The woman speaking to me at the basketball game looked quite familiar. She said, “Joe? Is that you?”
“Marci?”
“It is you!” she said, smiling widely, “It’s good to see you again!”
It was good to see Marci, too. Off and on during the past tens of years, I’d wondered about her. I almost tried to find her a few years ago, after a friend told me that Marci had been going through a hard time. So running into her at the basketball game was, at the very least, unexpected.
We spent a few minutes catching up on the business of our lives: kids, work, houses, education and hobbies, etc. We played a little “Have you seen...?” and “Did you know..?” And we talked about the old days, both good and bad.
Then Marci grew quiet for a while, looking out over the people moving around. “You know, Joe,” she said, “I’ve always wanted to tell you...how...you know...how sorry I am for the way I treated you.”
I felt a little uncomfortable, remembering how Marci had broken up with me without any warning.
“It’s okay,” I said. “No big deal.” At least, I thought to myself, not anymore.
“But I was such a bad person,” she continued, lowering her head.
Yes, you were, I thought, “We were both pretty young,” I said.
“I know,” she said. “But that’s no excuse for ...” She hesitated (迟疑), and then continued: “I’ve always regretted it, remembering how mean I was to you. And I’ve wanted to tell you that I’m sorry and ask for your forgiveness. So ... I’m sorry.”
The smile on her face was warm and sincere. And there was something in her eyes — it looked a lot like relief (解脱) — that washed away my anger and hate that may have built up within me during the years since she had broken my heart.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右； 2.请按如下格式在相应位置作答。“Okay, apology accepted!” I said.
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We all bear wounds that others have caused us.
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2 . It was a sunny winter day. I had gone up and down the tower when, outside the little door at the foot, a blind man came toward me. He was a pale, thin man with dark glasses. He kept close to the inner wall of the courtyard. On reaching the door, he touched it and sharply turned inside. In a moment, he disappeared up the staircase. I stood still, looking at the little sign that said “To the Tower… ” I felt obliged to follow.
I didn’t follow closely. I caught up with him in the ticket office. There I was surprised to see the attendant selling him a ticket as though he were any other visitor. With the ticket in one hand and touching the wall with the other, he reached the staircase leading to the hallway.
“That man is blind,” I said to the attendant, but he showed no concern. “He’s blind,” I repeated. He didn’t answer, looking at me vacantly.
“Perhans he wants to jump,” I said. But his chair was too comfortable. He didn’t stir. He still looked down at a crossword puzzle he had begun. I turned toward the staircase.
“The ticket,” the attendant said, rising from his chair. It seemed the only thing that could move him. After purchasing my ticket, I hurried up the staircase.
The man hadn’t gone as far as I imagined. After ten minutes, I approached him. “Excuse me,” I said as politely as I could, “but I am very curious to know why you came up.”
“You’d never guess,” he said.
“Not the view, I take it, or the fresh air on this winter day,” I said.
He smiled. “Coming up the stairs, one can feel the change-the coo staircase suddenly becomes quite warm, —and how up here behind the wall there is shade, but as soon as one goes opposite a narrow window one finds the sun. In all of Siena there is no place so good as here.”
He moved into the sunlight. Then he stepped into the shade. “Light, shade, light, shade,” he said, and seemed as pleased as a child who, in a game of hopscotch, jumps from square to square.
We went down the tower together. I left him, gladdened as one can only be by the sunlight.
1. Why did the author follow the blind man?| A．To offer timely help. | B．To satisfy his curiosity. |
| C．To teach him a lesson. | D．To prevent him from climbing up. |
| A．Enthusiastic. | B．Concerned. | C．Indifferent. | D．Skeptical. |
| A．The fresh air on the top. | B．The pleasant childhood memories. |
| C．The fantastic view from the tower. | D．The striking contrast between light and shade. |
| A．Nature is the best gift for humanity. |
| B．When one door shuts, another opens in life. |
| C．Every individual can appreciate beauty in life. |
| D．The disadvantaged deserve care from the society. |
Jack was a reserved (内向的) child who was often isolated at school. He used to suffer a lot. Seldom did he discuss anything in and after class, nor did he consult with his teacher. It seemed that he was more fond of immersing himself in his own world, However, his classmates didn’t understand his quietness and interests and often deliberately didn’t invite him to take part in activities. But in reality, Jack felt very lonely and longed to interact with others but didn’t know how to break down the barriers. He was eager to turn to someone for help.
