I used to play football when I was a little kid. Okay, let’s face it. I was never really a little kid. I was so big that I got to play football a whole year ahead of my friends. Our football league didn’t have an age limit, but it had a weight requirement. If you were heavy enough, you got to play. I was heavy enough at the age of eight.
The only problem was, by the time I turned ten I was too heavy. You had to weigh a certain amount to start playing, but if you weighed too much they made you stop. Not playing would be just fine with me. I would be happier sitting at home reading a book.
Dad was one of the team’s big sponsors and friends of the coach, so I figured I would let him down and that quitting wasn’t an option. I went, day after day, and week after week... until I was eleven and weighed more than two hundred pounds. I thought that would be the end of it, once and for all.
However, my coach came up with a bright idea to help me lose weight. The very next practice he presented me with a T-shirt made out of a black garbage bag. “Put it on,” he said, pointing out the holes for my head and arms. “Start running around the practice field.” “Koop going, Fireplug (消防栓),” other players would shout. “Fireplug” was the new name they gave me. Although no one ever explained it to me, I figured it had something to do with me being shaped like it.
Every day in practice, I had to run in that stupid garbage bag. My short fat legs weren’t exactly comfortable, and often I’d trip and fall. The other players would laugh. At that moment, I asked myself, “Why? Was I being punished for something? Wasn’t the running, sweating and pain enough?” I suddenly realized that I’d been knocking myself out for something I didn’t even want to do in the first place!
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
It was then that I decided I wouldn’t play football anymore.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Much to my surprise, my dad was on my side.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When we were finally dismissed from the last class of the day, the students streamed out of the classrooms. It was another boring day after school. I dragged my feet home as I sighed. Yet another uneventful day, I thought. Little did I know that the day would take a turn for the worse.
The lift lobby (电梯间) of my flat was old and dirty. The walls, which were painted white, had been dirtied over many years. I reached my flat’s lobby, and pressed the lift button and went in. Just then, Mrs Lim, my elderly neighbour, hobbled (蹒跚) in. She looked ancient with tissue paper white hair, wearing a faded old-fashioned dress. I held the lift door open, flashing a friendly smile, and politely greeted her. I asked her how she felt that day and pressed the buttons. She thanked me for being so polite, then we were silent for the rest of the ride.
The lift fell down increasingly fast. There were loud clanking sounds here and there while the lift grew slower and slower. My heart beat hard and fast as my hands turned cold and wet with sweat. Unfortunately, the lift came to an abrupt stop at the fifth floor. I pressed the buttons hard several times, but it was of no help. The lights on the buttons had gone out. It soon dawned on me that we were trapped. An icy fear crept up my spine. Mrs Lim was hysterical (歇斯底里).
“We will never get out!” she cried with her face pale. It had become a colourless mask. I had no time to lose. I pressed the bell in the lift immediately. The sound was surely deafening, but what other choice did I have? Mrs Lim burst into tears. I tried my very best to comfort her, telling her that everything would be all right and that we needed to find out how to get out safely. Mrs Lim began having trouble breathing, and I immediately helped her sit down and loosened her collar.
Paragraph 1: Several minutes passed, but no help came.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2: Bang! My hopes were lifted when I heard the firefighters on the other side of the lift door.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Our three kids were all under age five. We’d recently moved to the suburbs, and I’d stopped working to be a stay-at-home mom. Most of our friends lived outside our immediate community and didn’t have children. This all added up to a nonexistent social life for my husband and me.
I needed to fix this, so I became a room parent in my son’s kindergarten class, partly to spend time with him, but also to make more friends within the school community. I also signed my son up for weekend soccer. While those activities gave me the opportunity to socialize with other moms, it was challenging to cultivate friendships. I only saw my fellow room parents a few times a -year, usually during class parties. On the soccer sidelines, I found it impossible to watch the game, keep track of my young children, and maintain conversations with other parents at the same time.
I desired deeper interactions with the smart, interesting moms I saw around school. But we all led busy lives. How could I make this happen?
“You should throw a party,” suggested a friend who happened to be a professional event planner. “I can’t do that. I don’t really know these women,” I replied quickly. I hardly even had my closest friends over to my house. The thought of hosting an adult party terrified me.
“Just invite a few people that you’ve talked to and ask them to bring along a friend. You’ll meet even more people that way. It will be fun,” my event-planner friend said. I ran this idea by my husband, and I was certain he’d agree it wouldn’t work. “Great idea,” he said. “I’ll stay upstairs with the kids, and the party can take place on the main floor.”
I picked a date and set up an electronic invitation, making a guest list of moms from my son’s soccer team, my fellow room moms, and a few other moms I’d started saying “hi” to at school pick-up. But I didn’t hit Send. I started to talk myself out of it. There were so many reasons this wouldn’t work.
