A “Hearty” Welcome
Chase counted his gifts one more time as he put a small toy into each envelope. “Twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two.”
“Do you have one for everyone in your class?” Mom asked.
“Yep! I’m ready for the Children’s Day party tomorrow!” Chase said.
When Chase got to school the next day, he saw a new girl in his classroom. She stood near Ms Robins and looked around shyly.
“This is Eva,” said Ms, Robins, “Will someone volunteer to show her around today?”
Chase raised his hand. He liked showing the new kids around and helping them feel welcome.“Thanks, Chase,” Ms. Robins said, “Now let’s get busy with our work so we’re done in time for the party.” That’s when Chase realized he didn’t have a present for Eva. No one else would have one either. Chase pictured his classmates’ desks covered with gifts of toys, candies and pencils while Eva’s desk was empty. He felt sad.
During the break, he was careful not to mention the party as he showed Eva around the playground. At lunchtime, he walked Eva to the lunchroom, still worried about what would happen at the party. As the lunch server placed a heart-shaped cake on Chase’s tray, Chase suddenly remembered that kids often included heart-shaped paper cards with the gifts they exchanged. On the paper cards, kids would like to write their sweet wishes. As he sat down at his table, an idea popped into his head.
When they were back to the classroom after lunch, Chase told Ms. Robins about their plan. Ms. Robins smiled. “That’s very thoughtful,” she said, “Let’s go for it.”
During math time, Chase invited Eva to work at a math station with him. He made sure Eva sat with her back to the room so she wouldn’t notice her new classmates passing around a big paper heart that Ms. Robins had just created.
注意：1. 续写词数为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡相应位置作答。
When Chase got back to his seat, he found the paper heart in his desk.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________During the party, Chase saw the sad look on Eva’s face.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Since the age of seven, I had always dreamed of being one of the student leaders who we looked up to. They took responsibility for us, gave instructions, organized school activities, and proudly wore their badges(徽章) while carrying our school flag and walking on the playground. They represented us and gave speeches on school issues, becoming our role models.
As I grew older, I finally can take part in the school elections. I prepared my election speech and on the day of the speeches, everyone voted. I was hopeful and prayed for a victory. However, the following morning when we gathered on the school grounds for the head-teacher’s announcement of the results, reality hit me hard. I realized that I had no chance of winning—was neither well known nor too pretty. I became depressed and felt as though I had no friends supporting me.
Later that day, as I cried in my room, I took a deep breath and decided to change my attitude. I refused to see myself as a failure and made a determination to run for the school elections again the following year—this time, with a plan to win. I sat down at my study table and wrote down my thoughts.
Although my competitors had certain advantages such as their stylish personalities, I recognized my own advantages—good grades, friendliness, helpfulness, and most importantly, my faith in myself to be a great leader. With a whole year ahead, I began to plan my election strategies that evening.
To gain recognition(认可) and show my ability to represent my fellow students, I started making new friends and helping them at school. Besides, I attended a public speaking course to learn how to give a great election speech. By the time the elections came around, I was well-prepared, and I gave a passionate speech on the stage.
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。
The following day, I anxiously waited for the results.
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Later, I realized that I had achieved far more than what I had expected.
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The annual campus singing competition was around the corner, and posters covered the school walls, urging students to show their vocal talents. At the sight of the posters, Emma’s mind went back to that fateful day when she faced an expectant audience, their eyes fixed on her, eager to hear her sing. But as she brought the microphone to her lips, a surprising silence surrounded her. The microphone was out of function. Immediately panic surged (涌现) through her like a sudden thunderstorm, leaving her at a loss under the spotlight. The song that should have filled the room with her pleasant voice remained unsung. Then having a spare microphone didn’t prevent Emma’s performance from being influenced, resulting in her failure to secure a place.
Emma had been fond of singing from a young age and music used to be part of her life. But this deep love for singing had been overshadowed by that awful memory.
Emma paused as her eyes fell on the singing club’s invitation. She considered it for a moment. The wounds of the past still hurt. Then she finally ignored the posters and the bold advertisements as she always did. She still had no courage to overcome the barrier and step forward.
Then, on a rainy afternoon, just after a shower, something magical happened. A poor butterfly, whose shinny wings were burdened by raindrops, fell on Emma’s desk through the open window. The downpour had weighed down its delicate wings, making it temporarily unable to fly. This poor little creature caught Emma’s attention.
With a gentle touch, Emma’s finger reached out and softly brushed the butterfly, as if guided by a wave of compassion (同情). She whispered some soft words of encouragement, “You can do it.” Surprisingly, the butterfly responded to her support with determination, tirelessly waving its wings. After several attempts, the delicate creature finally took flight, dancing gracefully into the open skies.
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。
The sight of the butterfly’s struggle left Emma deeply moved.
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The day of the competition arrived.
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ALICE IN WONDERLAND is my favorite story of all time. And acting is my number one passion. At my old school, Poulsbo Elementary, I’d starred in every play from third grade on. Before that, gymnastics was my thing. But then I played my first role as Tinkerbell in Peter Pan. And after that, backflips just couldn’t compare.
