重庆市第八中学校2025-2026学年高二上学期12月月考英语试题
一、听力选择题
1．Where does the conversation take place
A．In a hotel. B．In a hospital. C．In a shop.
2．How does the woman feel about Peter's being late
A．Annoyed. B．Concerned. C．Uncertain.
3．What is the man doing
A．Buying a camera. B．Trying on a hat. C．Taking a picture.
4．What did the woman forget
A．Her sun cream. B．Her towel. C．Her flat shoes.
5．What is the relationship between the speakers
A．Workmates. B．Teacher and student. C．Husband and wife.
听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
6．Why is the man taking evening classes
A．To pass the time. B．To prepare for a new job. C．To qualify for his current job.
7．What is the most important part of the evening classes to the man
A．The course itself. B．The teachers. C．The classmates.
听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
8．What is the man’s problem
A．He has a temperature.
B．He is too cold to do his work.
C．He is struggling to save energy.
9．Where are the speakers likely to be
A．In an office. B．In a school. C．In the woman’s house.
10．What does the woman suggest
A．Focusing on typing the report.
B．Taking better care of their health.
C．Discussing the issue with the boss.
听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
11．On which day did the boy finish his project
A．November 12th. B．November 15th. C．December 17th.
12．Which paper will the boy probably write tonight
A．The Wonders of Liquids. B．Brown Bear Populations.
C．The War of 1812.
13．What is the main topic of the conversation
A．Time management. B．The choice of subjects. C．Designing some projects.
听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
14．How long did Roger Federer’s professional career last
A．14 years. B．17 years. C．24 years.
15．What happened to Federer at the 2017 Australian Open
A．He got a sudden knee injury.
B．He had a hard-fought victory.
C．He faced a series of losses.
16．Which of the following words best describes Federer
A．Kind-hearted. B．Determined. C．Humorous.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
17．What did the speaker enjoy as a young child
A．Running. B．Climbing. C．Swimming.
18．What was the speaker doing when he injured himself
A．The long jump. B．A handstand. C．A forward roll.
19．For how many weeks did the speaker have to give up exercising
A．Four. B．Eight. C．Twelve.
20．How did the incident affect the speaker
A．He developed a new hobby.
B．He began to read love stories.
C．He enjoyed physical challenges even more.
二、阅读理解
We have all imagined what it might be like to go into space and to land on Mars. Now at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida you and your family can live it. There are two parts to the new program, the Astronaut Training Experience (ATX) and Mars Base 1.
The Astronaut Training Experience
The virtual reality Walk-on-Mars, Land-and-Drive-on-Mars full-motion simulator (全动态模拟器) and Spacewalk Training are all parts of the ATX. If you or your children already love science and have a deep interest in space, this will bring that love to life. Prepare for your mission to Mars by training like a real NASA astronaut headed to space. Ever wanted to take a spacewalk How about a zero-gravity experience, where you fix space equipment like a real astronaut would
You can do any of these as “mini missions” if you don’t have time to do them all at once. Each stage takes about 30-45 minutes.
Mars Base 1
What could be cooler than a day actually spent on Mars Not an hour or a walk through a display, but a real day working and surviving on the planet's surface doing real science Become a “rookie (新手) astronaut” participating in simulations and scientific research to grow and analyze crops in the Mars Botany Lab, or use robots to accomplish tasks. Yes, you actually take part in these activities, and grow real food that is really used and consumed.
Both the ATX and Mars Base 1 offer the magic of space travel without leaving the ground.
21．What can participants do at the ATX
A．Grow space plants. B．Use robots to do tasks.
C．See space equipment exhibitions. D．Get trained like a real astronaut.
22．What do the two programs have in common
A．Both offer real food to taste. B．Both take less than an hour.
C．Both provide hands-on activities. D．Both recommend mini missions.
23．Who are the intended readers of the text
A．Parents. B．Students. C．Astronauts. D．Educators.
I was sitting at my kitchen table the other day with a pen, notebook, calculator, and a stack of bills. I was doing my monthly budget. There were bills for electric, water, rent, insurance, the car payment, the phone bill, and the cable bill. Plus money needed to be set aside for food, gas, clothes,and hopefully a little left over to save for those unexpected bills. When I was done, I suddenly thought of the time when I regularly got treasures.
