I had the meanest mother in the world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal (谷类食物), eggs or toast. While others had Cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from other kids' too. But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, then we be gone one hour or less—not one hour and one minute. And she always insisted upon us telling the truth. Now you can see how mean she was.
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath, while the other kids always wore their clothes for days. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, “sick” like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to be up to par(达到正常水平). Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, we were one by one put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults.
Now I am trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children think I am mean because, you see, I had the meanest mother in the world.
小题1:What does the sentence “But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings.” mean?
A．The author's mother was only mean to her.
B．The author's mother suffered her.
C．The author's mother was mean to her sister, brothers and her.
D．The author wasn't alone because of suffering.小题2:Why was the author's mother mean to her children?
A．Because she wanted her children to be top students in school.
B．Because she wanted her children to bring home colored report cards like her friends did.
C．Because she wanted her children to drop out.
D．Because she wanted her children to do their best at school and be educated and respected citizens.小题3:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Some of the children weren't able to go to college because of their mean mother.
B．Mother didn't let the author tell lies.
C．Mother asked the author to wear clean clothes.
D．The author could not miss school even if she was ill.小题4:The passage was written in a way of _______ tone?
A．humorous
B．hateful
C．ridiculous
D．critical
小题1:C
小题2:D
小题3:A
小题4:A
题目分析：本文叙述了作者的母亲比较吝啬，她对作者兄妹几个无论是学习和生活要求都非常严，与其他的家的孩子相比作者他们过得并不开心，可是现在作者已经是三个孩子的母亲，这时已经理解了母亲的用心。
小题1:句意理解题。根据My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.可知他们兄妹几个一起忍受母亲的做法，故选C。
小题2:细节理解题。根据She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults.
故选D。
小题3:细节理解题。根据she always insisted upon us telling the truth. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath,We could not lie in bed, “sick” like our friends did, and miss school 只有选项A没有提到，故选A。
小题4:写作态度题。根据Now I am trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children think I am mean because, you see, I had the meanest mother in the world.故选A。
点评：每一篇文章都会包含作者的某种观点和态度，只不过有的直截了当，有的含而不露，有的通过所用词语的褒贬来体现。此类题可细分为作者态度题(表明作者的好恶)和作者观点题(表明作者对某事物的看法)。准确把握作者的情感和态度，需要注意以下几点：
1.作者对某一事物的看法,要么支持,要么反对,带中立色彩的词最不可能是正确答案。2.漠不关心类词语往往不对,既然写文章就不会不关心。3.不要把自己的态度揉入其中,也要区分作者的态度和作者引用的别人的态度。4.当作者的态度没有明确提出时,要学会根据作者使用词语的褒贬性来判断。5.作者的观点一般与文章的主旨相关联。