Question

I’m telling Mother about a new girl in school，and she suddenly looks up and says，“Who’re your two best friends？” I’m not sure what to say.I’ve been friends with Jill since I was three or so，and I really like Jaime，a friend in kindergarten.“Well，what about Karen and Cindy？” She seems upset，like I hurt her feelings.“But they’re my sisters.” “Yes，but they can still be your best friends.Friends may come and go，but your sisters will always be there for you.”

At the time，the idea of my two sisters being my closest friends seemed strange to me.We fought all the time over toys，food and attention.How could my sisters be my best friends？They weren’t the same age as I．We all had our own friends in school.But my mother never let the three of us forget it：Sisters are lifelong friends.Her wish was to give us something that she never had.Growing up an only child，she longed for siblings (兄弟姐妹)．When she gave birth to three daughters，the fulfillment of her dream had only just begun.She’d given us each a gift and she wanted to make sure we did not take that gift for granted.She’d frequently tell us how lucky we were.She never showed favoritism to one daughter over the other.And when we were teenagers，Mom always punished us equally.

We didn’t always get along beautifully and fought just like any other siblings.But we realized that our mother was right.Today I share things with my sisters that I do with no one else.My sister Cindy and I ran the New York City Marathon together，side－by－side，even holding hands when we crossed the finish line.When my sister Karen got married，I was her maid of honor.The three of us trust each other with our greatest secrets.

It was twenty－three years ago that my mother first asked me who my two best friends were.Today she doesn’t have to.She already knows.

1.Why does Mother say that my sisters can be my best friends?

A. Because we fight over toys，food and attention.

B. Because my sisters are the same age as I.

C. Because my sisters will always be there for me.

D. Because we are always punished by Mother equally.

2.What’s the author’s greatest gift?

A. The friendship of her different friends.

B. What her mother did for her.

C. The love of her mother for her daughters.

D. Both of her sisters.

3.What made the author change her opinion about best friends?

A. What Mother said about the relationship between friends and sisters.

B. What Mother experienced because she had no siblings.

C. Her mother’s favoritism to one daughter over the other.

D. What the sisters shared only with each other.

4.Twenty－three years later，who became the author’s best friends?

A. My mother and father.

B. Jill and Jaime.

C. My sisters，Jim and Jaime.

D. Cindy and Karen.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.A

4.D

【解析】本文主要讲了作者母亲讲的关于朋友和姐妹之间的关系改变了作者对于好朋友的看法，后来，作者最好的朋友由别人转变为自己的姐妹Cindy和Karen。

1.细节理解题。从第一段最后一句可知，朋友们可以来也可以离去，但是你的姐妹们将永远和你在一起并支持你。所以选C。

2.细节理解题。从第二段的“She’d frequently tell us how lucky we were.She never showed favoritism to one daughter over the other”可知，当母亲生了三个女儿时，她的梦想才刚开始，她给我们每个人一个礼物，并且她想让我们知道我们不应该把这份礼物看作是理所当然的。所以选D。

3.细节理解题。从全篇文章尤其是第三段第二句话可知后来我们才认识到母亲是正确的，其母亲说的关于朋友和姐妹之间的关系。所以选A。

4.推理判断题。从全文可知，作者最好的朋友由别人转变为自己的姐妹Cindy和Karen。所以选D。