In early autumn I applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University,
but my mother fought strongly against it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the
sports ground of Cornell, she tore it up.
"You can't say it's not a great university, just because Papa went there."
"That's not it at all. And it is a top university." She was still holding the pieces in her hand. "But we
can't afford to send you to college."
"I wouldn't dream of asking you for money. Do you want me to get a job to help support you and
Papa? Things aren't that bad, are they?"
"No, " she said."I don't expect you to help support us."
Father borrowed money from his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop. His chief customers
were his old college friends. To get new customers, my mother had to help. She picked up a
longforgotten membership in the local league of women, so that she could get to know more people.
Whether those people would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my parents had to
wait for quite a long time before their small investment(投资) could show returns. What's more, they
had not wanted enough to be rich and successful; otherwise they could not possibly have managed
their lives so badly.
I was torn between the desire to help them and change their lives, and the determination not to
repeat their mistakes. I had a strong belief in my power to get what I wanted. After months of hard study
I won a full college scholarship (奖学金). My father could hardly contain his pride in me, and my
mother eventually gave in before my success.
1. The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because________.
A. his father graduated from the university
B. his mother did not think it a great university
C. his parents needed him to help support the family
D. his parents did not have enough money for him
2. The father started his small shop with the money from________.
A. a local league
B. his university
C. his relatives
D. his college friends
3. Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?
A. To help with her husband's business.
B. To raise money for her son.
C. To meet her longforgotten friends.
D. To better manage her life.
4. According to the text, what was the author determined to do in that autumn?
A. To get a wellpaid job for himself.
B. To improve relations with his mother.
C. To go to his dream university.
D. To carry on with his father’s business.
