In recent years, our parenting culture began to send the message that competence was important for building self-esteem. However, that same parenting culture made a big mistake by telling parents that the way to instill competence in their children was to tell them how competent they were. But here's the problem. Children can't be convinced that they are competent.

    When parents try to convince their children of how competent they are, they often have the exact opposite effect. There is this little thing called reality that children have to confront on a daily basis. When children are faced with the conflict between what their parents had told them about how good they are and what reality is telling them, the result is the bursting of the “You are the best” bubble that their parents blew up for them.

    You can, however, do several things to encourage them to develop their own competence. First, you can give them opportunities in their daily lives to gain a sense of competence, for example, dressing, eating, drawing, cooking, and interacting with others. These daily experiences allow your children to develop specific competencies that will be helpful to them as they progress through childhood and into adulthood.

    Second, you can be sure that they gain the most value from their experiences. You can direct their focus to the competencies that enabled those successes (e.g., “You were really focused and worked hard on that project.”) rather than some generic praise of the accomplishment itself (e.g., “Good job!). And you can praise their accomplishments (e.g., “You must feel so good about your project.”).

    But you shouldn't just focus on the successes because, as every parent knows, as your children develop, they will experience far more failures than successes as they begin to gain competence. How you react often dictates how they will respond to those failures, if you are positive and supportive, your children will get the message that failure is okay and just a part of life.

    In 1945, a 12-year-old boy saw a beautiful brooch(胸针) in a shop window that set his heart racing. But the price—five dollars—was too high for Reuben Earle. Five dollars would buy almost a week's food for his family.

    Reuben couldn't ask his father for the money. Everything his father made through fishing went to his mother, Dora. Slim and beautiful, she was the center of the home, the glue that held it together. The housework was never-ending, and she struggled to feed and clothe their five children but she was happy as her family and their well-being were all she cared about.

    Nevertheless, he opened the shop's weathered(风化的) door and went inside. Standing proud and straight in his flour-sack（面粉袋改做的） shirt and washed-out trousers, he told the shopkeeper what he wanted, adding ,“But I don't have the money right now. Can you please hold it for me for some time？”

    “I'll try,” the shopkeeper smiled. “People around here don't usually have that kind of money to spend on things. It should keep for a while.”

    Reuben respectfully touched his worn cap and walked out. He would raise the money and not tell anybody, for he thought Mum would get surprised when she saw that brooch. On hearing the sound of hammering from a side street, Reuben suddenly had an idea that he could raise money by selling the used nail bags(装钉子的麻袋). People built their own homes in Bay Roberts, using nails bought in bags from a local factory. Sometimes the used bags were thrown away at the construction site, and Reuben knew he could sell them back to the factory for five cents a piece.

    That day he sold two nail bags and hid the money in a rusty soda tin(汽水罐).

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。

Paragraph 1

    Every day after school, Reuben started his plan. …

Paragraph 2

Finally, the time came! …

    Although being famous might sound like a dream come taste, today's stars, feeling like zoo animals, face pressures that few of us can imagine. They are at the center of much of the world's attention. Paparazzi(狗仔队)camp outside their homes, cameras ready. Tabloids(小报)publish thrilling stories about their personal lives. Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature.

    According to the psychologists, celebrities(名人)worry constantly about their public appearance. Eventually, they start to lose track of who they really are, seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them, not as the people they were before everyone knew their names. Over little, they feel separated and alone.

    The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages. In the 4th century B C., painters followed Alexander the Great into battle, hoping to picture his victories for his admirers. When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century, his sold-out readings attracted thousands of fans, leading him to complain about his lack of privacy. Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles ghoul filth-slats in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.

    Being a public figure today, however, is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modem cameras. When they say something silly or do something ridiculous, there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their "story" alive forever.

    If fame is so troublesome. Why aren't all celebrities running away from it'? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it. Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities. They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made theme famous in the first place. With these effective approaches, some celebrities relieve the stress and remain popular with fans. Consequently, though being famous is driving some stars crazy, some wise ones enjoy what reputation brings them.

The school I went to had a tradition carried out every year during the eighth-grade graduation: a beautiful gold and green jacket （the school colors）was awarded to the student who had maintained the highest grades for eight years.

I was fourteen and in the eighth grade. I had been a straight-A student since the first grade and this last year had looked forward very much to owning that jacket. My family was so poor that, when I was six, I was given to my grandparents to raise. I couldn't participate in sports at school because we couldn't afford the fees; even though I was quite athletic, there would never be a school sports jacket for me. So, this one, the scholarship jacket, was my only chance.

