阅读理解
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 call me mean.
Because, you see, I had the meanest mother in the world.
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.
2. According to the passage, the author's mother will ask her children to do all the following
EXCEPT ________.
A. learn to cook
B. wear clean clothes
C. go to bed and get up at fixed time
D. drink as much Cokes as they want
3. 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.
4. 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.