When I was a boy we lived across the road from Camp Caesar. It held week long camps all through the Summer and my Grandma who I lovingly called, “Nanny” worked in its big kitchen. I remember sneaking in there getting a smile, a hug, a kiss, and a hot roll from Nanny. Then she would always dig deep in her pockets and pull out a treasure, a shiny quarter. She would give it to me and I would run down the hill to either get an ice cold can of coke from the pop machine or I would head to the camp’s swimming pool where I could buy a warm cup of cherry coke for 15 cents and a tiny 10 cent bag of chips from the concession stand. I took my time because it was always a big decision.It was nice too feeling so rich for a few minutes.
Looking back now I can see that the real treasure wasn’t the quarter at all. It was the love with which Nanny gave it to me. I would have still visited her at work every day if I had never gotten a single quarter. It was her smile, hugs, and kisses that were priceless in my heart then and now. The old saying is true, “With your work you can make a living, but it is with your love that you make a life.”
24．What makes the author think of the past time
A．The car. B．The bills. C．The kitchen table. D．The quarter.
25．What can we learn about the author’s Nanny
A．She led a hard life.
B．She spoiled her grandson.
C．She loved her grandson in her special way.
D．she spent a large amount of money on her grandson.
26．What’s the purpose of the last paragraph
A．To start a new topic. B．To support his previous opinion.
C．To arouse readers' interest. D．To reveal the theme of the article.
27．What’s the best title of this passage
A．Money is Priceless. B．A Quarter from Nanny.
C．The Pressure of Grown-ups. D．An Unforgettable Childhood.
A form of gene therapy that is already being trialled in patients with Parkinson’s disease might provide a treatment for severe alcohol addiction.
Alcohol misuse is the biggest risk factor for death, disability and ill health among people aged 15 to 49 in the UK, responsible for 9,641 deaths during 2021. Like other addictive substances, alcohol triggers the release of a feelgood chemical in the brain called dopamine. However, long-term drinking decreases dopamine release, and people who are addicted to alcohol don’t tend to feel pleasure in drinking it any more. “It seems that they’re drinking more because they feel a need to maintain a drunk state,” said Prof Kathleen Grant at Oregon Health and Science University.
The idea of the gene therapy was to try to reset this dopamine reward pathway by enhancing the function of brain cells that synthesize dopamine. Like humans, some macaque monkeys are more likely to drink heavily than others: if you begin to offer them the choice of 5% alcohol alongside their regular food and water, some monkeys will eventually almost always choose the alcohol. Grant and her colleagues wondered whether resetting their dopamine reward pathways might contain their desire to drink alcohol. To do this, they used a harmless virus to deliver the gene for a protein called glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) to an area of the brain that is involved in addiction and reward. “We targeted the cell bodies that produce dopamine with this gene to increase dopamine synthesis, thus supplementing or restoring what long-term drinking has taken away,” Grant said.
The research, which was published in Nature Medicine, found that the macaques permanently started overexpressing dopamine and decreased their alcohol consumption by up to 90%. “We are entering an era of gene therapy for neurological disorders and perhaps mental disorders, and I think this study is very promising in that direction.” Grant said.
She added that animal studies are needed before the technique could be tested on humans. Also, because the gene therapy procedure involves brain surgery, it would probably only ever be used in the most severe cases of alcohol addiction.
28．Why do severe alcohol addicts drink more
A．Because they long for desired pleasure.
B．Because they have a form of gene defect.
C．Because they want to escape from reality.
D．Because they suffer from deadly disability.
29．The underlined word “synthesize” in paragraph 3 can best be replaced by ________.
A．Stimulate. B．Produce. C．Charge. D．Delay.
30．What did Grant’s study focus on
A．The life habit of macaque monkeys.
B．The way to control alcohol addiction.
C．The working mechanism of dopamine.
D．The function of the protein called GDNF.
31．What did Grant suggest about the gene therapy
A．Employ it to treat severe alcohol addiction only.
B．Replace it with more efficient methods if necessary.
C．Confirm its effectiveness with more tests on humans.
D．Put it into widespread use on other common species.
