A woman remarried a man from Mexico. She already had a 16-year-old daughter named Bethany, while her husband had a 14-year-old daughter named Maria. Maria and Bethany had been in each other’s lives since they were children. Their relationship as stepsisters was good until recently.
The entire family was busy planning Maria’s Quinceanera (成人礼). The woman’s husband and his ex-wife joined forces to get her a beautiful dress to celebrate the occasion. In total, the dress cost $3,000.
Bethany made it clear that she was jealous (嫉妒的) of the party. Her mom had to make her understand that in Mexican culture, a Quinceanera was a great deal, just like how she had a sweet sixteen party. However, Bethany kept comparing her party to that of Maria’s. It was a massive issue for her, and it reflected in the way she behaved around everyone at home.
Knowing how it made Bethany feel, the mom tried to spend more time with her daughter to assure her that she wasn’t being disregarded. They even got her a lovely dress for the Quinceanera, but much cheaper than Maria’s dress.
Two weeks before the big day, Maria and Bethany got into an argument regarding the TV. Bethany retaliated (报复) against her stepsister by tearing off the back part of her Quinceanera dress. After finding out what Bethany did, everyone was angry. The mom couldn’t believe what her daughter did and quickly gave her husband and his ex-wife money to get a new dress.
The mom told Bethany that she needed to get a job to pay back the total price of the dress. It was her punishment for such an unreasonable act against her stepsister. However, Bethany claimed her mom was unfair by choosing Maria over her. This made the mom question whether she was in the wrong for giving her daughter no choice but to find a job. She wrote about the story online, hoping to get opinions from others on whether what she did was wrong.
注意：1. 续写词数应为150个左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
To her surprise, she got everybody’s support.
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____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Finding happiness in life
When John walked into the dining room in the morning, his wife Jenny and his two children, Kevin and Sophie, were sitting at the table. The atmosphere was frosty as John sat down. Sophie, who was only five years old, gave her father a weak smile. Kevin, his teenage son, didn’t look up from his food. Jenny looked at him silently with her arms folded across her chest.
“OK,” John began, “I’m sorry. I know I let everyone down yesterday.”
Kevin looked accusingly at his father. “You missed my music performance at school again! You’ve never come to see me do anything,” he said angrily.
Jenny placed a hand on John’s shoulder. “That’s true! John, you always miss family activities. The last time we had a family outing was five months ago! And I’m exhausted from all the housework.”
As he drank his coffee, John reflected on his life. He had so much to be thankful for: a successful business, a harmonious family and a lovely home. In fact, he had everything he had ever wanted, but he knew something was wrong. He had always believed that with hard work, he could make his family happy. But he realized he was failing. He was spending more time at work and less time at home. He was working in the office until late in the evening and even during weekends. When at home, he was talking on the phone with his clients or sitting in front of the computer reading or writing emails. He was neglecting his family. He hadn’t taken his wife to a nice restaurant for months. Kevin was passionate about music, but John couldn’t remember the last time he saw Kevin perform at a school concert. Sophie was growing up so fast and John had even missed her last birthday party. John realized he had become an absent husband and an absent father.
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。
Later that day, John went to work, determined to make some changes.
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Soon, John felt a big improvement in his life and work.
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“I’m not putting up a Christmas tree this year. I just don’t have the spirit,” my husband Bill’s mom said sadly over the phone.
My husband’s parents used to have a big Christmas. There were many lights in their yard, decorations hanging from the ceiling, a big well-decorated, freshly cut tree, etc. It was amazing.
But this year would be different. With Bill’s dad passing late that November, it was understandable that his mom’s holiday spirit was nonexistent. Christmas decorating had been something husband and wife had undertaken together for over fifty years, and she simply would not do it alone.
Still, it was heartbreaking to think that not even a tree would decorate their home this year. Phone calls were made to Mom and conversations were made with her children and grandchildren in order to try to bring back her holiday spirit. Yet, it was no use.
That season, every Christmas song I heard in the stores only made me sadder as I thought of the barren (荒芜的) spot in Mom’s heart. There had to be something that could be done to bring some joy back into her life.
