1 . Every April, I find myself troubled by the same concern—that spring might not occur this year. The landscape looks dull, with hills, sky and forest appearing gray. On May 3, I awoke to a green so amazing as to be almost electric, as if spring were simply a matter of pressing a switch. Hills, sky and forest revealed their purples, blues and green.
Then there was the old apple tree. It sits on an undeveloped lot in my neighborhood. It belongs to no one and therefore to everyone. The tree’s dark branches stretch out in unpruned (未经修剪的) abandon.
Until last year, I thought I was the only one aware of this tree. And then one day, in a bit of spring madness, I set out to prune (修剪) a few disorderly branches. No sooner had I arrived under the tree than neighbors opened their windows and stepped onto their porches (门廊). These were people I barely knew, but it was as if I had come uninvited into their personal gardens. My mobile-home neighbor was the first to speak. “You’re not going to cut it down, are you?” she asked anxiously.
Soon, half the neighborhood joined me under the apple tree. It struck me that I had lived there for five years and only now was learning these people’s names, what they did for a living and how they passed the winter. It was as if the old apple tree was gathering us under its branches for the purpose of both acquaintanceship and shared wonder.
Just the other day, I saw one neighbor at the local store. He remarked how this recent winter had been especially long and complained of not having seen or spoken at length to anyone in our neighborhood. And then, he looked at me and said, “We need to prune that apple tree again.”
1. How did the author feel about the sudden change of the view?| A．Frightened. | B．Depressed. | C．Surprised. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．They intended to greet the author. |
| B．They felt astonished to notice a stranger. |
| C．They meant to protect their personal gardens. |
| D．They wondered what might happen to the tree. |
| A．It served as a bond. | B．It was left unattended. |
| C．It stayed in a poor condition. | D．It proved to be unappealing. |
| A．The arrival of spring. | B．The neighborhood gathering. |
| C．The pruning of the apple tree. | D．Entertainment in the long winter. |
2 . I’m proud of myself for this kindness I did last night. I did it
It was last night and I
In the past I’ve
So I tried to
Yet, something in myself was stopping me. Something in myself made me look at her and put myself in her shoes. She had young
Well, I learned a great
| A．nervously | B．proudly | C．exactly | D．carefully |
| A．pleasure | B．respect | C．honour | D．selfish |
| A．changed | B．kept | C．finished | D．missed |
| A．home | B．choice | C．friend | D．car |
| A．hangs around | B．hides away | C．watches over | D．calms down |
| A．hated | B．happened | C．offered | D．refused |
| A．works | B．lives | C．plays | D．remains |
| A．remind | B．avoid | C．attract | D．please |
| A．workroom | B．office | C．playground | D．park |
| A．therefore | B．even | C．however | D．instead |
| A．neighbours | B．pets | C．children | D．friends |
| A．since | B．although | C．as | D．if |
| A．accepted | B．hesitated | C．approached | D．urged |
| A．reliable | B．upset | C．generous | D．grateful |
| A．gift | B．lesson | C．treasure | D．method |
Kindness can bring more kindness
Human beings are not just judged by the way we treat each other, but by the way we treat any creature that is powerless.
Martin was living on the streets in Bucaramanga, Colombia when a stranger noticed him at a local park. The passerby was so touched by what he saw that he filmed it.
The passerby saw Martin sitting on some concrete steps with two dogs wearing party hats. Martin pulled a small cake out of a plastic bag. He clapped his hands, sang happy birthday and petted his beloved companions. He lit two candles on the cake while his dogs observed him, and he gave them each a kiss on the cheek.
He then gave a slice of cake to each of his dogs on paper plates. As they ate together, Martin wiped tears from his eyes and petted his dogs some more.
After witnessing the sweet birthday party, the passerby walked up to Martin and asked him about his dogs. He learned that Martin had two dogs, Shaggy and Nena, and that they were celebrating Shaggy’s birthday.
He learned Martin had escaped an abusive home and had been living on the streets for the past several years. Shaggy and Nena were his only family and, even while he was homeless, Martin did everything he could to take care of them. “In so many years living on the street I was never alone,” Matin explained. “My dogs were always there to bring joy to many sad days.”
“My dog was celebrating his birthday,” Martin said again, “and I wanted to give him a quarter of a chicken, but I didn’t have enough money for that. Then I saw a lady who was going to throw away a cake and I told her to give it to me. She handed it to me, saying, ‘Take it, son, you make better use of it than I 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。
The kind passerby shared the video of Shaggy’s birthday party on social media.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Greatly touched by the strangers’ good deeds, Martin decided to pay the kindness forward.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4 . A Colorado woman who lost the diamond engagement ring given to her by her fiance shortly before he died was reunited with the precious item weeks later by a man who found it in the mud.
