After retiring, I had time to clean the storeroom. The old doors were hard to open, like I was unsure about my new life. Inside, it was a mess, with old belongings from years ago and even a family of foxes had lived there.
I pulled on work gloves, then moved a box of motor oil out of the way, intending to clear some space. I reached all the way back, and my hand hit something hard. What could that be? I pulled out a round metal tin (罐). With one finger, I cleared a thick coating of dirt from the top to uncover a green background with white flowers. Could the tin hold a hidden treasure?
Little by little, I removed the cover until it suddenly came off and fell to the ground. I held my breath. Inside were several yellowed envelopes. I opened one, and a sense of despair swept through me.
Just then, my wife Peg walked in. “What’s that?”
“Seeds (种子),” I said. Nothing but seeds.
Peg came over to examine the tin’s contents. “Look, here’s a letter.” She held up a faded envelope with a three-cent stamp and a postmark of May 13, 1940. Before I was born! The letter was addressed to the original owner of our house.
“‘I am sending you the seeds of the hibiscus (木槿) you admired when you stopped at our tourist home last year,’” Peg read. “‘Plant when the ground becomes warm, and do not be alarmed if they do not come up for several weeks — they are slow to grow.’”
“Huh,” I said. “Eighty years old. I wonder if they’ll still grow?” I had several hanging pots and a few flower beds, but I was no expert. I took a plastic box where I’d planted potatoes, shook the hibiscus seeds out of the envelope, pushed them into the soil and set the box in the sun.
“What are my chances?” I asked my neighbor, an experienced gardener. “Not very good,” he said, “but maybe… if they were packed right and kept dry and dark.”
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。
With the seeds planted, I checked the box every day, eager for any sign of life.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Just when I was about to give up, something astonishing happened.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________No one is born a winner. People make themselves into winners by their own efforts. I learned this lesson from an experience many years ago. I took the head coaching job at a school in Baxley, Georgia. It was a small school with a weak football program. The school took part in the league matches every year. However, it never ended well. We were more of the audience, watching and cheering instead of sweating out in the fields.
Fortunately, the school held the tradition that the school’s old team was to play against the new team at the end of spring practice. For lack of resources, the old team bad no coach, and they didn’t even practice to prepare for the game.
I was assigned (指派) as the coach of the new team, which was why I was excited. I believed that we were going to win, but to my disappointment, we were defeated. I couldn’t believe I had got into such a situation. Thinking hard about it, I tried to figure out the reason and what I should do next.
It didn’t take long before I came to realize that my team was depending on me. Without proper guidance or previous experience, my team was at a loss what to do. I had to change my attitude so that I could bring out the best in them about their ability and potential.
I would let my action do the talking. First, I started doing anything I could to help them build a little pride. I could see their spirits lifted, with their head held high in great confidence. Most importantly, I began to treat them like winners. Only when they regarded themselves as winners could they willingly invest time and energy.
This summer, the other teams enjoyed their vacations.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Six months later, football season started.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________In common with many other women, I was crazy about shopping. Whenever I came across something I liked, I had a strong desire to take it home. As a result, I spent a lot of money buying piles of things that I didn’t really need. My husband sometimes tried to persuade me to buy less and live a simpler life, but I wouldn’t listen. To me, shopping was more than a hobby. It made me delighted and relaxed.
However, one day when I stayed at home looking around my house, I realized that my own cherished knickknacks (小摆件) had become dust collectors. My treasures had overtaken my home, the furniture was closing in on me, and I had piles of clothing. Some of them had never been worn before. My home had become a prison instead of a heaven. It was then that I realized my hobby had become a sweet burden for me. It’s high time that I should make a change!
At first, making the decision proved easier than carrying it out. I’d come home from work, stand in the doorway, and gaze at my paintings, favorite chair, and dolls. I would delicately hold and admire a fine tea set that, until now, I had long stopped noticing on the shelf. My doll collection was the biggest trouble. Getting rid of these toy babies I had purposely chosen and lovingly displayed on shelves for so many years felt like a family betrayal (背叛) Even though the dolls had “certificates of authenticity (防伪证明), and some were signed by the artists, it didn’t feel right to sell them. Having no idea what to do with these dolls, I turned to my husband for help.
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。
Paragraph1：After talking with my husband I made a decision that something special needed to be done.
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Paragraph2：After that experience, I couldn’t wait to get rid of the rest of my belongings.
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It is strange how a single moment can change a person’s life. It is incredible how one simple act of love can forever change one’s soul.
My adult son walked to the table this morning for breakfast. He opened his arms to me, saying, “Good morning, Mom. I love you!” I opened my arms, too, responding, “Good morning, honey. I love you, too!” And I gave him a big hug just like I do every morning. Just at this time, a beautiful memory from many years ago came back to me.
My Italian grandmother who lived in countryside liked hugging very much when I was a girl. But my mom had studied in the city and grown up in a more reserved environment. My mom hugged me sometimes, but less often as I grew into my teenage years. My dad also seemed to follow the gender roles of the day back then and didn’t hug me much as I got older. By the time I was a teenager, I didn’t hug anyone else except my grandmother.