So, when my teacher announced during my first week at Newland Elementary that we’d be performing Alice in Wonderland for the school play, I practically squealed out loud with excitement. I’d always wanted to play the role of Alice!
However, a week later, Mrs. Pearson announced, “The role of Alice goes to Denise Taylor!” My head buzzed. My stomach churned. But I clapped along with everyone else and pasted a fake smile on my face. It took Mrs. Pearson forever to get to my name. When she finally did, she read, “Hazel, Tyler, and Ella — hedgehogs!” She announced this as if we’d just won a million dollars. But the hedgehogs had no lines! They just got batted around with croquet mallets (槌球棒) and then disappeared forever.
Mrs. Pearson called the hedgehogs up after class. “Hedgehogs,” she said, “your roles are going to be a lot of fun! You might also consider helping out with our costumes! Go to the school storage room and get creative!” Mrs. Pearson looked at us expectantly. I snuck a glance at the other two. Ella looked as if she were about to cry. Tyler looked as if he’d just eaten a piece of moldy cheese.
THE NEXT DAY we went to school storage room, while we were picking up the costumes, Ella had one hand against the wall and appeared to be doing ballet warmups. “I really wanted to be the Queen of Hearts,” she said, raising her left leg so that it was almost parallel to her body. I remembered hearing that she danced the Nutcracker every year. “Yeah, well I wanted to be the Cheshire Cat,” said Tyler, as he pulled a fake gold crown out of the costume trunk. Then he did this cool backward turn, where he ended up bowing in front of us as he took the crown off and held it to his chest. Both of these guys seemed like really good dancers.
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:
Suddenly I had an idea. “Guys, I know what we should do,” I said.
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Paragraph 2:
“That was fantastic, hedgehogs!” Mrs. Pearson said. “Where did you learn to dance like that?
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Grace and Ellen, both promising in their school’s dance competition, were fierce competitors. They both had great passion for dancing and dreamed for bigger stages. They were both friends and competitors. They had similar taste in music, and had similar dressing styles. Even they wore shoes of the same size. They had both committed themselves to preparing for the upcoming contest.
Grace’s journey to the competition was marked by countless hours of practice and determination. She would rise before the sun, and the studio lights were her only company. Every movement was perfected with unwavering commitment. She knew that this competition wasn’t just about personal success; it was also about upholding her school’s honor. “Grace, you’re incredible!” Grace’s dance instructor, Mrs. Anderson, often praised her. “Your hard work will pay off.”
Ellen had been practicing hard for this competition as well. Her love for dance was her driving force. After school, she would head straight to the dance studio, tirelessly perfecting every step and twirl. Her dance shoes had become an extension of her feet, and her heart burned with a strong desire for victory. “Ellen, you’re a natural,” her fellow dancers would often say. “You’ve got this!”
The day of the competition finally arrived, and there were five competitors fighting for the championship title. Ellen was scheduled to perform before Grace.
As Ellen stood backstage, the butterflies in her stomach seemed to have turned into a whirlwind (漩涡). She checked her dance shoes one last time and realized a huge mistake. The shoes themselves were a size too small—It turned out she took her little sister’s shoes by mistake. Panic set in as her mind raced for g solution.
“Ellen, you’re up next!” the stage manager announced.
In the dimly lit (灰暗的) backstage area, Grace overheard Ellen’s whispers to her friend, Sarah.
“I brought the wrong shoes, Sarah,” Ellen’s voice trembled (颤抖). “They are too small. What am I going to do?”
Grace’s heart sank as she overheard the conversation.
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右：
2. 请在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Grace knew her shoes would fit Ellen perfectly, but she hesitated.
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Tears of gratitude welled up in Ellen’s eyes as she slipped into Grace’s shoes.
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Mya finished playing a Christmas carol (颂歌) and looked up at her piano teacher. “You played that very well,” Ms. Jackson said. “How would you like to join some of the other students and play carols at the shopping center this Saturday afternoon?”
“I can’t,” Mya said quickly.
“Lots of kids are shy,” Ms. Jackson said, “but the best way to overcome your fear of playing in public is by actually doing what scares you. Remember, our art festival is going to be right after Christmas. You’ll have to play in front of an audience then. Playing at the shopping center this weekend would be great practice.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t be there,” Mya went on. “My great-grandmother invited my family to the Christmas party at her retirement community that afternoon.”
Mya didn’t add that she was relieved to have an excuse not to have to play at the shopping center. The thought of playing piano with so many people around made her stomach clench into a knot.
On Saturday morning, as Mya helped Mom and Dad wrap presents for Great-Grandma, she thought about her friends playing the piano at the shopping center. She pictured hundreds of shoppers hanging around and listening while going from store to store. Some of them would take breaks from shopping to sit on benches and watch the piano players. “I’m so glad I won’t be there,” she thought to herself.
