1 . Scarlett did not eat regularly when she was three years old. At the time, her parents thought she was just a picky eater, but after a blood test and some other tests, they learned she had a rare heart condition.
“I was shocked. I always thought it was her stomach, but the result was beyond our imagination,” her mom, Shanna Tabron, says. “It was really tough to understand and let it sink in. The heart is the engine to your body, and it was heart-broken to hear it.”
In the following 5 years, Scarlett was in and out of the hospital while she waited for a new heart, before receiving a transplant in 2019. Since then, Scarlett said she’s been “feeling better”. And she is a cute and active girl and has found great joy through dancing, which she finds both fun and challenging. This year, when the doctor told Scarlett’s parents that they should not worry about Scarlett’s heart any more, the family even held a dance party for the lucky and brave girl.
Out of all the dancers in the world, Scarlett’s biggest inspiration is the amazing Rockettes. “They are the best,” Scarlett says. “Even when I was sick and went through so many tests, I could felt the power and energy they gave me.” She always wished to see the Rockettes in person.
Through a partnership between Make-A-Wish Southern Florida and Make-A-Wish Metro NYC, Scarlett and her family recently got to fly to New York City for an unforgettable weekend.
And when she found out that her dream of going to New York City to meet them was coming true, she was excited. “I’m really excited to go dancing with the Rockettes and watch their performance,” she said, after changing into a special dancing suit to show off her high kicks.
注意：续写词数应为150左右。In tears, Scarlett’s mother observed the little girl during the show.
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________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When Emily was 16, she had a dream of becoming a professional singer, a dream that was as bright as the stars in the night sky. Emily’s parents, though supportive, often reminded her of the importance of her studies. This made Emily feel torn (为难) between her passion and her responsibilities
Each day, Emily trained herself for hours. She would sing in the mirror, imagining every audience was fully attracted by her singing. The sound of her voice filled the empty room, giving Emily a sense of purpose and fulfillment (成就感).
When she learned about the local singing competition, Emily felt a spark of excitement in her heart. She chose a song that reflected her emotional journey and practised it over and over again. The lyrics spoke to her heart, allowing her to relive (回味) moments of joy, heartbreak and growth.
Finally came the day of the competition. With butterflies in her stomach, Emily could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she walked onto the stage. As the music began, Emily closed her eyes and let her voice flow out. She could hear the audience gasp (倒吸气) as she hit the high notes, and she felt a sense of connection with them that she had never experienced before.
注意：1. 续写词数应为80词左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答；
3. 写作提示：第一段可写出 Emily比赛时的表现；第二段可写出 Emily 获奖后的表现和感悟。
As she sang, Emily’s emotions poured out.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When the judges announced Emily as the winner, she felt a wave of joy washing over her.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________When I was 15, I fell in love with the songs when they were first released — Bring Him Home, I Dreamed A Dream and On My Own. Even though I hadn’t read Les Miserables and knew very little about the musical, the songs captured my attention and I happily sang along with enthusiasm and energy whenever I heard them on the radio.
At the age of 17, I watched Les Miserables in a theatre of Vancouver. After getting home, I was really thrilled and announced that I wanted to perform in the musical. Hearing what I said, my parents did nothing but support me, although they considered the thought ridiculous, given that we lived 50 kilometres from the nearest large town, Toowoomba. There was little likelihood of ever having a chance to perform.
But some things are just meant to be. The Toowoomba Choral Society bought the performance rights with the view to perform it. Although I was not a member of the choir, they called for auditions (试镜) and I went along. I had had no experience singing and had never performed in any musicals but I believed in miracles and hoped that there was a place for me somewhere in the chorus.
I tried out for the part of Javert but did not have the range. Little did I know there were a host of parts that needed filling. Fortunately, I was chosen to be in the chorus as well as playing seven roles — ten costume changes in all. It was so exciting to play all the different parts. Rehearsals (排练) started immediately and I got a crash course in singing, acting and dancing. There was so much to learn and as I drove to rehearsals three times a week a little voice would say, “You are in over your head, get out now.”
I really had a hard time rehearsing — first with written texts and sheet music and then without. Personally, I struggled. So much to learn really made me so crazy that I had a strong desire to quit. And the little voice “You are in over your head, get out now.” rang in my ears again.
