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高一年級下學期第二次月考（英語）
考試時間：120分鐘；分數：150分
第一部分：聽力（共兩節，滿分30分）
做題時，先將答案標在試卷上。錄音內容結束后，你將有兩分鐘的時間將試卷上的答案轉涂到答題卡上。
第一節（共5小題；每小題1. 5分，滿分7. 5分）
聽下面5段對話。每段對話后有一個小題，從題中所給的A、B、C三個選項中選出最佳選項。聽完每段對話后，你都有10秒鐘的時間來回答有關小題和閱讀下一小題。每段對話僅讀一遍。
1. Why has the man been more active recently
A. To catch a bus. B. To lose weight. C. To win a race.
2. Where does the conversation take place
A. At home B. At an office. C. At a restaurant.
3. How does Peter probably find the speech
A. Moving. B. Boring. C. Inspiring.
4. What does the man intend to do
A. Return the sweater. B. Pay for the sweater. C. Get a small sweater.
5. When will the man probably be able to meet Dr. Banks
A. At 9: 20. B. At 8: 50. C. At 8: 20.
第二節（共15小題；每小題1. 5分，滿分22. 5分）
聽下面5段對話或獨白。每段對話或獨白后有幾個小題，從題中所給的A、B、C三個選項中選出最佳選項。聽每段對話或獨白前，你將有時間閱讀各個小題，每小題5秒鐘；聽完后，各小題將給出5秒鐘的作答時間。每段對話或獨白讀兩遍。
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
6. Why does Anna make the phone call
A. To order some food. B. To change her room. C. To book a table for two.
7. Where can Anna get the drinks she wants
A. From the kitchen. B. From the mini bar. C. From the market.
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
8. Why does the woman come to talk with the man
A. To introduce the bank. B. To borrow some money. C. To open a bank account.
9. When will the new bank card probably be mailed
A. This Wednesday. B. This Friday. C. This Saturday.
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
10. What is the man doing before the conversation
A. Playing games. B. Cooking meals. C. Watching TV.
11. What does the woman ask the man to do
A. Fix her computer. B. Take notes in class. C. Shop with her.
12. Who will the woman turn to for help next
A. Amy. B. Arthur. C. Allen.
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
13. What is the relationship between the speakers
A. Teacher and student. B. Former classmates. C. Coworkers.
14. What can we know about Alice
A. She decides to move to Paris. B. She forgets to book a ticket. C. She is surprised to see Ian.
15. Why did Ian fail to attend the party last year
A. He missed the invitation. B. He was busy with work. C. He was on a trip to France.
16. What are the speakers likely to do
A. Meet David. B. Call Helen. C. Visit Mark.
聽下面一段獨白，回答以下小題。
17. What was the speaker
A. A reporter. B. A coach. C. A designer.
18. How did the team probably feel at first
A. Satisfied. B. Relaxed. C. Annoyed.
19. What caused the speaker to change her act
A. A talk with her team. B. An unexpected success. C. A relative's suggestion.
20. What does the speaker mainly talk about
A. What makes a team. B. What real success is. C. What trust brings about.
第二部分：閱讀（共兩節，滿分40分）
第一節（共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分）
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D四個選項中，選出最佳選項。
A
China now has 57 sites included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Let’s have a look at four of them, which may give you some advice on your next travel plan.
Huangshan Mountain
Huangshan, known as “the loveliest mountain of China”, lies in the south of Anhui Province in eastern China. The scenic area covers 154 square kilometers, and is famous for its peaks, rocks, pines, clouds and springs.
Longmen Grottoes（石窟）
The Longmen Grottoes lies in the south of Luoyang city, Henan Province. It includes the largest collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang dynasties, and shows the achievements of Chinese stone carving.
Gulangyu Island
Located on the entry of the Jiulong River, the island is a popular tourist destination known for its natural scenery, rich history and unique architecture. It was occupied（占領）by at least a dozen countries, including Great Britain, France and Japan. Gulangyu is naturally referred to as the “island of music”, with a harmonious mixture of Western music and Eastern culture. It is famous for its outstanding musicians and musical instruments.