Sadly, Jack’s parents were too occupied with daily chores to notice the change in him as he became quieter and more distant. Even when Jack picked up his courage to share his feelings, he was simply comforted by words like, “Go and get it. We know you can do it.”
However, Jack was at a total loss to pull himself out. At home, he had no alternative but to play his favorite jigsaw (拼图) puzzle in silence and avoided interacting with anyone. He began to wonder if he was doing something wrong and if he really wasn’t cut out to make friends and could never express himself properly. He felt sad and started not to associate with others.
Luckily, Jack’s class teacher noticed his predicament (窘境) and decided to step in to help. The teacher organized a class project after a math test, which seemed quite demanding for most students but not for Jack. The teacher required the students to work together in groups to solve the problems of their own and then he would invite someone to present his or her critical ideas on behalf of the group. The teacher then purposely placed Jack in a disadvantaged group and encouraged him to show his strengths. To the teacher’s credit, Jack didn’t let him down.
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。
During the project, Jack impressed all the group members.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jack learned a lot from the project and decided to make a change.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . A father and his son went to a kite（风筝） festival. When they
The father was good
But then, a few minutes later, the kite started to
The father smiled and said. “The role of the string was not stopping the kite from going higher, but was
In our life, we may sometimes feel like there are certain things that are holding us back and stopping us from growing.
| A．arrived | B．bought | C．got | D．waited |
| A．sadly | B．quickly | C．happily | D．slowly |
| A．made | B．bought | C．sold | D．broke |
| A．for | B．to | C．with | D．at |
| A．shakes | B．seems | C．turns | D．covers |
| A．If | B．Though | C．Because | D．Until |
| A．everything | B．something | C．anything | D．nothing |
| A．bored | B．sad | C．excited | D．afraid |
| A．come down | B．go up | C．cut out | D．write down |
| A．angry | B．surprised | C．relaxed | D．nervous |
| A．finding | B．helping | C．seeing | D．hearing |
| A．itself | B．myself | C．yourself | D．himself |
| A．competition | B．information | C．way | D．instruction |
| A．And | B．But | C．So | D．Because |
| A．grow up | B．stay up | C．take care | D．tidy up |
5 . Once upon a time, a boy was walking through the countryside when he saw, among some
The boy thought that it must be the doorway to heaven, and that it would be fun to see what was up there. So he
Just when he was about to
No longer was the boy just
The boy traveled up the rainbow, filled with joy, knowing that only with sincere and heartfelt (衷心的) desire could one ever open the door to heaven.
1.| A．people | B．clouds | C．woods | D．bricks |
| A．smiled | B．succeeded | C．disappeared | D．returned |
| A．continued | B．stopped | C．started | D．proved |
| A．Therefore | B．Meanwhile | C．However | D．Furthermore |
| A．heavy | B．beautiful | C．tall | D．sharp |
| A．tried | B．regretted | C．begged | D．liked |
| A．give in | B．give up | C．give out | D．give off |
| A．surrounded | B．ordered | C．watched | D．taken |
| A．sang | B．built | C．cried | D．spoke |
| A．clue | B．message | C．tip | D．answer |
| A．happy | B．curious | C．worried | D．anxious |
| A．manage | B．discover | C．promise | D．repair |
| A．set down | B．turned down | C．cut down | D．sat down |
| A．describe | B．create | C．put | D．pick |
| A．partly | B．directly | C．smoothly | D．suddenly |
6 . So, I did it. I moved back home, despite all the disapproval. I left my good job, my relationship, and the endless opportunities.
Some people questioned me, “Why did you move back?” It was hard at first to admit that I liked being home, and that, actually, I didn’t prefer New York City (as so many people do). But after time, it became easier and less of an issue. And when they asked me why I moved back home, I confidently said, “Because I wanted to.” Many people welcomed me back into the community.
