In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University to study law, 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 at 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 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 busy I became, raising four boys under the age of 8. Our home was a complete zoo--a joyous zoo. Not surprisingly, 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 but 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.Which of the following can best describe the author?

A. Caring and determined. B. Honest and responsible.

C. Brave and sensitive. D. Independent and single-minded.

練習冊系列答案
相關習題

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學年廣東惠來一中、揭東一中高一上學期期末英語試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空

— Did he break my glass________? — No. Quite by accident.

A. on purpose B. with purpose

C. for purpose D. at purpose

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學年福建師大附中高一上學期期末英語試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空

So many floods have cut down on the production of peanuts; _______, the price has gone up a great deal.

A. in other words B. in brief

C. even so D. as a result

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學年湖北武漢二中高一上學期期末英語試卷(解析版) 題型:書面表達

書面表達

假設你是李華,你們全家人在除夕夜都會收看中央電視臺春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會,但都覺得該節(jié)目需要改革。請你代表家人給中央電視臺提以下建議:

1. 讓更多有才華的新人在春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會這個大舞臺上展現(xiàn)其藝術天賦,這樣春晚才能保持生命力;

2. 建議春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會應該像奧運會那樣,各個城市輪流來舉辦,這樣可以讓全國人民每年都欣賞到不同地區(qū)的具有不同特色的文藝節(jié)目。

要求:1. 詞數(shù):100個左右。

2. 參考詞匯:春節(jié)聯(lián)歡晚會the Spring Festival Gala

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學年廣西桂林十八中學高二上10月英語試卷(解析版) 題型:書面表達

書面表達

假定你是星光中學的高二學生李華,你校高一新生舉辦主題為“What to learn in senior high school?”的英語沙龍活動,特邀請你結合自身經歷談談自己的體會。請根據(jù)以下提示準備一份英語發(fā)言稿。

1.學會學習:方法,習慣等;

2.學會做人:真誠,友善;

3.學會其他:考生自擬。

注意:1.詞數(shù)100左右;

2.發(fā)言稿開頭和結尾已給出,不計入總次數(shù)。

Good morning, everyone! It is my honor to be here to share with you my opinions on what to learn in senior high school.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you!

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學年陜西西安一中高一上學期期末英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

The morning had been a disaster. My tooth was aching,and I’d been in an argument with a friend. Her words still hurt:“The trouble with you is that you won’t put yourself in my place. Can’t you see things from my point of view?”I shook my head stubbornly-and felt the ache in my tooth. I’d thought I could hold out till my dentist came back from holiday,but the pain was really unbearable. I started calling the dentists in the phone book,but no one could see me immediately. Finally,at about lunchtime,I got lucky.

“If you come by right now,”the receptionist said,“the dentist will fit you in.”

I took my purse and keys and rushed to my car. But suddenly I began to doubt about the dentist. What kind of dentist would be so eager to treat someone at such short notice?Why wasn’t he as busy as the others?

In the dentist’s office,I sat down and looked around. I saw nothing but the bare walls and I became even more worried. The assistant noticed my nervousness and placed her warm hand over my ice?cold one.

When I told her my fears,she laughed and said,“Don’t worry. The dentist is very good.”

“How long do I have to wait for him?”I asked impatiently.

“Come on,he is coming. Just lie down and relax. And enjoy the artwork,”the assistant said.

“The artwork?”I was puzzled.

The chair went back. Suddenly I smiled. There was a beautiful picture,right where I could enjoy it:on the ceiling. How considerate the dentist was!At that moment,I began to understand what my friend meant by her words. What a relief!

1.Which of the following best describes the author’s feeling that morning?

A.Cheerful. B.Nervous.

C.Satisfied. D.Upset.

2.What made the author begin to doubt about the dentist?

A.The dentist’s agreeing to treat her at very short notice.

B.The dentist’s being as busy as the other dentists.

C.The surroundings of the dentist’s office.

D.The laughing assistant of the dentist.

3.What did the author learn from her experience most probably?

A.Strike while the iron is hot.

B.Have a good word for one’s friend.

C.Put oneself in others’ shoes.

D.A friend in need is a friend indeed.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2015-2016學年安徽安慶一中高一上學期期末英語試卷(解析版) 題型:閱讀理解

The impression you make at the beginning of an interview is very important. Employers often decide to hire someone in the first three minutes of the interview. They judge you by your appearance, attitude and manners.

A friendly smile when you walk into the room is important. A smile shows a confident and positive attitude.

When you introduce yourself, make eye contact with the interviewer. Some interviewers offer a handshake. Others don't.

Try to be as natural as possible. But pay attention to your body language. The way you sit, walk, gesture, use your voice and show feelings on your face is all part of your body language. It makes the interviewer know how you feel about yourself and the situation you are in. Are you feeling positively about yourself? Your abilities? Your interest in the job?

Speak clearly and loudly enough. Show interest and enthusiasm in your voice. When you speak, look at the interviewer. Also, don't say negative things about yourself, or former employer.

Listen to questions carefully. If you don't understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat or explain: "I'm sorry, but I didn't catch that." "I'm not sure exactly what you mean."

Almost everyone is nervous in a job interview. Interviewers know that. They don't expect you to be totally calm and relaxed. But they expect you to try to control your nervousness. They expect you to show confidence in your ability to do the job.

At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for her or his time.

It's a good idea to send a short thank-you letter right after the interview, or deliver it by hand.

Phone the company if you have not heard anything after one week. Ask if they have made a decision about the job.

Good luck!

1.It can be inferred from the passage that _____.

A. you should always put on a smile when meeting the employer

B. you should stand still with respect before the employer

C. employers understand and like employees' nervousness

D. the first impression is very important in an interview

2. Why should we pay attention to our body language?

A. Because it is needed by our employer.

B. Because it can help us feel about the employer.

C. Because it can help us win the employer's positive impression.

D. Because we need it to improve our feelings.

3. The main purpose of the passage is _____.

A. to tell right from wrong about job interviews

B. to give you some advice on the art of finding a job

C. to explain why we should do something about an interview

D. to suggest not being shy in an interview

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. A Friendly Smile

B. Sending a Thank-You Letter

C. Don't Be Nervous

D. Making a Good Impression

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2016屆江蘇省高三上學期期中模擬考試英語試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空

My normal monthly emails to and ______ pen pals have disappeared with my tightschedule.( )

A.inB.for

C.fromD.through

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:2014-2015學年湖南省懷化市高三一?荚囉⒄Z試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空

Mom, could you lend me a few dollars until I _____ on Monday?

A. get paid B. got paid

C. will get paid D. had got paid

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案