山东省泰安市2024-2025学年高二下学期7月期末考试英语试题（Word版附答案）

这是一份山东省泰安市2024-2025学年高二下学期7月期末考试英语试题（Word版附答案），共15页。
1.答卷前，考生务必将自己的姓名、准考证号填写在答题卡上。
2.回答选择题时，选出每小题答案后，用铅笔把答题卡上对应题目的答案标号涂黑。如需改动，用橡皮擦干净后，再选涂其他答案标号。回答非选择题时，将答案写在答题卡上，写在本试卷上无效。
3.考试结束后，将本试卷和答题卡一并收回。
第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）
第一节（共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分）
听下面5段对话。每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1. What will the man d next?
A. Wash the clthes. B. G shpping. C. Wrk in a stre.
2. When des the man plan t get t the party?
A. At 6:30 pm. B. At 7:00 pm. C. At 7:30 pm.
3. Hw des the man find the mvie?
A. Exciting. B. Disappinting. C. Average.
4. What is the man?
A. A pliceman. B. A taxi driver. C. A cnductr.
5. What are the speakers talking abut?
A. A picnic party. B. The upcming exam. C. Mark’s pr scre.
第二节（共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分）
听下面5段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟；听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。
6. What d we knw abut the man?
A. He faces great wrk pressure. B. He likes t challenge himself. C. He is fed up with the tiring wrk.
7. What did the man d this afternn?
A. He dealt with a prblem. B. He met sme key custmers. C. He signed an agreement with a cmpany.
听第7段材料，回答第8、9题。
8. Why des the wman want t g t the club?
A. T relax herself. B. T accmpany the man. C. T enjy an ld cmedy mvie.
9. Hw will the speakers prbably get t the club?
A. By subway. B. On ft. C. By car.
听第8段材料，回答第10至12题。
10. What is the wman trying t d?
A. Tell side effects f the medicine.
B. Give directins fr family nursing.
C. Learn abut the family backgrund.
11. Where des the cnversatin take place?
A. At hme. B. At the hspital. C. At the drugstre.
12. What des the wman talk abut in the end?
A. Medicine rules. B. Meal arrangement. C. Daily exercise schedule.
听第9段材料，回答第13至16题。
13. What is the prbable relatinship between the speakers?
A. Mther and sn. B. Teacher and student. C. Schlmates.
14. What prblem is the man facing nw?
A. Hw t chse his majr. B. Hw t lk fr a jb. C. Hw t apply t a cllege.
15. What wuld the man like t be?
A. A bilgist. B. An IT engineer. C. A dctr.
16. What des Alice suggest the man d?
A. Give up his idea. B. Attend sme lectures. C. Have a talk with his father.
听第10段材料，回答第17至20题。
17. What inspired the discverer t name the place Las Trtugas?
A. The dry cnditins. B. Many sea turtles. C. The name f the islands.
18. What happened t the park in 1992?
A. Its name was changed. B. It was expanded. C. It became a natinal park.
19. What is the park knwn fr?
A. Its natural beauty. B. Its pink sandy beaches. C. Its pleasant weather.
20. Why des the speaker give the talk?
A. T give tips n visiting Mexic.
B T share her travel experience.
C. T advertise turs t the park.
第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分50分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
Maine, a nrthernmst state in New England with 3,500 miles f rcky castline and dzens f histric lighthuses, draws arund 15 millin visitrs a year. Here are the tp ways t experience it.
Hike at Msehead (驼鹿头) Lake
Msehead is Maine’s largest lake, stretching 40 miles in its remte highlands. Surrunded by trees, it lks like a mse’s head frm abve. Visitrs can take a flat plane r hike t enjy views. Mst visitrs staying vernight at Msehead Lake will see ne r tw real mse walking slwly arund the shallw waters.
