If we agree that the function of education is to prepare us for life, then there is very little time to waste. So, while we can, we ought to concentrate on teaching children something really useful. Here is what our schools should teach.

Politeness is a mark of civilization. The sooner children learn this, the better. In any case, a lot can be accomplished by a smile and good manners.

Like it or not, our adult lives will be consumed by the struggle for money, but we don’t make an effort to teach children how to manage it. So our schools have a duty to teach them this ability from the beginning.

We’re likely to accept something we are told, but that’s not what educated people do. Educated people are reasonable and they look at facts. If our schools teach nothing else, they should at least teach critical（批判性的）thinking.

Children should learn to take care of their health. They should know that if they eat junk food, they will become fat and unhealthy. They should be very clear about what happens to their bodies when they drink or smoke.

All of us are part of society. We have rights and responsibilities. We ought to understand what they are. We have to know a little bit of history and geography, because we need to have an environment in which to relate to the people around us.

How will we test students on these? We can’t. But that’s not a reason to avoid teaching what is important. Our schools should spend every moment they have telling this to our children: ”This is life, this is what you are going to face, and this is how you deal with it.”

    But I wonder about my Momma sometimes, and all the other Negro (blacks) mothers who got up at 6 a.m. to go to the white man’s house with sacks over their shoes because it was so wet and cold. I wonder how they made it. They worked very hard for the man, they made his breakfast and they scrubbed his floors and they took care of his babies. They didn't have too much time for us.

I wonder about my Momma, who walked out of a white woman's clean house at midnight and came back to her own where the lights had been out for three months, and the pipes were frozen and the wind came in through the holes in the wall. She's have to make deals with the rats: leave some food out for them so they wouldn't bite the doors or the babies. The roaches(蟑螂) Oh, hey were just like part of the family!

I wonder how she felt telling those white kids she took care of to brush their teeth after they ate, to wash their hands after they finish bathroom. She could never tell her own kids because there wasn't soap or water back home.

I wonder how my Momma felt when we came home from school with a list of vitamins and pills the school nurse said we had to have. Momma would cry all night, and them go out and spend most of the rent money for pills. A week later, the white man would come for his eighteen dollars' rent and Momma would beg him to wait until tomorrow. She had to lie to him that she had lost her wallet or the relief check was coming soon or the white people had some money for her. Tomorrow I'd be hiding in the closet because there was only supposed to be two kids in the flat, and I could hear the rent man shout at my Momma and call her a cheat. And when he finally went away, Momma put the sacks on her shoes and went off to the rich white man's house to dress the rich white kids so their mother could take them to a special baby doctor.

60．Mother got up at 6 a.m. every day, because          .

       A．she had to cook breakfast for her children

       B．she had to catch the first bus to the factory

       C．she had to work in the white man’s house

       D．she had to go to see a special baby doctor

61．Mother never told us to brush our teeth or to wash our hands because        .

       A．she thought we didn’t need to

       B．we didn’t like washing hands

       C．we had done everything very well

       D．there was no soap or water in our home

62．Why did the writer hide in a closet when the landowner came for rent?

       A．The closet could only hold two kids.

       B．Only two kids were allowed to live in the house.

       C．They should pay more rent for two kids.

       D．There was only one bedroom for the two kids.

63．What does the writer mainly tell us?

      A．Black people lead a miserable life.

       B．Black people don’t have enough rent money.

       C．White people lead an expensive life.

       D．White people have special baby doctors.

       But I wonder about my Momma sometimes, and all the other Negro(blacks )mothers who got up at 6 a.m. to go to the white man’s house with sacks over their shoes because it was so wet and cold. I wonder how they made it .They worked very hard for the man, they made his breakfast and they scrubbed his floors and they took care of his babies. They didn’t have too much time for us.

       I wonder about my Momma, who walked out of a white woman’s clean house at midnight and came back to her own where the lights had been out for three months, and the pipes were frozen and the wind came in through the holes in the wall. She’d have to make deals with the rats: leave some food out for them so they wouldn’t bite the doors or the babies. The roaches（蟑螂）？Oh, they were just like part of the family!

