I was doing homework with my friend Ollie at his home when he randomly started scribbling (乱画) a fish. But not just any fish. This fish was riding a skateboard and blowing a bubble that said “I’d rather be skating!”I laughed and drew a sea star saying “Quit fooling around and get to work!”
Just then, Ollie’s grandma Abuela and her friend Mr. Goldberg came into the kitchen. Mr. Goldberg was in charge of the local animal shelter. Abuela poured their tea and inquired about how things were going at the animal shelter. Mr. Goldberg sighed, shaking his head. He explained that not enough people were adopting pets, resulting in too many animals without homes.
Overhearing the conversation, Ollie offered to adopt some excitedly. But Abuela said that one noisy parrot was plenty for this house.
“Blue isn’t noisy,” defended Ollie. “He’s just musical.”
“I’d have a whole farm full of animals if I could,” I said. “But my parents say two cats and a hamster (仓鼠) are enough.”
Mr. Goldberg said he kept trying to attract people to adopt animals, but found it hard to get people’s attention these days. Ollie drew a sad whale, and I wrote the words “Please adopt me” in the shape of a whale spout (喷水). Mr. Goldberg took a look at our drawings and made favorable comments on them, saying that these clever talking animals just might grab people’s attention. And he asked us if we were willing to design a poster for his animal shelter, a proposal we happily accepted. We decided to draw some ideas on our own and meet up again the next afternoon.
That night, when I was sitting in the living room brainstorming ideas for the poster, my little brother brought in our hamster, Mr. Nibbles, to give him a little run-around time. He made a hamster playground out of couch pillows and Mr. Nibbles began to run around merrily.
Suddenly, an idea formed in my mind.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We decided to make both Mr. Nibbles and Blue the stars of the poster.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________It was a heartbreaking moment when my husband Bruce passed away in the late fall. Then deciding what to do with his garden was way down on the list of necessary tasks. During the first few months, I cried with our family, planned a memorial, celebrated a quiet Thanksgiving, and panicked over not having bought Christmas presents.
As the new year began, the often rainy days and long nights deepened my sorrow. I found myself exhausted at the end of February, both physically and mentally. Then the daffodils (水仙花) came out in the garden.
Years before, Bruce had planted dozens of these lemon-yellow flowers. To him, they served as a reminder of hope, a promise that light and warmth would soon replace cold and dark. Looking at those daffodils, I thought about how Bruce had considered our garden a living work of art, carefully choosing plants so we’d see new blooms every month.
Then I noticed all the weeds that had taken root and spread everywhere. The neglect (疏于打理) showed, for Bruce’s illness had lasted a couple of years, a time when he didn’t have energy for yard work the way he had before.
Faced with the neglected garden, I felt at a loss how to deal with the garden in the beginning. My daughter suggested I hire a person to clean and tidy everything up. I didn’t respond.
Every time I sat in the garden alone, the memories of the lively garden came flooding, like the numerous scenes in an unforgettable film. I was reminded of so many days when Bruce came home from work, put on old clothes, and headed out of the door to mow or prune (修剪). Orange dragonflies followed him around the yard as he worked. Honeybees buzzed among the flowers, birds sang beautiful songs, and gentle breezes carried the sweet smell of earth. No matter how cold or wet it was, the fresh air and physical activity made him energized and refreshed. For Bruce, the work was quiet and comforting, which was a relief, as well as a pleasure.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右：2.请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“I should tend the garden well on my own,” I though to myself.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The garden was so full of vitality (生机) that I expected others to appreciate it with me.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With a knee in need of replacement, Cindy Tutko was facing a long and challenging trek (跋涉) through the Atlanta airport while heading home to Florida about a month ago. She had just left Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after visiting her son, Jamie, and his family. She arrived at Terminal C in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest, and needed to get to Terminal F for her next flight. But the trains were down.
So, she started walking.
“She had actually fallen that day.” said Jamie. “And she, like, put herself into tears with how much pain her knee was in. When I was taking her to the airport, I could tell she was hurting.”
“I had a big, heavy suitcase that I was carrying, and that’s what was weighing me down.” she said. “It was full and heavy, very heavy.”
Michael Wright, who happened to be from Lafayette, Louisiana, spotted Cindy limping (跛行) along. When he initially offered to help her, Cindy declined, saying. — Oh, no, no. I’m good.” But Michael wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He grabbed her suitcase, put it on, and said. “Let’s go.”
