A
During my elementary school years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany’s mom.
Tiffany’s mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really admired Tiffany. My mom didn’t give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. I was annoyed with her.
Whenever I didn’t get what I wanted, I would complain to my mom, Tiffany’s mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. Every time, my mom would calmly say “Poor Tiffany”. I couldn’t understand her. “She shouldn’t be feeling sorry for Tiffany!” I thought. “She should be feeling sorry for me.”
One day, I couldn’t help saying to Mom, “Poor Tiffany? Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her?” I burst out crying.
My mom sat down next to me and said softly. “Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught.”
I looked up at her. “What are you talking about?”
Mom said with care, “One day she will really want something. Maybe she’ll find out that she can’t have it. Her mother won’t always be around to give her money, and what’s more, money can’t buy everything.”
She continued, “I have taught you valuable lessons by not giving you everything you want. You’ll know how to look for bargains（便宜货） and save money, but she won’t. You’ll understand that you need to work hard to get the things that you want but she won’t. When Tiffany is a grown woman, she’ll wake up one day and she will be wishing that she had a mom like the one you’ve got. Life lessons are more important than modern clothes and delicious food.”
It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom’s words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.
21. During the author’s elementary school years, she ______.
A. went to school with Tiffany every day
B. usually got lots of money from her mom
C. wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany’s
D. admired Tiffany because Tiffany was better at her lessons
22. The author’s mom always said “Poor Tiffany” because ______.
A. Tiffany’s family was really poor B. she wanted to comfort the author
C. she wanted the author to help Tiffany
D. she thought Tiffany would be spoiled（宠坏）by her mother
23. What do we learn about the author’s mother?
A. She was strict and taught the author to be independent.
B. She cared for other people’s children more than her own.
C. She thought that life lessons were as important as money.
D. She was so poor that she couldn’t give the author much money.
24. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The author is grateful to her mother now.
B. The author was quite satisfied with her mother in the past.
C. Tiffany used to wish that she had a mom like the author’s.
D. Tiffany’s mother tried to teach her child to get things with hard work.