注意：1. 续写词数为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
With four mess makers in my household, I imagined many “what ifs”.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________But you know what? Everyone showed up.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4 . My grandchild, Harold, was celebrating his 7th birthday. Asked what
Harold remembered me telling of these
I followed the
As I presented the perfectly crafted fudge to Harold, his eyes sparkled with
| A．colour | B．gift | C．plan | D．game |
| A．did | B．witnessed | C．bought | D．considered |
| A．stick | B．pie | C．candy | D．soup |
| A．changes | B．failures | C．thrills | D．hardships |
| A．fact | B．reason | C．belief | D．theory |
| A．complained | B．resisted | C．persisted | D．agreed |
| A．story | B．recipe | C．grandson | D．thought |
| A．avoided | B．regretted | C．enjoyed | D．kept |
| A．scary | B．interesting | C．amazing | D．awkward |
| A．quiet | B．proper | C．regular | D．difficult |
| A．ahead | B．late | C．fine | D．wrong |
| A．joy | B．intelligence | C．humor | D．inspiration |
| A．stood for | B．weighed on | C．struck at | D．washed over |
| A．education | B．involvement | C．growth | D．fun |
| A．interruption | B．request | C．answer | D．pleasure |
My dad believed in responsibility! Independence! New experiences! He often used his fascinating stories of his youth to urge us children to fresh achievements.
One day he came home from work early and saw me watching a local TV show-Talent Sprouts, a daily contest for kids fourteen and under. Four performances filled the half hour from 5:00 to 5:30.You might watch anything from a violin solo to a magic show. At the end the performers were spot lighted, and KMTV’s judges named a winner.
It didn’t take Daddy long to look me in the eye. “You should go on Talent Sprouts. You can play ‘Ave Maria.’ Think of it-an unforgettable experience to be on TV as an eleven-year-old!” Before I argued, he had been already off on his story of the hilarious(滑稽的) glory of his performance. Thus, though I didn’t want to, I agreed. Actually, I did know Schubert’s “Ave Maria” a very easy version that used two hands to simplify those famous arpeggios(琶音). I did have it memorized.
The next morning, I mailed my application with the required information. I had almost forgotten about it when the notice came for an audition time on a Saturday afternoon. Daddy said part of being independent and responsible was to go by myself. The bus went right by the KMTV studios.
So that Saturday I checked in at the desk and sat down to wait. I was soon called. The host of Talent Sprouts, Lew Jeffrey, and the musical director, Warren Rudd described the routine for the participants and told me I could begin to play my piano piece.
Into the eighth measure(小节) I noticed Warren Rudd nod to Lew Jeffrey. That gave me confidence, and I relaxed. Daddy was over the moon when I told him I had been assigned a day to perform less than two weeks away. Still, I had very little confidence in my talent. I knew I had an easy arrangement. I could never have played Schubert’s original.
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。
Paragraph 1:
When my Monday came, I again took the bus to KMTV alone and waited.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:
Somehow my brain went to work and I continued playing.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . I remember it was a Saturday. I was invited to my friend’s birthday party.
I asked her “Did your mum drive you here?” She answered, “Oh, my mum was
Later on, she told us what had happened the day her mother died. “I came home,
The girl said that she went to sleep that night with
I was so
| A．On | B．For | C．After | D．Between |
| A．patiently | B．closely | C．deeply | D．directly |
| A．expectation | B．greeting | C．company | D．praise |
| A．different | B．distant | C．common | D．similar |
| A．mad | B．ill | C．lost | D．dead |
| A．embarrassed | B．excited | C．nervous | D．grateful |
| A．Since | B．Before | C．As | D．Although |
| A．questioning | B．hitting | C．blaming | D．missing |
| A．aim | B．regret | C．anger | D．stress |
| A．crazy | B．awake | C．calm | D．happy |
| A．attracted | B．frightened | C．influenced | D．moved |
| A．hands | B．legs | C．shoulders | D．arms |
| A．excuse | B．tear | C．smile | D．notice |
| A．protect | B．support | C．fight | D．honor |
| A．thus | B．besides | C．however | D．even |
7 . I’ve just moved out to live with my best friend. We rented a house which had no
One day after we moved in, we learned there was an
In conversation we knew he had come from a
| A．electricity | B．sunlight | C．fridge | D．furniture |
| A．go on | B．do without | C．give up | D．calm down |
| A．unwanted | B．informal | C．inexpensive | D．uncomfortable |
| A．managed | B．chose | C．struggled | D．expected |
| A．direction | B．go | C．case | D．line |
| A．witnessed | B．forecast | C．confirmed | D．recorded |
| A．hurriedly | B．constantly | C．carefully | D．secretly |
| A．hurry | B．way | C．reason | D．doubt |
| A．attempts | B．decisions | C．plans | D．trips |
| A．cover | B．decorate | C．hide | D．repair |
| A．reached | B．checked | C．returned | D．hesitated |
| A．privileged | B．rural | C．loving | D．disadvantaged |
| A．meaningful | B．influential | C．risky | D．tough |