Ancient villages in southern Anhui
Lying in southern Anhui, Xidi and Hongcun have a high historical and artistic value in architecture. The villages show the architectural features of the Huizhou-style d living houses in the period of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Xidi and Hongcun were added onto the list on November 30,2000．
1. What can be seen in Longmen Grottoes
A. Pines and springs. B. Unique houses.
C. Rocks and Temples. D. Carved stones.
2. In which place can you admire the Western music according to the passage
A. Huangshan Mountain.
B. Longmen Grottoes.
C. Gulangyu Island.
D Ancient villages in southem Anhui.
3. According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE
A. The Longmen Grottoes is located in the south of Anhui Province in eastern China.
B. People can enjoy the natural scenery and fine Chinese artworks in Huangshan Mountain.
C. Gulangyu is famous for its unique history and culture in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
D. People fond of the Huizhou-styled houses can visit Ancient villages in Anhui.
B
A group of female students can now add “lifesavers” to their resumes (簡歷). Five students from the University of Georgia (UGA) are being honored as heroines after they took action during an accident.
They were traveling from Athens to Savannah for a weekend activity. After turning along Murray Hill Road in Burke County, the group of sisters saw a dust cloud below the bridge with a flash of white light. “We pulled over very fast, turned, and went down this hill to the area, and we saw a white car underwater,” said McCollum, one of the five students. Then the young women jumped out of the car and rushed towards the passengers.
“Two of us quickly entered the water to get the victims (受害者) to safety, while two others gathered supplies and one communicated with emergency responders. We were trying to get the children out of the water,” said McCollum, Along with the mom, there were two children in the back of the car. While one student called 911, another started to put her lifeguarding skills to the test by performing CPR (心肺復蘇) on one of the children. “We all looked at each other and suddenly burst into tears,” said Jones, another student.
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office said all survivors from the accident were sent to a hospital and that they left the hospital the next day. McCollum said that she was grateful that she and her friends were able to aid the family. “I think we are repeatedly placed in the right place at the right time to be of help to others,” she said. “There are people struggling all around us all the time. If we can help one another, the results can be as effective as those in providing help in huge events.”
The five women who took part in the rescue were honored by the University of GeorgiaI. UGA President Jere W. Morehead said in a press release, “I’m so proud of these heroic students and their act of courage and teamwork.”
4. What do we know about the students’ car when the accident happened
A. It was approaching Athens.
B. It was climbing down the hill.
C. It was running along Murray Hill Road.
D. It was pulling over to the side of the road.
5. What did the students do to try to save the victims
A. One of them performed CPR on the mum.
B. One of them took the family to the hospital.
C. One of them broke the car windows and doors.
D. One of them got in touch with emergency responders.
6. How were the three victims after the accident according to the text
A. The two children were too shy to say a word.
B. Not all of them survived the accident.
C. None of them were seriously hurt.
D. The mum lost her consciousness.
7. How did UGA President Jere W. Morehead comment on the five women
A. They worked together well and showed no fear.
B. They were not skilled enough to save the victims.
C. They were confident that they could help the family.
D. They took care and waited for help in case of any risk.
C
Mexico takes the third place in the most - attended carnival celebrations behind Rio de Janerio in Brazil and New Orleans in the US. While carnival is celebrated in Mexico in all major cities, the celebration in Mazatlan is the most expected.
Every year, over 300,000 people attend the carnival celebration in Mazatlan in Mexico. It is a popular destination for carnival festivities along with other Mexico's famous port cities like Veracurz, Ensenada, and La Paz. If you're planning to visit Mexico to observe this famous celebration, it is advisable to book months before the actual date as boarding and lodging(食宿費)rise sharply during the holidays.
People from all walks of life actually participate in this yearly festive celebration. It has become a part of people's way of life both for Catholics (天主教徒)or non- Catholics. People in the US celebrating this tradition and some parts of South America throw confetti eggs(五彩蛋)to one another as part of the tradition's practice. This is believed to bring good luck to the person who' s hit by it.
Besides the above activities, masquerade (化妝)balls and rides that charge entrance fees are available. In the evening, a grand firework display awaits audience and participants.
During the last day of the celebration, South American countries such as Mexico conduct cultural awards including poetry contest and so on. The Clemencia Isaura Poetry recognizes and awards the person with the best unpublished work in Mexico.
If you are a partygoer and looking for the best event to be at... then this is the best party celebration you should participate in. South American countries are the best place to be at for this type of celebration including New Orleans in the US.
