I was nineteen years old the first time I saw my own true character. At least I can say that my true character changed that day.
For about a year, my voyage to and from work each day included a ten-minute walk through the heart of downtown Toronto. As with most large cities, the homeless population of Toronto often gathered on down-town corners, asking pedestrians (行人) for their spare change. Like most busy citizens, I learned to ignore the nameless faces who begged me for money each day. In my eyes, they are on the streets because they choose to be.
I remember how particularly cold the weather had been that day. I passed the usual crowd of homeless beggars, ignored all of them, and continued walking. As I crossed an intersection (交叉路口), I saw him sitting against a building, holding a white cup in front of him. I heard his shaky voice target me as I sped past him.
“Spare some change?” he asked.
I didn’t even bother looking up at his nameless face. “I have no money on me,” I said quickly.
Looking back now, I feel as though fate had set out that day to teach me a lesson. Just a few feet past him, I slipped on the icy road. I lay on the ground for several moments wondering if I had broken my leg. Then I heard a familiar voice only inches above me.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
I knew immediately that this was the man I had just rushed past. I saw the smooth, sympathetic look in his eyes.
I held his hand as I struggled to get to my feet. He held my arm as I hobbled (跛行) to the nearby bus stop. The pain in my leg told me that I needed an X-ray.
“My name is Mike,” he said. “You really shouldn’t try walking on that leg. You really need to get it checked by a doctor,” he said with deep concern.
“This bus goes past the hospital,” I said quickly, pointing to the bus sign above me.
注意:续写词数应为150左右。
Mike paused and a sudden look of realization crossed his face.
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I turned away from his offering hand and reached for my purse.
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2 . If the plant could thrive (茁壮成长), maybe I could too, even with cancer.
After my cancer diagnosis (诊断), my friend gifted me a lucky bamboo plant in a deep-green pottery bowl. Despite my physical limitations,
As a family physician used to
Through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy (化疗), I
But then,
As my anxiety eased, I
Now, the lucky bamboo was not just a
A.looking for | B.picking up | C.digging up | D.caring for |
A.useless | B.painless | C.selfless | D.desireless |
A.respecting | B.persuading | C.showing | D.providing |
A.gradual | B.positive | C.enormous | D.complex |
A.connected | B.recommended | C.added | D.sent |
A.focused on | B.brought up | C.picked up | D.depended on |
A.delayed | B.continued | C.avoided | D.considered |
A.optimism | B.career | C.opportunity | D.lesson |
A.originally | B.possibly | C.mysteriously | D.approximately |
A.attitudes | B.signs | C.meanings | D.outcomes |
A.affected | B.mirrored | C.tested | D.prevented |
A.exchanged | B.shared | C.appreciated | D.sought |
A.instructions | B.commands | C.schedules | D.trends |
A.flexible | B.sustainable | C.decorative | D.sensitive |
A.company | B.hope | C.aid | D.creativity |
We were very poor. To help support the family, Grandma would go to the mountains to dig wild vegetables, and then sell them. In this way, Grandma had to spend the whole day in the mountains. After she came back from collecting a lot of wild vegetables, she had to pick them until late night. Early in the morning, my grandma would take the vegetables, walk through the mountain road, and go to the market to sell them.
I hated Grandma digging wild vegetables all day long, because as soon as I finished my homework, I had to help her pick vegetables. And this dirty work often made my fingers black. In that case, no matter how hard I washed my hands, the dirty black color couldn’t be washed away, which made me very upset. My grandma noticed I hated the black color so much; she once suggested using bleach and iron filings (漂白剂和铁屑). It worked. However, it really hurt so I refused to try them again.
One day, something unexpected happened.
“Everyone, you need to invite your parents to school. OK?” the teacher said to us, “the school requires students to bring your parents to school, mainly to discuss your school work.”
