①A friend in need is a friend indeed.

②Where there's a will, there's a way.

注意：1.词数：120-150； 2.文中不得透露个人姓名和学校名称。

参考词汇：谚语 proverb

    As the third longest river in the world, the environmental problems of the Yangtze River have raised concern both nationally and internationally.

    These days our society develops rapidly and forces people to rush. It appears that people have got used to being in a hurry. However, it's better for people to take their time and live their life at a slower pace than to hurry to get things done.

    The main reason that convinces us to oppose doing work in a hurry is the possibility of doing wrongs in a rush. When people do their jobs or take action in a hurry, they can't make a sound decision and probably regret later. As the saying goes, “Haste makes waste.” We should think carefully before making a decision and do our work less quickly. We should not make mistakes by doing work hurriedly.

    Slowing down the pace of life helps people enjoy their life better. For example, taking a train to some place certainly will take more time than taking a plane. However, taking a train makes people have enough time to get to know a lot of new friends. Besides, it allows people to fully enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. On the contrary, being in a hurry will make us lose chances of enjoying our life.

    Finally, slower life pace provides better health condition for us. As is known to all, taking action in a hurry bothers people and raises their stress. People think if they are not in a hurry, they will become a loser and that annoys them. But being in a hurry can hurt people both physically and mentally. According to some studies, people who have a slower pace suffer fewer diseases, tend to be happier and live much longer than those whose life is tense, even if the former finish jobs more slowly than the latter.

    In short, working quickly will bring about more material benefits to make our society more advanced. Yet, much stress can't bring enjoyment, friends and health, which are much more important than money and other material advantages. Therefore, take your time and live your life at a slower pace.

    Loneliness Peaks

    For years America has been talking about obesity, but a new study points to a more serious health issue: isolation and loneliness.

Being connected to others socially is widely considered a fundamental human need — crucial to both well-being and survival. Extreme examples show infants who lack human contact in care fail to grow and often die. Indeed, social isolation has been used as a form of punishment. According to Julianne Holt-Lunstad, the lead author of the study, an increasing portion of the U.S. population now population now experiences isolation regularly. Over 42 million adults above age 45 in the U.S. are estimated to be suffering from chronic(长期的)loneliness.

    The study of 340 adults between the ages of 27 and 101 living in San Diego identified three key age ranges when people felt the loneliest. Participants who had the highest levels of loneliness were in their late-20s, mid-50s and late-80s. While it may come as a surprise that people in their late-20s suffered from loneliness, a larger survey shows they actually may suffer the hardest.

    With an increasing number of people working from home, watching television, getting into an addiction to electronic devices, it has become too easy to be alone, even if that's not a person's intention. Modern day conveniences like having anything we want delivered make it possible to never need to leave the house. So, not surprisingly, those with frequent social contact usually feel less lonely than those with few social ties.

    Mounting evidence suggests social isolation and loneliness significantly impact our health, and even shorten our lives, just like obesity. This study isn't the first time loneliness has been flagged as an emerging health issue. Therefore, reducing both isolation and loneliness is important for quality of life and well-being.

    The event that stands out in Tom's memory happened one morning when Tom was only ten years old. He was at home with his elder sister Jane. Tom was doing his homework when he heard raised voices. At first he thought nothing of it since customers in the motorcycle shop directly below their flat often became loud, but he soon realized this time it was different.

    “Quick! Quick! Remove the motorcycles from the shop.” someone yelled.

    Then a thick burning smell filled the air. When Tom opened the front door of their flat to investigate, a thick cloud of smoke greeted him. The motorcycle shop had caught fire and people were running and crying.

    Jane, who had been playing the violin in her room, hurried to the living room. They rushed out of the door and along the corridor(走廊) through the smoke.

    They were heading towards the stairway at the far end of the corridor when Jane stopped in her track. She turned around and headed back the way they came. Tom had no idea what she was doing, but he followed her.

    Jane had suddenly remembered the lady in her 70s who lived next door to them, who they called Makcik, Malay for auntie. Jane began banging on Makcik's door, but got no answer. As the smoke thickened around them, Tom could see many of their neighbors—some still in their pyjamas(睡衣；宽长裤)—running for safety. The thought of fear crossed his mind.

    "She might have run for safety like everyone else!" Tom cried. However, Jane refused to give up. I know Makcik's still inside.” She said she was familiar with Makcik's daily routine and was certain she would still be sleeping. She pounded the door. "Go downstairs. Go now! Go!"

注意：

1）所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2）应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；

3）续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

4）续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragraph1:

    Tom noticed the flame was reaching up.  

Paragraph 2:

    Luckily, some neighbors passing by stopped and offered help.

    Most of us — even those at the top — struggle with public-speaking anxiety. When I ask my clients what makes them nervous, invariably they respond with the same answers: "I don't like being watched", "I don't like the eyes on me" or "I don't like being in the spotlight".

    To understand why, we need to go way back to prehistoric times, when humans regarded eyes watching us as an existential threat. Those eyes were likely predators (肉食动物) and people were terrified of being eaten alive. The bad news is that our brains have transferred the ancient fear of being watched into public speaking. In other words, public-speaking anxiety is in our DNA.

    Fortunately, there is a solution: human generosity. The key to disarming our panic button is to turn the focus away from ourselves and toward helping the audience. Studies have shown that an increase in generosity indeed leads to a decrease in amygdala (扁桃腺) activity, which is responsible for our panic feeling in the brain. When we are kind to others, we overcome the sense of being under attack and start to feel less nervous.

    Admittedly, this is hard to do. But it's absolutely possible to become a generous speaker. To begin with, when you start preparing for a presentation, the mistake you often make is starting with the topic. Instead, you should start with the audience. Identify the audience's needs, and craft a message that speaks directly to those needs. Also, you are the most nervous right before you speak. This is the moment when your brain is telling you, "Everyone is judging me." But it is exactly the moment when you should refocus your brain. Over time, your brain will begin to get it, and you will become less nervous.