8. _______is the first place in the most - attended carnival celebrations.
A. Mexico. B. Rio de Janerio.
C. New Orleans. D. Sao Paulo.
9. If you plan to see the carnival celebration in Mazatlan, you'd better _______ .
A. reach there by plane.
B. bring more money with yourself.
C. book accommodations in advance.
D. visit Mexico's famous port cities.
10. In Paragraph 3, the underlined part " people from all walks of life" means people_______.
A. walking in different ways.
B. having different interests in life.
C. coming from different parts of the city.
D. working in different occupations.
11. What happens last during the carnival celebrations
A. Throwing confetti eggs. B. Poetry contests.
C. Masquerade balls. D. A grand firework display.
D
People have been wondering why elephants do not develop cancer even though their lifespans can reach 50 to 70 years.
Now scientists believe they know why. A team at the University of Chicago has found that elephants carry a large number of genes (基因) that stop tumors (腫瘤) developing. To be precise, they found 20 copies of an anti-tumor gene called TP53 in elephants. Most other species only carry one copy.
According to the research, the extra copies of the gene improve the animal’s sensitivity to DNA damage, which lets the cells quickly kill themselves when damaged before they can go on to form deadly tumors.
“An increased risk of developing cancer has stood in the way of the evolution (進化) of large body sizes in many animals,” said the study author Dr. Vincent Lynch. If every living cell has the same chance of becoming cancerous, large creatures with a long lifespan like whales and elephants should have a greater risk of developing cancer than humans and rats. But across species, the risk of cancer does not show a connection with body mass.
This phenomenon was found by Oxford University scientist Richard Peto in the 1970s.Biologists believe it results from larger animals using protection that many smaller animals do not use. In the elephant’s case, the making of TP53 is nature’s way of keeping this species alive.
The study also found that when the same genes were brought to life in rats, they had the same cancer resistance as elephants. This means researchers could use the discovery to develop new treatments that can help stop cancer spreading or even developing in the first place.
“Nature has already figured out how to prevent cancer,” said Joshua Schiffman, a biologist in the University of Utah. “It’s up to us to learn how different animals deal with the problem so that we can use those strategies to prevent cancer in people.”
12. Why are elephants unlikely to develop cancer
A. They have a rather large body size.
B. Their genes suffer no DNA damage.
C. Certain genes in their body kill existing tumors.
D. They carry many genes to prevent tumors developing.
13. According to the passage, what has been a risk in the evolution of large animals
A. Deadly tumors. B. The huge body mass.
C. Cells killing themselves. D. Sensitivity to DNA damage.
14. What does the underlined part “This phenomenon” in paragraph 5 probably refer to
A. Larger animals have protection from TP53.
B. The risk of cancer is not related to body sizes.
C. Larger animals suffer the same risk of cancer as smaller ones.
D. The huger animals are, the bigger risk of cancer they will have.
15. What can be concluded from the passage
A. Depending on nature is surely enough to fight against cancer.
B. Humans are expected to prevent cancer with the making of TP53.
C. The TP53 genes have proved useful in stopping cancer in people.
D. The extra copies of elephants’ genes have been used to cure cancer patients.
第二節（共5小題；每小題2分，滿分10分）
閱讀下面短文，從短文后的選項中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項為多余選項。
You don’t always need a lot of money to spread kindness. In fact, some simple good deeds (善行) that you do can make a difference to others. Here are some of them.
____16____.
Send a mail to a friend or family member without telling them. You can write a thank-you letter as to why you love them, what you admire about them, or how you’ve grown because of them. If it’s near Valentine’s day, you can write a “reasons why I love you” card. ____17____, just write a card thanking them for being in your life.
Volunteer your services.
____18____. What’s yours Maybe you’re a clever marketer or a social butterfly who can excite a crowd; either way, it’s time to put your skills to good use by doing the good deed of volunteering. Helping people is the number one cause of happiness. By finding time to help people, you’ll notice an improved mood. So, this “good deed” idea comes with an additional benefit.
Share your good experience with others online.
There are countless forums (論壇) where people share how they’re struggling. ____19____, be the person who shares the experience of how to overcome a big challenge in life. Doing this can give people hope. When you let people know that there is a way out of their struggles, they’ll learn the tools and skills to get themselves out of the chaos.
Donate used books to a library.
