I began working in journalism(新闻工作)when I was eight．It was my mother’s idea．She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition．
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue．The crowds were there．There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union．For several hours I made myself highly visible, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST．When it was suppertime, I walked back home．
“ How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked．
“ None．”
“ Where did you go?”
“ The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues．”
“ What did you do?”
“ Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post．”
“ You just stood there?”
“ Didn’t sell a single one．”
“ My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “ Well, I’ve decided to take the Post．” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickle(五分镍币)．It was the first nickle I earned．
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman．I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence(自信)，and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home．
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind．I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business．
“ If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “ you’ll become a good-for-nothing．” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines．Whenever I said no, she would scold me．
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember．My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people．But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful journalist as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love．
(1)
Why did the boy start his job young?
[ ]
A．
He wanted to be famous in the future．
B．
The job was quite easy for him．
C．
His mother had high hopes for him．
D．
The competiton for the job was fierce．
(2)
From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was ________．
[ ]
A．
excited
B．
interested
C．
ashamed
D．
disappointed
(3)
What did the mother do when the boy wanted to give up?
[ ]
A．
She forced him to continue．
B．
She punished him．
C．
She gave him some money．
D．
She changed her plan．
(4)
What does the underlined phrase “this battle”(last paragraph)refer to?
One night when my wife was preparing dinner, our little son took a piece of paper to her which read：
For washing the car ＄5.00
For making my own bed this week ＄1.00
Going to the provision shop ＄0.50
Playing with little sister ＄0.25
Taking out the rubbish ＄1.00
Getting a good report card ＄5.00
And for sweeping the common corridor ＄2.00
Total ＄14.75
His mother looked at him standing there expecting payment．I could see a thousand memories flashed through her mind．So she picked up the pen and turning the paper over, this is what she wrote：
For nine months I carried you, growing inside me No Charge
For the nights I sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you No Charge
For the toys, food and clothes and wiping your nose No Charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love No Charge
Well, when he finished reading, he had big tears in his eyes．He looked at his mother and said,“Mummy, I love you．”Then he took the pen and in great big letters wrote on the“bill”“All paid．”
(1)
What's the best title for this passage?
[ ]
A．
Part-time Job
B．
Mother's Love, No Charge
C．
Payment for House Work
D．
Greedy Mother
(2)
The write wrote the passage in order to ________．
[ ]
A．
show that children should be paid for their housework
B．
show that children should not be paid for their housework
C．
show a clever way of teaching children
D．
tell children how to spend their spare time
(3)
How do you think of the mother in the passage?
[ ]
A．
Clever
B．
Greedy
C．
Cold－hearted
D．
Selfish
(4)
From the last passage we know that ________
[ ]
A．
the boy got all the money he wanted
B．
the mother was unwilling to give the money to the boy
C．
the boy realized that it was not right to ask for money for the housework
D．
the mother was angry with what the boy said
阅读理解
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel．Green said,“Clearly I am the most important．I am the sign of life and hope．I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves．Without me, all animals would 1 ．”
Blue interrupted,“You only think about the 2 , but consider the sky and the sea． 3 the water that is the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea．Without my peace, you would all be 4 ．”
Yellow chuckled(笑道),“You are all so serious．I bring laughter, fun, and 5 into the world．”
Orange started next to blow her trumpet,“I am the color of health and strength．I may be 6 , but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life．When I fill the sky 7 , my beauty is so striking that no one gives another 8 to any of you．”
Red could stand it 9 and he shouted out,“I am the ruler of all of you．I am the color of danger and of bravery．I am willing to 10 truth．I am also the color of passion and of love．”
Then came Purple and Indigo(深蓝)…．
The colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own 11 ．Their quarreling became louder and louder．Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder．Rain started to pour down 12 ．The colors crouched(蜷缩)down 13 , drawing close to one another for comfort．
In the midst of the clamor(叫嚷), rain began to speak,“You foolish colors, fighting 14 yourselves, each trying to dominate 15 ．Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, 16 ?Join hands with 17 and come to me．”
Doing as they were told, the colors 18 and joined hands．They formed a colorful rainbow．From then on, whenever a good rain 19 the world, a rainbow appears in the sky．They remember to 20 one another．
