My teenage son Karl became withdrawn(孤僻) after his father died. As a single parent, I tried to do my best to talk to him. But the more I tried, the more he pulled away. When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year. In this way he would never graduate. I sent him to the school adviser, and I even begged him. Nothing worked.
One night I felt so powerless that I got down on my knees and asked God for help. Please God, I can't do anything more for my son. I'm at the end of my rope. I'm giving the whole thing up to you.
I was at work when I got a phone call. A man introduced himself as the headmaster. I want to talk to you about Karl's absences. Before he could say another word, I choked up (哽咽) and all my disappointment and sadness over Karl came pouring out into the ears of this stranger. I love my son, but I just don't know what to do. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands. For a moment there was silence on the other end of the line. The headmaster seriously said, Thank you for your time, and hung up.
Karl’s next report card showed a marked improvement in his grades. Finally, he was even on the list of the best students at school. In his fourth year, I attended a parent-teacher meeting with Karl. I noticed that his teachers were astonished at the way he had turned himself around. On our way home, he said, Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year? I nodded. That was me. I thought I'd play a joke but when I heard what you said, it really hit me how much I was hurting you. That's when I knew I had to make you proud.
【小题1】According to the first report card, Karl . A．often went to school lateB．failed in all the exams C．did a good job at schoolD．didn't do well at school【小题2】When the mother said It's out of my hands. to the headmaster, she meant that she . A．didn't know what to do about her sonB．would drive her son away from the houseC．had no money to support the family D．she would have to hang up【小题3】There was silence on the other end of the line because . A．the speaker was unable to interrupt the motherB．the speaker waited for the mother to finish speaking C．the speaker didn't want the mother to recognize his voice D．the speaker was too moved to say anything to the mother【小题4】Who was it that telephoned Karl's mother that day? A．The headmaster.B．The school adviser.C．Karl himself.D．The passage doesn't tell us.【小题5】From the passage we can learn that . A．children in single-parent families always have mental problems B．mother's love plays an important role in teenagers' life C．parents should give their children as much help as possible D．school education still works well without support from parents D
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(答案→)D
解析：文章大意：丈夫去世后，儿子性格变得孤僻起来，单亲母亲想尽一切办法想帮助儿子，却没有任何好转。终于一次儿子想借校长的名义跟妈妈打电话开个玩笑时听到了母亲的心声，从此振作起来，逐渐成了母亲的骄傲……
【小题1】D 推断题。根据第一段里When his report card arrived during his junior year, it said that he had been absent 95 times from classes and had six falling grades for the year.儿子有95次旷课，六门公课不及格，由此推断儿子在学校里表现并不好，所以答案选D。
【小题2】A 句意理解题。 根据文章句子I love my son, but I just don't know what to do. I've tried everything to get Karl to go back to school and nothing has worked. It's out of my hands.得知，母亲爱儿子，她已经竭尽全力在帮助儿子，但是毫无效果，所以最后一句It's out of my hands.是说明母亲这时的心理，感觉自己已经无能为力了，不知道该怎么做好了。所以A正确。
【小题3】D 推理题。从后文儿子的告白it really hit me how much I was hurting you，自己意识到自己的行为对母亲的伤害有多深，所以他是激动地说不出话来从而沉默了，因此选D。
【小题4】C 细节题。根据最后一段中句子Mum, remember that call from the headmaster last year? I nodded. That was me. 直接可以得出答案为C。
【小题5】B 推断题。整篇文章都是在表明一个伟大的单亲母亲在为儿子默默地付出，用自己的真心感动儿子，使儿子振作起来。所以答案B正确，母亲的爱在青少年的生活中起着重要作用。