So many people have books on bookshelves that they never get around to reading or read once and never reopen again. Libraries live on donations. ____20____. They might also sell your books to fund other public costs. Libraries are one of the free places people can visit, so this good deed truly supports people of all walks of life.
A. If no special occasion is near
B. Everyone has a unique talent
C. Wish someone a happy birthday
D. Send a surprise card in the mail
E. Instead of sharing what’s going wrong in life
F. If someone heads out the door to work or school
G. Donating books helps libraries save on costs
第三部分：語言運用（共兩節，滿分30分）
第一節 完型填空（共15小題；每小題1分，滿分15分）
閱讀下面短文，從每題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。
“You’re so ugly; nobody can even look at you! It hurts their eyes!” McKenna mocked, laughing as she threw her head back. The others joined in, and I walked away, keeping my head down. People pointed and ____21____. A paper airplane suddenly hit me, but I ____22____ not to notice. The kids on the bus made fun of me with their eyes. I tried to escape their ____23____ by reading my book.
If you believe me, I’m actually very pretty. I have nice features, big eyes, and a good figure. But no one can notice my beauty ____24____ my hair. Unlike everyone else’s smooth ____25____, mine is wild. It curls (卷曲) and cannot be ____26____ back in a ponytail or tucked behind my ear. It’s different-and they hate that.
I decided to try a(n) ____27____ approach and pulled my hair back with a headband (束發帶), aiming to be brave and make eye contact with everyone I ____28____. Only four people looked at me, and just one held it for longer than a second. He looked at me for five full seconds. It may not seem long, but it felt like ____29____, especially since everyone else looked away.
When I was by my locker, McKenna came up and ____30____ my hair again. This time, I looked her in the eye. “Worry about your own hair and leave mine alone,” I said ____31____. She froze, and the kids with her quickly turned away. Maybe they couldn’t ____32____ my eyes because they feared I would understand them — their need to fit in, their ____33____ of being different, and how being popular matters more than being ____34____. By the way, McKenna, my hair is ____35____ than yours.
21. A. laughed B. comforted C. clapped D. struck
22. A. threatened B. failed C. pretended D. agreed
23. A. congratulations B. stares C. shadows D. greetings
24. A. except for B. apart from C. other than D. because of
25. A. figure B. hair C. skin D. feature
26. A. cut B. hidden C. tied D. decorated
27. A. new B. advanced C. complex D. expensive
28. A. missed B. changed C. blamed D. passed
29. A. once B. never C. forever D. nothing
30. A. gave voice to B. sang praise to C. made fun of D. took advantage of
31. A. fondly B. firmly C. warmly D. weakly
32. A. trust B. heal C. recognize D. meet
33. A. desire B. fear C. success D. relief
34. A. creative B. ambitious C. brilliant D. kind
35. A. prettier B. longer C. shorter D. thinner
第二節（共10小題；每小題1. 5分，滿分15分）
閱讀下面材料，在空白處填入1個適當的單詞或括號內單詞的正確形式。
World Refugee (難民) Day celebrates the strength and courage of refugees around the world. Every moment of the day, people are leaving everything behind to get away ____36____ war, or the damaging effects of climate change and natural disasters.
Across the world, a large number of people are forced to leave their homes. Because of this, the United Nations decided that refugees should have ____37____ special day, when we learn about and understand the problems they face and celebrate their strength and courage. The first World Refugee Day was in 2001, and it ____38____ (celebrate) on 20 June every year since then.
When refugees leave their homes, they often have to go on very long and ____39____ (danger) journeys. Many people walk for many days instead of ____40____ (travel) by bus or car and don’t have enough food or water. ____41____(sad), a lot of refugees never reach their final destinations.
When refugees arrive in a safe country, they can ask for permission(許可) to stay in the country. The people ____42____ are waiting to get permission to stay are called “asylum seekers”. A lot of people have to live in refugee camps while they are waiting.
A lot of ____43____ (event) take place on 20 June in different countries. Many cities light up landmarks in blue ____44____ (show)solidarity(團結一致)with refugees. Some places hold concerts, art exhibitions or food festivals. In many countries there ____45____ (be)walks, runs, swims and bike rides to raise money for refugees.
