阅读理解。
For a long time, a boy wondered why his next-desk classmate was always the first in the class,
while he could only rank (排名) the 21st. At home, he asked his mom, " Am I more stupid than other
kids? How come I always fall behind?I can't come up with an answer. " Mom knew that her son's
self-respect (自尊心) had been hurt by the ranking system, but she didn't know what to say to help.
She had really wanted to say that intelligence (智力) differs and that yes, her son's friend was really
a smarter boy. But that would make her son lose heart. So she didn't say it.
Her son and his friend went on to a high school that year. Although her son tried as hard as he could,
his friend still left him behind. But she was proud of her boy for his hard work. It was around this time
she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside. On the trip, she at last found an answer for him.
Today her son no longer cares about rankings. He doesn't have to, for he himself is now at the top of the
class in a university. When invited to his old high school, he mentioned a valuable childhood experience:
Once on a trip to the sea, my mother and I were lying on the beach. She pointed to the sea and said to
me: Do you see seabirds fighting for food out there?When a wave (海浪) comes near, the little birds
rise quickly. The "clumsy" seagulls (海鸥) are far less quick and have to tried hard to get away from the
wave. But they prove to have the biggest, strongest wings,which open the widest and allow the bird to
travel the furthest. When the season changes, they leave for foreign shores, leaving the little birds behind.
Son, I have feeling that you are one of those seagulls. "
1. From the first paragraph (段), we know that the mother _____.
A. knew her son was not bright enough
B. decided to help with her son's school work.
C. was worried about her son's low rankings
D. saw the negative effects (负面影响) of the ranking system
2. The mom was glad she didn't give an answer at first because _____.
A. she knew her son would forget his rankings soon
B. she felt intelligence doesn't mean everything
C. she knew he was not strong enough for the truth
D. she wanted to avoid another blow (打击) to her son's self-respect
3. What does the underlined word " clumsy" mean here?
A. 灵巧的
B. 笨拙的
C. 聪明的
D. 勇敢的
4. Which is true according to the passage?
A. Ranking system had no effect on him.
B. Her son's rankings have always been low.
C. Only rankings show intelligence.
D. Hard work and confidence can lead to a change in rankings.
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. How important rankings are
B. Little birds and seagulls
C. The answer Mom gave
D. Hard work leads to good results
