【推荐1】My mom spent years as a stay-at-home mom so that my brothers and I could focus on our education. However, I could tell from her curiosity of and attitudes toward working women that she envied their financial freedom and the self-esteem that must come with it. When I asked her about working again, she would tell me to focus on achieving my dream. I knew she had once dreamed for herself.

For years, I watched her effortlessly light up conversations with both strangers and family. Her empathy and ability to reach the heart could make anyone laugh, even when the story itself did not apply to them at all. “Mom, have you ever thought about being a stand-up comedian?” “It is too late for me, son,” she responded, laughing at the idea. I could not bear to watch her struggle between ambition and doubt.

Her birthday was coming up. Although I had already bought her a present, I knew what I actually wanted to give her. I placed little notes of encouragement inside the present. I asked my family and her friends to do the same. Eventually I had collected 146 notes, and each with the same sentiment, “You are humorous, full of life, and ready to take on the stage.”

On the day of her birthday, my mom unwrapped my present. She was not surprised as she had been hinted at it for long. But then she saw those little notes. She started to weep with her hands full of notes. She could not believe the support was real.

Within two months, my mom gave her first performance in a New York comedy club. I have read the notes countless times with my mom. They are framed and line the walls of her new office space that she rented with the profits she made from working as a professional comedian. For many parents, their children’s careers are their greatest accomplishment, but for me my mom’s is mine.

1. What was the attitude of the author’s mother to working women?

A．She was curious about their income.

B．She admired what work brought them.

C．She felt indifferent to working women.

D．She appreciated their ambitions in finance.

2. According to the author, what makes his mother a good comedian?

A．Her effort in making friends.	B．Her talent to bring people joy.
C．Her curiosity about working women.	D．Her desire for financial independence.

3. How did his mother feel when reading the notes on her birthday?

A．Amazed and hesitant.	B．Sad and disappointed.
C．Moved and encouraged.	D．Delighted and proud.

4. Which can be the best title for this article?

A．My Mom’s Greatest Success.	B．My Mom’s Comedy Career.
C．A Special Birthday Gift.	D．A Journey to Independence.

【推荐2】Sometimes you just want to get away. Your older brother and his friends are constantly camped in front of the TV, your baby sister won’t stay out of your room, and you want some time for yourself.But when you get it — maybe at a friend’s house for an all-weekend DVD marathon or on spring break at Disney World — you’re surprised to find yourself missing the chaos(混乱） at home a bit. What’s that all about?     1    When you’re homesick, you might feel nostalgic（怀念的）for familiar things like your family, friends, pets, house, or neighborhood. Homesickness isn’t only for kids.    2    Teens might get homesick when they leave home for the first extended period of time, like during a vacation with a friend’s family. Familiar surroundings, people, and routines provide people with a sense of security and comfort.    3    Those homesick feelings are completely normal.    4    Others may feel physical symptoms, like stomachache or headache, or even become truly depressed. Most of the time, once the new surroundings and people become more familiar, feelings of homesickness go away. If you have additional stress in your life — like a divorce or a death in the family — homesickness can be more intense(强烈的).Almost everyone has felt homesick at some time.    5    It means you have family and friends worth missing and a place you want to return to when your adventure away from home is over.

A．Believe it or not, you’re feeling homesick.

B．Remember that there’s a good side to homesickness, too.

C．Luckily, homesickness is usually mild and doesn’t last long.

D．Some people may only feel a little loneliness, sadness, or anxiety.

E．And you can do some things to make sure it doesn’t spoil your fun.

F．Practically everyone feels homesick from time to time, even adults.

G．In a new place, you may find yourself missing the comforts of home and loved ones.

【推荐3】I often imagined discussing school choices with my son, but I did not expect to be having such a conversation with him at thirteen years of age.

Earlier this year, he expressed his wish to go to one of the biggest public high schools in our small city. He told me that he wanted to go there because several of his longtime friends were also going.

I fought back the thought to roll my eyes. I told him that if he went to this school, he would be going from a class size of 18 to being one of several hundred in the freshman class. He wouldn’t be able to receive the special attention of his teachers anymore. He would be going to school for six hours a day, and then have to do homework at night…

He was undeterred, however, so I made him a deal. He would need to come up with a list of valid (合理的) reasons. Then, we would sit down and have a talk about it.

Later that night, as promised, we had a discussion. He gave a strong argument with a list of reasons. First, he explained that he would have more choices in courses and after­school activities. Besides, attending this school would better prepare him for college because he would learn what it was like on a big campus (校园).

He added that he would learn to manage his time and take ownership of his schoolwork. He also promised that he would make use of the drop­in tutoring the school offered if he should ever run into trouble.

I sat back and listened, impressed at the thought and research that he had prepared. Honestly, I could have put my foot down and said “no”, or “just wait another year”, but I would have been doing that for me, not for him.

At last, we let our son have the final say on choosing a high school. I knew if my kid put forth the same effort as he did in persuading (说服) us, he would be perfectly fine in high school.

1. How did the author feel when her son suggested attending a big public school?

A．It met her expectation.

B．It was a difficult choice.

C．It might not be a wise decision.

D．It was unexpected but wonderful.

2. What does the underlined part “He was undeterred” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．He did not change his mind.

B．He had no idea what to do next.

C．He lost interest in what I was saying.

D．He felt uncomfortable with my words.

3. Why did the author’s son want to study in a public school?

A．It would help him get into a good college.

B．It would help him become more independent.

C．Public schools provided a drop­in tutoring service.

D．He could make more friends in a large­sized class.

4. What was the author’s final decision?

A．She turned down her son.

B．She let her son decide by himself.

C．She asked her son to do more research.

D．She asked her son to wait one more year.