In the fall of 1985. I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later , I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.

  My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college an the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.

  Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt(收养) and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3.  In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.

  You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.

  The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.

In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！

I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember；little steps add up to big dreams.

1. When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be_____________

A. a writer                B. a teacher

C. a judge                 D. a doctor

2.Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?

A. She wanted to study by herself.

B. She fell in love and got married.

C. She suffered from a serious illness.

D. She decided to look after her grandma. 

3.What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 4 and 5?

A. She was busy yet happy with her family life.

B. She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons.

C. She wanted to remain a full-time housewife.

D. She was too confused to make a correct choice.

4.What doses the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?

A. Failure is the mother of success.

B. Little by little, one goes far.

C. Every coin has two sides.

D. Well begun, half done.

5.Which of the following can best describe the author?

A. Caring and determine.      

B. Honest and responsible.

C. Ambitious and sensitive.

Innocent and single-minded.

In the fall of 1985. I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later , I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college an the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt(收养) and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3.  In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 8. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up on the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree！
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day. It’s a process. Remember；little steps add up to big dreams.
【小题1】When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be_____________

Do you remember last summer , when angry travelers were urging the government to do something about airline customer service ? Airlines     36     to improve , and they adopted (采用)new standards just before Christmas .    37     as another summer nears , plenty of     38    

travelers don’t see much improvement in customer     39     overall .

    This month , the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) office will publish its first critical   40      

on whether airlines are     41     their promises . One survey（调查）suggests problems : the number of     42     to the DOT about the top 10 airlines in the first     43     rose 89% from a year ago .

Hit last summer by passenger complaints  and the threat (威慑)of consumer-protection laws by the    44      , 14 airlines     45     to adopt a set of basic customer-service standards called Customers First . The “12 promises” to passengers were introduced     46     a mjor effort to improve service . Since then , airlines have been redesigning websites , retraining employees and upgrading technology .

Recently , DOT inspector general Kenneth Mead , at McCain’s request , sent 20 examiners to airports to     47     whether each airline is doing what it promised . Mead warns travelers shouldn’t    48      too much . Most of the promises are    49      better communication with customers , not problems with flights .

“Passengers should show more understanding to airlines about their     50     to better air service .” Spokeswoman Shelly Sasson says . “And when     51     are made , it takes a long time for them to be noticed,” she says .

Now , the efforts may be working . During the first quarter , Delta had the second-lowest rate of complaints among the     52     10 carriers .    53     , its rate , along with other carriers’ , is up from last year . McCain and other lawmakers say there may be  a     54     to pass new consumer-protection      55    .

36．A．promised                      B．managed               C．hoped                    D．refused

37．A．So                         B．But                        C．Merely                   D．Even

38．A．skilled                   B．experienced            C．tired                             D．puzzled

39．A．flight                     B．opinion                  C．service                   D．travel

40．A．news                     B．information            C．doubt                     D．article

41．A．honoring               B．making                  C．giving                    D．improving

42．A．problems                      B．travelers                 C．passengers              D．complaints

43．A．quarter                  B．year                       C．month                    D．summer

44．A．customer               B．company               C．government            D．public

45．A．wished                   B．agreed                    C．remembered           D．failed

46．A．to                          B．for                        C．as                          D．by

47．A．explain                   B．discuss                    C．discover                 D．check

48．A．travel                    B．expect                    C．complain               D．suggest   

49．A．aimed at               B．considered as          C．joined to               D．made from

50．A．difficulty                      B．situation                 C．reality                    D．efforts

51．A．suggestions            B．rules                      C．decisions               D．improvements

52．A．large                     B．first                      C．top                        D．bad

53．A．Still                       B．Therefore                C．Instead                   D．Meanwhile

54．A．possibility              B．need                      C．chance                   D．use

55．A．examinations          B．service                   C．laws                      D．reports

Do you remember last summer , when angry travelers were urging the government to do something about airline customer service ? Airlines     36     to improve , and they adopted (采用)new standards just before Christmas .    37     as another summer nears , plenty of     38     

travelers don’t see much improvement in customer     39     overall .

    This month , the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) office will publish its first critical   40      

on whether airlines are     41     their promises . One survey（调查）suggests problems : the number of     42     to the DOT about the top 10 airlines in the first     43     rose 89% from a year ago .

Hit last summer by passenger complaints  and the threat (威慑)of consumer-protection laws by the    44      , 14 airlines     45     to adopt a set of basic customer-service standards called Customers First . The “12 promises” to passengers were introduced     46     a mjor effort to improve service . Since then , airlines have been redesigning websites , retraining employees and upgrading technology .

Recently , DOT inspector general Kenneth Mead , at McCain’s request , sent 20 examiners to airports to     47     whether each airline is doing what it promised . Mead warns travelers shouldn’t    48      too much . Most of the promises are    49      better communication with customers , not problems with flights .

“Passengers should show more understanding to airlines about their     50     to better air service .” Spokeswoman Shelly Sasson says . “And when     51     are made , it takes a long time for them to be noticed,” she says .

Now , the efforts may be working . During the first quarter , Delta had the second-lowest rate of complaints among the     52     10 carriers .    53     , its rate , along with other carriers’ , is up from last year . McCain and other lawmakers say there may be  a     54     to pass new consumer-protection      55    .

36．A．promised                      B．managed               C．hoped                    D．refused

37．A．So                         B．But                        C．Merely                   D．Even

38．A．skilled                   B．experienced            C．tired                             D．puzzled

39．A．flight                     B．opinion                  C．service                   D．travel

40．A．news                     B．information            C．doubt                     D．article

41．A．honoring               B．making                  C．giving                    D．improving

42．A．problems                      B．travelers                 C．passengers              D．complaints

43．A．quarter                  B．year                       C．month                    D．summer

44．A．customer               B．company               C．government            D．public

45．A．wished                   B．agreed                    C．remembered           D．failed

46．A．to                          B．for                        C．as                          D．by

47．A．explain                   B．discuss                    C．discover                 D．check

48．A．travel                    B．expect                    C．complain               D．suggest   

49．A．aimed at               B．considered as          C．joined to               D．made from

50．A．difficulty                      B．situation                 C．reality                    D．efforts

51．A．suggestions            B．rules                      C．decisions               D．improvements

52．A．large                     B．first                      C．top                        D．bad

53．A．Still                       B．Therefore                C．Instead                   D．Meanwhile

54．A．possibility              B．need                      C．chance                   D．use

55．A．examinations          B．service                   C．laws                      D．reports