1 . I opened my car window and called out “Ma’am! Ma’am!” The only lady in the parking lot looked around until she saw me. “I just wanted to tell how nice you look today,” I said. “The colors you have on are beautiful on you.” Her face registered surprise for a second, and then she smiled. “Thank you!” she called back. Her final steps to her car seemed lighter, and I smiled to myself.
I grew up with very few cheerleaders in my own life. When I was in the middle of fighting a battle for my life, I had been confirmed depression, along with anxiety. It has taken many years and more effort and determination than I thought I was capable of recovering from this illness. With no cheerleaders in my court, I fought this battle alone. I am proud of the progress I have made thus far. There are times when I thought, if only I had had someone to hold me and say, “Susan, I believe in you. You can do this, and I’ll be there every step of the way.” I wonder how much sooner I would have recovered. I’ll never know.
So I have made it a point in recent years to praise people, especially women and girls. Instead of just thinking that someone looks nice or did a great job, I say it out loud. It doesn’t take long, and it’s easy. So, I wonder, why don’t more people do this? As women, we have learned from our role models to be quiet. We downplay (淡化) our own achievements even when we do receive a rare compliment (恭维). Now, when I compliment someone and she denies, I say to her, “Just say thank you.” Most women are relieved that they don’t have to deny the compliment; they can accept the praise without guilt.
Cheerleading doesn’t require any skills. It only takes a few seconds, although you do have to remind yourself to do it. Eventually, it becomes a habit.
1. How did the lady feel after hearing the author’s praise?A.Delighted. | B.Anxious. |
C.Relaxed. | D.Worried. |
A.Her experiences. |
B.Her habit. |
C.Her personality. |
D.Her ambition. |
A.She can be rewarded. |
B.She can be appreciated. |
C.They can accept the praise. |
D.They should say something. |
A.Caring. | B.Brave. |
C.Outgoing. | D.Honest. |
The smell of defeat filled the air on a warm October evening. In the school parking lot stood Coach McDonald and me, a loser in the 160-pound weight class.
Coach McDonald’s hands firmly grasped my shoulders, his eyes looking through my uncertainty. “Billy,” his voice cut through the uneasy quiet. “The potential for you to become an excellent wrestler exists. It takes time,” he argued.
“Don’t you see? I lost... again. Ten matches. Never won.” Frustration struck me as I stepped away from Coach McDonald. Pulling my cell phone from my equipment bag, I said definitively, “I need to call my mom. She’ll pick me up.” I just wanted to get away as soon as possible and flung myself into Mom’s arms. She had always been my best friend and supporter.
While waiting for her to answer my call, the thought of quitting the sport rumbled in my mind. I was so frustrated at that time that I ignored the joy and satisfaction wrestling had brought to me.
Coach McDonald closed in. “Billy, look at me,” he said. “Pound for pound, you’re the strongest and most flexible (灵活的) kid on the team. That’s a winning combination. Master the techniques in practice, and victory will be yours, I promise.”
I coughed and pulled my sweaty shirt off my chest. “When, Coach?”
With a knowing look, Coach said, “Do you know how long it took me to win my first match?” He stood up straight, squinting (斜视) like he was recalling a tough time. “During my first year, I lost every match. I ended the season 0-11. I didn’t lose at all in the following two years, including two state championships. Billy, that can be you someday. But it’ll never happen if you quit.”
In that silent moment, I felt a slight pain within me, but it was weak, not strong enough to change my mind. Coach cleared his throat, glancing at his watch. “Well, I’m hungry.”
“And my mom’s here,” I said. Then I jumped into her car.
注意:1.续写词数应为150左右;2.请按如下格式作答。
In the car, I told her I lost again and I was hesitating about quitting the team.
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The next day, I walked into the training field again.
