As I was folding the canvas chair, Chatita Chávez drove into our yard in her father’s old truck. It made short loud sounds and sent out a trail of black smoke out of its tailpipe. She got out smiling as usual and excitedly pointed toward the storm that seemed to be moving toward us.
“I can’t stay long, Nilda. There’s a storm coming and I need to beat it home.” I was glad to see her. “Yes, I think we’re in for some bad weather. Come on in and have a cup of coffee at least,” I said as I took her into our kitchen.
“I’m so excited, Nilda! You’ll never guess what I just did!” I stopped pouring the coffee and turned and looked at her.
“I just went over to Edinburg and registered for junior college,” she said and looked at me and smiled. “Don’t you want to go take classes with me?”
I was astonished. I didn’t know what to say. How could I go to college? I didn’t have any money. I gave Chatita a cup of coffee. “I don’t know. I don’t think I can. Isn’t college expensive?”
Chatita sat down at the table and began adding sugar to her coffee. “Not really, and I’m working part-time at the packing shed(棚)on Canal Road. You could work there, too.”
The wind began to gust causing the house to occasionally make sounds and shake. The lightbulb hanging over the table flashed off and on and I heard a low roll of thunder in the distance.
I hesitantly asked, “Do you think I could get a job at the packing shed?”
“Sure. My cousin is the boss. He’ll give you a job.” Mamá came into the kitchen and exchanged greetings with Chatita. She must have heard our conversation.
“I think it’s nice that you’re going to go to college, Chatita. What will you study?” my
mother asked as she joined us at the table.
“I want to be a teacher.”
“A teacher! How nice!” Mamá said as she patted Chatita’s arm.
“A teacher?” I asked. “Don’t you need a degree?”
“You can start teaching before you get your degree. Clarence Duncan has been teaching in Brownsville since last year and I think Zulema will start this year.”
The lightbulb blinked again and went out. Mamá quickly arose from the table. “I’m going to have to bring in the lanterns. I knew I shouldn’t have packed them away.”
“Well, Nilda, do you want to go? Because, if you do, you can go over to Edinburg with me tomorrow.”
I hesitated, then said, “Yes. I want to go.” My heart was beating fast. I couldn’t believe how happy I was feeling.
“But I have to talk to Mamá and Papá. What if they won’t let me?”
“You can at least go with me tomorrow and find out what it’s all about. I’ll come by for you around eight.”
Chatita left me sitting at the table staring at my cup of coffee. It seemed so unreal, this idea of me going to college. My parents had never had the opportunity for much education. Juana had quit school to get married and Roberto and Zeke had graduated from high school as I had. But college? I would be the first one in my family to go to college. Yes, college was exactly what I wanted.
The day had turned dark and the rain had started. My mother came back into the kitchen with two lanterns.
“Mamá, I need to ask you something.”
She picked up a cloth and began to clean the dust from the lanterns. She looked at me and smiled.
“Mamá, if I could find a way to pay, could I take classes at the junior college?” I asked, trying to control my excitement.
She stopped cleaning and raised her eyebrows. “What would you study, my daughter?”
“I think I want to be a teacher,” I quietly replied.
Mamá sat down at the table across from me. “Then, I would like for you to go to college,” she said in a serious tone.
“What about Papá? Do you think he will allow me to go?”
“Your father wants you to be happy. If going to college and being a teacher makes you happy, then he will probably allow it,” she answered.
I didn’t say anything. I was enjoying the feeling of happiness and sense of wonder that had come over me. The two of us sat in the darkened room without speaking until I saw my mamá rubbing her eyes with the edge of her apron.
“What’s wrong, Mamá.”
“Nothing,” she replied. “I probably got some dust in my eyes. That’s all.”
1. This story is told from the point of view of___________.
A.Chatita | B.Mamá | C.Nilda | D.Papá |
A.acceptance | B.disappointment |
C.encouragement | D.indifference |
A.Sympathy. | B.Frustration. |
C.Annoyance. | D.Satisfaction. |
A.proud that Nilda wants to become a teacher |
B.concerned about missing Nilda once she leaves |
C.worried her husband will stop Nilda from leaving |
D.happy that Nilda can work at a job with her friend |
A.She picks up a chair from their yard. |
B.She seeks their approval to go to college. |
C.She sits with her mother without speaking. |
D.She tells her mother she plans to become a teacher. |
A.“Now that I was finished with school I seemed to have lost some of the excitement from my life.” |
B.“I haltingly asked, ‘Do you think I could get a job at the packing shed?’ ” |
C.“ ‘Mamá, if I could find a way to pay, could I take classes at the junior college?’ ” |
D.“I was enjoying the feeling of happiness and sense of wonder that had come over me.” |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Bicycle Safety
Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus( 校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists,and always use your lights in dark conditions.
