Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, "Mom, I can't peel potatoes. I have only one hand."

   Mom never looked up from sewing. "You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes," she told me, "And don't ever use that as an excuse for anything again!"

   In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod (杆) to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.

   That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her "we'll see about that" look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.

   "Now, pull up with your right arm," she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I'll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.

   One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. "Morn," I said, weeping, "none of the boys would dance with me."

   For a tong time, I didn't hear anything. Then she said, "Oh, honey, someday you'll be beating those boys off with a bat." Her voice was faint and cracking. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.

1.Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom's attitude when she made the child to peel potatoes?

    A. Cruel.              B. Serious.             C. Strict.            D. Cold.

2.What does the sentence "I saw her 'we'll see about that' look" imply?

    A. Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.

    B. The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up.

    C. Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.

    D. What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity.

3.When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open because       .

   A. they felt sorry for what they had done before

   B. they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt

   C. they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars

   D. they were astonished to find the author's progress

4.The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is       .

    A. the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep

    B. the child's experience reminded Mom of that of her own

    C. Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph

    D. in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child's growth

    阅读下面的短文，掌握其大意，然后从题所给的四个选项(A、B、C、D)中，选出最佳选项．

     It was the district track meeting, which we had been training for all seasons. My foot still hadn't healed from a(n)   1injury. Actually I had hesitated whether or not to  2the meet. But there I was, preparing for the 3,200-meter run.

     "Ready... set..." The gun popped and off we were. The other girls ran ahead of me. I found myself limping(跛) and felt ashamed as I  3farther and farther behind.

     The first-place runner was two laps(圈) ahead of me when she crossed the finish line. "Hooray!" the  4shouted with the loudest cheer I had ever heard at a meeting.

     "Maybe I should quit," I   5as I limped on. "Those people wouldn't like to wait for me to finish this race." Somehow,    6, I decided to keep going. During the last two laps, I ran   7and decided not to compete in track next year. I couldn't beat the girl who lapped me twice, even if my foot did 8.

     When I finished, I heard a cheer-just as  9as the one the first-place girl received "What was that all about?" I asked myself. I turned around and sure enough, the boys were preparing for their race. "They  10be cheering for the boys."

     I went  11to the bathroom where a girl came across me and said, "Wow, you've got courage!"

     I thought, "Courage? She must be  12me for someone else. I just  13a race!  I would have never been able to finish those two miles  14I were you. What happened to your foot? We were cheering for you. Did you hear us?"

     I couldn't believe it. A(n)  15stranger had cheered for me-not for my victory, but for my perseverance. Suddenly I  16hope. I decided to stick with track next year. One girl saved my  17.

     That day I learned two things. First, a  18kindness and confidence in people can make a great difference to them. Second, strength and courage aren't measured in the  19and victories.                                                         They are measured in the struggles we 20.

1.A. earlier    B. smaller  C. simpler  D. later

2.A. mention    B. present  C. attend   D. watch

3.A. left   B. dropped  C. moved    D. fell

4.A. competitors    B. crowd    C. public   D. team

5.A. swore  B. discouraged  C. determined   D. thought

6.A. however    B. merely   C. therefore    D. too

7.A. in surprise    B. in a hurry   C. in pain  D. in panic

8.A. hurt   B. heal C. harm D. cure

9.A. different  B. same C. enthusiastic D. outstanding

10.A. may   B. would    C. must D. could

11.A. soon  B. around   C. straight D. opposite

12.A. recognizing   B. tricking C. knowing  D. mistaking

13.A. won   B. defeated C. lost D. missed

14.A. as if B. in ease  C. though   D. if

15.A. complete B. new  C. crazy    D. excited

16.A. returned  B. rewarded C. readapted    D. regained

17.A. life  B. face C. dream    D. trouble

18.A. little    B. useful   C. rare D. valueless

19.A. possessions   B. medals   C. words    D. smiles

20.A. get across    B. get in   C. get over D. get to

 --I'm calling to say goodbye. I'm flying home tomorrow.

   --       .

    A. I'm sorry to hear that.

    B. Congratulations!

    C. I'm not sure.

    D. Have a nice trip!

 It's       you do it fight now       makes a difference.

     A. what; which      B. what; that            C. that; that         D. how; which

 They       to see you off at the airport, but they got there too late.

    A. have hoped        B. had hoped          C. would hope      D. hope

 -- Excuse me, Sir. You       take your camera into the museum.

   -- Sorry, I didn't know and I promise you I       .

  A. needn't; mustn't                     B. can't; won't

  C. mustn't; mustn't                     D. may not; needn't

 Jane didn't say       she would return, but I suppose she'll be back for dinner.

   A. that when         B. when              C. if or not        D. where

 What an accident! If the driver       carefully, things would not be as they are.

   A. has driven        B. drove              C. had driven      D. was driving

 The price       recently. I wonder whether it will remain so.

   A. was going up                   B. went up

   C. has gone up                    D. has been going up 

 What I said and did at your house last night       just between you and me.

   A. is                 B. are              C. have been         D. had been