The day was warm and the sun shone down like a new beginning on my life. I was waving goodbye to my son, the last one of my fledglings （刚会飞的鸟）to leave home and go to new woods, "University actually" . I felt so lighthearted after spending many years looking after my four children-cooking, washing, ironing, teaching them how to look after themselves and manage their finances-that I actually thought “At long last, freedom".

But, as I watched my last one leave, although it was a joyous occasion, I realized I had not really prepared for this day, I was too tied up with bringing up these adults of the future to realize that they would all leave the nest and lives independently.

At first I didn't know what "I" wanted to do. I tried a part time job, which ended in me running out in tears. I started a business making soft furnishings, but that didn't work either.  I grew my own veggies and fruit, which lasted 3 years, until I was advised by my doctor that my feet couldn't take any more "tools” driven through them. 

I began wondering if I had a future of my own. I cried for the life I was used to, and hadn't known or wanted anything different.

Then one day I saw an ad. For foster parents, I discussed it with my husband who was always behind everything I tried and with great disturbance, I rang up the number.

I now laugh and sing with my 14-year-old foster daughter, even when my cooker is a mess and my bathroom is a disaster area. I now know, 8 years later, what “I” was meant to be doing with all the spare hours, days, and weeks I had on my hands when my last fledgling flew the nest. The sun shines once again in my home.

1.How did the mother first feel when her last child went off to university?

2.The underlined phrase “was tied up with” in the second paragraph means “        ”.

3.In the third paragraph, the poor mother did all the things just to         .

4.What did the empty-nested mother think of her husband?

5.Thanks to the foster daughter, the author         .

I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought I would never have that sort of   36  .
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking   37  I might do and found I didn’t have much to  38  . I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career. I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too bad at first, but the  39 began when I agreed to   40 , so that I would be there if my 41 had to go out for business in the evening. We  42  that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me off the next. But  43  , it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely   44and fed up, because I had too many 45  nights and early mornings with the children.
  46   Sunday, I was in the park with the children, and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my  47  . She suggested that I should take a (n)   48  and get a qualification if I wanted to work with children. I did not think I would be   49 because I didn’t take many exams in school. She    50 me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience 51  for a lot and I got a part-time course. I had to   52  my job with the family, and got work helping out at a kindergarten. Now I’ve got a full-time job there, I shall always be   53 to Megan. I wish I had known   54  that you could have a career,   55  you aren’t top of the class at school.

D
When I walked into the house after school, I found my dad at home.
"What are you doing home already?" I asked casually.
"Andrew, I was laid off today," he answered quietly.
I was sure he was joking. "No, you weren't. Why are you really home?"
Then I noticed his expression and realized he was telling the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career. My father's unemployment created many changes in our lives. He was home all day, which meant my bed had to be made, my room cleaned up, and my homework done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer searching for jobs. I began to notice how down he seemed, and how losing his job had affected his self-esteem (自尊心), though he tried to be optimistic. He asked my brother and me to spend less money. I gave up my allowance（零用钱）, which even though it wasn't much, felt like the right thing to do. I also found a part-time job.
After several difficult months of searching, my dad decided to go in a totally different direction. He explained that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him build it, and I admired how much time and energy he devoted to it.
One evening I asked if he needed help. "Only if it doesn't interfere（打扰，妨碍） with school," he said, which sounded like a yes.
I showed up at his office the next afternoon, and most afternoons after that for two months. I always knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really influenced me. Although this was one of the worst experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity. Now I know that through creative problem-solving, I can always find Plans, ask for help, and take risks. 
54．When the father was laid off, he ________.
A．was angry with his boss             B．didn't care about it at all
C．couldn't accept the fact easily         D．was as happy as usual
55．We can know from the passage that ________.
A．it was not easy for the father to find a new job
B．the father asked his sons to give up their allowance
C．the father found a good job when he changed his direction
D．Andrew and his brother helped his father set up his business
56．The underlined word "adversity" in the last paragraph probably means        .
A．poor feelings     B．bad situations     C．low spirits     D．old ideas
57．What has Andrew learned from his father?
A．The spirit of creative problem-solving.    B．The skills of surfing the Internet.
C．The experience of saving money.         D．The rich business skills.

The day was warm and the sun shone down like a new beginning on my life. I was waving goodbye to my son, the last one of my fledglings （刚会飞的鸟）to leave home and go to new woods, "University actually" . I felt so lighthearted after spending many years looking after my four children-cooking, washing, ironing, teaching them how to look after themselves and manage their finances-that I actually thought “At long last, freedom".
But, as I watched my last one leave, although it was a joyous occasion, I realized I had not really prepared for this day, I was too tied up with bringing up these adults of the future to realize that they would all leave the nest and lives independently.
At first I didn't know what "I" wanted to do. I tried a part time job, which ended in me running out in tears. I started a business making soft furnishings, but that didn't work either.  I grew my own veggies and fruit, which lasted 3 years, until I was advised by my doctor that my feet couldn't take any more "tools” driven through them. 
I began wondering if I had a future of my own. I cried for the life I was used to, and hadn't known or wanted anything different.
Then one day I saw an ad. For foster parents, I discussed it with my husband who was always behind everything I tried and with great disturbance, I rang up the number.
I now laugh and sing with my 14-year-old foster daughter, even when my cooker is a mess and my bathroom is a disaster area. I now know, 8 years later, what “I” was meant to be doing with all the spare hours, days, and weeks I had on my hands when my last fledgling flew the nest. The sun shines once again in my home.
【小题1】How did the mother first feel when her last child went off to university?

When I walked into the house after school, the first thing I noticed was a box with items I recognized from my dad’s office.
“What are you doing at home?” I asked casually.
“Andrew, I was    31    today,” he answered quietly.
I was sure he was joking. “No, you weren’t. Why are you    32    at home?”
Then I noticed his    33    and realized he was telling me the truth. My father has always been a hard worker and prided himself on his career.    34    our family has been his joy, and I guess I have    35    his work for granted.
My father’s unemployment    36   many changes in our lives. For starters, he was at home all the time, which meant my bed had to be    37  , my room cleaned up, and my     38    done right after school. I would come home every day to find him at the computer     39    jobs. I began to notice how    40    he seemed, and how losing his job affected his self-esteem, though he tried to be    41   . For the first time, I    42   my dad as vulnerable (易受伤的). He asked my brother and me to    43    less. I gave up my pocket money,    44    it wasn’t much. I felt I was doing the right. I also found a part-time job.
After several difficult months of searching, my dad    45    to go in a totally different direction. He    46    that he never wanted to be laid off again, so he was going to start his own business. Day by day, I watched him    47    it, and I admired how much time and     48    he expended. I    49   knew he was a hard worker, but watching him in action really affected me.
Although this was one of the    50    experiences for our family, it taught me a lot about dealing with adversity (逆境), and will be my foundations for success.