“Within seconds really, I realized he was genuinely being nice.” Cindy said. “He was just a nice guy. He was helping me out.” For 55 minutes. Michael carried Cindy’s bag and walked right alongside her, through Terminals C, D, E, all the way to F.
“Right before we got to the gate, he seized my hand, looked at me and said. ‘You looked like my mum,’” Cindy recalled and she responded with a hug and a little kiss on his cheek, telling him, “Your mum would be proud of you.”
Cindy texted her son to tell him all about that “nice guy” from Lafayette. Jamie immediately turned to social media asking for help finding 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。
It took just a little over a day to find him.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Michael was surprised to find that Cindy volunteered in the deaf community and she was a helper, too.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Seven-year-old Maggie was a grade-one pupil. She often spent her free time socializing with the seniors at a local retirement facility. In general, she would talk about puzzles, ice cream bars, and everything under the sun with the seniors. But most particularly, Maggie read to them, which she called her sweet mission. Once or twice a week, the little girl put a few books in her backpack and got ready to visit the elderly at the facility.
This sweet mission began on a snowy day. Maggie’s mom, Tiffany Kuznia, worked at the retirement facility and often brought her daughter with her to work. As little Maggie was packing her bag, Kuznia reminded her to bring her Nintendo Switch so she would not get bored. Maggie quickly replied that she had different plans for the day. “I’m going to bring books and I’m going to read to the residents ,” she declared.
On arrival, the girl knocked on every door of the facility to offer her services. That day, she made a good start. Patti Griggs, a retired elementary school teacher, was astonished by her reading talent. “She’s such a good little reader. I taught first-grade kids how to read. There were very few children who could come in and read like that,” said Griggs.
With time, Maggie became so beloved among the residents that she even had “regulars” she read to every week. She often visited each one for over an hour. Her mom checked on her regularly to make sure she wasn’t overstaying her welcome. Much to Maggie’s delight , the residents were more than happy to have her with them for an extended period of time. They were always ready to help her out when she struggled with new words. Such hiccups (小问题) happened less and less and Maggie grew more confident of reading aloud.
Two months later, Maggie realized that her companions had different hobbies and interests. And their educational levels varied from person to person. It was high time that she should make some changes.
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。
Maggie decided to choose different books according to their tastes.
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With Patti Griggs’ help, a personalized reading plan was ready.
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I have been blessed by many act s of kindness throughout my life. But the one that stands out the most was the one that happened at the blacksmith (铁匠) shop at Old Sturbridge Village.
When my son was little, it was very clear to me that there was something different about him. After countless trips to different specialists and the completion of extensive testing, a diagnosis of a particular chromosomal (染色体的) disorder was made. He was constantly in motion and had no sense of danger, requiring his caregivers watch his every move to prevent him from running away or heading into traffic. He also loved strangers, thinking that everyone was his potential best friend. He greeted everyone with a hug.
However, no one was willing to accept my son’s well-intended embrace, especially given that he looked much older than his actual age yet acted much younger. Although my son was still too young to recognize when he was being rejected, every hurtful word, unkind refusal, or look of pity broke my heart. I had started to be afraid of taking him out in public.
One day, at the village, I walked around holding my son’s hand, ready to protect him from being hurt. As we strolled along, we passed by a blacksmith shop. The rhythmic pounding of the hammer and the sparks that flew in all directions caught my son’s attention. The process of turning seemingly worthless materials into valuable and visually stunning pieces through heating, hammering, and forging (锻造) seemed like magic to him. As the blacksmith paused his work and wiped the sweat from his brow, my son couldn’t contain his curiosity anymore.
He ran straight over to the blacksmith, wrapped his arms around the man’s legs, and asked if he could have a try. My heart stopped at that moment.
I expected that he, like almost everyone else that we had encountered, would push him away, muttering something about this not being possible.
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。
Paragraph 1: What he did next, though, brought me to tears.
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Paragraph 2: When that hour was up, my son proudly walked away, with the piece of iron medal.
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Normally, Levi greeted the bus driver, Larry Farrish, with his usual cheerful smile and a warm wave. He was always the first to board the bus, excited to start the day ahead with his friends. However, on this particular day, Levi’s behaviour was strikingly different.
