9-year-old Igor lived in a huge forest in the north of Russia. His father was a woodcutter and his mother a tailor. The boy liked playing with animals in the forest, and knew the names of different birds and their songs. One freezing winter Igor was seriously ill and the doctor from big cities told his parents that only surprise could save him. Lying all day in bed, Igor only wanted his father to catch a bird and played with it. But in winter there were no birds in the forest. “You could make him a bird out of wood,” suggested the anxious mother.
The first finished birds were fat and too heavy to fly. He threw them into the fire, head in hands.
It was snowing heavily, and he really didn’t know where to find a bird. Then an idea occurred to him, “The bird needs two pieces of wood.” Eventually, he made it and showed it to his wife. “Beautiful!” she said, taking a needle and some thread (细线) and sewing the two ends together, like a real bird. She tied a long thread to the bird’s back. And it could be hung above Igor’s bed. Quietly, the woodcutter hung the bird above the boy’s bed.
At daybreak, his son was watching the bird carefully. There was a light in his eyes for the first time in many weeks. “Beautiful!” said Igor. “I’ve never seen it before in the forest. What’s its name?” “That’s a good question. I’ll find out and tell you.” The next morning, when the father entered Igor’s room, he found the boy sitting up in bed, trying to touch the bird. The last time Igor sat up in bed was many weeks before. “What’s it called?” the boy asked. “Oh, dear, I’m still not sure.”
Late on that night, Igor’s father went into his son’s room quietly and made the thread a little shorter. Then the bird was hanging a little higher above Igor’s head. Three days later, he found Igor kneeling on the bed, trying to touch the bird. His hand was very near it. “Have you decided on the name?” “Not yet. My son.” his father replied.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
Paragraph 1:
Again, at night the father went into his son’s room.
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Several days later, Igor’s father was cutting wood when he heard a scream from the house.
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In March of 1994, I was 25 years old, poor and pregnant. It was 10 days past my due date. I was dependent on public transportation to get to my prenatal (产前的) appointments. That day I was going with my husband to the hospital for an ultrasound (超声波) scan.
We were excited and happy, thinking a new life would come into our world soon. To reach the bus stop, we had to cross a busy street. While we were standing on the opposite side of the street waiting for a break in traffic, we saw the bus coming. There was a huge rush of traffic just then, and no way to cross the street in time.
We began shouting loudly and waving wildly trying to flag down the driver. But the driver didn’t notice us, since her face wasn’t turned toward us. She drove quickly past the stop and down the street. Traffic cleared up immediately after this and we were able to cross the street. But it was a moment too late.
We were very anxious because this was the last bus we could have caught to get to my appointment on time. The hospital was very strict about its appointment policy— if you were ten minutes late, you had to reschedule. Rescheduling meant I had to wait a day or more. I was close to tears, about to say “Let’s go home” when a police car stopped in front of us. The officer had apparently seen the whole process, and said with a smile “Hop in- let’s catch the bus!”
We’d never been in trouble nor were we thieves, but we naturally felt uneasy about most authority figures like policemen. So it was a shock to receive this offer of help from an unlikely source! Should we accept such help? We hesitated for a second. Then we got in the car, and the officer sped toward our runaway bus.
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:
We caught up with the bus soon.
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Paragraph 2:
I gave birth to a healthy girl the following morning.
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3 . At the school Art Festival, I was asked to design the costumes for three school plays. Everyone was
After much thought, I decided to
After graduation, I will
| A．determined | B．amazed | C．awkward | D．expected |
| A．drawing | B．acting | C．sculpture | D．communication |
| A．challenge | B．admire | C．pursue | D．aid |
| A．provide | B．compare | C．create | D．combine |
| A．get into | B．get through | C．get over | D．get from |
| A．training | B．research | C．quiz | D．schedule |
| A．checked | B．persuaded | C．recognized | D．forecasted |
| A．head | B．eye | C．back | D．foot |
| A．flexibility | B．standards | C．drawbacks | D．qualities |
| A．apply | B．demonstrate | C．improve | D．acquire |
| A．learn | B．result | C．benefit | D．obtain |
| A．motion | B．action | C．position | D．operation |
| A．attend | B．equip | C．design | D．organize |
| A．conduct | B．submit | C．land | D．perform |
| A．accounting | B．consulting | C．cleaning | D．clothing |
4 . This morning. I stopped by a local grocery store to pick up a few items. The small store was almost
Then, we loaded his groceries into my car and talked on the
On my way home. I thought to myself. “The cost of living keeps going up, but at least the cost of loving doesn’t
That is the funny thing about loving. It almost costs us
| A．normal | B．empty | C．perfect | D．messy |
| A．bagged | B．rotten | C．deserted | D．stolen |
| A．bank | B．hospital | C．supermarket | D．apartment |
| A．purchase | B．repair | C．return | D．deliver |
| A．chance | B．lift | C．tip | D．lesson |
| A．endless | B．familiar | C．short | D．rough |
| A．pressure | B．value | C．flexibility | D．pleasure |
| A．climbing | B．flying | C．walking | D．driving |
| A．increase | B．respond | C．emerge | D．remain |
| A．something | B．nothing | C．anything | D．everything |
| A．replacing | B．monitoring | C．helping | D．defeating |
| A．strangers | B．relatives | C．roommates | D．teachers |
| A．go up | B．come out | C．give in | D．run out |
| A．eye | B．stomach | C．heart | D．mouth |
| A．Suddenly | B．Thankfully | C．Unluckily | D．Gradually |
Bob was a small-built child who preferred indoor to outdoor activities. He was mild-mannered and mostly kept to himself. Sitting in the corner of the class, he was very much a loner. Whenever he was made fun of in class, he would turn to his mother for comfort.