       I wonder how she felt telling those white kids she took care of to brush their teeth after they ate, to wash their hands after they finish bathroom. She could never tell her own kids because there wasn’t soap or water back home.

       I wonder how my Momma felt when we came home from school with a list of vitamins and pills the school nurse said we had to have .Momma would cry all night , and then go out and spend most of the rent money for pills. A week later, the white man would come for his eighteen dollars’ rent and Momma would beg him to wait until tomorrow. She had to lie to him that she had lost her wallet or the relief check was coming soon or the white people had some money for her. Tomorrow I’d be hiding in the closet because there was only supposed to be two kids in the flat, and I could hear the rent man shout at my Momma and call her a cheat. And when he finally went away, Momma put the sacks on her shoes and went off to the rich white man’s house to dress the rich white kids so their mother could take them to a special baby doctor.

68．Mother got up at 6 a.m. every day because       

       A．she had to cook breakfast for her children          B．she had to catch the first bus to the factory

       C．she had to work in the white man’s house       D．she had to go to see a special baby doctor

69．Mother never told us to brush our teeth or to wash our hands because     .

       A．she though we didn’t need to                   B．we didn’t like washing hands

       C．we had done everything very well              D．there was no soap or water in our home

70．Why did the writer hide in a closet when the landowner came for rent?

       A．The closet could only hold two kids.  

        B．Only two kids were allowed to live in the house.

       C．They should pay more rent for two kids. 

       D．There was only one bedroom for the two kids.

71．What does the writer mainly tell us?

       A．Black people lead a miserable life.              B．Black people don’t have enough rent money.

       C．White people lead an expensive life.            D．White people have special baby doctors.

B

       But I wonder about my Momma sometimes, and all the other Negro(blacks )mothers who got up at 6 a.m. to go to the white man’s house with sacks over their shoes because it was so wet and cold. I wonder how they made it .They worked very hard for the man, they made his breakfast and they scrubbed his floors and they took care of his babies. They didn’t have too much time for us.

I wonder about my Momma ,who walked out of a white woman’s clean house at midnight and came back to her own where the lights had been out for three months ,and the pipes were frozen and the wind came in through the holes in the wall. She’d have to make deals with the rats: leave some food out for them so the wouldn’t bite the doors or the babies. The roaches（蟑螂）？Oh ,they were just like part of the family!

I wonder how she felt telling those white kids she took care of to brush their teeth after they ate, to wash their hands after they finish bathroom. She could never tell her own kids because there wasn’t soap or water back home.

I wonder how my Momma felt when we came home from school with a list of vitamins and pills the school nurse said we had to have .Momma would cry all night , and then go out and spend most of the rent money for pills. A week later ,the white man would come for his eighteen dollars’ rent and Momma would beg him to wait until tomorrow . She had to lie to him that she had lost her wallet or the relief check was coming soon or the white people had some money for her. Tomorrow I’d be hiding in the closet because there was only supposed to be two kids in the flat ,and I could hear the rent man shout at my Momma and call her a cheat. And when he finally went away, Momma put the sacks on her shoes and went off to the rich white man’s house to dress the rich white kids so their mother could take them to a special baby doctor.

60．Mother got up at 6 a.m. every day ,because    .

A．she had to cook breakfast for her children

B．she had to catch the first bus to the factory

C．she had to work in the white man’s house

D．she had to go to see a special baby doctor

61．Mother never told us to brush our teeth or to wash our hands because    .

A．she though we didn’t need to                B．we didn’t like washing hands

C．we had done everything very well         D．there was no soap or water in our home

62．Why did the writer hide in a closet when the landowner came for rent?

A．The closet could only hold two kids.

B．Only two kids were allowed to live in the house.

C．They should pay more rent for two kids.

D．There was only one bedroom for the two kids.

63．What does the writer mainly tell us?

A．Black people lead a miserable life.       

B．Black people don’t have enough rent money.

C．White people lead an expensive life.     

D．White people have special baby doctors.