1 . Looking back is a wonderful thing. It allows you to see what has led you here and, hopefully, how society has changed and improved.

Take, for instance, my career goal. First, I wanted, in 1999, to be a “farmer”, soon archaeologist, then driving instructor and somewhere along the way, footballer.

I had grown up in a football-loving family. I remember the exact moment when I said “I’m sad I can’t be a footballer” while watching the game with Dad as a pre-teen. He asked why not. “Because I’m not a boy.” He immediately responded, “You can, if you want to.” “Yeah, I suppose so,” I sighed, “but no one watches women’s football.”

Looking back, I can see exactly why I felt like that. At school, there was an unwritten rule that sports like hockey and netball were “girl” sports and rugby and football were for the boys. I’d never seen a women’s football match on TV. You see, you can’t be what you can’t see, and lack of representation leads, at best, to misunderstanding, and at worst, fear and negative opinions.

Today, the Lionesses will take on Scotland in the World Cup, and people across the world will tune in — over 950,000 tickets have been sold so far. But, although women’s football is one of FIFA’s best investments — with a pound for pound return, the majority of female players are earning under a fair wage. Some argue that’s because viewing statistics are lower than those of men’s, but the rise in support shows the demand is there. Hopefully, more investment will push female football forward.

Today, I’ll be cheering on the Lionesses, because it’ll mean talented, skillful female footballers being broadcast into millions of homes and maybe, just maybe, a little girl believing that she can also be a Lioness one day.

1. Which of the following best describes the author’s career goals?

A．Realistic.	B．Changeable.
C．Consistent.	D．Long-sought.

2. Why didn’t the author believe she could be a footballer?

A．She was not talented enough.

B．People lost faith in women’s football.

C．Girls were forbidden to play football.

D．She had no example to follow.

3. What can we know about women’s football from Paragraph 5?

A．It’s better paid than men’s.	B．It is increasingly popular.
C．It has no market demand.	D．It is not profitable.

4. What does the text mainly want to tell us?

A．Society advances with time.	B．Women deserve equal rights.
C．Each goal is worth pursuing.	D．Hard work always pays off.