4.For a long time,a boy wondered why his next-desk-pal was always the first in the class,whereas he could only rank the 21st.
At home,he asked his mom:"Am I more stupid than other kids?How can I always fall behind?I just can't come up with an answer."Mom was aware that her son's self-respect had been damagedby the ranking system,but she didn't know what to say to help.
She intended to say that intelligence differs and that yes,her son's friend really was the smarter boy.But that would so upset her son.Thank goodness she kept herself from saying it.
Her son and his friend went on to high school that year,but although he tried as hard as he could,her son's friend still outdid him.But she was proud of her boy for his hard work,sincerely proud.It was around this time that she decided to take him on a trip to the seaside.On the trip,she at last found an answer for him.
Today her son no longer cares about rankings.He doesn't have to,for he himself is now the top of the class at the top national university he attends.After university his teachers and peers fully expect him to have a bright future.
Invited to speak to his old high school,he mentioned a valuable childhood experience.It concerned that holiday his mother had prepared for them:"Once,on a trip to the sea,my mother and I were lying on the beach.She pointed to the sea and said to me:Do you see the seabirds fighting for food out there?When a wave comes near,the little birds rise quickly.The clumsy(笨拙的) seagulls are far slower and have to struggle to get away from the wave.But these clumsy birds prove to have the biggest,strongest wings,which allow the bird to travel the furthest.When the season changes,they leave for foreign shores,leaving the little birds behind.Son,I have a feeling that you are one of those seagulls."
24.The story mainly conveys the message thatB.
A.competition between students is good for their development.
B.parents should build up children's self-respect
C.Ranking system does damage to students'self-respect
D.only struggling can help you succeed
25.From the 2nd paragraph,we can see thatC.
A.the son was more stupid than other kids
B.the mother knew her son was weak in his study
C.the mother saw the bad effects of the ranking system
D.the mother felt sorry for her son's bad behavior.
26.We can infer from the passage thatA .
A.the mother was careful to protect her son's self-respect
B.the son did not rely on his mother for help
C.the son would forget his rankings soon after leaving high school
D.the son knew intelligence didn't mean everything
27.Which of the following has the similar meaning with the underlined word"outdid"?C
A.played tricks on
B.was equal to
C.did better than
D.worked harder than.