—Didn't you go to the zoo last Sunday?    
—_______. I stayed at home all day.

C

    Mrs. Tan was feeling nervous because her son Tom's exam was coming. This was his national exam and they did not know what to expect. Tom's weakest subject was Chinese. So Mrs Tan had found a private teacher to give him extra lessons to improve his Chinese. Tom, on the other hand, was not showing any interest in the subject. He thought that the extra lessons would not be helpful to his grades at all. So he didn't put much effort into the lesson.

    One day after Tom's Chinese lesson, his teacher spoke to Mrs. Tan. She said that Tom was showing a callous attitude (冷漠的态度) to his work. She was worried about that he might not pass his Chinese exam if he continued being like this. She had no idea that the situation was becoming so terrible. She told the teacher that she would have a word with Tom about it.

    That evening, both Mr. and Mrs. Tan sat down with Tom and talked to him. They wanted to know why his attitude was so bad. They managed not to scold him but instead, talked to him kindly. At first, Tom said nothing. Then, he slowly told them he did not understand his lessons. He said that the teacher's pace (速度) of lesson was too fast for him. Mrs. Tan then advised him to speak up if it happened the next time so that his teacher could slow down. In addition, Mrs. Tan would let his teacher know that she needed to slow down her lessons a little.

    After that heart-to-heart discussion with Tom, the situation improved. His teacher taught him at a pace that was comfortable to him and he in turn, would speak up and ask questions whenever he had problems.

    By the time Tom sat for his exam, he was feeling more confident. When his results came out, he was excited as he had improved a lot in Chinese. Both his parents as well as his private teacher were very proud of him. It goes to show that with an effort, all things are possible.

下列四个选项中，能正确表示食物链的是（　　）

根据短文内容，选择正确答案。

                                                                                                    (A)

  “Sometimes you just get a strict teacher. Instead of letting others know that this isn't your favorite class, make an effort to show your teacher you are doing your best.”

                                                                                                                                                   —Jocelyn Howard, 16

  “Learn to put your activities in order of importance. School comes first, and if you just study as soon as you get home, it's OK. You can also relax and play computers or do other things you enjoy. But don't lose yourself in just getting by. Try hard! And don't be afraid to get help from teachers.”

                                                                                                                                                  —April Madlangbanyan, 17   

  “If you have trouble getting along with a specific teacher, pray about it. Ask God to help you see that teacher through HIS EYES, not your own. And talk with that teacher. Good communication can strengthen any relationship-even with a hard-to-get-along-with teacher.”    

                                                                                                                                                          —Lisa Shaw, 21

“Being a good student means being organized. Remember to bring all your supplies, everything to each class every day. Make sure that you'll never skip (逃) class. And when you're in class, really pay attention! Don't let yourself daydream or write notes to friends. Completing your homework on time is also important.”

                                                                                                                                                           —Victoria Walsh, 16

  “When you're having trouble getting along with a certain teacher, stay calm! You may not agree with him or her, but you've got to remember the teacher is the authority (权威) figure. So make sure that you're respectful and open-minded. Ask for a specific time when the two of you can talk. Explain yourself and address (探讨) the problem, not the teacher.”

                                                                                                                                                            —Amanda Baken, 18

  “Being a good student means studying often, not just cramming (填鸭式的用功) before a test. Identify (识别) your weak areas. For example, maybe you don't have good reading skills or it's hard for you to take notes. Once you identify what your weakness is, ask for help in these specific areas. Be willing to go in early or stay after school to get extra help. Go into the school year knowing that being a good student will require time and effort!”

                                                                                                                                                                    —Tiffany Irving, 20