(2020·南昌高三名校联考)Castle Dale is a small town in central Utah.My grandpa's farm is a few miles to the north.I grew up there.Milking a cow, feeding the chickens and cutting firewood were daily routines.Grandpa had me carrying a broom to do snow cleaning when it was actually taller than I was.This was the work kids like me learned to do at a young age.
I was tall, very tall at a really young age.My unusual height caused people to look, ask questions, laugh, tease, and sometimes even challenge me to fight.I was teased cruelly as a kid.It wasn't fair, I knew, but that was just the way it was.Luckily, I was taught at a very young age a very important lesson.I am different and that's okay — I'm unique and I matter.No one could ever take that away from me.I knew this then, and I know this now.That alone helped me through the frustrations and heartaches of normal life.
When I was in junior high school, I realized something else that helped me cope.Most teasing came from one of two places — people who were either jealous or ignorant (愚昧)．I couldn't change the way they were, but I could change the way I felt.I was not going to feel bad because of their ignorance or jealousy.It wasn't worth it.Realizing this didn't stop them, or change the fact that these comments hurt.It did, however, give me a way to understand these people and deal with their treatment in a way that was okay for me.
These things still happen today.It will probably happen the rest of my life.I will always be 7 feet, 6 inches (2.29 meters) tall.I wouldn't change that for anything.People will always look because it is not every day that you see someone that tall.I learned that at a young age and I now try to teach my own children that they are unique and they matter.That is the message I give to you.Regardless of your race, religion, background, or circumstances ...Being different is okay.
语篇解读：本文是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了“我”从小到大由于身高的特殊性受到了很多嘲笑和欺辱，但是“我”并未为此而感到沮丧。反而认识到不管一个人的种族、宗教、背景或者所处的环境如何，与众不同也是一种生活态度。
4．The author mentioned his hometown to show us ________.
A．he is from an ordinary family
B．his grandpa is strict with him
C．he loves this lovely small town
D．he had to do a lot of labor work
解析：选A　细节理解题。“我”在文章第一句话提到Castle Dale是“我”的家乡，然后介绍了“我”在祖父的农场长大每天做了很多杂事：给奶牛挤奶、喂鸡、砍柴火等；暗示出从小我来自于一个普通的家庭，并没有表现出特殊的地方。故答案选A。
5．The author was often teased because ________.
A．he grew up in a small town
B．he was much taller than others
C．he fought with people easily
D．he didn't want people to watch him
解析：选B　细节理解题。在第二段开头“My unusual height caused people to look, ask questions, laugh, tease, and sometimes even challenge me to fight.”提到“我”从小身高特别高经常受到周围人的嘲笑。故答案选B。
6．What was the author's attitude towards being teased?
A．He accepted the fact of being different and let it go.
B．He felt angry failing to change others' opinions.
C．He felt hurt hearing people's negative comments.
D．He hated people's ignorance and jealousy.
解析：选A　细节理解题。根据文章第二段中“I am different and that's okay — I'm unique and I matter.No one could ever take that away from me.I knew this then, and I know this now.”可以看出“我”自小虽然与众不同，但是从内心接受自己。以及最后一段中“Regardless of your race, religion, background, or circumstances ...Being different is okay.”可知，“我”走自己的路让别人说去吧！故答案选A。
7．Which of the following may best describe the theme of the passage?
A．Everything comes to the man who waits.
B．It is the first step that is troublesome.
C．Speech is silver, silence is gold.
D．Keep your head up.
解析：选D　标题归纳题。从整篇文章内容来看，主要描述“我”从小到大由于身高的原因而与众不同，并受到周围人的取笑。但是“我”并未为此感到自卑和沮丧，反而勇敢地接受自己并乐观地积极面对。Keep your head up.“把头抬起来”形象描述了“我”的心理状态，符合题意。故答案选D。