When Mya and her parents arrived at the retirement community, they greeted Great-Grandma with hugs and wishes for a merry Christmas. Mrs. Carmen, the party activities director, showed a short holiday movie first. Then they played games, and the residents opened their gifts.
“We usually end by singing Christmas carols,” Mrs. Carmen said. “But our pianoplayer wasn’t able to make it today.” “Mya plays the piano,” Great-Grandma announced, smiling proudly.
“Wonderful,” Mrs. Carmen said. She smiled at Mya. “Mya, would you like to play while we sing? It would be such a help.”
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。
Mya was about to say she couldn’t do it.
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She sat down on the bench and played “Silent Night”.
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A Teacher’s Dream
When handball was introduced to Sri Lankan schools in 2010,I wanted to bring it to my school, St Anthony’s, in the remote village of Wasalakotte in central Sri Lanka. This became a challenging task as the sports teacher was unwilling to initiate anything other than traditional sports, such as cricket, rugby and basketball.
I was not a sports teacher and I had never played handball before. In fact, I was an English language teacher before assuming my post as vice principal. However, I was determined to start this game at any cost. Handball is a fascinating game which combines speed, strength, flexibility, technical precision, skill and teamwork. As a new sport, I foresaw it as a golden opportunity for our school as we had never secured a place in traditional sports.
The boys were immediately interested and 40 students aged between 13 and 19 signed up to play. I had the support of their parents. Ultimately, I managed to convince the sports teacher to agree. However, we still needed a coach.
Heshan Pradeep, a St Anthony’s old boy who graduated some nine years earlier, volunteered to coach the team. He was a member of the Air Force handball team and was happy to take on the role in his free time. He assigned exercises and drills to do in his absence.
Although handball is an indoor game, we trained outdoors as our school had limited facilities. Training started early in the morning before class and continued after school until it was dark. The boys loved the game and were enthusiastic about training.
“This handball craze will ruin your studies!” complained some of the teachers in an attempt to discourage the game. Whenever the boys were late for class after morning practice, they were scolded or punished by their teachers, but I was able to keep them cheerful.
After three months of intense training, we were able to send an under-19s boys’ team to compete with 50 other schools at the first all-island school handball tournament held in Colombo—the country’s richest city.
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。
However, the Handball Association rejected our application because we weren’t association members.
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The victory sent the whole school into festive mode.
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Since the age of seven, I had always dreamed of being one of the student leaders who we looked up to. They took responsibility for us, gave instructions, organized school activities, and proudly wore their badges while carrying our school flag and walking on the playground. They represented us and gave speeches on school issues, becoming our role models.
As I grew older, I became qualified to participate in the school elections. I prepared my election speech and on the day of the speeches，everyone balloted(不记名投票).I was hopeful and prayed for a victory. However， the following morning when we gathered on the school grounds for the principal’s declaration of the outcome, reality hit me hard. I realized that I had no chance of winning-I was neither well known nor too pretty. Like many preteens facing rejection, I became depressed and felt as though I had no friends supporting me.
Later that day, as I cried in my room, I took a deep breath and decided to change my mindset. I refused to see myself as a failure and made a determination to run for the school elections again the following year-this time, with a plan to win. I sat down at my study table and wrote down my thoughts.
Comparing myself with other competitors, I figured out that I had a lot to improve. With a whole year ahead, I began to play my election strategies.
To gain recognition and demonstrate my ability to represent my fellow students, I started making new friends and helping them in various ways at school. Additionally, I attended a public speaking course to learn how to deliver a great election speech. By the time the election came around, I was well-prepared, and I delivered a passionate speech on the stage.
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:
The following day, I anxiously waited for the results.
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Paragraph 2:
Later, I realized that I had achieved far more than what I had initially set out to do.
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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.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Tony and I were in our school basketball team, the Lions. We loved basketball and were both huge fans of the NBA. When we weren’t playing on the court, we were watching a game on TV. My favourite player was LeBron James while Tony’s was Tyrone Bogues.
Bogues was only 1.6 metrest all, which made him the shortest player ever in the NBA. Guess what? Tony was only 1.6metrest all, too! Tony knew that being shorter than other players meant that he had to practise more. During all those hours of doing jump shots on his own, he used Bogues as his inspiration. Tony once said, “If Bogues could make it, why not me?”
But our coach was not so sure. Tony had to tryout many times just for making the team. He was still usually on the bench(场边休息区), being just a replacement. Everyone knew Tony had real skills, and was someone who worked really hard and had a strong desire to play for the team. However, Tony didn’t get a chance.
This week, the Lions were playing our main competitors, the Bears, a team whose record this season had been perfect. They hadn’t lost a single game.
The last quarter began, and my team was behind by 10 points. Suddenly, a player and I crashed into each other. Pain raced through my body. My knee hurt badly. “I don’t think I can play anymore, coach,” I said quietly as the doctor put an icepack on my knee.
“No way,” the coach replied sharply. “We’ve got no more players!”
注意：
1.续写词数应为100左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
“What about Tony?” someone suggested.
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