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3 . It was a sunny weekend. I had planned to go mountain climbing in the suburbs with Daniel. However, a sudden heavy rain that morning disrupted my plan. Looking out of the window, I couldn’t help feeling a little
However, Daniel
We walked through the narrow streets and admired the
After hearing
This experience made me realize that life always has unexpected surprises and twists. Sometimes,
A.disabled | B.disappointed | C.disgraceful | D.disturbed |
A.suggested | B.claimed | C.answered | D.demanded |
A.museum | B.community | C.street | D.neighborhood |
A.admired | B.agreed | C.jumped | D.permitted |
A.sunny | B.chilly | C.gloomy | D.clear |
A.ancient | B.crowded | C.spacious | D.various |
A.Gradually | B.Slowly | C.Suddenly | D.Quickly |
A.tired | B.angry | C.energetic | D.relieved |
A.question | B.curiosity | C.control | D.danger |
A.action | B.measures | C.responsibility | D.initiative |
A.about | B.from | C.out | D.into |
A.listened | B.talked | C.came | D.pointed |
A.complete | B.correct | C.full | D.useful |
A.with | B.up | C.in | D.to |
A.changing | B.scheduling | C.making | D.following |
4 . I had graduated from college with a degree in education. But I still couldn’t find a(n)
At the end of the day just as they were leaving the room a girl handed me a
That experience showed me the
A.ever-changing | B.random | C.full-time | D.swift |
A.consequently | B.actually | C.casually | D.temporarily |
A.travelling around | B.running around | C.keeping off | D.pulling off |
A.assistant | B.applicant | C.advocate | D.replacement |
A.grow | B.slow | C.pass | D.break |
A.honest | B.positive | C.awake | D.curious |
A.follow | B.motivate | C.respect | D.recognize |
A.looking | B.feeling | C.remaining | D.turning |
A.delivered | B.selected | C.folded | D.checked |
A.mature | B.precise | C.exceptional | D.fancy |
A.shock | B.trouble | C.confusion | D.silence |
A.options | B.concerns | C.comments | D.decisions |
A.wonderful | B.discouraged | C.ashamed | D.fortunate |
A.patience | B.vision | C.support | D.power |
A.assume | B.remind | C.announce | D.confirm |
A golden haze settled over the cornfields. The sun prepared to rest for the evening, and I intended to follow. Saying goodbye to the clan (宗族) I was staying with, I headed back to camp. I looked forward to setting my camera aside for an evening to reflect on my time in Ethiopia.
It wasn’t long when I heard a voice behind me, “Photo, photo, photo.” A young Surma boy about eight years old followed closely at my heels. I breathed a tired sigh. I had no energy to press the shutter button one more time, no matter how beautiful or eager he was.
Over the past four days, many in the camp had wanted their photograph taken. I hoped the boy would find someone else to snap his photograph, but he kept following me and saying, “Photo, photo, photo.” He managed to catch my eye. With eyes wide full of hope, he asked me again with anticipation on his face.
As I looked at him, half interested, an idea for a composition flashed in my mind.
I kneeled in the cornfield and instructed the boy where to stand and how to pose. As I prepared to take the photograph, his energy suddenly shifted from eagerness to shyness to fear.
No matter what I told him to do—how to stand and how to look—I just couldn’t get the shot. Frustrated, I gave up. I looked at the boy, who looked alone and awkward. He’d wanted his photograph taken, and now he’d gone camera-shy.
In an effort to cheer him, I clapped my hands, saying, “That was great. You were great.” Others in his clan gathered around, cheering and clapping loudly. The boy’s face immediately broke into a smile. I intuitively (凭直觉地) took a few shots of the moment. That photograph turned out to be better than I’d imagined.
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 printed a large copy of the photograph and returned to the Surma boy’s clan.
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As I left Ethiopia, I held onto the memory of the Surma boy’s joyous tears and the collective hope of his clan.
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One businessman was in debt and couldn’t figure out a way out of it. Creditors(债权人)were pressing him. Suppliers were demanding for a payment. He was sitting on a bench in the park with his head down, thinking what could save the company from bankruptcy(破产). Suddenly, an old man appeared in front of him.
“I see that something is bothering you’, he said.
After listening to the businessman, the old man said: “I think I can help you.”
