Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic (陶艺)class.
On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car. I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Annoyed, I climbed into the car and slammed(砰然关上) the door closed. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.
“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.
“No,” I said.
“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it would benefit you,” she explained.
When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. Most of the children had obvious physical scars (疤痕). Others hid their emotional wounds.
As I took in the place, I felt a gentle pull on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her small hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.
My mom taught me a valuable lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I struggle to instill (逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.
The author admired her mom for ________.
A.her quality of honesty | B.her excellent teaching |
C.her kindness to others | D.her positive attitude to life |
52. According to Paragraph 2, when she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was ______.
A.excited | B.angry | C.surprised | D.worried |
From the passage we learn most children in the shelter ________.
A.were once treated badly |
B.weren’t allowed to go outside |
C.were often punished by staff |
D.all suffered from mental illness |
The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to “________”.
A.upset | B.command | C.comfort | D.support |
What lesson did the author learn from her experience?
A.To value what you have. |
B.To play with children is fun. |
C.To love others is to love yourself. |
D.To do as what your parents do. |