They say that after a parent dies, the surviving children can take on some of their parent’s characteristics. I resisted for years becoming anything like my dad because, well, because I wanted to be me, not him; but there I sat at his memorial service several months ago, telling myself, “You’ve got a lot more of your dad in you than you think.”

There’s this phrase my dad used, and I know I’m going to sound rude to complain about it, but it did used to bother me. “I’m so proud of you,” he told us kids, whether we’d won a sailing race (like my older brother has frequently) or run a marathon (like my younger sister) or managed to get a book published (like me). “I’m so proud of you.” That should be a good thing, but here’s what always went through my unforgiving mind: “You’re taking credit for what isn’t really yours. You can be proud, but the achievement is mine.”

I knew the feeling of parental pride well, especially when my boys achieved in ways that were beyond my comprehension and ability, as children do, but I looked for other ways to express it. “That’s an incredible story you’ve written,” I would say about the composition. 

I thought that by making my praise specific, it would feel like I was claiming their achievement less as mine and more as one they could own themselves. So just the other day when my older son, now a manager, sent me an email about the thank-you dinner his latest client threw him, I thought hard for clever things to say, finally realizing your kids don’t really need your cleverness. They just want what my dad gave me. “I’m so proud of you,” I wrote. Just like the old man.

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1.Why did the writer resist to become like his father?

A Because his father died early.

B Because he wanted his own character.

C Because he missed his mother.

D Because his mother was ill.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第一段第二句because I wanted to be me, not him可知作者不想像自己的父亲一样，因此想有自己的风格，故选B。

2.When the writer was told “I’m so proud of you”, he felt ______.

A proud

B shy

C angry

D bothered

解析：选D。推理判断题。根据文章第二段可知当作者父亲说“I’m so proud of you.” 的时候，作者觉得父亲是在为不属于自己的东西而自豪，因此会感到“bothered(烦恼的)”，故选D。

3.The writer made his praise specific to let his children ______.

A feel they achieved a lot

B enjoy the father’s pride

C take on his character

D sound rude to complain

解析：选A。细节理解题。根据文章最后一段第一句it would feel like I was claiming their achievement less as mine and more as one they could own themselves可知作者把表扬具体化就是为了让自己的孩子感觉到是他们取得了成绩，故选A。

4.After the writer’s father said “I’m so proud of you.”, he believed ______.

A his father should be more specific

B he should act like his father

C his father took his fame

D he should work harder

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据文章第二段的倒数第二句You’re taking credit for what isn’t really yours.可知作者的父亲想占有孩子的名誉，故选C。

5.What is the best title for the article?

A Five magic words

B A successful father

C A sad son

D The proud father

解析：选A。标题判断题。根据主要讲述了父亲的那5个字给自己带来的影响，作者同时也领悟到 了那5个字的巨大力量，所以最佳标题问five magic words，故选A。