Ashok Gadgil has spent the past three decades helping people in need—and he has no plans to stop. On May 2,Gadgil won the $100,000 Lemelson-MIT Award. Each year, the honor is given to an inventor who has improved the lives of people in developing countries. Gadgil’s inventions have helped more than 100 million people around the world. Gadgil is a professor and physicist at the University of California,Berkeley. When he’s not teaching,he works to find solutions to global problems such as energy efficiency(效率)and water safety.“I chose to focus on problems where my knShe is quiet, soft-spoken and has a kind face and a
strong heart. She is my mom, Lili.
When I was nine, Lili quitted her job and started her
own business. She said she didn’t want to stay at home and work as a housewife:
“It’s a waste of life.” Lili became so busy that she spent less and less time
with me. She didn’t help me with my schoolwork. It was, in her words, “so that
you can develop your independence”. We quarreled because she rarely showed up
at parents’ meetings.
Like mother, like daughter. I have many things in
common with Lili. I want everything to be under control. I want to be perfect
and I don’t expect other people to help me. I push myself hard to achieve my
goals.
After I started to go to high school, Lili and I were
too busy to communicate much with each other.
In biology class I began to be depressed. When the
teacher showed us a picture of a butterfly, I was scared and screamed. I had a
vision of thousands of butterflies flying toward me.
That night I told Lili about it. The next morning, I
saw that she had red eyes with black circles around them.
She took me to see a therapist (治疗师). Three hours later, the therapist told Lili that my
life was like a wheel spinning (旋转) faster and
faster and that was the reason for what had happened to me. I only realized it
when my body couldn’t stand the pressure anymore. At these words, Lili burst
into tears. “It’s all my fault, she’s just a kid and I didn’t have time to take
care of her….” To be honest, I had never seen Lili cry before.
After that, Lili began to spend more time at home,
cooking and dragging me to do sports. I realized she was the one who would
always be there when I was in real trouble. No mom is perfect, but she is the
one who really cares about her kid.
1.Lili quitted her job and started her own business
because _________.
A.she wanted to
make more money B.she was not
willing to look after me
C.she didn’t want to waste her life D.she likes
keeping busy
2.We quarreled because __________.
A.she began to
spend less and less time with me
B.she didn’t help me with my schoolwork.
C.she seldom
attended the parents’ meetings in my school.
D.Lili and I
were too busy to communicate much with each other.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Most women
don’t want to be a housewife.
B.Most children
want their mothers to accompany them at home.
C.We need to
understand our mothers’ busy life.
D.Although
mothers are not perfect, they all love the children
4.Which of the following statements is WRONG?
A.Lili is a
quiet, strong-willed woman.
B.Lili began to
spend more time at home after visiting the therapist.
C.I was scared
and screamed in biology class because I hate butterflies.
D.I only
realized my life was like a wheel when my body couldn’t stand the pressure anymore.
5.What is the best title for the passage?
A.Mom Does
Care. B.A Busy but
Successful Mother.
C.Change From
Mother to Businessman. D.A Student’s Opinion on Mother.