Stay r play n a farm
Maine is the United States’ tp prducer f cranberries (蔓越莓), which yu can find at family-run farm stands acrss the state. Many farms ffer hands-n experiences that range frm apple picking and cranberry picking in wetlands. “It’s a way fr peple t cnnect with the realities f farming that leads t a deeper understanding and appreciatin.” says Ellen Sabina f the nnprfit Maine Farmland Trust. T find a farm stay, check Real Maine r the Maine Organic Gardens and Farmers Assciatin.
Find fine art in Rckland
Rckland is a small fishing prt with a big reputatin fr art. In the histric dwntwn, the Farnswrth Art Museum is where t find typically Maine wrks by members f the Wyeth family and abstract, single-clred sculptures by Luise Nevelsn. Nearby, the Center fr Maine Cntemprary Art shws mdern exhibits in a shiny gallery.
1. What can visitrs d at Msehead Lake?
A. G hiking t enjy the scenery.B. Take a flating tur t watch mse.
C. Stay at the Marine Organic Gardens.D. Walk with mse arund shallw waters.
2. Why d farms in Maine ffer hands-n experiences?
A. T prvide fd fr peple.B. T supprt nnprfit rganizatins.
C. T sell mre apples and cranberries.D. T help visitrs better understand farming.
3. What type f art can visitrs find at the Farnswrth Art Museum in Rckland?
A. Lcal artwrk f Maine.B. Histrical fishing phtgraphs.
C. Sculptures with multiple clrs.D. Mdern exhibits by lcal artists.
B
A by culdn’t wear shes until the age f 13 due t a childhd accident that left his ft seriusly injured. He has recently undergne a life-changing surgery. Thanks t the flating medical charity Mercy Ships, Tera is nw able t wear shes fr the first time and play ftball with his friends.
Frm a fishing village in Madagascar, Tera’s family was unable t affrd prper medical treatment after he accidentally tipped ver a pt f biling water nt his left leg at the age f ne. He suffered third-degree burns, which caused his leg t grw attached t his ankle, making it difficult t walk and impssible t wear shes.
His family had previusly sught help frm three lcal traditinal healers, each ffering their wn methds, but nne f them prved effective. Later, his mther learned that the internatinal hspital charity Mercy Ships had dcked (停靠) its flating hspital, Africa Mercy, in Madagascar.
After applying and strict pre-surgical screening, Tera was cnfirmed fit fr surgery. S when vlunteers frm Mercy Ships infrmed Tera’s mther abut the free surgery available n bard, she wrapped Tera’s baby brther n her back and began a tw-day jurney with her children t reach the ship.
Tera was given an appintment n the Africa Mercy and underwent surgery n June 27th,2024, t release the burn cntracture (挛缩). He is nw able t wear shes fr the first time since he was a baby. “He shuld have a nrmally functining ankle nw, which means he will be able t wear regular shes and play like any ther child,” said Dr. Venter, the physician wh perfrmed the peratin.
Befre the surgery, Tera was ften teased fr ging bareft and culdn’t jin his friends in ftball — his favrite sprt. “Nw I am happy,” he said. “My friends dn’t make fun f me anymre. We all play tgether nw.” Since the surgery, nt nly has Tera been making up fr lst games n the pitch, he’s als been able t g fishing with his dad.
4. What made it difficult fr Tera t walk r wear shes?
A. He injured his ft while fishing.B. He was brn with a ft prblem.
C. He was badly burned by biling water.D. His family didn’t treat his burns in time.
5 What did Tera’s family d befre they fund prper medical care?
A. They thught hme care might help.
B. They waited fr Mercy Ships t cme.
C. They visited different surgens fr treatment.
D. They tried traditinal methds that didn’t wrk.
6. What can be inferred abut Mercy Ships frm the text?
A. It needs an appintment befrehand.
B. It ffers free treatment n bard the ship.
C. It sails arund Africa ffering medical care.
D. It treats peple nly when dcked at big cities.
7. Which f the fllwing wrds can best describe Tera’s mther?
A. Brave.B. Prud.C. Cautius.D. Persistent.
C
Many peple believe that dgs resemble (相像) their wners in bth lks and behavir — and research nw supprts this idea. Interestingly, the resemblance between the tw ften increases ver time. Hwever, nt every dg-human match wrks well. Fr example, abut nethird f guide dgs are returned because they dn’t get alng with their assigned wners.
