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.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From that day on something changed inside the old man.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . Once upon a time, a daughter complained to her father that her senior high school life was unhappy and that she was tired of struggling with homework all the time.
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, h placed potatoes, eggs and coffee beans in them. After 20 minutes, he took them out, putting the potatoes and eggs in a bowl and the coffee in a cup.
Turning to his daughter, he said, “Look closer, and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After puling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to taste the coffee. Its good smell brought a smile to her face.
“Father, what does this mean?” she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and the coffee beans were in the same adversity (逆境)—the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently.
The strong and hard potato became soft and weak in boiling water. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new. “Which one do you want to be like,” he asked. “When adversity knocks on your door, how will you respond?”
In life, challenges happen to us all, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
1. Why did the girl complain to her father?| A．Because of her tiring job. | B．Because of her hard school life. |
| C．Because of her father’ s busy work. | D．Because of the food her father cooked. |
| A．The girl liked the coffee best. |
| B．The father was good at cooking. |
| C．Different people have different reactions to adversity. |
| D．The girl didn’t like the potatoes and eggs. |
| A．thick | B．hard | C．strong | D．easily-broken |
| A．Challenges and responses. | B．Adversities and a chef. |
| C．A chef and coffee beans. | D．Father and daughter. |
3 . It was Mother’s Day and I was shopping at the local supermarket with my five-year-old son, Tenyson. As we were
By now medical staff had arrived, and were
The man bent down and gave his wife the flower, telling her who it was from. Regard less of being badly hurt, the old lady looked up at Tenyson with love in her eyes and gave him a little smile.
1.| A．leaving | B．driving | C．moving | D．stopping |
| A．injured | B．awkward | C．honest | D．elderly |
| A．Her husband | B．My son | C．The crowd | D．The seller |
| A．Specifically | B．Particularly | C．Interestingly | D．Fortunately |
| A．If | B．Since | C．While | D．Unless |
| A．guilty | B．curious | C．angry | D．worried |
| A．complained | B．said | C．lied | D．responded |
| A．no one | B．someone | C．everyone | D．anyone |
| A．lend | B．bring | C．leave | D．buy |
| A．amazed | B．shocked | C．puzzled | D．concerned |
| A．wise | B．sweet | C．innocent | D．crazy |
| A．which | B．when | C．what | D．whether |
| A．must not | B．can’t | C．may not | D．needn’t |
| A．scene | B．habit | C．flower | D．deed |
| A．checking with | B．looking after | C．operating on | D．praying for |
In 1989, fresh out of high school, I had the difficult task of choosing a career path before college started in three months. In those days in Pakistan, there were limited choices: becoming a doctor or an engineer, or entering the financial world after getting a business degree. I wasn’t interested in engineering, so that I was left with medicine or business. I couldn’t decide.
My uncle suggested that I do a work placement(实习) to experience it for a month in an international company followed by a month in a hospital. After that, I could make a decision. It seemed like a good idea.
I was accepted for a month’s placement at a foreign bank in Karachi. I got a feel of how the world of finance functioned, made new friends, and generally enjoyed the mostly easygoing work surroundings.
The month passed rapidly, and soon I began working at a leading hospital in Karachi. The experience couldn’t have been more different. The hospital had a stressful environment. The days started early (at 7 am, compared to 9 am at the bank), and were filled with endless duties. And the night calls! This was crazy, working all day, through the night, and again the next day.
I began thinking about my two experiences. The bank had offered a more relaxing atmosphere, better working hours and less stress. The hospital was full of excitement, but studying and training were difficult. It seemed that the business choice was going to win out.
Near the end of my month at the hospital, I was driving home after an especially busy night call. In front of me was a public bus, with college students sitting on the top. As the driver weaved through (穿梭) traffic, I could see the boys shaking from side to side.
注意：1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2．至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3．续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4．续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1：
Suddenly, a boy fell off the back of the bus.
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Paragraph 2：
The next day, when I went to the hospital to see the boy, all his family got up, with grateful smiles on their faces.
