I wish I’d been more confident in my own abilities, especially when I was at school.
I was a shy child and struggled a bit when talking to other people. On the whole, my parents were very supportive, always encouraging me and trying to help me relax in social situations, but I was always terribly self-conscious. I wish I hadn’t been so worried about what everybody thought of me. I know now that if you are extremely shy , then it’s hard work to have a conversation with you. Now I try to think about the other person I’m talking to and put them at ease in my company .However, at school, I found it especially difficult in my peer group. I wasn’t competitive, but I was aware of my appearance and I always compared myself to other people, usually coming to the conclusion that I wasn’t as clever or as popular or as cool as they were. I wanted to be popular. I know now that the kids who are considered the coolest at school aren’t necessarily the most popular or successful when they grow up.
I realize now that everything changes during your teen years — physically, mentally, socially and emotionally — and I just had a harder time than most. I wish I hadn’t let it stop me from doing things, though. I wish I’d taken a gap year or at least traveled more when I left school. But to tell the truth, I didn’t have the courage to go off alone before going to college. I could have gone to Europe and America with a friend as I’d saved up enough money, but in the end I just didn’t want to do it. My parents really wanted me to try a gap year. They said it would be a great experience before college. I think they were right, and now I won’t have another opportunity to do that for a long time.
【小题1】What can be learned about the author when she was a child?
| A．She found being sociable difficult. |
| B．She was considered too direct. |
| C．She lived a rich life. |
| D．She felt uncomfortable with her parents. |
【小题2】What did the author think of herself as a teen?
| A．She had a big heart. |
| B．She was a first-class student. |
| C．She suffered greatly during her teen years. |
| D．She used to let her parents down. |
【小题3】What does the author regret?
| A．Not paying enough attention to her parents. |
| B．Not saving up enough money to go abroad. |
| C．Not going to college together with her best friend. |
| D．Not being brave enough to travel before college. |
【小题4】Why does the author write this text?
| A．To honor her parents | B．To share her life lessons |
| C．To remember her childhood | D．To discuss skills needed for school |