Of course it didn’t matter to other classmates, but I… Grandma was the only one who could come to school with me, Hearing what the teacher said, I sighed (叹气) helplessly, “Oh…” The worn-out clothes, the slightly hunched (弓背的) back, and the most terrible thing was the dirty black color on Grandma’s fingers!
I couldn’t tell how worried and frightened I was and I didn’t know what to do. Anyway, I didn’t want the teacher to see the color of my grandma’s fingers. I came home with an unhappy face and said hesitantly (犹豫地): “Well, Grandma, the teacher asked parents to go to school tomorrow.”
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 couldn’t help stealing a look at her hands.
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The next afternoon, a classmate told me my grandma was in the teacher’s office.
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As Hurricane Lan bore down on Florida, many residents who stayed put found themselves unable to leave even if they tried. For hours they were forced to fight heavy winds and attempt to escape flooding inside long-loved homes that had become frightening, deadly traps. Within days, around 100 deaths in the state would be attributed to the hurricane, many of them were older residents who drowned.
When the water slipped in under the door of their home, it was just a glimmer on the floor, a sign that it was time to go. It was Wednesday, Sept.28, around noon, and Bishop woke up her two brothers, who had been resting after lunch. She pulled the wheelchair up to the oldest, Russell, 67. Her other brother, Todd, 63, could manage with a walker.
Both men had been born with cerebral palsy (脑瘫), and their mental development was like that of a young child. About 10 years ago, they started showing signs of Parkinson’s disease. But they found joy in their surroundings. Todd liked collecting cans at the beach. Russell loved riding the bus and going to parks. Bishop, 61, was their lifeline, their little sister who had long felt an obligation to keep them safe.
“We’ve got to get going!” she shouted to them. She went to open the front door. It would not move. The weight of the water on the other side had made it shut. She rushed to try the door to the garage. It, too, was stuck. That’s when the house began to flood. It went from ankle-deep to knee-deep in less than five minutes. Bishop knew that there was no way out.
Now Bishop and her brothers were trapped. At 12:34 p.m., she called 911 but couldn’t get through. There was no one she could get in touch with. To try her fortune, she texted a neighbor, Walters, who was always there when neighbors were in need, “Water’s coming in.” Around her, she could hear the dining room hutch (餐具柜) tipping and crashing, the china breaking, the refrigerator toppling over.
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 only way to go was up, so Bishop guided her two bothers to the stairs.
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Bishop sank into despair, but she noticed it seemed water stopped coming in.
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5 . Corion Evans, a 16-year-old boy was hanging out with friends in a parking area when a car with three teenage girls inside drove into the Pascagoula River. It came to rest some 20 feet
It was around 2:30 a.m. by the time Evans and his friends got to the
Evans ripped off his shirt and shoes, tossed his phone down, then dived into the
Just then, a man
Evans jumped back into the water and helped them until they could stand.
There was still one girl called Cora in the water. She was
“I just knew my last
The three girls and Officer Mercer were taken to the
A.on | B.below | C.from | D.by |
A.unintentionally | B.blindly | C.undoubtedly | D.carelessly |
A.mouth | B.bottom | C.branch | D.edge |
A.whispering | B.breathing | C.screaming | D.praying |
A.deep | B.dangerous | C.rough | D.flowing |
A.washed | B.followed | C.led | D.left |
A.called out | B.broke out | C.looked around | D.stood by |
A.fell | B.went | C.dived | D.looked |
A.destination | B.water | C.car | D.shore |
A.scared | B.depressed | C.annoyed | D.surprised |
A.opportunity | B.word | C.wish | D.breath |
A.grabbed | B.touched | C.spotted | D.recognized |
A.shelter | B.hospital | C.airport | D.bank |
A.energetic | B.optimistic | C.satisfied | D.alive |
A.actions | B.contributions | C.success | D.wisdom |
6 . “Mom!” a girl calls out in a busy store. I turn toward it, so do several other women. It doesn’t matter that I’m in the store alone or that my two daughters are much older than this helpless little voice. When I hear “Mom!” I am ready for action and rescue.
