I was born poor. Often we hadn’t enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was 21 her rice into my bowl, she would say, “ Eat this rice, son! I’m not hungry.”
As I grew, Mother 22 her spare time to fish in a river; she hoped that she could give me a bit more nutritious food for my 23 . Once she caught just two fish, and she made fish soup. While I was eating the soup, Mother would sit beside me and eat 24 was still left on the 25 of the fish I had eaten. My heart was 26 when I saw it. I gave the other fish to her but she immediately 27 it and said, “Eat this fish, son! I don’t really like fish.”
Then, in order to fund my 28 , Mother went to a match factory to bring home some used 29 which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to 30 our needs. One night I 31 to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, “ Mother, go to sleep; it’s late.” Mother smiled and said, “ Go to sleep, son! I’m not 32 .”
After I finished my studies and got a job, it was time for my old mother to 33 , but she carried on going to the 34 every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money 35 she always sent the money back to me. She said, “I have enough money!
I 36 my part-time studies for my Master’s Degree. 37 by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my 38 , I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America, but Mother didn’t want to 39 her son; she said to me, “ I’m not used to high living!”
Such is my mother, who 40 herself to her son.
21. A. throwing B. donating C. transferring D. delivering
22. A. gave up B. got through C. piled up D. carried on
23. A. strength B. pleasure C. recovery D. growth
24. A. what B. that C. which D. how
25. A. bone B. heart C. soup D. bowl
26. A. attacked B. beaten C. touched D. fixed
27. A. avoided B. refused C. prevented D. accepted
28. A. work B. family C. business D. education
29. A. matchsticks B. candles C. matchboxes D. cases
30. A. cover B. improve C. discover D. enlarge
31. A. regretted B. awoke C. dreamed D. replied
32. A. asleep B. hungry C. thirsty D. tired
33. A. change B. retire C. benefit D. comfort
34. A. market B. river C. factory D. corporation
35. A. and B. so C. but D. or
36. A. deserved B. paused C. continued D. released
37. A. Supposed B. Funded C. Praised D. Managed
38. A. salary B. mark C. fate D. belief
39. A. follow B. ruin C. bother D. obey
40. A. attached B. contributed C. distributed D. devoted