Question

My teenager son Karl became withdrawn after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.

One night I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as a head teacher, “I want to talk to you about Karl’s absences (缺席).” Before he could say another word I choked up (哽咽). And said sadly, “I love my son. I’ve tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It’s out of my hands.” For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The head teacher seriously said, “Thank you for your time.”

Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. He was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I took part in a parent-teacher meeting. I noticed that his teachers were surprised at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the head teacher last year?” I nodded. “That was me. I thought I’d play a joke but I heard you said, It really hit me how much I was hurting you. That’s when I knew I had to make you proud.”

1.Which of the following has the similar meaning to the underlined word “withdrawn”?

A. Quiet and lonely.

B. Relaxed and excited.

C. Active and lively.

D. Happy and easy going.

2.According to the first report card, Karl ________.

A. often went to school late.    B. didn’t do well at school.

C. did a good job at school.    D. failed in the exams.

3.When the mother said“it’s out of my hands” to the head teacher, she meant that she _________.

A. would have to hang up.

B. would drive her son away from the house.

C. had no money to support the family.

D. didn’t know what to do about her son.

4.Who telephoned Karl’s mother that day?

A. The head teacher.    B. The school adviser.

C. The passage doesn’t tell us.    D. Karl himself.

5.From the passage we can learn that ________.

A. mother’s love is important to teenager’s life.

B. children in single-parent families always have mental problems.

C. parents should give their children everything that they need.

D. school education still works well without the support from parents.

Answer

1.A

2.B

3.D

4.D

5.A

【解析】

这是一篇记叙文。短文叙述了丈夫去世后，儿子性格变得孤僻起来，单亲母亲想尽一切办法想帮助儿子，却没有任何好转。终于一次儿子借班主任的名义跟妈妈打电话开个玩笑时听到了母亲的心声，从此振作起来，逐渐成了母亲的骄傲。

1.词义猜测题。由第一段as a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away可知，丈夫去世后，单亲母亲想尽一切办法想帮助儿子，却没有任何好转。以及下文叙述了孩子在学校的不良表现。可以猜测出withdrawn是“沉默寡言的，孤僻的”的意思。故A选项正确。

2.推理判断题。由第一段When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year可知，儿子有95次旷课，六门公课不及格，由此推断儿子在学校里表现并不好。故B选项正确。

3.细节理解题。 由第二段I love my son, but I just don't know what to do. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands 可知，母亲爱儿子，她已经竭尽全力在帮助儿子，但是毫无效果，所以最后一句It's out of my hands是说明母亲这时的心理，感觉自己已经无能为力了，不知道该怎么做好了。故D选项正确。

4.细节理解题。由最后一段On our way home, he said, “Mum, remember that call from the head teacher last year?” I nodded. “That was me 可知，儿子承认了去年自己冒充班主任给妈妈打电话。故D选项正确。

5.推理判断题。由第一段到第三段，我们看到了孩子之所以能够积极地改变，是因为一次儿子借班主任的名义跟妈妈打电话开个玩笑时听到了母亲的心声。是母爱改变了他。所以判断出母爱在孩子的成长过程中起着重要的作用。故A选项正确。