Mom is defined in the dictionary as a female parent. But through the years my children have used the word to mean much more.
Jessica, at 7, screams “Mo-hom” in an accusing tone, for she can’t find a matching sock.
For Sarah, at 13, on a morning when she’s already late for school, “Mom!” means “I am desperate for new clothes. I can’t believe I’ve existed in these rags.”
“Mom?” Sarah is almost 17 and rarely knocks on my door in the morning anymore. Yet I recognize the vulnerability in her voice.
“Do you want some help?” I ask her, sleep-blurred.
She nods, and then bursts into tears. “John’s mad at me, and I don’t know why. He won’t talk tome. What should I do?”
I put my arm around her. I want to protect my child from the cruel beasts who make her weep so, but I’ve got a hot potato of my own just now. I feel the disability of being responsible for myself and for my daughters. I talk to my friends and they empathize(共情). I talk to my brother and he solves problems. I need more.
So I dial the familiar number I once called from college.
“Hello?” The voice is crackly, uncertain. It has lived through so much already that it’s cautious about another blow.
“Mom?” I say.
“Honey, are you all right?” my mother asks.
Somehow, that is everything I want to hear.
1. What does the underlined word “vulnerability” mean in paragraph 5?A.Tension. | B.Delight. | C.Weakness. | D.Curiosity. |
A.She has no clue who John is. | B.Her work takes all her attention. |
C.She is too mentally exhausted. | D.She is too sleepy to stay focused. |
A.Ambitious and faithful. | B.Enthusiastic and humorous. |
C.Brave and independent. | D.Sensitive and responsible. |
A.The mother’s mind is the child’s classroom. |
B.A mother always cares for the youngest child. |
C.The world’s all glory and pride all come from the mother. |
D.The most beautiful voice in the world is the call of mother. |
7 . I experienced a day when I was extraordinarily clumsy. I’m never a picture of
Having been raised by devoted Christian parents who also worked in the mental-health field, I tended to look for spiritual and emotional reasons before I headed to the local
I wasn’t having a stroke at all. I had completely worn out my favorite pair of sandals. The soles (鞋底) of both shoes were split in two! I had
So often when we start to feel
The local cobbler (鞋匠)said my soles were irreparable. We had a good
A.passion | B.bravery | C.grace | D.warmth |
A.tripping over | B.going through | C.falling off | D.stepping on |
A.smooth | B.slippery | C.cold | D.hard |
A.ashamed | B.relieved | C.concerned | D.positive |
A.luckily | B.literally | C.precisely | D.occasionally |
A.minister | B.coach | C.tailor | D.doctor |
A.exchanges | B.compares | C.combines | D.substitutes |
A.wrap up | B.take off | C.change into | D.look after |
A.inspired | B.cured | C.injured | D.tricked |
A.exhausted | B.predicted | C.ignored | D.discussed |
A.delighted | B.divided | C.thrilled | D.overwhelmed |
A.best | B.last | C.easiest | D.basic |
A.excuse | B.bonus | C.test | D.clue |
A.run | B.pose | C.yoga | D.gesture |
A.replacement | B.review | C.response | D.repair |
When the final bell rang, the students were reminded that there was no school on Monday—Labor Day (May Day). “Enjoy your extra day off, ” said the teacher to her class. An extra day of fun suited Kayla just fine. She loved breaks. She wanted to go out to play with her friends. When she got off the school bus, Kayla ran into the house happily.
“How was school, Kayla?” asked her mom.
“It was great, Mom. I am excited about no school on Monday. ”
“You just started back to school two weeks ago. Already in need of a break, huh?” asked Kayla’s mom with a laugh.
Kayla slept in the next morning. Saturday was her favorite day of the week. It rained most of the day, so Kayla enjoyed playing video games inside. On Sunday, her friends came over and they played basketball for several hours. Then it was Labor Day, you know, the extra day off that Kayla was so looking forward to. But Kayla was awakened early that morning by her dad. He told Kayla that in celebration of Labor Day, the family would do some labour work. Kayla couldn’t believe it. This was a holiday! A day when she was supposed to be enjoying freshly squeezed lemonade while playing in her tree house. As Kayla wiped her eyes, she began to wonder if this was just a bad dream.
