2021 The Picture of Peace
When Mike was seven, he knew his dream was to be a photographer. He kept working on it for years. Recently, he was trying to take a picture of a sunset (日落) to enter the school 13competition.
“Mom, it has been cloudy these days. I don’t think I can get this picture!” Mike complained.
“Why not use one of your photos on the computer?” suggested Mom.
“I can’t—the rules say the photos have to be taken with a traditional camera. We hand in a roll of film, it gets developed (冲洗胶卷), and we 14 one photo for the competition.”
“Why is a sunset so important?” Mom asked.
“The 15 of the competition is peace,” Mike explained, “and I feel most peaceful seeing a sunset.”
Zach, his six-year-old brother, came out of the bedroom. “Hey, you want to take a picture of me? Look!” He put both arms over his head.
“Not right now,” said Mike, laughing.
That very afternoon, Mike felt excited when he saw clear skies. He carefully lined up his shot (镜头) and waited 16 till the sun reached the ground.
“That’s it! Perfect!” he shouted cheerfully.
The next morning, Mike noticed he could take one more picture to complete the roll of film, so he walked around the neighborhood looking for something interesting to 17.
After a while, he saw a small garden. Inside, an old man was watering some flowers. A young boy was sitting close to him, listening 18 as the old man told stories. He looked so peaceful.
Mike had the picture. He took it quickly. Then he headed back home.
A week later, Mike 19 the photos. To his surprise, the photo of the old man and the young boy was amazing. It had all the beautiful colors of peace.
Mike thought about the two photos—the sunset and the garden. He knew which one would 20 the competition. He sent the photo of the garden.
选项
13. A. acting B. dancing C. photo D. writing
14. A. lose B. choose C. enter D. enjoy
15. A. fact B. problem C. reason D. theme
16. A. patiently B. politely C. quickly D. quietly
17. A. draw B. show C. read D. photograph
18. A. safely B. carefully C. luckily D. clearly
19. A. received B. offered C. found D. finished
20. A. win B. join C. watch D. take
2022 Our Christmas Goose
On a cold morning that December, my brother Rick and I were sent to Uncle Tommie’s on the other side of Little Mountain to get a goose for Christmas dinner. This long journey over the mountain was hard but worth it.
That morning, dark clouds were coming together overhead. I knew it was going to snow on the 13.
When we arrived, Uncle Tommie was already waiting for us. “Boys, I’m not 14 you off,” he said, “but the wind is picking up. You’d better get the goose and head for home soon.”
After a quick thank-you and goodbye I took the goose and we left. Halfway up the mountain, it began to snow heavily. I held the goose 15 to me.
By the time we reached the top of the mountain, it snowed more heavily. And the wind seemed to blow straight through my coat. I stepped in front of Rick. “You must be cold. Open your coat!”
“Are you crazy?” Rick asked. “I’ll lose what little warmth I have!” When he saw I was 16, he slowly opened his coat.
I placed the warm goose inside his coat. Rick sighed happily (舒了口气). My plan was 17.
On the way down, I started to shiver (发抖). Rick said, “Dave, it’s your turn now.”
He passed me the goose. For a long moment, I just stood and 18 my freezing (冰冷的) hands on his body. We passed the goose back and forth (来回地) between us all the way. Finally, we got home.
Sitting at the table, we explained how the goose kept us from freezing. “We can’t have him for dinner! This goose helped 19 our lives,” I said.
Later, we named the goose Charley and he lived out his life in the yard, bossing around the chickens and another goose we bought to keep him company. A life as the most important bird was fitting for our 20 hero.
选项
13. A. hill B. farm C. mountain D. beach
14. A. kicking B. putting C. seeing D. dropping
15. A. deep B. close C. high D. back
16. A. proud B. surprised C. serious D. frightened
17. A. amazing B. strange C. fair D. working
18. A. warmed B. lifted C. touched D. covered
19. A. guide B. save C. support D. protect
20. A. brave B. honest C. clever D. healthy
2023 Be What’s Missing
Where was that cashier (收银员)? Impatient, I quickly looked at my watch. I hardly had enough time to eat a sandwich and rush back to work.
I looked around the nearly empty 1, but the cashier was nowhere in sight. A woman stood wiping (擦) the far end of the counter. She looked at me coldly with sad, dark eyes.
I 2, getting angry. I’d been standing there for at least three minutes!
Controlling my anger, I remembered Mom’s words. “Whenever you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, just think about what is missing. If someone is unkind, then kindness is missing. If someone is hateful, then 3 is missing. If we will be what’s missing, then we’ll provide whatever the situation needs.”
And here I was in an unpleasant situation. How should I “be what’s missing”? What was missing was 4. Maybe I should just jump behind the counter and take my own order.
Just then the woman walked slowly towards me. “May I help you?” she asked, still 5. She looked so tired. No doubt, she was overworked.
I took a deep breath. With Mom’s words ringing in my head, I gave the woman my order... and smiled. “How are you today?”