As the bus came to the scheduled station, Levi slowly made his way onto the vehicle, his head bowed and his steps heavy. Farrish, who had come to expect Levi’s bright smile and enthusiastic greeting, couldn’t help but notice the change in the boy’s manner. He watched as Levi took his usual seat at the back of the bus, his shoulders sunk and his eyes fixed on the floor.
Farrish, a kind and considerate man, couldn’t bear to see Levi’s sadness. As he drove the bus through the familiar route, he considered what could be causing the boy's sufferings. He knew that Levi was a happy and outgoing child, so the sudden change was puzzling. He felt it a must to figure out the source of the little boy’s depression.
As the bus neared Levi’s school, Farrish turned around in his seat, gently called Levi out and inquired about what was wrong. The boy looked up, his eyes red and swollen from crying. Levi hesitated for a moment, and then whispered in a quiet voice, “I forgot my pajamas for Pajama (睡衣) Day.” Farrish’s heart sank. He knew how much Levi had been looking forward to Pajama Day, a special event at his school where students could come dressed in their comfortable pajamas and enjoy a relaxing atmosphere. It was a day that Levi had talked about for weeks, eagerly anticipating the opportunity to show off his pajamas.
Now, however, his excitement had turned into disappointment. He had simply forgotten to pack his pajamas, and as a result, he would be unable to participate in the festivities. Farrish could see sadness stand on Levi’s face, and he knew that he had to do something to help relieve the boy’s pain.
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。
Waving goodbye, Farrish decided to take action.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Levi participated in Pajama Day with a newfound joy.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Whenever I spread marmalade (橘子酱), I am reminded of my mother, a five-foot-tall angel who even befriended a skunk (臭鼬).
One day, while she was busy picking beans in the backyard, she came across a skunk no more than a meter away. The skunk’s embarrassment was evident as he had undoubtedly been rummaging (乱翻) through the garbage. He still had a marmalade jar stuck on his nose. Mom took pity on him. Instead of worrying the creature would spray something smelly all over her and the beans, she smiled compassionately at the little thing and extended a helping hand. Kneeling on the ground, she inched across the grass, reached out, and twisted the jar—very carefully.
The jar slipped off. The skunk nodded a thank-you before slipping away into the woods at the back of the garden. Obviously, there was no spraying incident, thanks to my remarkable mother. She repeated this tale numerous times, always calling the skunk Marmalade. However, that was not the end of the story. Three summers later, when I was about twelve, another encounter occurred.
It was a rainy morning, and both my mother and father had gone to work. My friend Rob came over to play, and we decided to run the electric train in my room. Suddenly, a scratching sound emerged from the attic (阁楼). Rob assumed that it might be some kind of animal. Curiosity got the better of us, and we ventured towards the source of the sound.
I cautiously opened the attic door in the hall. The noise ceased abruptly. I climbed up the stairs, Rob following my lead. There behind the toy box near the chimney stood the animal—black with a distinct white stripe down his back. Was he scared and trembling? I believe so, at least that’s what I remember. Instinctively, I retreated, fearing the potential spray or bites from the creature. “Hey, Rob,” I whispered urgently, “It’s a skunk. Let’s go to the kitchen and figure out a way to get him out of here.”
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。
Paragraph 1:
In the cupboard, several paper cups and a jar of marmalade caught our sight.
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Rob and I followed the skunk as he ate his way down the stairs.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Before seven o’clock one Saturday morning, a large crowd had already gathered at the stadium. David sat at the starting line, his gloved hands holding his wheelchair. With his heart beating, the boy wondered if he would be able to complete the race. His classmates were all there to support him. From a distance, he could see them holding up big banners (横幅) which screamed: WE ARE WITH YOU! ALL THE WAY, DAVID! Heartened, he smiled and waved back. He was not going to let them down.
Born with a severe condition that left him paralysed (瘫痪) from the waist down. At six, he underwent several surgeries to improve his condition. As a result, he was able to attend school and even took up sports to help strengthen his bones and muscles. Then, he fell in love with wheelchair racing. Unfortunately, he did not have a lot of coordination (协调) or strength but he had a will to keep going. Once, without warning, his condition took a turn for the worse and it almost destroyed his pursuit of his passion.