At the beginning of semester 2, Bob had a new classmate, Alex, who had just returned to New Zealand. Alex was assigned a seat next to Bob. To his surprise, within weeks, he became good friends with Alex even though they were poles apart in personality. Alex was popular, outspoken and artistic. “Alex is all that I want to be, ” Bob thought to himself. He began listening to the music Alex listened to and having similar haircut. He even quit his drama club and started playing the online games that Alex played. He seemed to have been out of his loneliness.
It was not long before Bob was introduced to Alex’s “cool“ friends. He told himself that he would try all means to be part of the group. He would follow them to the football games and join the art club after school so he could spend more time hanging out with them. Bob followed them around laughing when they told jokes, agreeing when they had opinions—most enthusiastically at the ones he disagreed with. He did not dare to differ in opinions as he would not want them to think badly of him. This continued for several months. At last, Bob felt relieved that he had finally fitted in.
One day, Bob overheard Alex and his cool friends talking “Bob’s such a loser, ” one boy commented in a playful tone. “He just follows you around trying to be you. He copies you; he does not have a personality of his own!” another boy exclaimed. Alex laughed, to make matters worse, he added, "That fellow wears me out. I wish he would leave me alone. He thinks we are best friends. A thorough fool!”
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。
Bob stood rooted to the ground and could not believe his ears.
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Bob decided to change himself.
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6 . Just before New Year’s Day, I was in a cheese store, purchasing some cheese. I
The salesgirl
My own mother was of the non-disturbance school unless it was a(n)
For centuries, the young have been
| A．contacted | B．overheard | C．praised | D．followed |
| A．instructions | B．punishment | C．training | D．expectations |
| A．chose | B．pretended | C．remained | D．appeared |
| A．interest | B．concern | C．passion | D．appetite |
| A．gradually | B．regularly | C．definitely | D．simply |
| A．found | B．busied | C．enjoyed | D．introduced |
| A．counts | B．happens | C．works | D．fits |
| A．faced | B．frozen | C．impressed | D．burdened |
| A．made up | B．took in | C．dished out | D．commented on |
| A．matter | B．priority | C．sense | D．option |
| A．risky | B．sensible | C．temporary | D．odd |
| A．ignore | B．protest | C．tolerate | D．appreciate |
| A．ultimately | B．accidentally | C．willingly | D．passively |
| A．handle | B．assess | C．possess | D．perceive |
| A．advice | B．kindness | C．company | D．permission |
7 . From two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour(LET)to Wales’ first ever Sondheim Cup player, there were many ways for onlookers to label Becky Brewer-ton in 2012, but none got close to the way she was describing herself.
In January 2012, Brewer-ton was enjoying a peaceful Sunday afternoon in Spain before deciding to venture out on a bike ride. One small stone on a corner later got the 29-year-old flying headfirst over the handlebars, cutting her head and tearing half the skin on her right hand. The crash was so severe that it left a cut around her hip joint (髋关节) big enough to fit her entire thumb into. Suddenly becoming near-disabled, she was always feeling genuinely scared on the golf course, but could do little to get rid of such feelings. After shooting 88 on the opening day at the Ladies European Masters in2016, she was told by officials that she could not return for the second round. Then, almost overnight, her game disappeared. In Brewer-ton’s own words, she had hit rock bottom.
As Brewer-ton’s ranking fell downwards, so too did her income. She worked for Amazon, Deliveroo, and then in the professional shop of a golf club. Without a place to live, she stayed with a friend and former physical trainer for two and a half years. Working other jobs acted as a “reality check”, offering a perspective of how lucky she felt to be a professional sportsperson. She began journaling and meditating. Despite her struggles, Brewer-ton never fell out of love with golf. After returning to LET qualifying school to regain her Tour card, by the end of 2021, Brewer-ton found herself again enjoying golf.
While she dreams of a return to silverware, the 39-year-old is targeting a success beyond wins. “I’ve absolutely, hand on heart, promised myself that I’m not going to interpret those days as bad things, because this is what we live for.” she said.
