I was the youngest of five boys and also had four sisters who had to pull together and take care of each other. Dad wasn't around, so I never knew him well. He killed himself when I was three years old, leaving mom with the job of raising nine kids. She was a very hard worker, and in order to make ends meet, she hardly ever rested. With my mom as my example, I learned that hard work is the best way to get what you want.
Even as a little boy, I knew I was going to be successful. Regardless of what I chose, I wanted to make my brothers, sisters and mom proud of me—not only by being successful in what I chose to do, but also as a person who could be looked up to for the right reasons.
Surprising as it might seem, basketball wasn't in my plans. One day, my mom cut a rim(边缘) off an old water barrel(水桶) and then held it up for me to throw an old rubber ball through. By junior high, I started playing basketball on a team. I loved to compete. For me, it paid off. I always put the effort in, every day.
I am grateful for the life I've enjoyed as a basketball star. Basketball is not life. It can be exciting. But the most important thing about basketball is that it gives me a way to do good things for others as I move through this journey called life.

1. 1.

   It can be inferred that the author's________.

   1. A.
      brothers were more famous than him
   2. B.
      mother had a great influence on his career
   3. C.
      father loved his children and wife very much
   4. D.
      family was rich and happy when he was a child
2. 2.

   Why did the author's father kill himself?

   1. A.
      Because the family was poor.
   2. B.
      Because he often quarreled with his wife.
   3. C.
      Because he was seriously ill.
   4. D.
      The passage didn't tell us the reason.
3. 3.

   From the second paragraph, we can infer that________.

   1. A.
      the author was respected as a brave boy
   2. B.
      the author's family didn't like his career
   3. C.
      the author got on well with his mother, brothers and sisters
   4. D.
      the author helped his brothers and sisters succeed
4. 4.

   What does the author get from basketball?

   1. A.
      How to do good things for others.
   2. B.
      Life is as hard as playing basketball.
   3. C.
      Cooperation with others is important.
   4. D.
      Two heads are wiser than one.

I was the youngest of five boys and also had four sisters who had to pull together and take care of each other. Dad wasn't around, so I never knew him well. He killed himself when I was three years old, leaving mom with the job of raising nine kids. She was a very hard worker, and in order to make ends meet, she hardly ever rested. With my mom as my example, I learned that hard work is the best way to get what you want.

Even as a little boy, I knew I was going to be successful. Regardless of what I chose, I wanted to make my brothers, sisters and mom proud of me—not only by being successful in what I chose to do, but also as a person who could be looked up to for the right reasons.

Surprising as it might seem, basketball wasn't in my plans. One day, my mom cut a rim(边缘) off an old water barrel(水桶) and then held it up for me to throw an old rubber ball through. By junior high, I started playing basketball on a team. I loved to compete. For me, it paid off. I always put the effort in, every day.

I am grateful for the life I've enjoyed as a basketball star. Basketball is not life. It can be exciting. But the most important thing about basketball is that it gives me a way to do good things for others as I move through this journey called life.

1.It can be inferred that the author's________.

2.Why did the author's father kill himself?

3.From the second paragraph, we can infer that________.

4.What does the author get from basketball?

I was the youngest of five boys and also had four sisters who had to pull together and take care of each other. Dad wasn't around, so I never knew him well. He killed himself when I was three years old, leaving mom with the job of raising nine kids. She was a very hard worker, and in order to make ends meet, she hardly ever rested. With my mom as my example, I learned that hard work is the best way to get what you want.
Even as a little boy, I knew I was going to be successful. Regardless of what I chose, I wanted to make my brothers, sisters and mom proud of me—not only by being successful in what I chose to do, but also as a person who could be looked up to for the right reasons.
Surprising as it might seem, basketball wasn't in my plans. One day, my mom cut a rim(边缘) off an old water barrel(水桶) and then held it up for me to throw an old rubber ball through. By junior high, I started playing basketball on a team. I loved to compete. For me, it paid off. I always put the effort in, every day.
I am grateful for the life I've enjoyed as a basketball star. Basketball is not life. It can be exciting. But the most important thing about basketball is that it gives me a way to do good things for others as I move through this journey called life.
【小题1】It can be inferred that the author's________.

Has it ever happened that an opportunity knocked at your door? How did you respond? How many times did you refuse opportunities that knocked at your door? What was the reason?

       The most interesting question is, how many times you couldn’t recognize an opportunity!

       Yes, I mean it. Most people couldn’t even recognize opportunities and the success hidden in them.

       Here is the reason: “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” —Ann Landers

       You think, “Oh, this looks like too much work to do. Why should I do that anyway?” And so you turn around and refuse to do the hard work to seize the opportunity and gain the rewards.

       Here is an important fact: You would never be able to achieve great success in your life without your willingness to do hard work and go the extra mile.

       Forget about the get–rich-quick plans. Success requires hard work from your side. It also requires smart work. You receive as much as you give. If you are not willing to work very hard to succeed in your life, then the only choice left for you is to stay in the average zone and live a mediocre life.

       Successful people are few, because very few people are willing to do the hard work required to get what they want. Successful people are open to every opportunity to achieve what they want. They don’t care about the hard work hidden there. They are brave and they are willing to succeed.

       Be ready to do whatever it takes to live an extraordinary life. You deserve it. If you know what you are capable of doing, you will do all the necessary work to express your potential.

       Hard work is your key to massive success. Believe me, it is worth all your efforts!

68. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. Hard work and success.                                B. Opportunities and success.

C. Giving and receiving.                                   D. Smart work and opportunities

69. The underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph means _______________.

A. it is always hard to get opportunities              B. opportunities are hidden in hard work

C. opportunities often appear after hard work      D. it takes hard work to find opportunities

70. The underlined word “mediocre” in Paragraph 7 probably means “_________”.

A. strange                     B. poor                        C. common                          D. sad