Question

My mother raised me as best as she could, taking on odd jobs in the neighborhood for money. Still without a father to tell me how to act and what was expected of me, I felt lost. I wandered for years and got involved with tough guys on the East Side of New York. They would fight madly over a dropped coin. They would steal to get what they wanted. I wanted to be like them.

It was lucky for me that I left the city and entered a world of discipline (纪律), after following my mothers advice. During three years of military service, I had time to rethink my life, and my thoughts often ran to my mother. I realized suddenly just how much of a heartache I must have been to her, how little I had noticed her suffering. When my father left this world, my mother was completely alone. To support us, my mother cleaned apartments and took in washing and ironing from the neighbors. And as she worked hard at this labor, she kept her head high. Each week she would bring a pile of books home from the library and read to us. My mother had wanted nothing more, than for me to turn into an honest responsible man. But I had acted against her. Finally, almost too late I had the sense to feel shame.

Ten years passed and I returned to the apartment on the East Side. I knew I wouldn’t fall back in with the wrong people, although I still wasn’t sure where I was heading. My mother, I could tell, was worried about me. In my neighborhood, to become a police officer or a firefighter was a mark of significant social success and achievement. For me it was an opportunity for a real start in life. I wondered if I was up to it, but I knew that it was time to try. When I found myself in the big hall raising my hands to take the firefighters oath (誓言) of office, my mother was sitting a few rows behind with a smile of relief. She knew that at last I was off on life’s road and moving steadily. Her smile said, “My job is finally done.”

1.The author used to behave ________.

A. strangely    B. well

C. outstandingly    D. badly

2.According to the context，“odd jobs” in the first paragraph refer to jobs ________.

A. with house work

B. which are dangerous

C. done by people to make extra money with

D. of cleaning, washing and ironing

3.Why did the author say he was lucky in the second paragraph?

A. He spent three years of military service.

B. He escaped from a world of discipline.

C. He moved to another city with his mother.

D. He enjoyed the books his mother read to him.

4.What does the mother’s word “My job is finally done” mean in the last paragraph?

A. She needn’t be worried about her son again.

B. She can lower her head.

C. Her son has grown up to be an honest and responsible man.

D. She will no longer do all available jobs to support the family.

Answer

1.D

2.D

3.A

4.C

【解析】本文为记叙文，文章主要介绍了作者在妈妈的影响下走上正轨的事情。

1.推理判断题。根据文章第一段I wandered for years and got involved with tough guys on the East Side of New York. They would fight madly over a dropped coin. They would steal to get what they wanted. I wanted to be like them.可知作者过去表现不好，所以D正确。

2.细节理解题。根据第一段My mother raised me as best as she could, taking on odd jobs in the neighborhood for money.以及第二段To support us, my mother cleaned apartments and took in washing and ironing from the neighbors.可知odd jobs 指的是杂货如cleaning apartments，washing，ironing等，所以D正确。

3.推理判断题。根据文章第二段During three years of military service, I had time to rethink my life, and my thoughts often ran to my mother. I realized suddenly just how much of a heartache I must have been to her, how little I had noticed her suffering.以及Finally, almost too late I had the sense to feel shame.可以看出作者认识到了自己的错误，开始反省，后悔，所以作者认为三年军旅生活挽救了自己，所以感到幸运。

4.推理判断题。根据文章第二段My mother had wanted nothing more, than for me to turn into an honest responsible man.可知妈妈的愿望是把我培养成诚实负责任的人，再根据最后一段When I found myself in the big hall raising my hands to take the firefighters oath (誓言) of office, my mother was sitting a few rows behind with a smile of relief. She knew that at last I was off on life’s road and moving steadily.可知当作者步入正轨之时，妈妈如释重负地笑了，所以My job is finally done.”表示妈妈认为自己的愿望实现了，所以C正确。