The alarm goes off! It’s time to begin a day: eat the same breakfast, take the same journey to work, see the same people, and, at the end of the day, go to bed at the same time. Slowly but surely, your entire life becomes routine, and the world outside of this gray boredom fades to nothing. You close yourself off to the world.
This is what existentialist (存在主义者) Gabriel Marcel called “crispation”. For Marcel, crispation is when everything gets stuck in habits and routines. It’s the state of mind that says, “But…I’ve always done it this way” when one is presented with a new opportunity. Crispation is what says no to the call to adventure; people tend to become trapped within a “shell” that gradually hardens and restricts them.
In some ways, we live in an age when we focus too much on habits. James Clear’s Atomic Habits has sold over 15 million copies worldwide, and there are articles and videos titled “How to Build Successful Habits.” Normally, our brains need certain habitual inspiration to function and often the most successful people are those who form strong habits. But there’s also a shadow side to habits. If we shift our view, we’ll find habits look like ruts (刻板乏味的生活) and routines become crispation.
Too many of us are doing more of the same thing we like a lot instead of trying new things. This is especially true in middle age. People in midlife have the lowest subjective happiness ratings for all age groups because mostly, people establish a family and live in one place. In terms of their jobs, they have kind of reached the peak or are close to it, and they are kind of just maintaining the present situation rather than developing.
The dissatisfied tiredness of non-improvement is often fueled by our habits and routines. So consider finding ways to open ourselves to new experiences and, connections by challenging the comfort of our daily patterns. We should seek opportunities to explore. Embracing change is not just an escape from boredom, but a step toward living a life full of purpose and joy.
32．How does the author introduce the topic
A．By defining a concept. B．By providing an example.
C．By making a comparison. D．By proposing a question.
33．What do people experiencing “crispation” tend to do
A．Limit themselves in a circle. B．Value chances to adventure.
C．Enjoy socializing with others. D．Learn new things much slower.
34．What does the author want to show through the widespread popularity of Clear’s book
A．People’s similar reading habits.
B．People’s eagerness to get out of a rut.
C．People’s shifting interest in printed books.
D．People’s strong emphasis on developing habits.
35．Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage
A．Good habits contribute to success. B．Breaking habits leads to happiness.
C．Maintaining routines cause midlife crisis. D．Habits need to be balanced with change.
If you want to be confident at interview and get the job, body language will be important. Here are some useful tips for your body language during a job interview.
36 A job interview actually starts before you get to the interview room. You don't know who could be looking at you from a window or standing next to you in the elevator. Your body language should tell others that you’re confident and calm. It’s improper to crazily search your file for your resume at this time.
Don't go for direct eye contact. 37 A more effective way to make sure you look interested is to look at different parts of an interviewer’s face every two seconds such as their nose, eyes and lips.
Use hand gestures while you’re speaking. If you’re not sure what to do with your hands, go ahead and gesture while you’re speaking. When you’re really nervous, you may want to hide your hand because they express your anxiety. 38
Stay positive. Your body language follows your mind. If your mind is negative, your body will consciously create negative energy. However, stay positive and you feel confident in your body language. 39 And your smiles will be more likely to leave a good impression on the interviewers.
Work on your walk. Interviewers often make a hiring judgment within the first 10 seconds of meeting you. 40 When walking directly toward the interviewer, you had better make your body point in his direction and maintain eye contact with him occasionally.
A．Make a great entrance.
B．Prepare your documents.
C．Instead, make “direct face contact”.
D．How you walk into the room is a part of that judgment.
E．At this time, it’s a good choice for you to hide your hands.
F．If you have a positive mind, you will wear a smile on your face.
G．Rather, using hand gestures can actually help you feel more relaxed.
三、完形填空
Born in America, I spoke English, not Chinese, the language of my ancestors. When I was three, my parents flashed cards with Chinese 41 at my face, but I pushed them 42 . My mom believed I would learn when I was ready. But the 43 never came.
On a Chinese New Year’s Eve, my uncle spoke to me in Chinese, but all I could do was 44 at him, confused, scratching my head. “Still can’t speak Chinese ” He 45 me, “You can’t even buy a fish in Chinatown.”
“Hey, this is America, not China. I’ll get some right now with or without Chinese.” I replied and turned to my mom for 46 .