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In America hitching a ride (搭便车) is very common. Many people there love hitching a ride during
I
So when a car was coming, I tried to hitch a ride. To my joy, the car really stopped in front of me. The driver was
I couldn’t walk all the way back to my car. Therefore, I tried to hitch a ride again and I
6 . It was a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon some fifteen or sixteen years ago. I took my two kids to the local playground. As soon as we got there my daughter headed for the swings(秋千) and asked for a
I walked over to the little girl and asked
Three years later I was
The love we share with others will find its way back to us. It will travel from heart to heart. It may take seconds or it may take
| A．pull | B．push | C．jump | D．climb |
| A．failed | B．decided | C．stopped | D．managed |
| A．why | B．how | C．when | D．whether |
| A．swing | B．ground | C．clouds | D．trees |
| A．faster | B．more quickly | C．higher | D．more slowly |
| A．embarrassed | B．annoyed | C．disappointed | D．exhausted |
| A．look after | B．pick up | C．take away | D．bring up |
| A．strong | B．long | C．tiny | D．weak |
| A．playground | B．school | C．kindergarten | D．classroom |
| A．drive | B．catch | C．reach | D．repair |
| A．hands | B．head | C．face | D．back |
| A．flying | B．crying | C．running | D．falling |
| A．hours | B．days | C．months | D．years |
| A．save | B．plant | C．design | D．offer |
| A．scare | B．interest | C．excite | D．shock |
7 . Tired of working in IT and staying the same in Australia, Paulo Cattaneo decided to make a change. In 2015 he started a strict budget so he could save up enough money to buy his dream KTM 1190 motorbike, a camera, and enough funds to support himself for a few years.
Then he gave up his job, packed his things, and set off on an adventure, travelling the world on his motorbike. Paulo, 39, has spent the last four years biking through Australia, South America, North America, and Europe, riding up to 12 hours a day and spending his nights in his tent under the stars.
“Australia for me was my first experience riding long distance and I was mind-blown by the beauty of the old continent.” Paulo wrote on his travel journal, “Traveling through Latin America, I explored the rainforest and learned Spanish and Portuguese. Mexico has some of the best food I ever had and Peru is an interesting place where I can enjoy the unique local Indian culture, also called Inca civilization.”
Paulo has managed to keep his travels going by keeping his budget tight, so he hasn’t had to get a job for his travels. To keep costs low, he seldom looked for accommodation in hotels and went camping instead. Thankfully, the motorbike, which Paulo bought secondhand in Australia, has not required any major repairs since he set off. The journey isn’t always easy, but Paulo has never looked back.
Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to his travels in Greece when he traveled around Europe, and Paulo has had to spend the last few months in Italy, his homeland. Once the world is back up and running, he plans to return to life on the road and explore Asia and Africa.
1. What did Paulo begin to do in 2015?| A．Change his job to live a better life. | B．Travel the world on his motorbike. |
| C．Collect enough money to buy a car. | D．Prepare for his trip around the world. |
| A．The way to travel. | B．The last destination of travel. |
| C．The places he’d been to. | D．The accommodation of travel. |
| A．He enjoyed the best food in Peru. | B．He got a job to support his travel. |
| C．The motorbike often troubled him. | D．The view in Australia attracted him. |
| A．Paulo was glad to return to his homeland. | B．Paulo had to find accommodation in hotel. |
| C．The Covid-19 couldn’t stop Paulo’s dream. | D．Being alone was a challenge during Paulo’s trip. |
8 . At 12, my father decided to take me on a trip to France. I had never been out of the country before, so I was very excited. My aunt, my father and I went around with my father showing us all the unbelievable sites in Paris. None of us spoke much French but we loved the city.
We had taken the subway all over the city and were congratulating ourselves on our mastering what is honestly an excellent subway design that is pretty easy to follow. We decided to visit Versailles by train. We chatted happily along the way until my father realized we were far into the French countryside and no one around spoke English.
We reached the end of the line and felt afraid when everyone finally left the train. An old man and his grandchild noticed us and came to help. He spoke no English, so in broken French we tried to explain. When he finally understood, this great man settled his grandson and showed us to the correct train and then boarded with us.
Later we knew the truth that there was a train transfer (转乘) and he didn’t want us to miss it. This kind man rode a train for an hour and a half out of his way to make sure that three Americans got where they wanted to be. He refused to let us pay for his ticket. He did it all with a gentle smile and patted our hands gently at the stop. Then in his quiet way, he boarded the train to return the way he had come.