T reduce such mismatches, researchers in Germany are studying what makes a successful dg-wner relatinship. Their findings cnfirm that dgs ften share physical and persnality characteristics with their wners. “We want t understand what makes a gd match between a persn and a dg,” says researcher Yana Bender. “First, we need t explre whether they are generally mre similar r different.”
Writing in the jurnal Persnality and Individual Differences, Bender and her team reviewed existing studies. They fund that sme similarities are visible: wmen with shrt hair tend t prefer dgs with shrt ears, while thse with lng hair ften chse lng-eared breeds.
Beynd appearance, persnalities ften match t. Intrverted (内向的) wners are mre likely t have shy r nervus dgs, while careful, rganized peple tend t have dgs that are easier t train and mre active. Psychlgists have lng knwn that peple feel mre cmfrtable with thse wh lk r act like them—and this seems t apply t pets as well. Fr example, wmen may see dgs that match their wn features as mre intelligent r friendly.
Hwever, persnality matching ges deeper than physical appearance r initial chice. A dg’s behavir may change ver time under the influence f its wner’s md — and the ppsite is als true. A nervus wner might cause their dg t becme mre anxius, while an anxius dg culd increase its wner’s stress.
In cnclusin, dgs and their wners ften grw t resemble each ther nt just by chice, but thrugh nging interactin. Understanding this culd lead t better dg-wner pairings in the future.
8. Why are guide dgs mentined in paragraph 1?
A. T suggest that guide dgs require special training.
B. T shw that nt all dgs and humans are best friends.
C. T prve that dgs can resemble their wners in behavir.
D. T illustrate that nt all dg-human matches are successful.
9. Which example shws similarity between wners and dgs?
A. Nervus wners have active dgs.
B. Organized wners have quiet dgs.
C. Intelligent wmen chse lazy dgs.
D. Shrt-haired wmen like shrt-eared dgs.
10. What can we learn frm paragraph 5?
A. Nervus wners make dgs anxius quickly.
B. Dg behavir changes withut wners’ influence.
C. Owners and dgs influence each ther’s emtins.
D. Physical appearance matters mre than persnality.
11. What can we infer frm the passage?
A. Dgs’ behavir has little influence n wners’ mds.
B. Resemblance between dgs and wners decreases ver time.
C. Initial chices determine lng-term dg-wner relatinships.
D. Understanding hw resemblance frms helps create better pairings.
D
Climate change is causing the ceans t get warmer and mre acidic, making it harder fr crals t build and maintain their mineral skeletns (骨骼). Eventually, cral reefs will literally start t disslve (溶解). It’s a sad stry, but ne with a surprising silver lining.
Research presented this week shws disslving cral will slw climate change, by bsting the ceans’ ability t take in carbn dixide (CO₂) ut f the atmsphere. By the end f the century, the ceans culd be absrbing up t 400 megatns (兆吨) f additinal carbn per year. That’s mre than the annual emissins f Australia r the United Kingdm.
Crals build their skeletns frm calcium carbnate by pulling carbnate ins (碳酸根离子) frm seawater. But mre CO₂ in the air drives mre f the gas int the cean, making it mre acidic and reducing carbnate ins. This makes it harder fr cral reefs t grw and may eventually lead t cral disslutin. Disslving calcium carbnate reduces acidity mre than it releases carbn, restring cean pH and increasing its carbn absrptin.
Alban Planchat, a climate scientist, and his clleagues used a cmputer mdel t see what wuld happen t cral reefs and the effects f cral disslutin n cean carbn cycling as the wrld warms. They tested multiple climate cases, ranging frm mre ptimistic cases in which carbn emissins eventually decline t pessimistic cases in which humanity desn’t reduce emissins at all. Results shwed that even in mderate cases, cral reefs are expected t decline, but this prcess culd help trap carbn in the cean. By 2300, an extra 110,000 megatns f carbn culd be stred.
