I am my mother’s third child. When I was born, her doctor gently explained to my mother that my left arm was 41 , below the elbow (肘部). Then he gave her some 42 . “Don’t treat her any 43 from the other girls. Demand more.” And she 44 .
My mother had to work to support our family. There were five girls in our family and we all had to 45 . Once when I was about seven, I came out of the 46 , “Mom, I can’t peel (削皮) potatoes. I only have one hand.”
“You get back to peel those potatoes, and don’t ever use that as a(n) 47 for anything again!”
Of course I could peel potatoes with my good hand while holding them down with my other arm. There was always a 48 , and Mom knew it. “If you try hard 49 ,” she’d say, “You can do anything.”
Once in the second grade, our teacher had each of us race across the monkey bars (高低杠). When it was my turn, I 50 my head. Some kids 51 . I went home crying.
After work the next afternoon, Mom took me to the school play-ground.
“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I practiced, and she 52 me when I made progress.
I’ll never forget the 53 time I was crossing the bars. The kids were standing there with their mouths open.
It was the way with everything. When I 54 I can’t handle (处理) things, I see Mom’s smile again. She had the heart to 55 anything. And she taught me I could, too.
41. A. missing B. broken C. diseased D. short
42. A. warning B. medicine C. help D. advice
43. A. badly B. differently C. well D. normally
44. A. did B. refused C. cried D. was
45. A. find out B. work out C. carry out D. help out
46. A. kitchen B. bedroom C. house D. school
47. A. idea B. change C. excuse D. tool
48. A. chance B. way C. time D. success
49. A. enough B. too C. again D. often
50. A. hurt B. nodded C. shook D. turned
51. A. cheered B. whispered C. joked D. laughed
52. A. helped B. raised C. praised D. protected
53. A. first B. last C. wondered D. next
54. A. admit B. fear C. find D. realize
55. A. face B. teach C. learn D. solve