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。
At that time, my parents’ determined look appeared in my mind.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________On the opening night, nervous as I was, I gathered my courage and stepped on the stage.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Sam, Wayne, Tim and Will were classmates. They loved music and formed a band in their high school. Although after graduation they met each other less and less, their friendship remained deep.
Now, when they were in their 60s, they decided to gather in a park to give a performance in memory of their good days. That day, when Sam, Wayne and Tim arrived there, they received a message from Jenny, Will’s wife. Once reading it, they hurriedly drove to Will’s house, where they found Will was sleeping after taking medicine. The tall and handsome man was weak and thin, which moved them to tears. And that day, they found out the whole story of Will’s illness from Jenny.
“Will’s heart condition has been worsening for a long time,” Jenny said. “Doctors said without an operation he would die six months later. But the operation costs $20,000. Now, after all the treatments, we don’t have that kind of money anymore.” Sam, Wayne and Tim comforted her and immediately made a plan to help Will.
The next day, they gathered early in a park, two blocks away from their high school, and put up a poster: “Playing for Will”. Then, they stood there for hours, playing song after song. Moved, many passers-by listened and left coins and bills.
But by the third day, the three men found it hard for them to support long time of performing. “Alright,” Sam said, “we’ll do several more days of this. Then we should rethink our plan.”
Just then, a little girl pointed at the poster of Will and said excitedly, “That’s Mr Schumer!” Surprised Sam asked how she knew him. “He was the best music teacher we had in school! He once taught us rock music and even helped us build a band!” the girl smiled. And she continued, “Are you his friends? When did he begin being sick? And did he get better from his sickness?” When the nine-year-old girl, Harriet, learned about her favorite teacher’s condition and his three old friends’ idea of performing on the street, she was lost in thought and wanted to do something.
After saying goodbye to Sam, Wayne and Tim, Harriet returned to school.
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Seven days after performing in front of their school gate, Harriet’s band raised $25,000.
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I spent 15 years trying to make it in the music industry. When I was a teenager, I did any odd job to afford time in a recording studio. I knocked at managers’ doors and sent out demo (录音样带) after demo, but I got nowhere. In 2010, aged 27, I was doing a job in a restaurant when I wrote a song called Dream Goes On. It was a song about never giving up. I just let out all of my frustrations at the keyboard.
Over the next five years, the music career never materialized but I persisted. Then, in 2019, I uploaded Dream Goes On to a music-sharing website. I just wanted someone to notice my music.
Later that year, I received an email out of the blue from Music World from South Korea, requesting a license for the song. They had chosen my song from the millions on the music-sharing website for a theme tune for one of their shows. I was amazed and negotiated a contract for $5,000 for the use of the song and signed up straight away. I was pretty excited, but didn’t think anything more would come of it, so I focused on my job in the restaurant.
This February, Music World organized a musical festival in Seoul and my song Dream Goes On was also chosen as the theme tune for the festival. I watched on YouTube as my song was being played to a huge crowd of people. It was amazing.
After three days of the festival, I was contacted by Music World and they asked if I’d like to go to Seoul to sing Dream Goes On in a concert. They flew me out there the next day. I was welcomed like a celebrity—everyone I met thought I was a big name in England. I had to break the news to them that I wasn’t a pop star.
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。
I had never performed the song live, and hadn’t been on stage for years.
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After the concert, I had photographers and journalists battling to interview me.
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注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文流畅；
3. 开头已写好，不计入总词数。
Music is playing an important part in our study and daily life.
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In a word, music should make life better and help people become happier.
In a story that fits a Hollywood script (剧本), two strange neighbors connected through music and formed an unusual bond by playing the piano together through a wall.
Giorgio Lo Porto is an Italian living in London, England. While he’s never met his neighbor, he knows his new neighbor is a pianist.
His curiosity sets off a series of online videos recording their growing friendship.
Lo Porto then says that he’s left a note telling his neighbor that he loved his music and included a request: Could you play “My Heart Will Go On?” As music starts playing in the background, he posts “I guess it’s a yes.”
In the next video, not only does Lo Porto play the piano, he’s also invited his neighbor to a duet (二重奏). Although he hasn’t played for a while, it appears that his relationship with his neighbor lights up his lost passion for the instrument (乐器).