第四部分：寫作（共兩節；滿分40分）
第一節（滿分15分）
46. 假定你是李華，你校下周五將舉辦一場主題為“The importance of body language”的講座。請你給交換生Alex寫一封郵件，邀請他參加，內容包括：
1.講座時間和地點；
2.講座內容；
3.發出邀請。
注意：
1.寫作詞數應為80個左右；
2.請按如下格式在答題卡的相應位置作答。
Dear Alex,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
第二節（滿分25分）
47. 閱讀下面材料，根據其內容和所給段落開頭語續寫兩段，使之構成一篇完整的短文。
The Perfect Christmas Tree
In our house in Middle Cove, Newfoundland, the tradition was to find the perfect tree before Christmas Eve. And this year, my brother Gilbert and I were being trusted to do it entirely on our own. And we took the challenge very seriously. So, axe in Gilbert’s hand, saw in mine, we set out for all the spots we imagined we might find a magnificent fir (冷杉樹).
We were young, but we knew the rules. Trees could not be taken from personal land and not near any road.
We started out with the best of intentions. We were on Pine River Lane, and looking at the firs in the fields, but none of them looked quite good enough. It was getting dark but we still had no luck. On the way home, it was Gilbert who stopped, grabbed my arm and said, “I see it!”
“You see what ” I said.
“Right there, look. It’s perfect.”
And he was right. It was a young tree, two metres tall, standing alone. It was the classic Christmas tree. In all my years, I had never seen such a perfect one.
Perfect except for one small problem. The tree was pretty close to the road. Also, it was behind a fence, so the tree was in someone’s yard. And not just any someone. It was in the yard of Timmy Green, my best friend.
However, the chances of our finding another one like it were slim to none.
“You stand guard,” Gilbert said. And with that, we were over the fence and on our bellies crawling toward the target. I lay in the snow and put the Greens’ house under surveillance (監視). I was to whistle or cough if I saw anyone coming.
Within a few minutes, it fell.
“Grab the end,” Gilbert said, and we lifted it over the fence. Now we were on the road.
注意：
1.所續寫短文的詞數應為150左右；
2.續寫部分分為兩段，每段的開頭語已為你寫好；
Suddenly Gilbert’s eyes widened. “Our footprints!” he said.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
So it shocked me when I found Mr. Green in our house with my parents, drinking tea on Christmas Eve.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
高一年級下學期第二次月考（英語）
考試時間：120分鐘；分數：150分
第一部分：聽力（共兩節，滿分30分）
做題時，先將答案標在試卷上。錄音內容結束后，你將有兩分鐘的時間將試卷上的答案轉涂到答題卡上。
第一節（共5小題；每小題1. 5分，滿分7. 5分）
聽下面5段對話。每段對話后有一個小題，從題中所給的A、B、C三個選項中選出最佳選項。聽完每段對話后，你都有10秒鐘的時間來回答有關小題和閱讀下一小題。每段對話僅讀一遍。
1. Why has the man been more active recently
A. To catch a bus. B. To lose weight. C. To win a race.
2. Where does the conversation take place
A. At home B. At an office. C. At a restaurant.
3. How does Peter probably find the speech
A. Moving. B. Boring. C. Inspiring.
4. What does the man intend to do
A. Return the sweater. B. Pay for the sweater. C. Get a small sweater.
5 When will the man probably be able to meet Dr. Banks
A At 9: 20. B. At 8: 50. C. At 8: 20.
第二節（共15小題；每小題1. 5分，滿分22. 5分）
聽下面5段對話或獨白。每段對話或獨白后有幾個小題，從題中所給的A、B、C三個選項中選出最佳選項。聽每段對話或獨白前，你將有時間閱讀各個小題，每小題5秒鐘；聽完后，各小題將給出5秒鐘的作答時間。每段對話或獨白讀兩遍。