He asked the businessman, what his name was, wrote him a check(支票)and said: “Take this money. We will meet here exactly in one year, and you will be able to return it to me at that time.”
After that, he turned around and disappeared just as suddenly as he appeared.
The businessman saw a check in his hands for an amount of 500 thousand dollars, signed by John Rockefeller, one of the richest people in the world at that time!
“I could end all of my problems in no time!” He thought. But instead, the businessman decided to put the check into his safe(保险箱). Only one thought about its existence gave him strength to find a solution to save his business.
With the return of his optimism, he concluded profitable deals. During a couple of month she got out of debt and started to earn money again.
Exactly one year later, he returned to the park with the same check. At the agreed time the old man appeared again.
注意:1.所续写短文的词数应为100左右;
2.续写部分为一段,开头语已为你写好;
And at the moment,
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7 . Last year, as my then-9-year-old son, Leopold, and I were on a series of adventurous trips, I came up with a rule: We would say yes to everything as much as feasibly possible. Leopold is a picky kid — he feeds only on chicken nuggets and yogurt — and can be reluctant to try new things. According to him, it’s because he has numerous fears, including heights, spiders and the dark. But honestly, I suspect he just has normal kid-sized nerves.
My original goal was simple. I was hoping to find a way to encourage him without resorting to worn-out words like “if you don’t try it, you’ll never know if you like it.” So, I borrowed the idea of a “yes day”. Leopold and I agreed we would say yes to everything — including food and experiences, especially new ones.
In St. Augustine, Florida, we collectively said yes to a moonlit ghost tour of the city’s famous haunted sites, where while others got claustrophobic (幽闭恐惧的) and left during the telling of ghost stories, Leopold and I stayed until the bitter end and didn’t even scream when one of the actors attempted to frighten us with a jump scare. On that same trip, Leopold tried his first spicy tuna roll and then experimented with blackened grouper (石斑鱼). In Long Sands, Maine, I challenged myself to jump into the freezing ocean, getting cold and wet, but happy to be foolish enough to jump into the chilly waters. On the last night of our trip at a rodeo where cowboys showed their skills at handling bulls in Cody, Wyoming, my son did not hesitate but went onto the field to take part in this traditional event. Though coming back without the prized bandanna, he was laughing loudly, sweaty and excited. I knew it was an experience we would never forget.
And therein lies the beauty of saying yes on vacation. It pushes you to be open to new opportunities and step out of your comfort zone. Though it’s not always possible to say yes to everything back home, where work, school and other obligations get in the way, we’ve begun trying to say it more. Cultivating a sense of curiosity and adventure helps all of us live life to the fullest with zero regrets — even if you do sometimes wind up cold and wet, sweaty and tired.
1. What can we learn about Leopold from the first paragraph?A.He avoided new attempts. | B.He longed for adventures. |
C.He was fond of travelling. | D.He enjoyed varieties of food. |
A.They tried freediving. | B.They kept their promise. |
C.They enjoyed ghost stories. | D.They won a prize in a local festival. |
A.Enjoying the comfort zone. | B.Strengthening cooperation skills. |
C.Developing an adventurous spirit. | D.Cultivating a sense of responsibility. |
A.To tell a story of an adventurous trip. |
B.To present problems of living a full life. |
C.To show challenges of parenting a picky kid. |
D.To share a method of trying new experiences. |
I’ve been a leader of a youth group in my community for a number of years. Among all those organized group activities, the kids’ favorite is called ARK night, with ARK standing for Acts of Random Kindness. A couple of times a year, on a Sunday night, we go out into our community to perform kind acts for others.
We split into small groups and complete assignments around town. One group typically goes downtown to where the homeless population is gathered and hands out sandwiches and cold water in the summer, and hand warmers and hot bread in the winter. Sometimes a group makes posters and goes to local police and fire stations to say thank you. We often have groups that visit nursing homes and hospitals to share a smile and conversation with the patients.
One time, the small group I was leading left Post-it notes with positive messages on the windshields (挡风玻璃) of all of the vehicles in the visitors’ parking lot at the hospital. The hope was that someone who was sad or worn out after visiting a patient would be cheered up by our note.
