yellow truck! I was so excited that I immediately drove it around my backyard until it got too dark. That truck made my 4th birthday one of the best forever.
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The next day, my parents and I went to the park.
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For the next couple of days my parents and I looked around the neighborhood for the truck.
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It was just another busy day until I met the boy on the bus. He was not a passenger like me. He was, what we call a street child, an 8-10-year-old kid with a worn T-shirt. These poorly dressed kids were seen almost everywhere in Dhaka city. But what was special about that boy was his face. There was “something” in him that caught my attention. That was an angelic(天使般的)baby face with little care.
He got straight into the bus as it stopped at a traffic light. The bus helper shouted at him in the first place. But instead of talking back, the boy kept silent and started handing out a piece of paper to all the passengers. What was written in the paper was, in short, that his father died a couple of years ago. His mother worked at houses. He badly needed money to help his family, so he wished someone warm-hearted to buy chocolates from him.
This was nothing new to people who took a bus every day and I was no different. I had my earphones on, listening to some relaxing music to kill time. When he came to me to get the paper back, I casually gave him some money. Thankfully it brought some smiles on his face. He was about to give me ten chocolates in return for the money I gave to him when I stopped him.
“I don’t like chocolates, brother. So there is no need of chocolates. You can have the money,” I said.
All of a sudden, the smile on his face disappeared.
“I’m not a beggar. Please take the chocolate, or take your money back.”
His straight answer greatly surprised me. I even felt he was slightly angry. I had given money to many kids before, without taking their chocolates. But this time something seemed different. I realized his angelic baby face was not the only thing special about him.
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 boy put ten chocolates on my seat and got off the bus.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Having got the boy’s name, I decided to help him.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________My three-year-old son, Charles, has loved watching trucks, cars and all types of vehicles (交通工具) since he could sit up and look around. Charles was a fan of fire trucks, ambulances, garbage (垃圾) trucks and other vehicles which have wheels.
Because of his deep love for anything with wheels, I always made it a point to take him outside to watch garbage trucks drive up and down. Charles loved watching the workers and would get so excited when the drivers beeped the horns (鸣喇叭) at him as they went by. Charles would wave and shyly say, “Thank you.”
There was a particular waste management employee who was extra friendly. Charles was attracted by him, and after we knew his name — Lonnie, Charles talked about him throughout the day. One day, Lonnie rode by and said, “Charles, I promise when this pandemic (流行病) is over, I’m going to let you ride in my truck.” However, we were going to move out of the state about a week later. I had to tell Lonnie the truth.
The next week, we waited for the garbage truck. Finally, late in the afternoon, I heard the loud noise of the truck. I raced to the door, carrying Charles. We did not want to miss seeing Lonnie on our last week in Birmingham. Lonnie stopped the truck and got out. He told me he had some things for Charles — a hat, a yellow safety vest, two toy garbage cans, coloring books and so on. Charles was absolutely excited, especially by the garbage cans, and I was so touched. The next day, Charles and I were playing in the front yard when a man approached me. He said, “I’m Lonnie’s manager, and he has something special planned for Charles. Are you going to be here around 11 am?” I said, “Of course we will.”
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。
At noon, something surprising happened.
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Even though we moved out of the state, Charles still misses Lonnie.
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It was our turn to open our presents this particular Christmas morning. The living room was already covered with torn wrapping paper. Obviously, the children could hardly wait to discover the hidden treasures, which they had expected for nearly a month. Now we adults sat around the room with our presents at our feet, slowly removing the paper, trying to maintain our dignity in front of the children.
My wife, Brenda, and her family have a tradition of getting each other gag (恶作剧) gifts. This always makes me a bit uneasy at Christmas or my birthday, never knowing what form of embarrassment lies waiting for me under the thin borders of the wrapping paper.
Recently, my six-year-old daughter Christy seemed to busy herself with something while I was playing computer video flight games. Now she was standing directly in front of me. The excitement of the moment just beamed across her face. It was everything she could do to keep herself from helping me rip the paper from each present. Finally, I came to the last gift and with my natural Sherlock Holmes ability, I concluded that this had to be the gag gift. With everyone looking on, I decided to go ahead and get it over with—just let them have their laugh—and I tore the paper and there it was a toy airplane about two inches long. Our holiday guests started giggling to themselves as I looked up to my wife with an unpleasant smile on my face and blurted out (脱口而出), “A toy airplane? Are you kidding me?”
Brenda gave me the look—that look that always tells me I have just said something wrong and should have given it a second thought. I had failed to look at the name tag before I opened the present to see who it was from. As I picked up the paper from the floor and read the name tag, my heart sank.
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。
On the tag were the letters that read, “To Dad, Love Christy”.
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Staring at the gift, I suddenly thought of a way to cheer her up.
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The Meredith family lived in a small community. As the economy was in decline, some people in the town had lost their jobs. Many of their families were struggling to make ends meet. People were trying to help each other meet the challenges.
Mrs. Meredith was a most kind and thoughtful woman. She spent a great deal of time visiting the poor. She knew they had problems, and they needed all kinds of help. When she had time, she would bring food and medicine to them.
One morning she told her children about a family she had visited the day before. There was a man sick in bed, his wife, who took care of him and could not go out to work, and their little boy. The little boy -his name was Bernard-had interested her very much.
“I wish you could see him,” she said to her own children, John, Harry, and Clara. “He is such a help to his mother. He wants very much to earn some money, but I don't see what he can do.”
After their mother left the room, the children sat thinking about Bernard. “I wish we could help him to earn money,” said Clara. “His family is suffering so much.”
“So do I,” said Harry. “We really should do something to assist them.”
For some moments, John said nothing, but, suddenly, he sprang to his feet and cried, “I have a great idea! I have a solution that we can all help accomplish(完成).”
The other children also jumped up all attention. When John had an idea, it was sure to be a good one. “I tell you what we can do,” said John. “You know that big box of corn Uncle John sent us? Well, we can make popcorn(爆米花), and put it into paper bags, and Bernard can take it around to the houses and sell it.”
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。
When Mrs. Meredith heard of John's idea, she thought it was a good one, too.
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With everything ready, Bernard started out on his new business.
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