文章大意：这是一篇记叙文。作者曾经不切实际地想要成为模特，追求名利，但是在许多次失败和沮丧后作者意识到自己不可能成为模特，于是放弃了这个梦想，但是在多年后作者明白这段经历也给她带了了成长。
4 . When I was young I wanted to be a model, so when a national contest was staged, I convinced my parents to take me for an audition (试演). I was selected and told I had potential. They said that for only $900 I could attend a weekend event which dozens of the most prestigious (有声望的) modeling agencies from around the world would attend. At 13, my hopes of fame and fortune clouded all judgment and I begged my parents to let me go. We have never been rich, but they saw my enthusiasm and agreed.
I imagined being signed by some famous model companies. For months, any boredom or disappointment I faced was pushed aside because I knew I would soon have the chance to be a real model. I thought I would grace the covers of famous magazines!
Of course, I wasn’t signed, but what hurt the most was being told that if I grew to 5’9” (about 1.75 metres) I could be a success. I prayed for a growth spurt (冲刺) because I could not imagine giving up my dream. I made an appointment with a local modeling agency and the agent demanded $500 for classes, $500 for a photo shoot, and $300 for other expenses. My parents only agreed after hours and hours of me begging.
The agency sent me out on a few auditions, but with every day I didn’t receive a call, I grew more depressed. The final straw came in July after I had decided to focus on commercial modeling. There was an open call in New York City. We spent hours driving and another few hours waiting, only to be told that I was too short. I was desperate.
Years later, however, I realized that the trip to New York was good as it made me notice I didn’t actually love modeling, just the idea of it. I wanted to be special and I was innocently determined to reach an impossible goal. The experience has made me stronger and that will help me in the future.
1. What’s the main reason why the author wanted to be a model?
| A．She won a national contest. |
| B．She wanted to get reputation and wealth. |
| C．She was urged by some modeling agencies. |
| D．She had full potential to be a successful model. |
2. What’s the author’s parents’ original attitude toward her dream?
| A．Supportive. | B．Worried. | C．Doubtful. | D．Negative. |
3. What was it that made the author end her attempt to become a model?
| A．Her parents were strongly against it. |
| B．She realized that it was impossible for her. |
| C．Even a local modeling agency turned her down. |
| D．She realized that she didn’t actually love the idea of modeling. |
4. The underlined phrase “
The final straw” probably means ______.
| A．the last in a series of bad things that happen to make someone very upset, angry, etc |
| B．the final result that she was admitted by the model company |
| C．the final audition given by the agency |
| D．the decision that she made at last not to be a model any more |
5. What did the author learn from her experience of struggling to be a model?
| A．Where there’s a will there’s a way. |
| B．Being a model is not that easy. |
| C．We should have our own judgment and should not just follow others. |
| D．We might set unpractical goals but the experiences can help us grow. |