“Remember to ask for fresh fish, Xin Xian Yu,” she said, handing over a $20 bill. I 47 the words, running downstairs into the streets of Chinatown.
I found the fish 48 surrounded in a sea of customers. “I’d like to buy some fresh fish,” I shouted to the fish man. But he 49 my English words and turned to serve the next customer. The laugh of the people behind increased with their impatience. With every effort, the breath of the dragons on my back grew stronger — my blood boiling — 50 me to cry out, “Xian Sheng Yu, please.” “Very Xian Sheng,” I repeated. The crowd erupted into laughter. My face turned 51 and I ran back home 52 , except for the $20 bill I held tightly in my pocket.
Should I laugh or cry They’re Chinese. I am Chinese. I should feel right at 53 . Instead, I was the joke, a disgrace (丢脸) to the language.
Sometimes, I laugh at my fish 54 , but, in the end, the joke is on me. Every laugh is a culture 55 ; every laugh is my heritage fading away.
41．A．characters B．games C．custom D．language
42．A．ahead B．aside C．around D．along
43．A．study B．success C．attempt D．time
44．A．joke B．aim C．nod D．stare
45．A．cared about B．laughed at C．argued with D．asked after
46．A．permission B．decision C．information D．preparation
47．A．reviewed B．spelled C．repeated D．kept
48．A．stand B．farm C．pond D．market
49．A．forget B．doubted C．ignored D．guessed
50．A．leading B．allowing C．persuading D．forcing
51．A．bright B．pale C．red D．blank
52．A．empty-handed B．open-mouthed C．tongue-tied D．broken-hearted
53．A．service B．home C．risk D．root
54．A．incident B．trade C．challenge D．deed
55．A．thrown B．reflected C．lost D．divided
四、单词拼写
56．R (根源于) in the unshakable belief that every student can learn, the teacher dedicated her time to developing personalized strategies for those who were struggling. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
57．When first e (展望) this sustainable community, the architects pictured more than just energy-efficient buildings but also a vibrant, self-sufficient neighborhood. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
58．While the author never states that the character is guilty, readers can make i (推理) based on the vague dialogue and nervous actions. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
59．The new hydroelectric dam is designed to g (产生) enough clean electricity to power over a million households. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
60．Despite numerous setbacks, the team’s perseverance and innovative problem-solving u (最终) led to a breakthrough. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
61．She waited for an a (恰当的) pause in the conversation before gracefully steering the topic towards the more serious matter. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
62．After a lifetime of routine, he developed an a (强烈欲望) for travel, spending his retirement savings to explore the hidden corners of the world. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
63．Fearing that any sudden movement might cause him to lose his balance, the mountaineer was e (徐徐移动) inch by inch along the cliff face. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
64．The new evidence had a s (重大的) impact on the jury, leading them to reconsider their initial judgement. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
65．During the meeting, he s (同意) to the proposal to increase investment in employee training, arguing that it was the most sustainable path for the company’s growth. (根据中英文提示单词拼写)
五、语法填空
66．I’m sorry, but you can’t access your office right now as the carpets (clean) in the entire corridor. (所给词的适当形式填空)
67．The company is striving to create a work environment, employees feel genuinely empowered to share their innovative ideas without fear of judgment or failure. (用适当的词填空)
68． we invest in renewable energy now or continue to rely on fossil fuels will profoundly impact the environmental and economic landscape for generations to come. (用适当的词填空)
69．The faint hope survivors might still be found in the ruins kept the rescue teams working tirelessly through the night. (用适当的词填空)
70．The true value of a university education lies not just in is written in the textbooks, but in students' discoveries through debate and independent research. (用适当的词填空)
六、书信写作
71．假定你是学校学生会主席李华，原定于下周一举行的语言艺术节“戏剧之夜”因故推迟，请你给作为出席嘉宾的外教Katherine写邮件，内容包括：
1.表达歉意；
2.说明原因；
3.通知后续调整。
注意：
1.写作词数应为100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考表达：戏剧之夜 Drama Night
Dear Katherine,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
七、书面表达
72．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。
In the Blue Ridge Mountains my little brother Roy and I spent our childhood. Money was always scarce at home, so even for Christmas, we never dared to hope for much. But one winter, my father received an unexpected project award, meaning we would get real Christmas presents! It was the first time for me at nine years old.
