Freddie Forbes stared in awe (敬畏) at the platform in the packed school hall. The headmaster marched onto the stage, followed by the captains of the school soccer team and rugby side. Freddie watched enviously (羡慕地) as each was presented with an honors jacket for their contribution to the school’s sporting success over the previous year. When the next presentation of honors jacket would come around, Freddie knew there was little hope that he would be the receiver of one of these treasured items of clothing.
“I wish you all a happy summer holiday,” the headmaster announced. “Although most of you will be going away to sunnier parts, there are others who will be staying near their home. The local council has asked the school to undertake a project over the next six weeks to help clear up litter around the area and separate it for recycling. If anyone is interested, come to my office and you will be supplied with a litter picker, bags and heavy-duty gloves.”
Freddie knew he would be at a loose end over the holiday, so he went to the office along with four other boys to pick up the equipment needed to gather up the rubbish which littered the streets around the school. When he arrived home, his mother looked at him curiously as he placed the equipment on the kitchen table.
“What is this all about?” she asked with a smile on her face. “Mum, I’m an average pupil and I’m not very good at sports,” he replied. “This waste recycling is one way I can contribute to the good name of the school.”
“Just as long as you don’t get fed up and stop half way through,” said Mum.
“I have made up my mind to stick this out through thick and thin,” Freddie said confidently.
注意：1.续写词数应为150个左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Over the next few weeks, the other boys dropped out of the project.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Hearing his name called by the headmaster, Freddie nervously made his way to the platform.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________“Number 7, Jobie Nymble, takes the lead,” cried the announcer. “Just one more hurdle (跨栏) and —” Cheers erupted. “Jobie Nymble from Riverside Middle School takes first place in the girls’ 100-mcter hurdles!” The crowd went wild as Jobie’s teammates screamed and yelled.
Determined to go all the way to County Championships, Jobie patted her worn neon-green track spikes (钉鞋). They were bursting at the seams (接缝处), 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 spikes, excitedly retying them. “Don’t forget, guys,” said one of her teammates cheerfully. “My birthday party is next Friday at Hidden Park.” “Beep. Party recorded in calendar,” joked Jobie in her best robot voice.
Jobie brimmed with excitement 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: her fancy blue shorts, an old track T-shirt from her dad, and her lucky spikes. The party was in full swing when Jobie arrived at Hidden Park. Music and the smell of grilled food filled the air. Two of Jobie’s teammates rushed toward her, breathless and barefoot, asking her to try the slide. Jobie’s eyes darted toward the party area. Suddenly, she saw it. The BIGGEST inflatable (充气的) slide she had ever seen was on the far side of the park. Smiling kids zoomed down the slide at unspeakable speeds. Without thinking twice, Jobie took off her spikes and rushed toward the slide. Its ladder stretched to the sky like Jack’s magical beanstalk, but she reached the top in no time. She sat down, slipped to the edge, and closed her eyes as she let go. Jobie couldn’t get enough, conquering the slide over and over again. When it was finally time to go home, she reluctantly made her way back to the track where she’d left her shoes.
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。
As she eyed the area from a distance, panic set in.
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The next day, without her lucky spikes, Jobie was among the best track teams gathering for championships.
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It was time for the annual Potato-Salad Contest in Russet Park. After trying for the third time, Alexis shook her head sadly. There was no way she would win the Golden Potato again because Grandpa wasn’t here this year.
Memories of how Grandpa taught her to make potato rose in her mind. She sighed and missed Grandpa so much.
Alexis cut the potatoes and mixed the boiled potatoes, some sauces and a little salt and peppers in a bowl. But it didn’t taste right. Alexis tried a bite of the salad mixture, wondering what was missing. Seeing her frown, Mom suggested, “What about something spicy? Your Grandpa loved spicy things.”
“You’re right! Maybe he put a jalapeno pepper in it,” Alexis said, cutting up a bright green jalapeno and adding it to the bowl.
It was closer, but it still didn’t taste right. Alexis was drooping her head, disappointed. “Should we look in a cookbook?”
“Grandpa was never one to follow a recipe,” Dad entered the kitchen and said.
It was true. People loved Grandpa’s potato salad because it was one of a kind. Alexis remembered posing with Grandpa for a photo while they were making the salad.
Photo! That gave her an idea. Alexis hurried to the bookcase and found an old photo album. She immediately flipped it open, expecting to find clues in the photos there. Lots of photos showed Grandpa and Grandma cooking together. Dad laughed, “He and Grandma loved to tease each other but he always called her Honey.”
“Do you think he put honey in the potato salad?” Mum asked.
“It is worth a try,” said Alexis. She stirred some honey into the bowl.
But it still wasn’t quite right. Alexis’ heart sank, on the verge of giving up. Dad kept flipping the album. At the end of the album was the picture of Grandpa and Alexis making the salad together.
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。
It looked like Grandpa was crying in the photo.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With hesitation, the family tasted the potato salad with onions in it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The Smile
If there is anything that I could remember distinctly till date in my life, it is my mother’s smile. It was her smile that made me get ready to school, go with confidence to face all my challenges at school and be successful. Her smile did all the magic.