Fr Planchat, the result is a clear reminder that the climate and bidiversity crises are cnnected, but are nt identical. Even if dead reefs wuld help a bit with climate change, lsing them wuld destry vital ecsystems that hst abut 25% f marine species. If he had t chse, Planchat thinks the bidiversity crisis needs mre attentin. “We always talk abut the carbn ftprint fr everything,” he says. “It’s necessary, but we als have t take int accunt the bidiversity.”
12. What des the underlined phrase “a surprising silver lining” prbably mean in paragraph 1?
A. An bvius drawback.B. A hidden danger.
C. An unexpected bright side.D. A temprary slutin.
13. What directly prevents crals frm building mineral skeletns?
A. Mre CO2 escapes int the air.
B. Acidic water decreases carbnate ins.
C. Cral skeletns stp prducing calcium.
D. Warmer water destrys cral skeletns.
14. What d Planchat’s mdels suggest abut cral disslutin?
A. It is unlikely t happen this century.
B. It might help ceans trap mre carbn.
C. It can slw dwn cean carbn cycling.
D. It will cause an increase f marine species.
15. What is the main purpse f the text?
A. T suggest ways t slw dwn glbal warming.
B. T call fr mre research abut cral disslutin.
C. T explain the reasn why cean becmes acidic.
D. T shw hw cral reefs may help absrb carbn.
第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
At varius stages f life, different emtins influence us. ____16____ Hwever, as we grw lder, the burdens we carry tend t becme heavier. Cnsequently, negative emtins such as anxiety and sadness may take center stage in ur lives. ____17____ Certainly nt. The mst effective way t manage them is thrugh calm acceptance. I wuld like t share tw useful tips with yu n hw t d this.
____18____ What shuld we d in thse mments, such as the fear f public speaking? It is crucial nt t fight against these feelings, as ding s will nly wrsen the situatin. Instead, try taking deep breaths. This practice allws mre xygen int yur bdy and helps relieve nervusness.
Next, let’s address hw t cpe with anxiety, a challenge many f us face at sme pint in ur lives. Fr instance, I nce experienced deep anxiety befre examinatins: “What if I receive a lw grade?” ____19____ Hwever, after attending a lecture at schl, I came t realize that what truly matters is nt nly achieving high grades but als acquiring knwledge. Then, I redirected my effrts tward studying withut merely fixing n the utcme f my grades. After putting in my best effrt, I learned t accept whatever results came my way with a sense f calm. ____20____
It’s said that true curage des nt lie in cnquering everything but rather in refusing t be verwhelmed by anything at all. When negative emtins arise, face them and seek cnstructive slutins t managing them effectively.
A. Is it easy fr us t resist ur negative emtins?
B. We all encunter situatins that may cause nervusness.
C. Is it necessary fr us t remve these feelings frm ur minds?
D. This thught restricted my ability t cncentrate n my studies.
E The best way t handle anxiety is t ignre it and fcus n wrk.
F. In ur yuth, happiness ften dminates ur emtinal landscape.
G. Surprisingly, this shift helped me vercme anxiety and fcus better n studies.
第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分30分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
This week marks Teacher Appreciatin Week, and fr ne family, their preschl teacher changed a little by’s life.
Children develp differently, but develpmental delays can be a(n) ____21____ f a serius issue. Twyla Pbuda, a teacher, nticed that little Hudsn was ____22____ t keep up with ther kids. He walked slwly and ften held an adult’s hand fr ____23____. Mre ____24____, when he gt up frm the flr, he used his hands t push ff his knees. With years f ____25____, she sensed smething was wrng. She watched Hudsn’s mtr skills, spke with his mm and ____26____ her t see a dctr.