I knew exactly what I wanted: a pair of cowgirl boots I’d seen in ads everywhere. Warm brown, fancy stitching (针脚), a thick heel. In the mornings, I walked over a mile to the school bus stop like a real cowgirl, pretending my old shoes had transformed into boots.
Mom and Dad put up our first real Christmas tree. Brightly wrapped presents started to appear under it. But I only had eyes for the long box with my name on it, just the right size for a pair of cowgirl boots. Every time I set eyes on it, it nearly drove me wild.
One afternoon before Christmas, I found myself home alone. I couldn’t wait any longer to know what was inside. I put the box on my lap and gently slid my fingers under the wrapping paper tape. I was careful, I thought, no one would ever know I had stolen a look at my boots inside. I pulled the box out of the paper and opened it — only to be disappointed. It wasn’t boots! I grasped another box,opened the wrapping, then another, and another. Still no boots! Rewrapping the gifts was simple enough. I carefully placed each box exactly where it had been before, then escaped to my room, feeling upset.
Later that evening, I heard my father shouting to Roy. “How could you do this Don’t pretend you haven’t seen what’s inside!” My parents thought he was the one who had opened the presents. I was too afraid to tell Roy the truth. I ruined Christmas for myself and for Roy too.
注意：
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
I lay awake that night, full of regret.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On Christmas morning, I saw a pair of cowgirl boots beside my pillow.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1．A
【原文】W: What type of room would you like
M: I’d like a room facing the street. Well, do you offer free Wi-Fi
W: Yes, the Wi-Fi is free.
M: Great, could you tell me the password
2．B
【原文】M: This is a big surprise. I’ve never known Peter to arrive late for work. He’s always exactly on time.
W: I hope he’s OK. The roads are icy today.
M: I’ll call him to make sure he is fine.
3．C
【原文】M: Raise your head a little bit and give a small smile. Okay, you look great on camera.
W: Wait a minute. Let me put on my hat.
4．B
【原文】M: Did you put on sun protection And make sure to wear your flat shoes, so you don’t slip on the roof.
W: Yes, I know. Oh, but I did forget something. I’ll be wet all day if I don’t bring something to dry off with.
5．A
【原文】W: I’m burned out from grading all these exams.
M: Me too. It’s just that time of the year. Besides, it’s part of the job and we only have two more weeks to go.
W: By the way, what are your plans for the break
M: I’ll probably spend some time with my wife and kids.
6．B 7．A
【原文】W: Hello. What have you been up to
M: Well, I’ve started going to evening classes three times a week.
W: Evening classes How can you manage You already have to work overtime.
M: Well, you know I don’t like my job, and I’ve been looking for another one, but everyone wants the Higher Diploma, so I decided to get a Higher Accounting Diploma.
W: Well, good for you!
M: Actually, I quite enjoy it. The other people in the course are really friendly, and the teachers are excellent. The most important thing is that I really feel I’m benefiting.
8．B 9．A 10．C
【原文】M: Can we do something about the temperature in here I have so many emails to deal with today, but my hands are so cold that I can hardly type my report!
W: I know. I’ve been struggling too. But the heat probably won’t be turned on until the end of the month.
M: Why not
W: It’s a part of the company’s energy-saving plan.
M: Well, I can understand that. But how are we supposed to work in these conditions
W: I guess we always have the choice to work from home.
M: True. But before my youngest daughter starts school, it’s just too difficult for me to do that. I wouldn’t be able to focus.
W: Then I think we should talk to the boss about what can be done, otherwise people might start getting ill.
11．B 12．C 13．A
【原文】M: I can’t wait to present my biology project. I just finished it last night.
W: How did you finish it in three days We just got the assignment on the 12th of November. I’ve barely had time to pick a topic. Everything I think of is about chemistry, not biology. I’m worried about it though it’s not even due until December 17th.
M: Well, I may have ignored my other projects to get it done. I was just so excited. Now I have to catch up on my other subjects’ work, though. I will be spending all night writing my history paper tonight.
W: You shouldn’t put so much pressure on yourself. I think that spreading out papers and projects helps reduce anxiety and pressure. That’s why the teachers gave us this notice.