One afternoon, while passing a discount store, I saw many fresh green tabletop trees. They were so beautiful. Then I got an idea. I walked into the store, and selected a multi-colored string of lights and many other decorations I could find. Then I grabbed the largest tree, paid for all the things and walked home with four bags in one hand and a tree in the other.
I couldn’t imagine what I looked like, out in the cold, carrying a tree for half a mile. I only knew I felt a boost in my own heart — a boost I hoped Mom would also feel when I delivered the tree to her. And I wanted her to know that if Dad had still been alive, he would have wished her to be happy. If he had seen her unhappy, he would have been sad.
When I got home, Bill saw the tree. I told him that I would give it to Mom.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
But he shook his head, saying, “I wouldn’t give this to her. She’s not going to like it…”
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Just when Bill and I secretly put the tree in Mom’s yard, the door suddenly flew open.
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Finding the Real Me
I had thought losing my job was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Losing my job was not the end of who I was but literally the beginning of discovering the real me.
It started out as one of the best days of my life, and certainly, of my career. My staff and I had been named the number one unit in our company, and I was taking them out for a celebratory lunch. Lunch was fun, the food was excellent, and the friendly atmosphere at the table made me smile. The weather was crisp, cool and sunny. I thought to myself “It just doesn’t get any better than this.” It was a perfect day!
Then came the teleconference at two o’clock as usual.
“Er, if you... if you are willing to move?” stuttered our associate director, voice trembling, “and if you cannot move, you will be given a severance package (遣散费), and ...”
How could this be happening? I felt numb, my world slowly coming to an end. My husband and family comforted me, but I was scared. Financially, I knew we would be okay. But I had worked full-time my whole life and it had become my identity — who I was and how I defined myself. I was a leader, and I felt, a good one. What would I be with that taken from me?
After sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I just casually turned on the television. A program caught my attention — a group of volunteers were helping children and hungry people all over the world. It struck me! I felt guilty knowing that even though I had lost my job, we had plenty of good, healthy food on the table every night. The words spoken by a volunteer seemed directed specifically at me — The best way to be blessed and to forget about your own problem is to help someone else. Ashamed, I realized that I had been abandoned to self-pity when I had so much to be thankful for and to do — a loving husband, beautiful children, and family and friends who needed me.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 续写部分分为两段, 每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1: I decided to cook a great meal for my family that night.
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Paragraph 2: The next morning, I announced to my family that I was going to start a cooking school for them.
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Last week, I was creating a picture book for my dad as his birthday gift. It was about our family’s grocery store (杂货店). There were lots of fruits in the store, so my pictures centered on apples, pears, grapes and any other fruit one could think of. I worked forever making each picture as perfect as possible. Every time I messed up, I started all over again, so the floor under the kitchen table was covered with half-finished drawings.
“Dad’s going to love this,” my mom said as she looked over my shoulder, “but it’s housework time now.” I was responsible for folding the clothes, and my little brother Ben, sweeping the floor. “And Amy, please remove the paper from the floor to the recycling bin in the yard when you finish your project,” my mom added.
I finished folding the clothes as fast as possible. Just as I was about to get back to the picture book, my friend Marry showed up.
“Hi, Amy! Want to go and play in the park?” she asked.
“I definitely would, but brrr…It’s freezing cold outside!”
“Exactly!” she said. “It’s the perfect weather for not getting overheated.”
That’s a cool thing about Marry. She has this way of looking on the bright side of pretty much anything.
So, we headed to the park. But as soon as we arrived there, the sky was filled with giant gray clouds and rain started pouring down. We had to go back, dripping wet.
Ben was taking out rubbish to the recycling bin when we stepped into the yard. And that’s when my heart pretty much stopped. Right there in the yard, in front of the recycling bin, was a box full of wet paper. And not just any piece of paper. That was my picture book.
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。
Paragraph 1:
“Whoa! Wait! What?” I ran to rescue my birthday book drawings.
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At that time, Marry came up to me and gave me a comforting pat on the shoulder.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________One morning Jack woke up with an aching arm. He touched it carefully with one finger. Ow! That really hurt! He climbed out of bed and put on his dressing gown(睡袍), very, very carefully. Then he went downstairs.
