阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

It was the tail end of the depression (大萧条), and things were tough. Mom had a hard time raising us kids on her own in our small community of New Westminster, B.C. My dad had drowned in Pitt Lake five years earlier—I still remember it as if it were yesterday.

Looking back, I realize what Mom went through sending us kids to school. Every morning she would put a new piece of cardboard in our shoes, because our soles were worn out. Constant moving was typical for my family in these times. Rent was twenty-five dollars a month, but Mom couldn’t pay it. These were hard and sad years, but we never complained.

Christmas was approaching, and we were entitled to a twenty-five dollar Christmas fund for social assistance. Mom said that instead of buying food, she would use the money to pay back rent. She told us then there would be nothing for Christmas.

Unknown to Mom, I had been selling Christmas trees to earn enough money to buy a new pair of boots. Boots with no cardboard in the soles. I knew exactly which boots I wanted. They had a price of twenty-three dollars.

Well, the big day came on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I was very excited, as I hurried up the road to catch the bus. It was only half a mile walk, but on the way I noticed a house with Christmas lights and decorations. It was then that I realized that at our house, we had nothing for Christmas. I knew then that we would have no turkey or ham for Christmas, and I felt sad.

Suddenly, I was feeling a strange sense of guilt. Here I was going to buy a new pair of boots while Mom was home in tears. She would be trying to explain to us why there were no presents. I stopped. The bus drove off without me, and I stood alone, but feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I changed my mind and I realized what I had to do.

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: Across the street was a big grocery store called the Piggly Wiggley.

Paragraph 2: I whispered for boys to quietly unload the groceries and pile them against the door.

参考范文：

Across the street was a big grocery store called the Piggly Wiggley. I went into the store, brimming with happiness. I realized that the twenty-five dollars I had worked so hard for went a long way for groceries. I bought a turkey, ham and all the Christmas treats. I spent every dime of my hard-earned money. The owner of the grocery store said, “Son, you can’t pack all those groceries and carry them home yourself.” So I asked two boys with carriers on their bicycles to run them the half-mile down to our house.

I whispered for boys to quietly unload the groceries and pile them against the door. Once they had done this, with great excitement, I knocked on the door. I could hardly wait to see my mother’s face! When Mom opened the door, some of the groceries fell inside, and she just stood there dumbfounded. I cheered, “Merry Christmas! There really is a Santa Claus!” That day I got enough hugs from Mom to last two lifetimes. To see my mother’s prayers answered more than made up for the boots I never got. It was a Merry Christmas for us after all!

本文以人物为线索展开，讲述了在经济萧条末期的新威斯敏斯特，作者一家生活拮据，靠社会救济交房租。圣诞将至，作者怀揣打工挣得的钱打算买双靴子，却意识到家里没有置办任何过节的物品，于是开始重新考虑自己的计划。最后作者没有买鞋，而是为家里购买了圣诞节的杂货，送到了家里，母亲十分感动。

(详解)

1. 段落续写：

①由第一段首句内容 “街对面是一家名叫Piggly Wiggley的大杂货店。” 可知，第一段可描写作者在杂货店购物的经过以及请人送东西回家。

②由第二段首句内容 “我低声叫孩子们悄悄地把杂货卸下来，把它们靠在门上。” 可知，第二段可描写作者放好东西，敲门母亲看到杂货十分惊讶。

2. 续写线索：看到杂货店——购物——请人送东西回家——放好杂货——敲门——母亲开门——母亲吃惊——拥抱——作者感悟

3. 词汇激活

行为类

①欢呼：cheer / jubilate / hail

②看到：see / spot / catch sight of

③意识到：realize / be aware of

情绪类

①激动：excitement / thrill

②高兴：happiness / joy

(点睛)

(高分句型1) “I realized that the twenty-five dollars I had worked so hard for went a long way for groceries.” (运用了that引导宾语从句。)

(高分句型2) “When Mom opened the door, some of the groceries fell inside, and she just stood there dumbfounded.” (运用了when引导时间状语从句。)