I was in grade 7 and was the topper of my class in academics, sports, speech contests, singing, music…. Friends surrounded me everywhere and I was the star of the school. Everyone who met my parents always had these words to say, “You have a very talented child. You are very lucky.” I was filled with happiness and pride and I knew that I had made my parents very happy.
My ambitions grew and I wanted to have nothing but the best in my life. Things were fine until one day. I came back home with an award I won in the elocution (朗诵) competition at school. Filled with pride, I gave it to my mother and waited for her beautiful smile. She smiled and congratulated me and asked, “Did your friends participate in the competition? What were their positions in the competition?” I was a little annoyed. In fact, I do not even remember who was second and third or who participated. I told her that I was very tired and did not remember everything.
I started noticing a change in my mother, especially her smile. It was not the same lovely smile that I used to see. One day, when I was getting ready for the sports competition, she asked why I was not practicing with my friends. I told her that I was meant to be the first and I had no business to be with friends who are not ambitious. My mother patiently told me that I have forgotten to enjoy the simple little things in life like laughing and smiling, spending time and helping my friends in their difficulty, being their support. She said that a human being becomes a good person not with their success but with the love that he/she shares with one another and by achieving together.
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 was on the track field the next day at school, ready to run the 200m running race.
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I realized they were cheering not for the winners but for my friend and me.
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There was nothing I wanted more than a trophy (奖杯). I was twelve, and the hope of placing a trophy on my dresser woke me up in the middle of the night.
All of my friends had trophies. Any of those would have excited me.
However, the problem for me was that I had no skills or gifts that would enable me to get a trophy.
My elder brother, Alan, had shelves of trophies, and most of them came from horse races. Before Dad died, he had bought each of us a horse. I named my horse Colonel. Alan’s was named Otis. When Alan kicked Otis’sides, he would run. Colonel always wanted to follow, and I could feel him speeding up, but I was afraid of falling, so I would pull on the ropes and we would fall behind.
After my father died, my mother seldom went to the stables (马厩) where we boarded the horses. Mostly she stayed in her room. Alan cooked our meals and paid our bills with money he made by waiting tables. This was also the year when I started smoking, cutting class, and hanging out with kids who, like me, had no trophies and couldn’t care less.
When the worst of my report cards arrived, Alan angrily asked, “What do you think you’re doing? Who do you think you’re fooling?” I answered, “I truly don’t know.” I just felt life was meaningless, dull and aimless.
Alan started picking me up from school. He didn’t allow me to stay with bad kids, and we drove to the stables to ride until night fell. Through all of this, I still loved riding and still found comfort in being around Colonel, but I hated being made to ride.
After a week of being forced to spend my afternoons with him, I was angry. Alan just said, “I entered you in the horse race. It’s in two weeks.” I was surprised and excited, but I didn’t let on. I just asked angrily, “Why?”
“You still want a trophy, right?” he said.
注意:
1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1:
I nodded and said, “Sure. But I’m unable to make it.”
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Paragraph 2:
Finally, Colonel and I crossed the finish line in third place.
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10-year-old Aiden went to the first door and knocked on it. An older woman answered the door.
“Good morning!” Aiden said. “My name is Aiden. My mom is sick, and I want to get food for her. Can I get some money, please?” But the woman suspected and refused. Aiden didn’t lose heart and knocked on the second door. “Can I please ask for some money, ma’am? My mom is very sick!” he begged sadly. The woman who answered the door gave him a concerned look. “Oh! Should I call the CPS (儿童保护署) or an ambulance? Do you want me to come with you?”
“Ugh, well,” Aiden hesitated. “It’s alright. I just remembered I had to go somewhere,” he ran away. That whole day, Aiden went from door to door asking for money, but sadly, he got none.
A couple of days later, Aiden returned to the neighborhood and saw a new couple had moved into what used to be an empty house. He decided to try his luck and knocked on the door, and a young woman answered.
Aiden told her his name and repeated what he said to the other residents. The woman smiled, “I’m Lauren. Just wait here. I’ll get you some money and food, okay?” Aiden nodded as Lauren went inside. She returned with two huge bags of groceries and a $100 bill. “I hope these can help your mother,” she said.
“Thank you!” he exclaimed happily as he carried the two bags over his shoulder and ran away.
Waving him goodbye, Lauren realized that Aiden was hiding something. She decided to drive after him secretly to find out more about his story. Soon, they came to an area without houses, and then Aiden disappeared under a bridge. Lauren pulled over and walked to the bridge. She spotted him and froze. Aiden was living with a little girl in a tent under the bridge. She heard Aiden saying to the girl, “Beth, we have food now. You won’t go hungry.”
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。
Lauren turned up suddenly in front of them.
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After listening to Aiden’s story, Lauren had an idea.
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My dad and I had been looking forward to the Stale cross-country race of my senior year of high school, which would be the climax (顶点) of my existence.