One day in May, close to graduation, outside the history teacher's classroom, I heard a fierce argument between the principal and my history teacher, Mr. Frank, about giving the scholarship jacket to Joann, whose father is on the Board and owns the only store in town. Frank angrily claimed that he would never lie or falsify（伪造） records.

The principal approached me tentatively: "Martha, there's been a change in policy this year. The Board has decided to charge fifteen dollars for the scholarship jacket this year. So if you are unable to pay the fifteen dollars for the jacket it will be given to the next one in line. Staring at him in shock, I didn't need to ask who that was.

"I'll speak to my grandfather and let you know tomorrow, I gathered all the dignity. I cried on the walk home from the bus stop. I wanted that jacket so much. It represented eight years of hard work and expectation.

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。

Upon arriving home, I told my grandpa what had happened.

……

The next day, the principal called me to his office.

One sunny afternoon, Alice and I were walking home from school, lost in our girlish conversation. Alice, with her curious eyes sparkling, casually asked about my friendship with Judy. In a moment of thoughtlessness, I responded, "I only hung out with Judy because she asked me and I wasn't keen on being friends with her. She was rather dull." The unkind words just escaped my lips before I could catch them, like marbles rolling off a table.

Little did I know, Judy had been just around the corner somehow. When I glanced up, Judy appeared right in front of me, having accidentally overheard everything. All the color faded from her face. Her eyes widening with shock, without a word, she rushed off. Alice and I were left standing there, exchanging a look of shame and discomfort. I knew I should run after Judy and apologize, but with my mind blank, I was frozen. Alice's face turned red, too. We walked home in silence, each step heavier than the last.

The following days were filled with awkwardness. I felt terrible for what I'd said and was dying to mend our friendship. An honest apology was desperately needed. But what should I say? Unintentional as I was, I indeed hurt Judy's feelings. Every time I saw Judy in the halls or during classes, I'd quickly look away.

Fate threw me a curve ball in our speech class. On Tuesday, Mr. Thomas announced that we would be giving improvised（即兴的） speeches. He had written our topics on slips of paper and put them into a secret jar. Each of us was asked to blindly choose one without knowing what it would be about. I couldn't say I was not nervous. As I reached into the jar of topics, my fingers closed around the slip that read, "Share your most embarrassing moment." My heart pounded like a drum roll in my chest. It was as if the universe had come my way to give me a chance.

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。

Knowing what I had to say, I calmed myself down and walked to the platform.

That day marked a turning point.

Inhabiting a modest hamlet, the Meredith household found themselves amidst a period of economic downturn. During this time, a significant portion of the local populace faced unemployment, leading to widespread financial distress. Numerous families grappled with the daily struggle to sustain their livelihoods, and a sense of communal solidarity emerged as individuals endeavored to provide mutual support in the face of adversity.

Among the residents of this community, Mrs. Meredith stood out as an epitome of benevolence and consideration. She dedicated considerable hours to engaging with those less fortunate, acutely aware of their plights and the diverse forms of assistance they required. Whenever feasible, she would extend her aid by delivering provisions and medical supplies to those in need.

On a particular morning, Mrs. Meredith recounted to her offspring—John, Harry, and Clara—about a family she had encountered the previous day. The family was comprised of an indisposed patriarch confined to his bed, his spouse who, burdened with caregiving responsibilities, was unable to seek employment, and their young son. The boy, Bernard, had captured her interest significantly.

She expressed a desire for her children to witness Bernard's situation, highlighting his role as a significant support to his mother and his earnest desire to contribute financially, despite the apparent lack of opportunities.

Once their mother departed, the siblings convened, contemplating Bernard's predicament. Clara voiced her empathy, wishing to facilitate his financial independence, acknowledging the profound hardship endured by his family.

Echoing her sentiments, Harry concurred, emphasizing the necessity of devising a strategy to alleviate their plight.

Initially silent, John eventually rose abruptly, exclaiming his inspiration. He proclaimed the conception of a plan that could be collaboratively executed to aid Bernard.

His siblings, intrigued, eagerly awaited his proposal. John's ideas were renowned for their ingenuity, and he proposed, "Consider the substantial crate of maize that Uncle John bestowed upon us. We could transform it into popcorn, package it in paper sacks, and empower Bernard to distribute and vend it throughout the neighborhood."

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。

Para1: When Mrs. Meredith heard of John's idea, she thought it was a good one, too.

Para2:With everything ready, Bernard started out on his new business.