Mum was in the kitchen, searching for cornflakes(玉米片)in the cupboard.
“We’re out of cornflakes again,” she said, not looking round.
“Mum,” Jack began, “I think there’s something wrong with my…”
But at that moment, Lucy, Jack’s twin sister, came into the kitchen.
“Mum,” she cried, “I’m very, very ill! Very ill indeed! My stomach hurts really, really bad! I am far too sick to go to school!”
Mum was worried. She felt Lucy’s forehead. “You do feel hot. But you were fine yesterday.”
“I’m not fine now,” said Lucy. “Please, Mum. Can I go back to bed?”
Lucy didn’t even want breakfast. Jack tried to tell Mum about his arm. But Mum was too worried about Lucy.
“Please just get dressed, Jack, or you will be late for school!”
Mum stayed home to look after Lucy. Dad gave Jack a lift to school, and Jack tried to explain about his arm. “I was playing football yesterday and I hit my arm and it still hurts,” he said.
“Probably just a bruise(瘀伤),” said Dad. “I hope Lucy is better soon. She looked a bit feverish to me.”
It’s always about Lucy, thought Jack crossly.
At school, Jack had to be very careful of his arm. He had to keep it really still. Luckily he could still write with his other hand. At home, Mum was looking after Lucy. She put her back to bed and brought her a glass of warm water. She read her a story.
“How do you feel now?” she asked. “Would you like to try a little breakfast?”
“I can’t eat a thing,” said Lucy.
Mum was worried. It wasn’t like Lucy not to eat anything. She bent down to pick Lucy’s teddy bear off the floor. As she did so, she caught sight of something under the bed.
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。
A huge pile of candy wrappers(包装纸)! And an empty box!
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Mrs Smailes, the headteacher, came running to meet them. ”I think you need to go straight to hospital. Jack is there!"
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I was turning ten in the summer of 1959. On a warm evening while at the dinner table, my mother announced we were taking a trip to Niagara Falls when summer vacation started so that we could celebrate my birthday there.
It all sounded incredibly good until Mom said we would be driving to Canada. As usual, my father would do all the driving while my mother managed the directions.
I looked over at my sister,Marlene,who was three years younger than me and rolled my eyes. She giggled and did the same. It wasn’t that I didn’t like car rides - but my Dad usually took a wrong turn along the way and Mom would complain. “You were supposed to turn right according to the map like I told you, but you made a left.” My Dad would get annoyed and growl. My mother would end the conversation with “I can’t believe we’re arguing over this.” Later, they’d apologize and make up until the next wrong turn.
Driving in the car also meant I’d share the back seat with my sister, which was not part of what I considered a pleasant journey.
“Hey, can we take a plane there instead?” I asked between mouthfuls of hamburger and Frenchfries. Sometimes, when Dad had a day off from work, we would drive out to Idlewild Airport to watch the planes take off and land. I always hoped one day Pd get to sit in my own seat on one of those planes. It would be cool to get high up and then stick my head out a window. Windows on planes do open, don’t they?
“Sorry honey, maybe next time,” my mother replied as she and my father exchanged glances. I turned to my sister, hoping she’d say she wanted to get on a plane, but she stuck her tongue out at me and giggled.
Didn’t they get it? I was in desperate need of a plane ride, and I needed something cool to talk about with my friends when we got home. “Sitting in the back seat of the car sucks,” I blurted out.
“Jay!” My mother shouted. “Watch your mouth!”
“Ok, sorry, but I really wanted to go by plane.”
“This conversation’s over.” My father growled. “If you’re finished eating, go to your room.”
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。
We left two days later on Saturday morning in our car.
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l was told to wait until we checked in our bags at the airport.
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Todd was lying on the family room floor doing math homework, when he heard his mother, back from her shift at the Crafts Cottage. She was later than usual, so she must have stopped on the way home to get groceries after her work. Todd hoped so. Groceries were one of life’s good things. It was getting late, and Todd felt a bit hungry. As a matter of fact, he could hear his stomach growling. He only had some cereal for breakfast this morning. If only he could have a bite at his favorite food—the apple pie made by his mother! But it had been a while since she made desserts for them, for she had been much occupied recently.