I was the fastest runner on my team, and I was supposed to make it into the top fifteen. We had been working towards this race for three years. It was everything to me, and it was everything to my dad. He was a runner and was wild with joy by my success in running. He made it to every race, even flying home early from business trips to see me run. I always listened for his voice, which rang above the crowd-telling me to relax my arms, calling out my time. He pushed me. He cheered for me. He believed in me. We spent countless hours on the sandy canals of Arizona. Breathing in the dust of the desert, the blossoms of the orange trees, and the terrible smell of the dairy farm, we made our way across the city. We pounded miles and miles into our running shoes, marking with every step the path to greatness. It was a journey that was just ours. A dream passed on from one generation to the next.
Then the big day came. It was hotter than normal - too hot. My throat felt like a field of cotton, cracked with the summer heat, as I waited for the gun to fire. I gazed out at the crowd; dozens of familiar faces from church and school flickered across my view. They had come for me. They were counting on me. I saw my dad set his watch, worry and excitement etched across his face. With the sound of a gunshot, the race began.
For the first two and half miles, I felt great. I had never before been so ready for something. The weeks leading up to the race were filled with hard practices and a strict diet. The scorching sun beat upon my back, blinding me with its brilliance. Nothing was going to stop me, though.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
However, without warning, my strength was running out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________I whispered, “I’m so sorry I disappointed you, Dad.”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Rick was a young boy that was constantly angry at everything around him. He always fought in school with the other kids. His teachers couldn’t say anything that would calm the kid. And the parents of his schoolmates were getting concerned. The boy was earning quite the reputation.
After talking with school officials, Rick’s mom tried everything she can to calm Rick down. She tried different methods until one day she came home with a canvas and paint.
“What’s this?”, Rick asked.
Rick’s mom handed over the painting equipment and said, “Whenever you feel angry, paint whatever it is you’re angry about.”
Rick wasn’t that happy about it but he gave it a try anyway. Over the next few weeks, the young boy created several artworks. They mostly showed disturbing images though. So his mom took all of the paintings and called Rick over so that they could talk about them.
“Tell me, Rick. What are these paintings about?”
“Well, the first painting is about how some of the kids show off their new clothes and gadgets. The next painting is about my teacher who keeps on telling me about how I’m doing things wrong. And the last painting is about how one of my schoolmate’s father suggested that I change my attitude. All of them make me so angry.”
Rick’s mom, in a calm voice, took Rick by her side and told him:
“Don’t you see it, Rick?”
“See what?”
“You’re so angry at all of these things but not once did you try to understand why you’re getting so angry. What have all these people done to you, really? Don’t you find that all they’re trying to do is help you become a better person?
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: Rick thought about what his mother said.
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Para 2: “I see it now, mom, I was letting my bad temper control me instead of the other way around.”
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One morning in spring four students were walking to school.
There had been a rain, and the ground was very soft. Water was dropping from the trees, and the grass was wet.
The four students walked along, one behind another, because the pathway was narrow (狭窄的) and the mud (泥) on either side of it was deep. They walked, talked and laughed.
As they were passing through some small trees, they heard a great fluttering (拍翅膀) over their heads and a weak chirping (鸣叫) in the grass by the roadside.
“Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!” came from the leafy branches above them.“Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!” came from the wet grass.
“What is the matter here? ” asked the first student, whose name was Speed. “Oh, there are two young birds. Maybe the storm has blown two of the little ones out of the nest. They are too young to fly, ” said the second student, whose name was Hardin.
“What a pity! They'll die down there in the grass,” said the third student Martin.
“Oh, well! We still need to hurry to school. We're going to be late,” said Speed. “Why should we bother? ” After Speed's words, the first three students walked on, talking and laughing as before.
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 the fourth student, whose name was David, stopped.
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All were surprised to find that David was not with them when the roll call (点名) was made.
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Mr. Barnes was a very wealthy man who lived in the early days in the United States. It was one of his chief pleasures to walk through the countryside near his home, and as he walked, he often noticed a particularly fine group of cattle. One day he stopped to visit the rancher (牧场主) who owned the cattle and purchased a cow from him with the agreement that the cow would be delivered to his house the following day.
The next day as Mr. Barnes was out for his morning walk, he saw a young boy trying his hardest to lead the cow over to Mr. Barnes’ field. The boy, who did not know Mr. Barnes, called to him, “Please sir, would you come and help me with this cow? It is so stubborn!”
Mr. Barnes readily agreed and went over to help. As they walked along together, he asked the boy, “How much do you expect to get for delivering the cow?”
“I… I don’t know,” the boy said, “but I think I’ll get something because the people who are buying the cow live in that house, and those people are very kind to everyone.”
By now the stubborn cow was walking along nicely, so Mr. Barnes excused himself and took a path through a wooded area that led to his back door. As soon as he got into the house, he gave one of his trusted workers a fifty-dollar bill and told him to give it to the boy who was delivering the cow. After the cow had been left at the house and the boy was returning to the ranch, Mr. Barnes went out again and met the boy on the road.
“Well, how much did you get?” asked Mr. Barnes.
“Five dollars,” answered the boy.
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。
Mr. Barnes felt surprised when hearing the answer.
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The boy agreed, and they walked back to the house together.
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