Amy returned to her small apartment at midnight, exhausted. Pushing the key into the lock, she quietly opened the door so as not to wake her younger brothers. She stepped into the front room and froze. The apartment was a mess: plates of half-eaten food were scattered in front of the TV; toys littered the floor; clothes, shoes and homework were strewn everywhere. Amy’s eyes welled with tears. This is just way too much for me, she thought. Her worst fears began to race through her mind. Would the court（法院）tell her she couldn’t care for her family anymore? Would the kids go through the bitterness once more of being split up and sent away? She was so young, almost a child herself, and yet Amy knew everything depended on her. At that moment, she wondered if she would ever find the strength to see it through
Amy had been born dead. Doctors fought and saved this smaller twin of a drug-taking mother, and she’d had to fight for everything in life ever since. From earliest childhood, Amy took care of her younger brothers. Jan, their mother, only added to the family disorder and confusion. Sometimes they lived in apartments, sometimes in shelters.
One afternoon Amy was called to the high school, where a social worker was waiting for her. “We know your mother has been staying with you,” the social worker said. “We’re going to have to put you guys in foster （收养)）care.” “No! Don’t split us up!” the girl cried out. “Can’t you just leave it the way it is?” The social worker shook his head. Amy’s voice then rose like the howl of a lioness protecting her babies: “Why can’t I take them? I take care of them all the time anyway.” The social worker hesitated, and then said, “Maybe. Once you’re 18, you could apply to bee their relative caretaker. Then you’d be their foster mother until we find a home where all of you can be together.” “I’ll do it,” Amy said.
One month later, Amy was named guardian（监护人）of her brothers for a six-month trial period. It was a remarkable victory for an 18-year-old girl. Her brothers didn’t make her task any easier in the months ahead. However，Amy’s efforts were rewarded when the court allowed her to continue as guardian. Amy’s relief at remaining the kids’ guardian was at risk of being taken away by the pressure she always felt to measure up. Social workers still looked regularly over her shoulder and asked the boys shameful questions: “Does she feed you? Does she ever try to harm you?” Then one day a visiting social worker came over. “We’d like to get the boys out of foster care and adopted into homes,” she said. Sensing that the family was about to be split apart yet again, Amy replied, “Fine, then. Call it adoption if you want, but they’re not going anywhere.” To her surprise, the social worker took her remark seriously. She explained that if Amy were to adopt the boys, they would bee like any other family.
That night at dinner Amy told the boys about the idea. “Cool!” Joey said. He threw a piece of corn at Adam. His brother flicked it back, and pretty soon corn was flying. Amy rolled her eyes. They didn’t have far to go to be like any other family. As the proceedings（程序）ended, Amy thanked everyone. “No,” the judge responded, “thank you. You saved three kids. Not many family members would do what you’re doing, especially for this many children. I’m very proud of you.”
On a lazy spring day, in a modest suburban neighborhood, Amy stood in front of a neatly kept one-story house. She watched her brothers playing basketball, and heard the playful bark of their dog, Tahoe. The young lady had made good on her promise: they had rented a home, a real home, and the boys had gotten their dog. Amy continues to raise her family alone, but has begun taking courses in business management at a nearby munity college. Eventually, she hopes to bee a child psychologist.
【小题1】Which of the following best describes Amy?A．Crazy and tough.B．Firm and stubborn.C．Enthusiastic and generous. D．Abnormal and aggressive.【小题2】What was bothering Amy most in the passage?A．The mess in her apartment.B．Her family being split up again.C．Working hard to support the family.D．Her young age to take care of her brothers.【小题3】From the Paragraph 3, we can learn that .A．The social worker gave in to Amy.B．The social worker tried to adopt Amy’s brothers.C．Amy tried to apply for the guardian of the brothers.D．Amy had no idea how to face her family being split up.【小题4】By saying “They didn’t have far to go to be like any other family”, the writer means .A．they will live in the same area as other families.B．they made a deep impression on the neighborhood.C．Amy is able to take good care of the family.D．Amy and her brothers would be already just like a family.【小题5】The best title for this text would be . A．Standing On Two FeetB．Growing Up Alone C．A Lifelong FightD．A Teen HeroB
网友回答
(答案→)B
解析：本文主要讲述的是一个坚强的女孩子Amy全力照顾自己的弟弟，维持住一个温暖的家的故事，很感人，让读者为Amy感到骄傲。从某种程度上来说，她是英雄。
【小题1】B 推理题。根据文章内容尤其是第三段最后3行“Maybe. Once you’re 18, you could apply to bee their relative caretaker. Then you’d be their foster mother until we find a home where all of you can be together.” “I’ll do it,” Amy said.说明她很坚定，但又有一点固执，故B正确。
【小题2】B 细节题。根据文章第四段Sensing that the family was about to be split apart yet again, Amy replied说明她最担心的就是和她的弟弟们分开，这个家就分裂了，就没有了。故B正确。
【小题3】A 推理题。根据第三段最后3行The social worker hesitated, and then said, “Maybe. Once you’re 18, you could apply to bee their relative caretaker. Then you’d be their foster mother until we find a home where all of you can be together.” “I’ll do it,” Amy said.说明这位social worker最终做出了让步，故A正确。
【小题4】D 推理题。根据They didn’t have far to go to be like any other family. As the proceedings（程序）ended, Amy thanked everyone. “No,” the judge responded, “thank you. You saved three kids. Not many family members would do what you’re doing, especially for this many children. I’m very proud of you.”说明她一直都努力维持住这个家，她和他的弟弟就像是一个大家庭一样。故D正确。
【小题5】D 主旨大意题。本文主要讲述的是一个坚强的女孩子Amy全力照顾自己的弟弟，维持住一个温暖的家的故事，很感人，让读者为Amy感到骄傲。从某种程度上来说，她是英雄。故D正确。