His mother came into the family room and clicked off the TV. Todd looked at Amy, who was so lost in her book that she didn’t seem to notice their mother’s presence in the room. But their father, dozing (打瞌睡) on the couch with the remote in his hand, came awake with a guilty startle (惊吓).
“David, Todd, Amy.” Quiet voices could sound so much more threatening than shouting ones. “I need you to come into the kitchen. Now!”
Amy put her book down then, and the three of them dragged their feet into the kitchen. If they had tails, they would have been tucked (藏住) between their legs.
“Look at this place.” Todd’s mother said.
It was bad: newspapers in an untidy heap on the table, dirty dishes everywhere, an empty milk carton standing on the counter next to spilled cereal left over from breakfast, and two bags of groceries his mom had just carried in from the car.
“I want this cleaned up. I want these groceries put away. I want a decent meal represented on the table in sixty minutes. Call me when it’s ready. I’m going to be upstairs soaking in a hot tub.” Then she was gone.
Paragraph 1
Todd, Amy and their father quickly got down to work.
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Paragraph 2
After their discussion, they were ready to make dinner.
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As long as I can remember, it is more than 5 years since Dad left us, whom we missed very much. And what we are supposed to do now is accompany Mum very well, caring for her as much as possible. Mum cherishes everything from Dad, especially the thing that gives her a beautiful memory.
Yesterday, after telling my brother Rhys, and me to stop playing like wild animals, Mum went to take a bath. We were having a pillow fight when suddenly one hit a vase. Mum heard the loud crash. Wasting no time, she went wiping into the room. I was sure that she was going to shout at us, but instead she just knelt by the pieces and began to cry.
This made Rhys and me feel pretty awful. We went over and put our arms around her, and she explained to us why she was so upset. In the pieces lay a broken glass rose, one pedal(花瓣) gone, which was given by Dad on their first wedding and anniversary. Dad had said that if he ever forgot to bring flowers home for an anniversary in the future. Mum was to look at that one. It was like their love: it would last a lifetime.
We began crying, and offered to glue it. But Mum said that wouldn’t really fix. Now that it had been broken, the value of the “limited edition” had reduced. As Mum slowly began to pick up the mess, we tried everything we could think of to cheer her up, but even our best funny faces didn’t work. Everything was picked up. Tears kept coming down her cheeks.
Paragraph 1
Seeing Mum going back to the bath, I stopped her.
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Paragraph 2
Mum hugged me very tightly and finally smiled.
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Shoveling the snow had always been the best part about winter. Not that I thought it was fun, but my dad’s reaction to a clean driveway kept me going. He hated shoveling snow more than anything. So, I took it upon myself at eight years old to do it for him. Every time I saw snow fall from the sky, I knew the universe was ready to put me to work.
I would run and put on my jacket, snow boots to prepare myself for the work ahead. But every single time, before I went outside, I would stop by my older sister’s room to see if she wanted to help me. I knew she would say no, but I always asked anyway.
One day there was a lot of snow, and there was no way I would be able to clean it all up myself. It was getting dark, and I hated the thought of my dad having to shovel the snow after a long day of work. So I did the routine and knocked on my sister’s door. As I expected, she gave me the same old “no”. Annoyed, I asked again. Without saying anything further, she got up, pushed me out of the room and slammed (平地关上) the door in my face.
I stood there silently for a second. Then, I turned around, went out of the house, and set out in the cold to tackle the enemy that lay in my driveway. But I couldn’t calm down. I was really angry that she would leave me to battle this alone. All I wanted was some help. The more I remembered every “no” she had ever said to me, the angrier I became.
I fought tirelessly, my short arms swinging from side to side while the wind cut against my cheeks. After one long hour, I was not even halfway done. Looking at the victorious snow, I thought of Dad’s disappointment.
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。
Feeling bitter and desperate, I couldn’t stop my tears.
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My sister and I went outside.
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