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
6. Why does Anna make the phone call
A. To order some food. B. To change her room. C. To book a table for two.
7. Where can Anna get the drinks she wants
A. From the kitchen. B. From the mini bar. C. From the market.
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
8. Why does the woman come to talk with the man
A. To introduce the bank. B. To borrow some money. C. To open a bank account.
9. When will the new bank card probably be mailed
A. This Wednesday. B. This Friday. C. This Saturday.
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
10. What is the man doing before the conversation
A. Playing games. B. Cooking meals. C. Watching TV.
11. What does the woman ask the man to do
A. Fix her computer. B. Take notes in class. C. Shop with her.
12. Who will the woman turn to for help next
A. Amy. B. Arthur. C. Allen.
聽下面一段較長對話，回答以下小題。
13. What is the relationship between the speakers
A. Teacher and student. B. Former classmates. C. Coworkers.
14. What can we know about Alice
A. She decides to move to Paris. B. She forgets to book a ticket. C. She is surprised to see Ian.
15. Why did Ian fail to attend the party last year
A. He missed the invitation. B. He was busy with work. C. He was on a trip to France.
16. What are the speakers likely to do
A. Meet David. B. Call Helen. C. Visit Mark.
聽下面一段獨白，回答以下小題。
17. What was the speaker
A. A reporter. B. A coach. C. A designer.
18. How did the team probably feel at first
A. Satisfied. B. Relaxed. C. Annoyed.
19. What caused the speaker to change her act
A. A talk with her team. B. An unexpected success. C. A relative's suggestion.
20. What does the speaker mainly talk about
A. What makes a team. B. What real success is. C. What trust brings about.
第二部分：閱讀（共兩節，滿分40分）
第一節（共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分）
閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D四個選項中，選出最佳選項。
A
【1~3題答案】
【答案】1. D 2. C 3. D
B
【4~7題答案】
【答案】4. C 5. D 6. C 7. A
C
【8~11題答案】
【答案】8. B 9. C 10. D 11. C
D
【12~15題答案】
【答案】12. D 13. A 14. B 15. B
第二節（共5小題；每小題2分，滿分10分）
閱讀下面短文，從短文后的選項中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項為多余選項。
【16~20題答案】
【答案】16. D 17. A 18. B 19. E 20. G
第三部分：語言運用（共兩節，滿分30分）
第一節 完型填空（共15小題；每小題1分，滿分15分）
閱讀下面短文，從每題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中選出可以填入空白處的最佳選項。
【21~35題答案】
【答案】21. A 22. C 23. B 24. D 25. B 26. C 27. A 28. D 29. C 30. C 31. B 32. D 33. B 34. D 35. A
第二節（共10小題；每小題1. 5分，滿分15分）
【36~45題答案】
【答案】36. from
37. a 38. has been celebrated
39. dangerous
40. traveling
41. Sadly 42. who##that
43. events 44. to show
45. are
第四部分：寫作（共兩節；滿分40分）
第一節（滿分15分）
【46題答案】
【答案】Dear Alex,
I’m writing to tell you that there will be a lecture on “The importance of body language” in our school next Friday. It will be held in the school hall at 2 p.m.
The lecture will be given by a famous professor. It will mainly focus on how body language affects communication and daily life. We will learn how to interpret different body language and use it effectively in various situations, such as in interviews, business meetings and social gatherings.
I sincerely invite you to attend it. I believe you will find it very interesting and beneficial. It will surely broaden your knowledge and help you better understand people’s true intentions.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Yours,
Li Hua
第二節（滿分25分）
【47題答案】
【答案】One possible version:
Para.1: Suddenly Gilbert’s eyes widened. “Our footprints!” he said. Sure enough, all around the base of the stump were footprints. Boys’ footprints. We might as well have left a signed note. Suddenly, an idea occurred to me and I patted Gilbert on the shoulder and signaled him to climb over the fence. Together we got down on all fours and wiped away our footprints with great effort. All was done! And as expected, what greeted us back home was enormous praise for the perfect tree. Satisfied as I was, the idea of being caught “stealing” the tree kept lingering in my mind. However, nobody came around and asked questions. It seemed the Greens had never noticed the missing of their property.
Para.2: So it shocked me when I found Mr Green in our house with my parents, drinking tea on Christmas Eve. A ripple of fear crept inside before I finally made it to look up at Mr Green’s eyes and forced a smile. It so happened that Dad was proudly introducing the Christmas tree. “It’s a pity I’ll never have one like that.” Mr Green spoke of his tree in the yard which was nurtured for Christmas with lowered eyes. Cocooned in overwhelming guilt, I kept up courage and stuttered my apologies. Mr Green, shocked at first, nodded smilingly after learning the whole thing. Stroking the delicately decorated tree, I came to realize that not only did I find the perfect Christmas tree, but also retrieved the best in me, which was, is and will be carved in my memory.

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