My question seemed to 6 her. She eyed me for a second before answering. “Not too good.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I hope it gets better starting right now.”
She almost smiled as she looked at me. “Thanks. I hope you’re right.”
I thought to myself as I ate my sandwich. We’re all the same, really. We have problems and angers, we get tired and we hurt. We need to be 7 to each other.
After eating, I wiped the table cleaner than usual, and put the tray (托盘) back nicely on the stand. The woman was watching me, a big smile on her face.
“Be what’s missing.” It 8.
选项
1.A. restaurant B. street C. school D. office
2.A. agreed B. finished C. waited D. left
3.A. trust B. love C. patience D. confidence
4.A. hope B. advice C. money D. service
5.A. nervously B. carefully C. coldly D. kindly
6.A. disappoint B. hurt C. trouble D. surprise
7.A. nicer B. cooler C. closer D. fairer
8.A. said B. worked C. read D. ended
2024 The Way Back to the Top
Every summer, Serena spent two weeks at Green Farm’s horseback riding camp. Last year, Serena and her favorite horse Piper finished second in the obstacle course (障碍赛赛道) race.
“I can get you a great horse for this year. She’s one of the best-behaved horses. How about you try riding Harley?” Rose, the camp owner, suggested.
Serena felt 14 and was a little scared (害怕的) at the sight of Harley, the tallest horse, but she stayed hopeful. As she was trying to ride Harley, he went up on his back legs, throwing Serena off. She landed on the hard ground, her eyes filled with tears.
“I’m scared of Harley, and he’s so hard to 15,” Serena told Rose.
“Harley’s in a new place with a new person on his back,” Rose explained. “I’m sure he’s pretty scared, too. But if you trust him, he will trust you.”
Serena decided that it was time for a fresh 16. “I know you’re afraid of me. We’re still strangers, and it’s up to me to make sure that we become friends,” she talked to Harley 17. After a while, Harley calmed down so that he could get used to being with her and following her directions.
Soon, Serena and Harley made progress together as their confidence in each other 18. By the end of the first week, they had completed the obstacle course together.
On the final day of the camp was the big race. Serena confidently climbed onto Harley. Harley, 19 the excitement of the day, ran through the course like a madman and easily won. The other horses were just no match for Harley.
Rose handed Serena the winner’s trophy with a wink (眨眼). Serena suddenly realized that Rose had wanted her to 20 herself to be a better rider, even though she would have had a nice time with Piper.
Serena gave Rose a hug and then took the trophy, and a carrot, over to Harley.
选项
13. A. leaders B. riders C. climbers D. drivers
14. A. stupid B. disappointed C. comfortable D. lucky
15. A. refuse B. raise C. cheat D. control
16. A. answer B. memory C. start D. topic
17. A. angrily B. softly C. curiously D. sadly
18. A. fell B. returned C. grew D. remained
19. A. sensing B. breaking C. hiding D. spreading
20. A. advise B. accept C. choose D. challenge
2025 The Apple Cake
Every New Year’s Day, I make an apple cake with Grandpa. It’s our special tradition. When I was little, I’d stand on a chair and watch him do everything. I’d pass him the sugar and the apples, and I thought that this was the perfect chance to get the recipe (制作方法), and that I could actually have a time to 14 with him happily.
I was amazed that Grandpa could peel an apple in one rind. And we’d mix everything and put it into the oven. Once the cake was done, the house would immediately smell like apples.
But as I got older, so did Grandpa. One New Year’s Day, as I was taking out the apples from the shopping bag 15as usual, he looked at me and said, “Sophia, what are you doing?”
I was shocked. I knew that he was beginning to forget things, but I didn’t think he would forget this. It was our16. It was our time of bonding (联络感情). My heart ached.
“We’re making the apple cake. You know, we always make a cake on New Year’s Day.”
And he said, “Apple cake? Can you teach me?”
Tradition can’t die. But the whole time it just didn’t feel the same.
Fast-forward to this New Year, Grandpa was in hospital, and we’d have our family get-together there. To bring a bit of18 to the family, I decided to make the apple cake at home by myself. But I was nervous. I’d never done it alone.
I followed the recipe as closely as I could. When the cake was done, I carefully put it in a box and took it to the hospital.
At the hospital, everyone was surrounding (围绕) him, creating some 20. Grandpa looked down at the cake, and then looked back up at me and smiled. And I felt memories of our shared moments flooding back to him.
Even though he was in hospital, it was still perfect. It was still our tradition.
选项
13. A. fun B. luck C. time D. reason
14. A. stay B. play C. talk D. live
15. A. quickly B. secretly C. softly D. carefully
16. A. dream B. truth C. tradition D. rule
17. A. worried B. bored C. tired D. surprised
18. A. warmth B. trust C. courage D. care
19. A. proud B. nervous C. safe D. ready
20. A. peace B. hope C. joy D. pride
