I began working in journalism when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.

With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was suppertime, I walked back home.

“ How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.

“ None.”

“ Where did you go?”

“ The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”

“ What did you do?”

“ Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”

“ You just stood there?”

“ Didn’t sell a single one.”

“ My God, Russell!”

Uncle Allen put in, “ Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel. It was the first nickel I earned.

Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.

One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.

“ If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “ you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.

My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.

1.Why did the boy start his job young?

2.From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.

3.What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?

4.What is the text mainly about?

Long long ago, there was a small village. This village had a  36   tradition. At the beginning of every year, any boy who had reached the age of majority (成年) was given land and money to build a home. The boy had to  37  his home before winter. If his home failed to endure the cold weather in winter, the villagers could not  38   him in any way．

One _39_, Paul and Marc reached their majority. They  40  their land and money and decided to search nearby villages for ideas on building their homes．In each village, they found the nicest  41  and talked to the owners. Each owner gladly offered  42 ．

After Marc saw several homes, he  43  the best ideas and went back to his own land. Paul, _44_, continued collecting more ideas. Soon he had so many great ideas that he began to  45  some of them. But he always believed he could find even better ideas in the next village．

Marc began building his home. He had several false starts,  46   his home gradually rose from his land. By fall, Marc had finished his home. It wasn't perfect, but it was strong and he could  47  it later. Paul enjoyed all the beautiful homes and 48  with home owners. The first snow came and Paul, realizing he was running out of time, 49   back to his land. He built the best home he could in the time he had, but it was 50  .The first winter storm destroyed his home and he froze to  51 ．The villagers mourned for him．

Marc  52  the winter．Each year, Marc searched for other good ideas he could use to make his own home look better. He became a leader in the village, 53  a family, and lived a happy, content life．

We all build and improve our own mental homes. It’s  54   and fun for us to search for ideas from other mental home owners, but we only improve our own mental home if we actually  55  the best ideas．

He, an average citizen, always thinks of_____ he can do more for the people．

TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television . And everyone , who watches them _____ , knows that each one is different in style .

I am sorry that I’ve failed to translate this poem but Shakespeare’s English is just _____me.

This type of bamboo grows very fast and it will take only three to five years _____ it can be used in various fields .

—Did you know any French before you arrived in Washington?

—Never ____ it, actually. 

His behavior at the party last night seemed rather_______. Many of us were quite

surprised.

—The dinner was delicious!

—I agree. I am so full. 

—That's too bad. But some dessert ________. 

Do you dress differently because of what you see in advertisements or buy things you might not ________buy？