阅读理解。
In early autumn I applied for admission to college. I wanted to go nowhere but to Cornell University, but
my mother fought strongly against it. When she saw me studying a photograph of my father on the sports
ground of Cornell, she tore it up.
"You can't say it's not a great university, just because Papa went there."
"That's not it at all. And it is a top university." She was still holding the pieces in her hand. "But we can't
afford to send you to college."
"I wouldn't dream of asking you for money. Do you want me to get a job to help support you and Papa?
Things aren't that bad, are they?"
"No," she said. "I don't expect you to help support us."
Father borrowed money from his rich cousins to start a small jewellery shop, His chief customers were
his old college friends. To get new customers, my mother had to help. She picked up a long-forgotten
membership in the local league of women, so that she could get to know more people. Whether those people
would turn into customers was another question. I knew that my Parents had to wait for quite a long time
before their small investment (投资) could show returns. What's more, they had not wanted enough to be rich
and successful; otherwise they could not possibly have managed their lives so badly.
I was torn between the desire to help them and change, their lives, and the determination not to repeat their
mistakes. I had a strong belief in my power to go what I wanted. After months of hard study I won a full
college scholarship (奖学金). My father could hardly contain his pride in me, and my mother eventually gave
in before my success.
1. The author was not allowed to go to Cornell University mainly because _____.
A. his father graduated from the university
B. his mother did not thinks it a great university
C. his parents needed him to help support the family
D. his parents did not have enough money for him
2. The father started his small shop with the money from _____.
A. a local league
B. his university
C. his relatives
D. his college friends
3. Why did the mother renew her membership in the league?
A. To help with her husband's business
B. To raise money for her son
C. To meet her long-forgotten friends
D. To better manage her life
4. According to the text, what was the author determined to do in that autumn?
A. To get a well-paid job for himself
B. To improve relations with his mother
C. To go to his dream university
D. To carry on with his father's business