Raquel Aiken said she had just finished a game of tennis in Denver a few weeks ago when she apparently dropped her ring on the ground while fishing her keys out of her purse. She said she didn’t realize what had happened until much later.
Aiken told KDVR-TV about her missing ring, and the story came to the attention of Dude Olguin, an employee at Brewery Bar II in Denver, when he overheard some customers talking about it. Olguin said he wondered if the woman from the story was the owner of the ring he recently found.
“I was getting ready to go to my third job the next day. I was just going to my car, and I just happened to look down,” Olguin told KDVR-TV. “My first reaction, you know, temptation—maybe go pawn it or to find a jeweler to tell me more about it,” he said. “But really, my faith told me just to hold onto it and just wait and listen.”
Olguin asked Aiken to meet him at the restaurant. “He went to his car, and came back with the ring,” Aiken said. “Immediately I was in tears, I couldn’t believe it. It’s a miracle.” She said the return of the ring was especially meaningful. “It definitely reconnected me again with my fiance,” Aiken said. “The fact of where it was found and how it was found and an employee that works here at a place he loves. The whole connection is really, really amazing and a true blessing.”
Olguin declined a reward for the ring’s return. “I told her, the payment for me is our friendship, and we’re going to be lifetime friends,” Olguin said.
1. What caused Aiken to lose the diamond ring?| A．Her forgetfulness. | B．Her carelessness. |
| C．Her broken purse. | D．Her playing tennis. |
| A．He chose to follow his faith. |
| B．He wanted to keep it for himself. |
| C．He wanted to return it to its owner. |
| D．He asked Aiken to meet him immediately. |
| A．It was a priceless collection. | B．It was a symbol of friendship. |
| C．It reminded her of her fiance. | D．It was well designed by her fiance. |
| A．The lost diamond ring found in the mud |
| B．The lost diamond ring returned by a stranger |
| C．Kindness—a quality to spread in a community |
| D．Kindness—a quality to pay forward among strangers |
5 . Some years ago I was offered a writing task that would require three months of travel through Europe. I had been abroad a couple of times, but I could hardly claim to know my way around the continent (大陆). Moreover, my knowledge of foreign languages was limited to a little college French.
I hesitated. How would I, unable to speak the language, totally unfamiliar with local geography or transportation systems, set up interviews and do research? It seemed impossible, and with much regret I sat down to write a letter begging off. Halfway through, a thought ran through my mind: you can’t learn if you don’t try. So I accepted it.
There were some bad moments. But by the time I had finished the trip I was an experienced traveler. And ever since, I have never hesitated to head for even the most remote of places, without guides or even advanced bookings, confident that somehow I will manage.
The point is that the new, the different, is almost by definition (意味着) scary. But each time you try something, you learn, and as the learning gathers, the world opens to you.
I’ve learned to ski at 40, and flown up the Rhine River in a balloon. And I know I’ll go on doing such things. It’s not because I’m braver or more daring than others. I’m not. But I’ll accept anxiety as another name for challenge and I believe I can achieve wonders.
1. Why did the author accept the writing task?| A．He had never travelled abroad before. |
| B．He hardly knew any foreign languages. |
| C．He was familiar with any other country in Europe. |
| D．He would learn something new and different by trying. |
| A．He used to be a wonder. | B．He thought little of travelling. |
| C．He’s ready to face any challenge. | D．He’s easy to be defeated. |
| A．Every garden has its weeds. |
| B．Life is about learning to dance in the rain. |
| C．Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. |
| D．All that glitters is not gold. |
| A．Ready to Try and Challenge. | B．An Interesting Trip Abroad. |
| C．My First Writing Assignment. | D．How to be Daring and Brave. |
My anger almost exploded when I was met the knowing looks that everyone gave me. Annoyance and embarrassment filled my heart. Why could Anne let out my secret? How could she do that to me? She lost all my trust and friendship.
Five years ago, Anne was new to our class. She was polite and shy, wearing a warm smile that attracted me towards her. She was the most friendly person I had ever met. We started as classmates but after a few months we were like best friends. We did homework together and hung out on weekends. We shared a lot of secrets and gave each other a lot of good advice. That was a sweet time.