“Kayla, your breakfast is ready. We have a lot of work to do today. Let’s get a move on, ” said Kayla’s mom. As she sat down at the kitchen table, Kayla asked her parents, “Are you serious about working today? Isn’t Labor Day a holiday?”
“Yes, Kayla. It is, ” replied her dad. “But we thought working hard today would make you understand why Labor Day was observed initially. “Though feeling disappointed and even a little annoyed, Kayla had no choice.
注意:续写词数应为150左右。
She was assigned to tidy and clean her own room.
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Somehow, Kayla wanted to do more work.
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9 . When my son joined the high-school wrestling team last fall during COVID-19, my 83-year-old dad asked me to inquire if they needed an assistant coach. “He wrestled in university, ” I told the coach. I left out his
A few days before the first practice, I e-mailed the coach to tell him my son’s
At the first practice, Dad met the coach and told him he would do anything he was needed, even
In his free time, Dad borrowed Wrestling for Dummies from the library. He read up on different
COVID-19 has not allowed me to watch any of the
A.age | B.name | C.competence | D.hobby |
A.cousin | B.uncle | C.grandpa | D.nephew |
A.delighted | B.confident | C.overwhelmed | D.nervous |
A.create | B.make | C.appreciate | D.fit |
A.unexpected | B.unfolded | C.unused | D.undoubted |
A.reserve | B.wipe | C.produce | D.apply |
A.wish | B.realize | C.assume | D.ensure |
A.out | B.back | C.in | D.off |
A.set down | B.broke up | C.turned back | D.called in |
A.moves | B.majors | C.uniforms | D.proverbs |
A.childhood | B.work | C.glory | D.university |
A.courageous | B.polite | C.fun | D.optimistic |
A.wrestlers | B.coaches | C.parents | D.witnesses |
A.campaigns | B.matches | C.practices | D.performances |
A.happening | B.rising | C.working | D.fading |
The Rainbow Chase (追逐)
One summer afternoon, about 8 years old, I was standing at a window of the farmhouse, looking at a beautiful rainbow that seemed to be losing itself in thick woods about a quarter of a mile distant.
No one was in the room then but my brother Rufus. “See, brother,” I said, “The rainbow drops right down among the woods.”
“Do you know, Gracie,” said Rufus seriously, “if you should go there, you would find pots of gold and silver.”
“Is it truly so?” I asked
“Truly so.” Answered Rufus, with a smile. I was then a simple-hearted child, believing everything told me. Without another word, I dashed out of the door, setting off towards the woods. Rufus called after me loudly, but I didn’t stop.
I cared nothing for the wet grass and ran on. Thinking what fine presents I could give to my friends and laying delightful plans, before I knew it, I had reached the woods, and the rainbow was not there! But I saw it shining down among the trees a little further off, so on and on I struggled, through the thick bushes and over logs, till I came within the sound of a steam. Then I thought, “What if the rainbow should come down right in the muddy stream? What about the heavy pots of gold and silver? How should I get them out?” I reached the bank of the stream, and again the rainbow was not there! It was on the other side!
I crossed the steam on a fallen tree and on and on I ran, though my legs began to give out and every inch of my body ached. It was rather hard travelling in a journey after riches. The woods grew thicker, darker and scarier; the ground more wet and slippery. Fright and hurry made me forget the rainbow. When at last I remembered and looked for it, it was nowhere in sight. It had faded away! I burst into tears; for I had lost all my treasures and had nothing to show off but muddy feet and wet and torn dress.
注意:
1.续写词数应为150左右:
2.请按如下格式在答题纸的相应位置作答。
Worse still, I couldn’t find my way back home: I was lost!
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At last I heard my own name called.
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