Theft Prevention Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack, even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.
Equipment
Brakes Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.
Helmet Make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fits properly.
Lights Always have a front headlight- -visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.
Rules of the Road
Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider ,you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15 mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of way to walkers.If you are involved in an accident , you are required to offer appropriate aid ,call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.
Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees , handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking,and parking in such spots can result in a fine.
If Things Go Wrong
If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus,you could be fined for:
No bicycle registration $ 25
Bicycle parking banned $ 30
Blocking the path with the bicycle $ 40
Violation of bicycle equipment requirement $ 35
1. Registration of your bicycle may help you________A.find your stolen bicycle | B.get your serial number |
C.receive free repair services | D.settle conflicts with walkers |
A.Brakes. | B.A helmet. | C.A headlight. | D.A taillight. |
A.ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks |
B.cycle at a speed of over 15 mph |
C.put the walkers’ right of way first |
D.call the police before leaving in case of an accident |
【推荐2】You might be reading this article and saying, "Hey, that sounds just like me!" If so, we're glad you recognize that this happens to you.Now you can start taking steps to lessen your test anxiety.Here are some ways to do that:
Ask for help.Talk to your mom or dad, your teacher, or your school guidance counselor.Just talking to someone about test anxiety can make you feel better.Describe what happens to you when you're taking a test and these people can help you figure out some solutions.For instance, learning study skills can boost your test-day confidence.
Be prepared.Pay attention in class.Do your homework.Study for the test.On test day, you're more likely to feel like you know the material.
Block bad thoughts.Watch out for any negative messages you might be sending yourself about the test.These thoughts can make anxiety worse and make it harder for you to do well in the test.
________.Everyone makes mistakes.Be more forgiving of your own mistakes, especially if you prepared for the test and are set to do your best.
Breathe better.OK, so you already know how to breathe. But did you know that breathing exercises can help calm you down(Just try not to take in too much air because it might make you feel dizzy.) Here's how to do it; Inhale (breathe in) slowly and deeply through your nose, and then exhale (breathe out) slowly through your mouth.Do this two to four times and you just might breathe more easily the next time you're taking a test!
1. Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following one?Having too many negative messages in mind leads to worse test anxiety, which may stop you from doing well in the test.
2. Please fill in the blank in the last but one paragraph with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence, (not more than 10 words)
3. Which of the tips do you think is the most useful? (not more than 30 words)
4. What's the best title of the passage? (not more than 10 words)
5. Translate the underlined sentence in the 6th paragraph into Chinese.
【推荐3】Fantastic flea market
As we start a brand new semester, we’re ready to push hard again. As an old saying goes: A handy tool makes a handy man. So, before burying ourselves in piles of books and assignments, we should get some new equipment. A perfect place for me to do this was at my school’s flea market during the summer holiday.
It was a sunny afternoon, and sunshine filled the campus. My fellow students and I rushed into the playground as soon as the bell rang, yelling and laughing. All the sellers were sitting at tables filled with second-hand books, stationery, and even handcrafted goods.
The flea market is an annual activity at my high school, but this was the first time I’d visited it. On the day, I bought two books for the coming semester from some graduates, who were full of passion for passing on their knowledge.
I tried to bargain with them and ended up with a 20 percent discount — I even asked for some advice on study methods. Although some of the books had turned yellow, I still felt happy about the experience.
Pacing back and forth past the stalls (摊位), I suddenly understood the value of flea markets and the reason why they’ve remained popular. For one thing, it’s a platform for selling and buying. People can sell things they don’t need any more or buy things at a lower price. For another, it also offers a channel of communication and is a great way to meet new people.
It may be going a bit too far to say that this flea market introduced me to a brand new way of life. However, it can’t be overlooked that this little market indeed brought great things into my life — old books and new friends.
1. What does the underlined sentence mean?A.One needs to make preparations to ensure success. |
B.An old man’s sayings are always telling the truth. |
C.Nothing can be accomplished without working hard. |
D.Treat others in the way you want to be treated. |
A.Furniture. | B.Clothes. |
C.Food. | D.Books. |
A.Because they can give away what they don’t need to others. |
B.Because graduates can help them make the right choice. |
C.Because they can buy what they need at a lower price. |
D.Because things people sell there are usually of better quality. |
A.Doubtful. | B.Indifferent. |
C.Critical. | D.Grateful. |