Sn after, Hudsn was taken t a specialist. Tests shwed he had Duchenne muscular dystrphy, a disease that causes muscles t ____27____ and affects mvement ver time. Althugh the diagnsis was ____28____, it came early enugh fr Hudsn t receive ____29____ treatment. In 2023, he became ne f the first children t get a new gene therapy (基因疗法). This gave the family new ____30____.
His parents were thankful fr Ms. Pbuda’s actin. “She truly changed ur sn’s ____31____,” she said.
Every child develps at their wn pace, but sme signs are t imprtant t ____32____. Mrs. Pbuda’s care and attentin shw hw pwerful teachers can be. A kind wrd, a sharp eye, and the curage t ____33____ can truly change lives. And that’s what makes great teachers s ____34____ — nt nly fr what they teach, but fr hw they ____35____.
21. A. signB. stageC. causeD. basis
22. A. unwillingB. preparingC. strugglingD. pretending
23. A. funB. adviceC. attentinD. balance
24. A. unusuallyB. accuratelyC. frtunatelyD. thrughly
25. A. effrtsB. practiceC. interestD. experience
26. A. frcedB. rderedC. remindedD. allwed
27. A. grwB. relaxC. tearD. weaken
28. A. uncertainB. shckingC. cncreteD. simple
29. A. basicB. extraC. immediateD. painful
30. A. hpeB. ptentialC. memryD. burden
31. A. mindB. futureC. natureD. character
32. A. nticeB. ignreC. fllwD. hide
33. A. mve nB. cheer upC. hld nD. speak up
34. A. strictB. dedicatedC. elegantD. respectable
35. A. careB. explainC. encurageD. negtiate
第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Inspired by Marc Pl wh traveled t China alng the ancient Silk Rad ver 700 years ag, an Italian traveler Vienna Cammarta set ff frm Venice n April 26, 2022 ____36____ (trace) the rute n ft ne mre time.
____37____ nly a backpack and tw walking ples,74-year-ld Cammarta, ____38____ (cver) ver 20,000 kilmeters ever since. Thrughut her trip, Cammarta saw firsthand the ____39____ (transfrm) f the ancient trade rute int a crridr f ecnmic and cultural exchange. “I have seen the bridges, highways, and railways ____40____ (build) under the Belt and Rad Initiative (BRI), ____41____ represent the spirit f the BRI—bringing hpe and develpment t the cmmunities alng its path.”
Cammarta hpes that her travels will assist peple in Italy and the West t see the true beauty and greatness f China. “Peple in the West ften view China thrugh plitical lens (镜头), withut ____42____ (true) understanding its cultural richness and mdern achievements,” she said.
Fr her, the jurney is mre than just a ____43____ (persn) challenge. She sees herself as ____44____ ambassadr f cultural exchange and a mdern-day Marc Pl. “I want peple t knw abut Marc Pl and the Silk Rad, but I als want t send a message t wmen f my age—it’s never t late t pursue yur dreams,” she _____45_____ (add).
第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（满分15分）
46. 假定你是校英语报记者李华，上周你采访了学校2024届一位优秀毕业生，请你为校报写一篇新闻报道，内容包括：
1.采访内容；
2.对在校学子的启示。
注意：
1.写作词数应为80个左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
第二节（满分25分）
47. 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。
The mnlight came thrugh the windw cvered in frst, and made the frst lk shiny and silver. As 12-year-ld Lily huddled(蜷缩)under her thin and wrn-ut blanket, she culd feel the cld seeping (渗透)thrugh the fabric, making her tremble (发抖). The ld blanket had been a cmfrt since she was a baby, but tnight it ffered little warmth against the icy cld.
Dwnstairs, the faint tapping f the keybard eched (回响) thrugh the silent huse, a nn-stp rhythm that seemed t match the ticking f the clck n the wall. Dad was wrking again, his fingers flying ver the keys with a speed that spke f lng hurs f practice. Each tap was like a nail driven int the silence f the huse.
