I began working in journalism (新闻业) when I was eight. It was my mother’s idea. She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition (竞争).
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue. The crowds were there. There were two gas stations on the corner of Belleville and Union. For several hours I made myself easily seen, making sure everyone could see me and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST. When it was supper time, I walked back home.
“How many did you sell, my boy?” my mother asked.
“None.”
“Where did you go?”
“The corner of Belleville and Union Avenues.”
“What did you do?”
“Stood on the corner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post.”
“You just stood there?”
“Didn’t sell a single one.”
“My God, Russell!”
Uncle Allen put in, “Well, I’ve decided to take the Post.” I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel(五分镍币). It was the first nickel I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman. I would have to ring doorbells, address adults with self-confidence, and persuade them by saying that no one, no matter how poor, could afford to be without the Saturday Evening Post in the home.
One day, I told my mother I’d changed my mind. I didn’t want to make a success in the magazine business.
“If you think you can change your mind like this,” she replied, “you’ll become a good-for-nothing.” She insisted that, as soon as school was over, I should start ringing doorbells, selling magazines. Whenever I said no, she would scold me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember. My mother, dissatisfied with my father’s plain workman’s life, determined that I would not grow up like him and his people. But never did she expect that, forty years later, such a successful reporter as me would go back to her husband’s people for true life and love.
小题1:Why did the boy start his job young?

A．He wanted to be famous in the future.

B．The job was quite easy for him.

C．His mother had high hopes for him.

D．The competition for the job was serious.

小题2:From the dialogue between the boy and his mother, we learn that the mother was _______.

A．excited

B．interested

C．ashamed

D．disappointed

小题3:The phrase “this battle” in the last paragraph refers to      .

A．the war between the boy’s parents

B．the arguing between the boy and his mother

C．the arguing between the boy and his customers(顾客)

D．the fight between the boy and his father

小题4:What is the text mainly about ?

A．The early life of a reporter.

B．The early success of a reporter.

C．The happy childhood of the writer.

D．The important role of the writer in his family.

:C
小题2:D
小题3:B
小题4:A

试题分析：本文叙述了作者在小的时候由于母亲坚持让作者早适应竞争的社会，让8岁的他就出去卖杂志，结果第一天一份也没有卖出去，母亲感到很失望，母亲告诉他该如何做，过了一段时间后，作者不想再继续做下去了，可是母亲坚决不同意，长大以后作者当了一名记者。
小题1:细节理解题。根据She wanted me to “make something” of myself, and decided I had better start young 由于母亲对作者的期望值太高强迫作者早早地从事工作，故选C。
小题2:细节理解题。根据Didn’t sell a single one.可知母亲对作者的工作成绩很失望，故选D。
小题3:词义猜测题。根据上文的句子：Whenever I said no, she would scold me.可知这个斗争指的是母亲与作者之间的争论，故选B。
小题4:主旨大意题。根据全文的内容可知主要叙述了作者小的时候早期的记者生活，故选A。