The first few months home were the most relaxing of my life. Every day I wake up to birds chirping, and sunlight coming in from the window-no traffic sounds or people screaming on the streets. It sounds like a Disney movie, but it’s so true! There is something about the air here-it’s clean. It smells good. I can also see the Grand Mesa (the largest flat-top mountain in the world) from my bedroom window. My work commute (通勤) is a four-minute car ride. And on summer nights, my favorite thing to do is watch the sunset from my porch because it’s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
I’ve been home for almost three years now, much to the surprise of my friends and family. Some friends even made bets on how long “this” would last. So far, I’m winning. But since I’ve been home my life has flourished. I realized that home, for me, is a place that inspires me. Because before, in the city, I felt like I had to compete with everyone to get ahead. Many times, forgetting what I was “fighting” for, I was clouded in competition and not passion. I lost touch with the other parts of myself, never quite realizing that the quiet country life provided that to me.
By coming home, I found myself again, the true me. I didn’t expect a city to give me opportunities because I could make my own.
1. Why does the author mention “a Disney movie” in Paragraph 3?| A．To introduce a new topic. | B．To provide more details. |
| C．To give a vivid description. | D．To support an argument. |
| A．By staying home longer than expected. | B．By getting used to country life quickly. |
| C．By wining competitions at workplace. | D．By leading a better life than in the city. |
| A．Bad work relations. | B．Few job opportunities. |
| C．Longer work commute. | D．Too much competition. |
| A．The goal she was fighting for. | B．Living to be her true self. |
| C．The chance of getting ahead of others. | D．A more comfortable life. |
7 . I have discovered that I have a second shadow these days as I go outside. This one, however, has four legs instead of two. It is my daughter’s adopted, black cat: Miss Alice. Every time I go out the door she is waiting on my front porch, meowing to be petted. Then she follows me down the hill to my car sometimes running in front so she can get in my way for even more petting. And when I finally return home she is there asking for attention again.
It wasn’t always this way. The very first time I saw Miss Alice she was hiding under my house just having had a family of kittens. When I looked under there I got an angry hiss (嘘声) from her, warning me I was in for a clawing if I got near her kittens. It took a lot of time, patience, kindness, love, and cat food from my daughter to tame her. At first she didn’t want to be touched at all. Then she would only allow an occasional petting. Now my daughter can pick her up and carry her up the road to her house like a little baby. It still makes me smile to see how my daughter’s loving, caring and sympathetic spirit tamed this wild cat and made her as lovable as the most affectionate dog.
I guess that is the power of love. It can heal a hurting heart. It can save a broken spirit. It can uplift a sunken soul. It can free you from fear. It can transform your life. It can even take a violent, wild cat and turn her into a puppy dog in a cat suit.
Embrace (拥抱) the love in your own life then. Welcome the love of your family and friends into your life. And let your own love flow through everything you think, everything you say, and everything you do.
1. What do we know about the cat from the first paragraph?| A．It enjoys staying with the author. | B．It tends to be in the author’s road. |
| C．It is often ignored by the daughter. | D．It gets well along with the daughter. |
| A．Feed her up. | B．Make her mild. | C．Arrange for her. | D．Dress her up. |
| A．The lovely dog. | B．The daughter’s love. | C．The cat’s babies. | D．The harmonious family. |
| A．Where there is life, there is hope. |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．Love is life in its fullness like the cup with its wine. |
| D．Do what you fear, and fear that nature will fade away. |
Self-Portrait
Alia was disappointed to find herself in the drawing studio. She had been sick with the flu during the week when everyone else got to pick their classes. She had hoped for Astronomy or Marine Biology, but they were full by the time she got to choose. She loved everything about science, from the way it used facts and formulas to how it revealed the basic nature of things. But art was so un-scientific.
The first class project was self-portraits. Some students were drawing self-portraits using mirrors. Others were working from photographs. Alia glanced at the incomplete sketches, feeling like a cat in a dog show. But she had no choice. Hesitantly, she lifted a pencil, only to pause before the canvas. Confusion and reluctance were evidently written on her face; she had no idea how to proceed with her strokes.