However, I couldn’t expect such a big betrayal(背叛) from her. I didn’t know what made me tell Anne about my personal life. My dad lost his job, so I had to drop out of my favorite Ballet. A new pair of Ballet shoes was one of the things that we could not afford! Giving up the class made me sad, but I hoped it was just the secret between me and my best friend.
The next day when I walked by the next classroom, I felt several girls staring at me and talking in a low voice. My face turned red at their whisper like “Ballet” and “shoes”. Embarrassed and hurt, I ran away in tears.
I felt much regret to myself and avoiding Anne in and out of school. Soon afterwards, I was glad that our family moved to another town where Dad got a new job and no one would laugh at me. Anne called me many times but I didn’t answer. My heart was broken because the person whom I trusted most cheated me.
I started a new life, leaving all the bad memories behind since growing up naturally involved many stories, both bitter and sweet ones. Five years later, with the life going on, I made new friends and seldom thought about the past.
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，每段的开头已为你写好；
Paragraph 1:
Then, I met Linda in the market my former classmate, who told me shocking news.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
I immediately called Anne.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7 . Joy took Teresa’s hand in its mouth and led her to the living room. Her son, Dominic, 20, lay in a chair with his eyes closed and
Two years ago, when Dominic met Joy, he had no idea how
One week later, Dominic returned to the vet, only to be
Soon Joy had the chance to return the
Since then there has been a special
Her son puts it more
| A．waved | B．struggled | C．hoped | D．cried |
| A．late | B．expensive | C．quick | D．difficult |
| A．friendly | B．lovely | C．significant | D．clever |
| A．neatly-brushed | B．weak-looking | C．pretty | D．lovely |
| A．recognize | B．survive | C．change | D．expect |
| A．amazed | B．panicked | C．encouraged | D．lucky |
| A．teach | B．guide | C．know | D．greet |
| A．pushed | B．repay | C．nursed | D．sent |
| A．favor | B．value | C．greeting | D．praise |
| A．treats | B．adaptation | C．benefits | D．attention |
| A．direction | B．team | C．connection | D．function |
| A．protective | B．comfortable | C．amusing | D．polite |
| A．at a loss | B．careless | C．patient | D．at peace |
| A．happily | B．briefly | C．frequently | D．certainly |
| A．wanted | B．saved | C．encouraged | D．met |
8 . When an infectious disease broke out and supermarket shelves were
Daniel said, “It is something that we have wanted to do. When the disease
“Now after five months, they both feel well but Daniel
| A．dusty | B．firm | C．empty | D．full |
| A．look for | B．come across | C．fall behind | D．rely on |
| A．challenge | B．charity | C．construction | D．research |
| A．Nevertheless | B．Instead | C．Therefore | D．Besides |
| A．went | B．dropped | C．failed | D．hit |
| A．burden | B．push | C．debt | D．excuse |
| A．unemployed | B．unconcerned | C．occupied | D．confused |
| A．guarantee | B．protect | C．feed | D．control |
| A．supply | B．save | C．invent | D．harvest |
| A．argues | B．admits | C．doubts | D．denies |
| A．quitting | B．demanding | C．changing | D．consuming |
| A．returned | B．reduced | C．existed | D．doubled |
| A．head | B．stop | C．end | D．point |
| A．positive | B．hesitant | C．regretful | D．bored |
| A．rarely | B．instantly | C．merely | D．officially |
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . 28-year-old Luke Wesley, a restaurant manager, was tall, energetic and kind-hearted. One evening, he noticed an old man in a wheelchair enter the restaurant and
Since the restaurant should have closed an hour earlier, Luke had to remind the man it was
The next day, Luke carried Smith to the top of the mountain successfully. Seeing the old man
| A．stand | B．stop | C．sit | D．lie |
| A．mountain | B．house | C．lake | D．sight |
| A．within | B．nearly | C．beyond | D．behind |
| A．nodded | B．sighed | C．yelled | D．apologized |
| A．terrible | B．unforgettable | C．happy | D．shameful |
| A．clueless | B．anxious | C．curious | D．crazy |
| A．competitor | B．runner | C．visitor | D．composer |
| A．Gradually | B．Luckily | C．Suddenly | D．Amazingly |
| A．celebrate | B．perform | C．memorize | D．show |
| A．strength | B．energy | C．interest | D．ability |
| A．warn | B．comfort | C．inform | D．remind |
| A．trees | B．flowers | C．landscape | D．restaurant |
| A．purpose | B．trick | C．design | D．dream |
| A．kissed | B．threw | C．pounded | D．tore |
| A．disappointed | B．relieved | C．shocked | D．puzzled |