What impressed me most was the man and his kindness during the amazing trip. Some Americans think the French are rude for some reason, but I always try to persuade them to change their minds with this very story.
1. What happened to the author and his family on the train?| A．They couldn’t understand the signs of the train. |
| B．They failed to get off the train at the right time. |
| C．They had different opinions about where to go first. |
| D．They found it hard to communicate with the French. |
| A．He paid for their train tickets. | B．He showed them the returning way. |
| C．He invited them to travel together. | D．He led them to their place. |
| A．Seeing is believing. | B．Being kind is a good manner. |
| C．Travelling enriches one’s life. | D．Helping others brings great pleasure. |
| A．To explain an unexpected problem. |
| B．To list the unbelievable sites in Paris. |
| C．To share an unforgettable foreign experience. |
| D．To show the importance of mastering a foreign language. |
9 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
I was a single mother of four children, working at a low-paid job. Money was always tight, but we had a roof over our heads, food on the table, and clothes on our backs. I always told myself to be brave and strong, just for my four children. I hoped all my efforts would be worthwhile, as long as my children could grow up healthily. Every New Year’s Day we drove downtown to enjoy a special dinner, but the big excitement for the kids was the fun of shopping at the mall. This was a tradition of my family, so they all looked forward to the coming of the day. They talked and planned for weeks ahead of time, asking each other what they wanted for New Year’s Day.
The big day arrived and we started out early. I gave each of the four kids a twenty-dollar bill and asked them to search for gifts. Then everyone scattered (散开) with the bill. I sat at a table in a cafe waiting for my children and enjoying an instant of silence. It must be a happy day.
Back in the car driving home, everyone was excited about the day, laughing and asking each other about what they had bought. I noticed Ginger, my younger daughter had only one small and flat bag with her. I could see enough through the plastic bag to tell that she had bought candy bars—fifty-cent candy bars! What did she do with that twenty-dollar bill I had given her? I was angry. After getting home, I called her into my bedroom and closed the door. I couldn’t hold back my anger and shouted at her, “What about the rest of the money? No one would be convinced all these candies are worth 20 dollars. What did you do with the rest of the money?”
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右;
2.请按如下格式作答。
She was shocked at my reaction and burst into tears.
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My anger disappeared instantly.
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10 . Olly Neal grew up in Arkansas. He didn’t care much for high school. One day during his senior year, he cut class and walked into the school library. He discovered a book written by Frank Yerby. The book was The Treasure of Pleasant Valley and it attracted Neal’s attention. But there was one problem — if Neal took the book to the check out counter (收银台), his friends would know he was reading books.
“Then my fame (名誉) would be down,” Neal said. “I wanted them to know that all I could do was fight and cuss (咒骂).” Finally, Neal decided to steal the book.
A week later, Neal had finished the book. He brought it back to the library. But when he put it back, there was another book by Yerby. He took it as well. The same thing happened again. He read four of Yerby’s books that term — checking out none of them.
But Neal’s sneaky action turned out not to have been so sneaky after all. Attending his 13-year high school get-together, Neal met the school’s librarian, Mildred Grady. She saw Neal take that book. She said, “My first thought was to call him out, and then I realized what his situation was. So I decided that if Neal was showing an interest in books, I would find another one for him and put it in the same place where the one he had taken was.”
This was not an easy matter, because Frank Yerby’s books were not especially available. But the woman’s efforts paid off: Neal went on to attend law school and later became a great judge. When Grady died, Neal told the story and he said, “I thank Mrs. Grady for helping me get into the habit of enjoying reading, so that I was able to go to law school and survive.”
1. Why did Neal steal the book instead of checking it out?| A．To prove he was a skillful thief. |
| B．To show the book to his friends. |
| C．To keep being known as a troublemaker. |
| D．To avoid communicating with the librarian. |
| A．Secret. | B．Dangerous. | C．Brave. | D．Illegal. |
| A．She taught Neal how to survive. |
| B．She persuaded Neal to be honest. |
| C．She encouraged Neal to study law. |
| D．She helped Neal develop reading habits. |
| A．Reading changes people’s life |
| B．A librarian changed a boy’s life |
| C．A senior student became a judge |
| D．Frank Yerby’s books attracted a boy |