The teacher came up to Alia’s easel (画架). Seemingly having noticed her trouble, he sat next to her.
“Every portrait begins with a circle,” he said. “Then you create a series of lines.”
To demonstrate, he drew a group of small, quick portraits. He began each one with a circle, some straight lines, and a triangle to determine where the eyes, nose, and chin should go. To Alia’s amazement, each portrait on the paper took form. Alia had never thought about it, but the features of everyone’s face were in the same spots. “Go ahead and give it a try.” The teacher handed the pencil back to her.
Taking a deep breath, Alia began her own self-portrait. She drew the basic form of a head, the way she had been shown. From there, she used lines to plot the features of her face. She had to take note of each detail, with each stroke, line and curve demanding her close attention. One wrong measurement could throw off the whole portrait.
注意：1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The process took patience and precision.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Admiring her work, Alia suddenly realized drawing was just what she had hoped for.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________9 . By the time he was 24 years old, Imran Nuri quit his job in a bold move, and emptied his savings account to carry out an ambitious
He
In Colorado Springs, Colorado, a man in his 50s who had stage 4 terminal cancer told Nuri, “Life is about the human
In Tillamook, Oregon, a waitress-a college student told him, “whether it’s changing your major or changing your whole life path, you don’t have to
Nuri found beauty in every place as well as
| A．plan | B．policy | C．initiative | D．trick |
| A．acquaintances | B．residents | C．strangers | D．peers |
| A．embraced | B．inquired | C．misunderstood | D．known |
| A．picture | B．navigate | C．enrich | D．interpret |
| A．cracked up | B．backed away | C．set out | D．knocked off |
| A．generous | B．wrong | C．pleasant | D．selfish |
| A．dismiss | B．accompany | C．consult | D．beat |
| A．courageous | B．stupid | C．unforgettable | D．glorious |
| A．sailing | B．hiking | C．driving | D．wandering |
| A．occasionally | B．permanently | C．later | D．earlier |
| A．finally | B．excitedly | C．instantly | D．hesitantly |
| A．potential | B．nature | C．connection | D．competition |
| A．admire | B．reward | C．forgive | D．fault |
| A．wisdom | B．fortune | C．confidence | D．perseverance |
| A．objectively | B．differently | C．selectively | D．randomly |
Tomato Changed My Life
Doing things-without being planned was never my strength.
As a 14-year-old, I would refuse to go for walks around the block with my friends if I was the least bit behind in my schoolwork.
Unlike most teenagers, I lived not in my room, but in an unused kitchen upstairs where I spread my books and papers on a large round table. I spent considerable time there, working continuously for hours, and my mother worried. She would try to lure (引诱) me away. “Come and watch the parade!” she would call from downstairs. “All neighbors are out there!” She thought of all kinds of tricks-the swimming pool, ice cream, stray cats and turtles-to remove me from my -studies, but nothing ever worked.
Later, in college, the pattern continued. The library and my college dorm replaced the unused kitchen at home. When spring came along friends would stop by my dorm or peer into my library room to persuade me to play Frisbee on the lawn. “No, I would almost always say.” I have too much to do.
My college study days were gone, but not my need and love for schedules. My friends and sisters tried to keep me away from my plans, but they were hardly ever successful.
This summer, though, while house sitting for my parents, I was persuaded to change my plans in the most unexpected way. The sight of tomatoes growing in my mother’s garden lured me out of my tightly scheduled world. They drew me with the power of a lover’s gaze. Hundreds of them were turning ripe and red by the minute, decorating the garden like decorations on a Christmas tree.
“If I have time, I’ll make tomato sauce (番茄酱).” I told myself. But my long week in the house by myself was already filled with things to do: writing, and finishing a project that I brought home from the office.
Then, watching the fascinating tomatoes continuously falling to the ground in ever-greater numbers, again I mentally argued about all the things I had planned and needed to 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。
Finally, I gave in.
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A month later, my parents came back.
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