One day, David’s teachers encouraged him to compete alongside his non-wheelchair schoolmates. Unsure and yet grateful for the opportunity, he thought he should give it a shot. By the time the race was about to begin, the sun had risen. David was glad that he was well prepared. Adjusting the cap on his head and his gloves, David was all ready to protect himself from the heat and the strong strokes to his wheelchair. David’s eyes followed the starter who was waving a red flag. As soon as the gun was fired, David was off. The entire stadium erupted into thunderous cheers.
David pushed forward with all his strength, his hands holding the wheels the whole time for the long-distance race. His wheelchair rolled steadily out of the stadium, passing the shop houses. Despite doing everything he could to keep up with the other competitors, David fell behind.
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。
Overhead, the sun continued to burn in the cloudless sky.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________He was determined to overcome every single challenge.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The Making of a Believer
It was Christmas Eve morning, and I awoke with a mission: to find my lost cat, Baby-Girl, who is chubby and cute, fond of sitting in her one-and-only spot near the nearth (壁炉). AS I got ready, I could hear icy rain pouring down. I said a quick prayer for Baby-Girl. She was out there somewhere in the storm, I could just feel it. Sure, it had been six months since she’d gone missing, but I still had faith. It was the season for miracles, after all.
That summer, my sweet cat had disappeared from my parents’ house in Indiana. Baby-Girl had been staying with them. At the time, I lived and worked in Washington, D.C. Baby-Girl had gotten out of my parents’ house three days before I was set to fly back home to pick her up.
My dad and I spent that entire visit searching for her. Dad was the family’s resident “realistic”, which mean the spent a whole lot of time trying to prepare me for the worst. She’s either been hit by a car or been taken in by someone who found her” he said. I rolled my eyes. Dad always supported me, but he was so skepticat. He could do with a little more faith!
Besides, though I couldn’t explain it, I knew I’d see her Baby-Girl again. If any cat could do the impossible, it was my Baby-Girl. Even after T returned to D.C. without her and the weeks stretched into months, deep down I had this feeling that we’d be reunited.
How, home again for the holidays, I was de tem mined to pick up my search. I grabbed Baby-Girl’s cat carrier and loaded it into the car, then persuaded Dad to drive me to the shelter, hoping she’d been found.
“Sharon, you have to be realistic,” my dad said as we headed to the garage. “She’s been gone too long. You’re not going to find her.”
“Well, I just have a feeling,” I said
Dad raised an eyebrow a she climbed into the driver’s seat to take me to the shelter.
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。
We were led to the room where the abandoned cats lived.
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Shortly after, my shocked Dad drove us back home.
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Cedar Point was an amusement park in Ohio I had been expecting to visit as a child. We lived close to the park, so I often heard the screams of people on the roller coaster, saw the tired kids with their parents when they left. Sometimes, I looked wistfully at the lights through my window at night.
When I was nine, my grandmother managed to save a little bit of money here and there and took me there one day that summer. I yelled, excitement bubbling inside me. As we arrived at the park for the first time, kids were everywhere, eating popcorn (爆米花) and blowing bubbles. My eyes widened in delight at the scene. I wanted to do all those things, but deep down, I knew we didn’t have enough money. We could only afford to buy a ticket only for one ride for fifteen minutes. I pulled my grandmother toward the ticket window to buy a ticket for the carousel (旋转木马).
It was exactly as I had imagined, straight out of a movie. My grandmother smiled fondly and leaned down, giving the ticket to the ride operator, Mr Salas. Letting go, I rushed to the ride, stopping only to pick which horse to sit on. They were all so beautiful, coming in different colors with’ different expressions ‘on their plastic faces. To me, it felt like the decision of a lifetime.
“Come on, sweetie! The ride is going to start!” my grandmother called out, laughing at my indecision. Seeing that, Mr Salas also smiled warmly. Finally, I picked the horse with the pink hair and blue saddle. In the following minutes, I was absorbed in enjoying the ride, forgetting my family was struggling. My grandmother waved each time the ride passed her by. Mr Salas watched me from a distance.
Sadly, the carousel ride ended much too quickly. My grandmother was waiting and took my hand. I got down from the horse unwillingly, feeling bittersweet.
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 that moment, Mr Salas approached us with a warm smile on his face.
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After a while, Mr Salas returned, with an all-inclusive ticket for Cedar Point for the entire day.
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