We had spent the first part of the evening in my home, with the kids writing positive messages on their Positive notes, things like “Tomorrow is another day.” “Keep smiling.” “Things will get better.” and “Have a nice day.” One girl had curvy, beautiful handwriting and she decorated the corners of her notes with pretty multi-colored hearts.
After the kids left their notes on all those cars, one girl said to me, “We didn’t see one single person. How will we know that our notes made a difference?”
“We’ll just have to trust that they did,” I said. Normally, the kids could see the reactions of the people they were helping, and I could tell they were disappointed at the lack of interaction with people during this assignment. I wondered about it, too. Would the notes cheer anyone up, or would they be thrown away like the advertisements that are sometimes left on car windshields?
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。
One day, I noticed a post by a friend of mine on Facebook.
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It was one of our Post-it notes!
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9 . I stood at the departure gate in Boston, preparing to cross the Atlantic. Although I had made the journey countless times before, it never really got much
Now, back in Switzerland, I opened my mother’s package. It was a book of recipes; I laughed out loud as I
Make some desserts. Remember all the wonderful times we have had together, and have them now with your family.
She was telling me: we must grow up and
I hope that my girls will marry the boy next door. But wherever they may be, I hope that they will one day open my mother’s recipes. And like me, they will find a recipe for
A.closer | B.easier | C.faster | D.harder |
A.concern | B.hope | C.curiosity | D.light |
A.toy | B.gift | C.card | D.package |
A.thumbed | B.passed | C.pulled | D.broke |
A.vivid | B.empty | C.inspirational | D.complete |
A.breads | B.vegetables | C.soups | D.desserts |
A.covering | B.deleting | C.reading | D.proving |
A.froze | B.skipped | C.bled | D.ached |
A.sacrifice | B.risk | C.lead | D.compare |
A.hurts | B.repeats | C.stops | D.laughs |
A.necessary | B.ordinary | C.special | D.economical |
A.changes | B.happens | C.exists | D.matters |
A.bargain over | B.leave behind | C.take away | D.deal with |
A.headache | B.fault | C.job | D.problem |
A.life | B.perfection | C.success | D.promotion |
I’ll call him Pete because I didn’t take the time to ask his name. A nameless hero who found his way into my heart.
I had taken Robert, my eight-year-old son, to a restaurant to celebrate his birthday. Lil’ Bob, we called Robert, wore his brand-new cowboy boots into the hall, his face shining with pride and joy. This was Lil’ Bob’s special day.
We approached the counter, where Pete greeted us with a clear warmth. His brown eyes twinkled with kindness.
“Welcome,” he said with a smile. “Wow, you look happy, little fellow.” Pete brought his face close to Lil’ Bob’s level.
“I got cowboy boots,” Lil’ Bob boasted. “I picked them out myself.” Lil’ Bob lifted his right foot in the air so Pete could see the hand-stitched leather.
“Those boots look amazing, like fresh leather,” Pete said. He opened his eyes and looked directly into Lil’ Bob’s eyes. “Thank you for sharing your treasure with me.”
Lil’ Bob laughed happily at Pete’s reaction. Then, Pete returned to the register.
“What does the birthday boy want to drink? It’s on me,” Pete offered.
Lil’ Bob shuffled back and forth in excitement since soda was a rare treat in our home. Now, he could order any soda he wanted. Lil’ Bob considered the many possibilities, taking more time than a fast-food customer should. Eventually, he settled on root beer.
“Excellent choice, my friend. It’s what I would have picked myself.”
Pete’s confirmation brought a massive smile to Lil’ Bob’s face. We ordered our meals and watched as Pete assembled the drinks and food on the tray (托盘) before us. When everything was on it, I reached for the tray, but Pete said, “Let me carry it out for you.” Pete followed us to the hall as the birthday boy took a considerable amount of time picking the perfect table. Pete patiently held our tray until we were seated.
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。
“Wow, he is nice,” Lil’ Bob observed after Pete had walked away.
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Toward the end of our stay, Pete came to our table.
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