Lily glanced at the handmade invitatin card n her bedside table, its shiny letters spelling “Happy Birthday, Dad!” nw seeming childish and ut f place. Three weeks ag, Lily had excitedly planned a surprise fr Dad’s 40th birthday. She’d saved lunch mney t buy his favrite walnut cake, memrized a pian piece he nce taught her, and even cnvinced Mm t keep it secret. But tnight, like the past twenty nights, Dad remained wrking n his laptp, buried in reprts frm his new jb prmtin.
A sudden cugh made Lily’s small bdy shake. The rm felt clder than usual. Her trembling fingers reached fr the thermmeter (温度计)—39.8℃. She pened her muth t call fr Dad, but stpped. She culd still hear his vice frm last Tuesday, “Can’t yu see I’m in the middle f a meeting?” The memry made her hide deeper in the pillws, her determinatin fading away.
Trembling, Lily pulled the blanket ver her head, hping t find cmfrt in the dark. Maybe if she slept, the headache wuld disappear, and things wuld be better when she wke up. When she was ht and cnfused, she heard fast ftsteps, felt strng arms lift her, and smelled Dad’s familiar smell with panic...
（1）续写词数应为150个左右；
（2）请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Lily fund herself in a hspital rm as she slwly pened her eyes.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
When mrning light came int the hspital rm, Dad was hlding smething familiar.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
高二年级考试
英语答案
第一部分 听力（共两节，满分30分）
1-10 BCBAC BAACB 11-20 BACAB CBCAC
第二部分 阅读（共两节，满分50分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
【1~3题答案】
【答案】1. A 2. D 3. A
B
【4~7题答案】
【答案】4. C 5. D 6. B 7. D
C
【8~11题答案】
【答案】8. D 9. D 10. C 11. D
D
【12~15题答案】
【答案】12. C 13. B 14. B 15. D
第二节（共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分）
阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
【16~20题答案】
【答案】16. F 17. C 18. B 19. D 20. G
第三部分 语言运用（共两节，满分30分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分）
阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
【21~35题答案】
【答案】21. A 22. C 23. D 24. A 25. D 26. C 27. D 28. B 29. C 30. A 31. B 32. B 33. D 34. D 35. A
第二节（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）
【36~45题答案】
【答案】36. t trace
37. With 38. has cvered
39. transfrmatin
40. built 41. which
42 truly 43. persnal
44. an 45. added
第四部分 写作（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（满分15分）
【46题答案】
【答案】Last week, as a reprter frm the schl English newspaper, I had the privilege f interviewing an utstanding graduate frm the class f 2024. During the interview, he shared his study methds, such as making detailed plans and regularly summarizing knwledge. He als talked abut hw t balance academic wrk with extracurricular activities, emphasizing the imprtance f time management.
His stry serves as a great inspiratin t current students. It shws that with prper planning, perseverance and a balanced apprach, ne can achieve excellent results. Students shuld learn frm him, make the mst f their time and strive fr all-rund develpment.
第二节（满分25分）
【47题答案】
【答案】Lily fund herself in a hspital rm as she slwly pened her eyes. The ceiling lights were dim, and a faint smell f pills filled the air. She had a bad headache, but the weight f a warm hand in hers gave her a strange sense f safety. Near the bed, her father sat quietly, still in the clthes he wre last night, eyes fixed n her pale face. Beside him std her mther, watching with cncern. It was Mm wh had fund the thermmeter n Lily’s desk. The mment she shwed it t Dad, he rushed upstairs, frgetting all abut his wrk. He didn’t say much, but his face shwed hw srry and scared he was.
When mrning light came int the hspital rm, Dad was hlding smething familiar. It was the handmade birthday card. He lked at it fr a lng time and put it gently beside her pillw. Lily gave a small smile and said sftly, “Happy birthday, Dad.” Her parents lked at each ther and then at Lily. Her mther adjusted the blanket arund her, and Dad rested a hand n her frehead. Outside, the frst still lined the windws, but inside, warmth quietly returned—nt just t the rm, but t their hearts.