M: Like I said, I was just excited about my project. Biology is my favorite subject after all. But you are right. I need to set up a calendar and give myself a schedule to follow.
14．C 15．B 16．B
【原文】W: Hello everyone. This is Face-to-Face from Radio 1. With us today is the great tennis player Roger Federer. Welcome, Mr. Federer.
M: Thank you for having me here.
W: So, Mr. Federer, we all know that you retired at the age of 41. How long did your professional tennis career last
M: Well, I picked up tennis when I was 3 and turned professional at the age of 17.
W: What’s your most unforgettable match in your professional tennis career
M: It was the 2017 Australian Open. At that time, I hadn’t trained for almost 6 months because of a severe knee injury. I had an operation and it took me a long time to recover. I hadn’t expected that I would make it to the final and win the title.
W: Amazing! How did you do that
M: I guess it was my firm belief and desire to win. As I always say, if you believe, you can go really far in your life.
17．A 18．C 19．C 20．A
【原文】M: As a young child, I always enjoyed physical challenges more than mental ones. I liked to run and build swings. At that stage I hadn’t yet learned to climb or swim, but I would have loved to try those too. One day we had a physical education class at school. We did the long jump and handstands, but it was when I tried to do a forward roll that disaster struck. Somehow, I twisted my neck in an extremely painful way. I screamed loudly and the teachers were very concerned. An ambulance was called and I was taken to hospital. The doctors fitted me with a collar and I was told to avoid exercise and stay away from school for eight weeks. At first, I was very bored. Having to keep still all day was no fun. So I started to read. I looked at books on the shelf at home. I wasn’t interested in love stories — I avoided those — but crime and adventure did appeal to me. During those eight weeks I developed a lifelong love of reading. When my collar was removed, the doctors told me not to exercise for another four weeks. Instead of being disappointed, I was happy to devote more time to my new love — reading.
21．D 22．C 23．A
24．B 25．C 26．D 27．B
28．A 29．B 30．B 31．A
32．B 33．A 34．D 35．D
36．A 37．C 38．G 39．F 40．D
41．A 42．B 43．D 44．D 45．B 46．A 47．C 48．A 49．C 50．D 51．C 52．A 53．B 54．A 55．C
56．Rooted/ooted
57．envisioning/nvisioning
58．inferences/nferences
59．generate/enerate
60．ultimately/ltimately
61．appropriate/ppropriate
62．appetite/ppetite
63．edging/dging
64．substantial/ubstantial
65．subscribed/ubscibed
66．are being cleaned
67．where
68．Whether
69．that
70．what
71．Dear Katherine,
On behalf of the Student Union, I would like to extend our sincere apologies for postponing the Language Arts Festival’s “Drama Night,” originally scheduled for next Monday, May 20th.
The event has to be rescheduled due to unforeseen technical issues with the stage lighting system, which require professional repairs to ensure a safe and smooth performance. Although immediate maintenance has been arranged, the work cannot be completed in time for the original date. The event will now be held next Friday, May 24th, still at 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium.
We sincerely hope that you will still be available to join us on the new date. Thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
72．参考范文
I lay awake that night, full of regret. Roy’s silent bearing of my blame haunted me. Quietly, I slipped into his room. “Roy,” I whispered, “I opened the presents, and I’m sorry to get you blamed”. His sleepy eyes widened but then revealed understanding and forgiveness. Then I crept downstairs where my parents sat by the fireplace. Tears streaming, I confessed everything. A heavy silence followed. Surprisingly, I was pulled into a big hug. Dad sighed, not with anger, but with relief. “Thank you for telling the truth.” he said, his voice softening. “Now off to bed. Christmas’ wonder is waiting for you.”
On Christmas morning, I saw a pair of cowgirl boots beside my pillow. They were unmistakably handmade — the warm brown leather from Dad’s old work jacket, the stitching Mom’s careful handiwork. “We’ve been preparing this for a long time. And that’s why we decided to buy another gift for you.” she uttered, eyes sparkling with care and love. I put them on; they fit perfectly, not just my feet, but my heart. At that moment, I understood. That Christmas, I didn’t just get the boots I’d dreamed of, but also learned the precious lesson of honesty and family love.
