I have been worrying for weeks now about what to give my mother for Mother's Day. For most people, this is a modest problem, solved by the purchase of a bathrobe or a box of candy. For me, however, Mother's Day represents an annual challenge to do the impossible—find a gift that will make neither Mama nor me feel terrible.
Expensive gifts which Mama defines as costing over $10 are out, because they make Mama feel terrible. "This is awful, " she once said, examining an apron. "I feel just terrible. You shouldn't have spent that much on it." Inexpensive presents - under $10—please Mama, but they make me feel terrible.
The story always goes this way: a gift given to Mama will bounce swiftly back to me. If I buy her something wearable, she perceives in an instant that it could be let in here, let out there, and it would fit me perfectly. If I give her a plant, she cuts off the top for me to take home and root in a glass of water. If I give her something edible, she wants me to stay for lunch and eat it.
Papa, a sensible man, long ago stopped trying to shop for Mama. Instead, on Mother's Day, her birthday, and other appropriate occasions, he composes a short romantic poem in which he tells of their meeting, unforgettable things, and marriage. After nearly 30 years of poems, Papa sometimes worries that the edge of his poetic inspiration has dulled, but Mama doesn't complain. She comes into the room while he is struggling over a gift poem and says, "It doesn't have to rhyme as long as it's from the heart."
This year, finally, I think I, too, have found a painless gift for Mama. I am going to give her a magazine article, unrhymed but from the heart, in which I wish her "Happy Mother's Day" and tell her there's nothing Papa or I could ever buy, find, or make her that would be half good enough anyway.
4. Why Mother's Day is regarded as an annual challenge by the author?
A.Most gifts are too expensive to afford. |
B.Her mother has never been pleased with gifts. |
C.She lacks the experience of choosing gifts. |
D.It's hard to buy a satisfying gift for her mother. |
5. What can we know about the author's mother from paragraph 3?
A.She is particular about gifts. | B.She doesn't like receiving gifts. |
C.She always cares about her child. | D.She always gives something in return. |
6. Which words can best describe the author's Dad?
A.Loving and wise. | B.Energetic and kind. |
C.Brave and inspiring. | D.Optimistic and talented. |
7. Why will the author give her mother a magazine article?
A.To show her love for her mother. |
B.To show off her literary competence. |
C.To offer a better present than .her dad's. |
D.To avoid the difficulty of choosing |