In another video, Lo Porto begins playing “River Flows Through You,” and stops. At the very moment, his neighbor picks up where he left off.
And just like that, the two started a weekly duet “meet up,” as they played back and forth through the wall.
With every note, Lo Porto’s curiosity about his neighbor’s identity (身份) increased, until one day he took the leap to meet him.
With much expectation and thousands of fascinated online users, Lo Porto revealed (透漏) that he finally met his melodic neighbor.
“Well, today I have met my neighbor. It was better than expected. His name is Emil...” Lo Porto posted.
It turns out that Emil is a 87-year-old native of Poland who recently lost his wife to COVID. He was in between homes as he waited for his house to be sold.
As Lo Porto explained, Emil played the piano at 2 PM every weekend “because his wife loved it.” Playing it “keeps him closer to his wife and away from the painful reminder” of her absence. Lo Porto promised Emil that he would continue their duets till he moved out.
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:
After that, they kept in touch by phone.
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Paragraph 2:
However, bad news came.
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“What will we be singing for the contest this year?” a student from my high school choir,a singing team, asked eagerly.
I hesitated this moment. “I was thinking,” I said, “maybe we’ll skip the contest and just work hard on the concerts this year. ”
“NO!” the kids protested.
“We’ve got to go to contest!”
“In Class A. ”
“It’s tradition!”
This was true. Awards lined the front wall of the music room from the past successes of large, talented classes. But a change in educational policies, with an emphasis on academics, had reduced my choir to a mere thirty-two students. My section leaders had graduated or been forced to drop music classes, leaving me with young, inexperienced kids who couldn’t read music, couldn’t hold their parts, and could sing only a simple melody or song.
“Maybe we could enter Class B this year,” I suggested, knowing even that would be a near-impossible mission.
“No!” the kids screamed. “Class A!”
I shook my head. “Class A is extremely difficult. ”
“We can do it!” they shouted. “We can do it!”
“I’ll have to think about it,” I said, hoping their enthusiasm would die off in a couple of weeks.
But that didn’t happen. If anything, the class became more fixed. Every day they begged and begged and they insisted. Because I had to protect their self-pride I couldn’t tell them they weren’t good enough. My efforts to prevent their eagerness, by showing them a difficult piece of music from the contest list, simply ended with, “It’s okay, Mrs. Pliszka, we’ll get it. ”
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 struggled to make a decision.
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When the contest day finally arrived, the kids felt ready to take on the world!
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A Songwriter And An Army Dad Share One Touching Story
Two years ago, Connie Harington, a Nashville songwriter, was driving in her car, listening to a story on the public radio program Here & Now. And she heard a father remembering his son—a firefighter who was killed in a rescue mission.
“He mentioned that he drove his son’s truck,” Harrington says. “And he went on to describe the truck.”
Jared Monti was 30 when he was killed in rescue action in 2006. In the radio broadcast, his father, Paul, said his reasons for driving the truck Jared left behind were simple, “What can I tell you? It’s him. It’s got his DNA all over it. I love driving it because it reminds me of him, though I don’t need the truck to remind me of him. I think about him every hour of every day,”
Harrington was moved by what she heard and wrote down everything she could remember, all while fighting tears. A few days later, Harrington started turning those thoughts into a song, with two co-writers. Singer Lee Brice recorded the song, I Drive Your Truck and last month, it vaulted to No.1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
As the song grew in popularity, Paul Monti, the man whose words on the radio inspired it in the first place, got a message. It was from a woman whose son was rescued in the fire by Jared. “She sent me a message and told me that she had heard this song and that I had to listen to it,” Paul says.
Here’s the thing: Songwriter Harrington couldn’t remember the name of the father whom she’d heard on the radio—but she wanted desperately to find him, to let him know he was the inspiration. “You feel like this song was such a gift,” Harrington says. “And it has contributed to healing, I think, in people. And we just wanted him to know that it was his words that touched us.”
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。
After lots of fruitless Internet searches, she finally found his name, Paul Moni.
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At the celebration party, Paul shared a more touching story about his son.
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请你在学校论坛写一则报告，内容包括：
1.数据情况并进行分析；
2.选择一种你最喜欢的音乐类型并简要说明理由。
要求：词数80-100左右；
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Li Hua
