A
I was the youngest of the five boys and also had four sisters who had to pull together and take care of each other.Dad wasn't around，so I never knew him well.He killed himself when I was three years old，leaving Mom with the job of raising and providing for nine kids.She was a very hard worker，and in order to make ends meet，she hardly ever rested.With my mom as my example，I learned that hard work is the best way to get what you want.
Even as a little boy，I knew I was going to be successful.Of course，I dreamed about what I wanted to be when I grew up.But regardless of what I chose，I wanted to make my brothers，sisters and mom proud of me—not only by being successful in what I chose to do, but also a person who could be looked up to for the right reasons.
By junior high，I started playing basketball on a team.I loved to compete.For me，it paid off.I just let my success in basketball take its course，but I always put the effort in，every day.
I am grateful for the life I've enjoyed as a basketball star.But when I see those shirts that say“Basketball is life，”I think“Yeah，right！It is not only life.It can be exciting.”But the important thing about basketball is that it gives me a way to do good things for others as I move through this journey called life.
1．It can be known from the passage that ________.
A．the author's father loved his children and wife very much
B．the author's brothers were more famous than him
C．the author's mother had a great influence on his career
D．the author's family was rich and happy when he was a child
C [推理判断题。由第一、二段的叙述可以推出，作者的妈妈对他的影响很大。]
2．Why did the author's father kill himself?
A．Because the family was poor.
B．Because he often quarreled with his wife.
C．Because he was addicted to drugs.
D．The passage doesn't tell us the reason.
D [细节理解题。整篇文章始终没有告诉读者作者的父亲自杀的原因。]
3．From the second paragraph we can learn that __________.
A．the author was a successful writer
B．the author got on well with his mother，brothers and sisters
C．the author's mother，brothers and sisters didn't like his career
D．the author helped his brothers and sisters succeed
B [推理判断题。从第二段最后一句可知，作者要让妈妈和兄弟姐妹为自己感到自豪。由此推出，他们的关系很好。]
4．What does the author get from basketball?
A．How to do good things for others as he moves.
B．Life is as hard as playing basketball.
C．Learning to cooperate with others is important.
D．Two heads are wiser than one.
A [推理判断题。由短文最后一段最后一句可知，作者通过篮球生涯学会了如何在自己前进的路上去帮助他人。]