| A．offering | B．seizing | C．creating | D．discovering |
| A．wonderful | B．strange | C．different | D．common |
8 . When I was 16， I wanted to buy an album(专辑)from my favorite band,but I could
This led me to search for work opportunities in my neighborhood, and I was
My first job was to
However, my desire for material possessions did not end there. I later set my
After many days of working, I
Ever since that day, I have come to
| A．slightly | B．barely | C．roughly | D．nearly |
| A．out of nowhere | B．out of condition | C．out of question | D．out of work |
| A．assigned | B．directed | C．ordered | D．referred |
| A．decorate | B．guard | C．tend | D．water |
| A．pull out | B．rule out | C．sort out | D．take out |
| A．awesome | B．creative | C．tiresome | D．urgent |
| A．band | B．collection | C．edition | D．patent |
| A．breeze | B．current | C．spring | D．wind |
| A．ambition | B．curiosity | C．sights | D．tastes |
| A．personal | B．prized | C．previous | D．practical |
| A．charged | B．gathered | C．invested | D．withdrew |
| A．dug | B．struggled | C．sweated | D．wandered |
| A．lack | B．lose | C．want | D．deserve |
| A．accept | B．appreciate | C．evaluate | D．enjoy |
| A．come into | B．fall into | C．go into | D．put into |
This time, Mat and I set our climbing destination as Mount Baker in Washington. According to the weather forecast (预报), it was to be clear skies that day. We left the foot of the mountain at 6 p.m., aiming to reach the top at sunrise. As we traveled for four hours, the weather turned to a mix of rolling ice and rain. Shouting over the wind, we discussed turning around. But I thought back to the forecast I had checked just before leaving and believed the weather would clear up at any minute.
It didn’t. We pushed our own way through the deepening snow. At some points, the snow was up to our upper legs. We were further behind schedule with each step.
“I’ve made it to the top,” I shouted loudly to Mat over my radio. He was only 7 meters away on the other end of the rope but unable to see or hear me through the heavy snow. He joined me at the top for 20 seconds — the temperature was well below zero — before we began the 4,000-foot journey downhill.
We then reached the edge of the mountain after 5 hours (it takes about an hour and a half in good weather), unroped, and removed some of our climbing equipment, happy to be on the mountain without much difficulty ahead. And in that moment of relief, I slipped (滑倒).
Standing on a seemingly good block of snow, I started to slide. I did a textbook self-stop with my ice ax (冰镐), but the snow had started to melt (融化), and I couldn’t get any hold on anything. I slid for about 15 meters, all the while thinking I’d soon come to a stop. A few seconds later I hit a rock and got thrown into the air. A huge crack on the ground came into view below me. Then, in an instant, I felt like I was being pushed with great force onto its rock bottom 9 meters down.
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。
At least I stopped, I thought.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________After 30 minutes Mat arrived on a nearby rock and found me.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A Foothold in Life
A dozen children ran around laughing and playing in my friend’s yard, while we parents sat chatting and sipping cool summer drinks. The barbecue had been cleared away when our host announced a surprise. A huge movable rock wall was loaded in, which was about twelve feet wide, made of gray molded plastic with indented footholds that stretched straight up for what looked like at least a hundred feet. The enthusiastic kids swiftly lined up to give it a try, and with the complete fearlessness most children possess, scrambled to the top and rang the bell that hung at the highest point. There wasn’t really anything to be afraid of since they were belted into place. Three people could climb side by side and talk to each other, so gradually the adults tried it, too.
“Come on; let’s go get in line,” my husband Neil urged. “No, you go ahead without me.” I had all sorts of good excuses: I don’t have the right shoes; I forgot my sunglasses; I have to help the hostess. I have a unique talent for seeing unthinkable danger in almost every situation, and this scene seemed dangerous to me. I watched everyone else having fun, though, and finally convinced myself to try it.
With all the nerve I could gather, I started the climb. The belt wrapped around me like a diaper so there was no way to fall. Yes, I thought, this is fun and safe! Concentrating on each foothold, I slowly made my way up. I avoided looking down to prevent any sudden panic, and within a few minutes I made it to the top and proudly rang the bell.
“Woo hoo!” my daughters called up to me. “Way to go, Col!” Neil yelled.
I enjoyed my success and the enjoyable view of fields and farmland until I realized there was a line below me waiting for a turn. It was time to go 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。
It was one thing to look out at the world in the distance, but it was a whole other thing to look straight down.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finally, the two of us reached the ground.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