I clearly remembered that when I was sixteen, I left on a trip with a group of boys to tour a college in the middle west America. As we entered the college, we were greeted there by an old professor. He was over six and a half feet tall with huge arms and a powerful voice. And as he greeted us, he gave each one of us a huge hug. When my turn came, I felt scared but stepped forward and hugged him back. I felt warmth in my heart as he shared his loving kindness. I felt peace and joy in my spirit as well. It was amazing.
Later that day, I began to wonder why I had ever stopped giving and receiving hugs when they brought so much joy. When my children were born, I decided to never stop hugging them and telling them I loved them, no matter how old they grew. As time went by, my children got used to my hugs and they learned to offer to hug me and others.
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 posted the story of my hug on the Internet.
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Then I started a “Hug Me” activity with my friends.
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Kindness is everywhere in our life. Some of us are just thankful and some help a lot.
When browsing Wechat or other apps, there must be a few people asking for help like ''Oh, I forgot to bring my book back, can you take a picture on the text?'' It's nothing at all for us to do more than lifting a finger, but most times, many people chose to turn off their phones or pretend that they didn't see the note. There will be somebody who answer him somehow, but he doesn't need to be me. Thinking of that, we won't be sorry for him.
But when we're really in need, it's such a kindness of him to reply quickly.
It was a beautiful sunny spring day. I had just finished driving my daughter to the airport to catch an early morning flight. My sons and I then went to a fast food restaurant for breakfast before heading back home. After eating we all got into the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
The restaurant was at the very top of a hill. At the bottom of the hill was a stop sign so we found ourselves at the end of a long line of traffic waiting while the cars at the bottom turned onto the main road one at a time.
As I looked down to the bottom of the hill my eyes saw an elderly man standing by the stop sign. His clothes were old and worn. He held a cardboard sign with the words:''Need Help Please!'' written on it.
My heart went out to him and I imagined myself in his situation.
As car after car turned onto the road without stopping for him. I reached for my wallet to look for whatever cash was left in it.
注意：1. 所续写的短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 至少使用5个短文中标注下划线的关键词语；
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。
Paragragh 1:
As I was pulling it out of my pocket, though, I saw a young woman walk up to him along the side of the road.
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Paragragh 2:
A choice is such a powerful thing.
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As a father, I was always seeking for opportunities to teach my son how to balance risk with freedom.
Last month, I bought four little chicks. I decided to make a beautiful coop (鸡笼) for them.
In the next few weeks, I, together with my son Gordon, spent all our spare time in the garage. Finally, the coop was finished.
While admiring his well-made handwork, Gordon suddenly raised his head and asked,
“Dad, shall we lock the chicks in the coop all the time? I am afraid they will be attacked by some fierce animals or become someone’s chicken soup?” Seeing his anxious look, I cracked a smile and asked, “Do you want to be trapped in a limited room or have the freedom to get around?” Hesitant for a while, he murmured, “Freedom, of course.” “Chicks will also think so.” Therefore, our chicks were often seen chasing around in the lawns (草坪), digging for bugs in the bushes and laying eggs in the yard.
Yesterday, we needed to go downtown to shop for food supply after lunch. Knowing that the chicks wouldn’t go very far, we left home with them running around the lawn. When we got back, the first thing Gordon did was to check on his chicks. There were only three chicks in the yard. Their feathers were no longer fair and smooth but dirty and tangled (乱糟糟的). Hearing our steps, they jumped to their feet and scattered in all directions, seeming to have just experienced a terrifying disaster. Worse still, Pecky, Gordon’s favourite chick was nowhere to be found.
We searched the yard inch by inch and found some feathers littering the yard. Seeing this, Gordon’s eyes got watery. I picked Gordon up and comforted him. As we began to accept the fact that we were now a three-chick family, we heard it---a soft clucking (咯咯声) sound under a bush.
Para 1: I put Gordon down and we looked under the bush.
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Para 2: The next day Gordon offered to have a talk with me.
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That night, I quarreled with my mother, then stormed out of the house. While on the road, I remembered that I did not have any money in my pocket, I did not even take my cell phone with me to make a call home. At the same time, when I wept through a noodle shop. picking up the sweet fragrance, I suddenly felt very hungry. I wished for a bowl of noodles, but I had no money!
The seller saw me standing before the counter and asked, “Hey, little girl, you want to eat a bow!?”
“But. . . but I do not carry money. ”I shyly replied.
“Okay, I’ll treat you.” The seller said, “come in, I will cook you a bowl.”
A few minutes later the owner brought me a steaming bowl of noodles. After eating some pieces, I cried.
“What is it?” He asked.
“Nothing. I am just touched by your kindness!” I said as I wiped my tears. “Even a stranger on the street gives me a bowl of noodles, and my mother, after a quarrel, chased me out of the house. She is sure!”
The seller sighed, “Girl, why did you think so? Think again. I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you felt that way. Your mother has been taking care of you since you were little, why were you not grateful and why did you hurt your mom?”
I was really surprised after hearing that.
Why did I not think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel indebted, and my mother has raised me since I was little and I have never felt so, not even a little.
On the way home, I thought in my head what I would say to my mother when I arrived home: “Mom, I’m sorry. I know it is my fault, please forgive me. . .”
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上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:
Once up the steps, I saw my mother sitting at the dinner table, worried and tired.
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Paragraph 2
In life it’s sometimes easy for us to appreciate the small actions of some strangers around us.
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