大学英语精读第3册 第5课 课文及课后答案.doc

UNIT 5 TEXT A mother and her son learn more from a moment of defeat than they ever could from a victory. Her example of never giving up gives him courage for the rest of his life. The Day Mother Cried Gerald Moore Coming home from school that dark winters day so long ago, I was filled with anticipation. I had a new issue of my favorite sports magazine tucked under my arm, and the house to myself. Dad was at work, my sister was away, and Mother wouldnt be home from her new job for an hour. I bounded up the steps, burst into the living room and flipped on a light. I was shocked into stillness by what I saw. Mother, pulled into a tight ball with her face in her hands, sat at the far end of the couch. She was crying. I had never seen her cry. I approached cautiously and touched her shoulder. Mother? I said. Whats happened? She took a long breath and managed a weak smile. Its nothing, really. Nothing important. Just that Im going to lose this new job. I cant type fast enough. But youve only been there three days, I said. Youll catch on. I was repeating a line she had spoken to me a hundred times when I was having trouble learning or doing something important to me. No, she said sadly. I always said I could do anything I set my mind to, and I still think I can in most things. But I cant do this. I felt helpless and out of place. At age 16 I still assumed Mother could do anything. Some years before, when we sold our ranch and moved to town, Mother had decided to open a day nursery. She had had no training, but that didnt stand in her way. She sent away for correspondence courses in child care, did the lessons and in six months formally qualified herself for the task. It wasnt long before she had a full enrollment and a waiting list. I accepted all this as a perfectly normal instance of Mothers ability. But neither the nursery nor the motel my parents bought later had provided enough income to send my sister and me to college. In two years I would be ready for college. In