1. What did the cycling experience mean to Brewer-ton’s career?| A．A starting line. | B．A tough challenge. |
| C．A breakthrough. | D．A turning point. |
| A．To make ends meet. | B．To gain work experience. |
| C．To change her perspective. | D．To make golf her passion. |
| A．Consistent and positive. | B．Determined and reliable. |
| C．Inventive and independent. | D．Adventurous and responsible. |
| A．Constant dropping wears the stone. |
| B．Every man is his own worst enemy. |
| C．Difficult circumstances serve as a textbook of life. |
| D．When a man is going down-hill, everyone will give him a push. |
Only eight days until Thanksgiving and there wasn’t going to be enough money to grocery shop for the holiday. It was hard to put everyday food on the table for three growing teen boys with the little I earned from work. There was only a few small sweet potatoes, one can of green beans, and two chicken breasts.
The next day, I met my friend and neighbor, Aleta, at her home. Her four boys and my kids were good friends. Her husband had recently lost his job due to illness, and financial difficulties hovered (盘旋) over their household as well.
“Hey, I have an idea how we can put together a meal where everyone will have enough. ”I proposed.
“I have a few cans of green beans, about three pounds of chicken legs, and three apples. ”she said.
“Great. Let’s meet at my house at 2:00 in the afternoon. If you have some peanut butter, I have enough flour and ingredients to make cookies. ”
Four days before Thanksgiving, I had finished baking the cookies. My friend called with news about a family living in our community who needed help with food and bills. The father had been in an accident and unable to work for the last few months.
We didn’t know the family well, but my friend and I went to visit them with our holiday cookies, hoping to help in some way. While everyone chatted, I walked into their kitchen to see about the food situation. The cupboards were almost empty. No exaggeration. A single can of soup, and a box of cereal (麦片) sat alone in the cupboard. That’s it. I was shocked.
Aleta and I knew the life during hard times. We left the house, eagerly wanting to help. But what could we do? Our own finance sand food situation left nothing to spare.
Almost at the same time, our thoughts connected. Without a word, we looked at each other, asking ourselves the same question. Could we sacrifice a little more and give the family our holiday meal？
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。
“How can we help them?” I asked the kids.
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On Thanksgiving Day, we delivered two full bags of groceries to the family.
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9 . When my son first began competing in school chess tournaments, I often chatted with other parents. Occasionally, I would ask if they played chess themselves. Normally, the reply was no. When I volunteered that I was learning to play, their tone was cheerfully joking, “Good luck with that!” If this game is so good, why are adults ignoring it? Seeing someone playing smart phone games, I preferred to say, “Why are you having your kids do chess while you play?”
Sure, we parents had work to do, work that helped pay for the lessons our kids were enjoying. But I was also wondering if we were sending an unnoticeable message that learning was for the young. During one tournament, I saw a group of parents playing chess! Just then, a group of kids passed me, “Why are adults learning chess?” One asked, in an apparently joking tone.
I was tired of sitting on the sidelines. I wanted in, and that is why I got a membership card and started throwing myself in. “Early on, I was nervous, even the master can sometimes play badly,” as one Grandmaster put it “a fan never”. And a fan I was. It was three hours of concentration and thinking with my phone off. It felt like a gym where I was trained to solve problems with focus, memory, logic, and occasional headaches. And of course hours of absence of digital devices would never be no good for thinking sharply.
Being a beginner can be hard at any age, but it gets harder when you are older. The phrase “adult beginner” has an fairly gentle pity. It implies the learning of something that you should have perhaps already learned.
1. What can we learn about other parents from their remarks?| A．They were ignoring other learners. |
| B．They agreed on the idea of learning chess. |
| C．They thought it odd for an adult to learn chess. |
| D．They gave congratulations to the adult lessons. |
| A．Laughable. | B．Unimaginable. | C．Understandable. | D．Sensible. |
| A．Not being noticed. | B．Not being involved. |
| C．Expressing confusing ideas. | D．Following what others do. |
| A．It helped him remain calm. | B．It helped him train his brain. |
| C．It made him proud of himself. | D．It made him look rather funny. |
10 . Despite an age gap of 80 years, a 13-year-old girl and a care home resident in Luton have become firm friends after becoming penpals during lockdown. It
Madge is
Her penpal is Ella, whose family are in Luton. Before Covid-19, Ella would always be involved in the voluntary activities at the care home.
Madge said, “I’ve got all her
Age is just a
| A．meant | B．took | C．saved | D．needed |
| A．found | B．consulted | C．sponsored | D．served |
| A．fond of | B．afraid of | C．strict with | D．tired of |
| A．necessary | B．possible | C．accessible | D．difficult |
| A．came up | B．came out | C．put up | D．picked up |
| A．surprised | B．delighted | C．reluctant | D．hesitant |
| A．However | B．Therefore | C．Meanwhile | D．Moreover |
| A．Confused | B．Concerned | C．Curious | D．Crazy |
| A．happened | B．occurred | C．beat | D．struck |
| A．gifts | B．messages | C．letters | D．calls |
| A．ancient | B．funny | C．energetic | D．serious |
| A．accustomed to | B．isolated from | C．interested in | D．connected with |
| A．Initially | B．Thankfully | C．Hopefully | D．Previously |
| A．gap | B．accelerator | C．number | D．obstacle |
| A．left | B．bridged | C．widened | D．identified |
