I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as Mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.

Years later，during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk”, she said, “is for Elizabeth”.

I never saw her angry， never saw her cry. I knew she loved me, she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.

They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional”. But she lived “on the surface”.

As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.

I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.

My hope turned to disappointment，then little interest, finally, peace——it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn‘t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it， and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.

Now the present of her desk told me, as she‘d never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work, I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside—a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded and refolded many times.

Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.

The passage shows that__________.

A. Mother wrote her daughter in careful words

B. Mother cared much about her daughter in words

C. Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done

D. Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter

 The word “gulf” in the passage means________.

A. part of the sea going far in land

B. free talks between mother and daughter

C. different ideas between the mother and the daughter

D. deep understanding between the old and the young

What did Mother do with her daughter‘s letter asking for forgiveness？

A. She had never received the letter.

B. She read the letter again and till she died.

C. For years, she often talked about the letter.

D. She didn‘t forgive her daughter at all in her life.

What‘s the best title of the passage？

A. My letter to Mother    B. Mother and Children

C. My Mother‘s Desk      D. Talks between Mother and Me

Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own．My mom was one of those people．

My father died when I was nine months old，making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen．While I was growing up，we lived a very hard life．We had little money，but my mom gave me a lot of love．Each night，she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life，“Kemmons，you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it．”

At fourteen，I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day，my mother spoke to me in her gentle，loving voice，telling me that no matter what those doctors said. I could walk again if I wanted it badly enough．She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her．A year later，I returned to school--walking on my own．

When the Great Depression(大萧条)hit，my mom lost her job．Then I left school to support the both of us．At that moment，I was determined never to be poor again．

Over the years, I experienced various levels of business Success．But the real turning point occurred on a vocation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951．I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra$2 for each child．That was too expensive for the average American family．I told my wife that I was going to open a motel(汽车旅馆)for families that would never charge extra for children．There were plenty of doubters at that time．

Not surprisingly，mom was one of my strongest supporters．She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style．As in any business，we experienced a lot of challenges．But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul，I never doubted we could succeed．Fifteen years later，we had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn. In 1979，my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $ 1 billion a year．

You may not have started out life in the best situations．But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself，nothing can stop you．

1.What Kemmons' mom often told him during his childhood was         ．

2.What caused Kemmons to start a motel by himself?

3.．Which of the following best describes Kemmoms’ mother?   、

4.Which of the following led to Kemmons’ success according to the passage?

Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own．My mom was one of those people．
My father died when I was nine months old，making my mom a single mother at the age of eighteen．While I was growing up，we lived a very hard life．We had little money，but my mom gave me a lot of love．Each night，she sat me on her lap and spoke the words that would change my life，“Kemmons，you are certain to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it．”
At fourteen，I was hit by a car and the doctors said I would never walk again. Every day，my mother spoke to me in her gentle，loving voice，telling me that no matter what those doctors said. I could walk again if I wanted it badly enough．She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her．A year later，I returned to school--walking on my own．
When the Great Depression(大萧条)hit，my mom lost her job．Then I left school to support the both of us．At that moment，I was determined never to be poor again．
Over the years, I experienced various levels of business Success．But the real turning point occurred on a vocation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951．I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was angry that they charged an extra$2 for each child．That was too expensive for the average American family．I told my wife that I was going to open a motel(汽车旅馆)for families that would never charge extra for children．There were plenty of doubters at that time．
Not surprisingly，mom was one of my strongest supporters．She worked behind the desk and even designed the room style．As in any business，we experienced a lot of challenges．But with my mother’s words deeply rooted in my soul，I never doubted we could succeed．Fifteen years later，we had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn. In 1979，my company had 1759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $ 1 billion a year．
You may not have started out life in the best situations．But if you can find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself，nothing can stop you．
【小题1】What Kemmons' mom often told him during his childhood was         ．