I was born in 1982, in Yimeng mountain area, Shandong Province, one of the poorest regions in east China. The local people there still firmly believe that men are superior to women. Living in such an environment, my mother and I have had to struggle hard to live a decent1 life.
　　My father left the family when I was an infant2 and went to Shanghai to earn money—an uncommon practice among farmers at that time. He seldom came home, and so my memories of him are few. The only thing I do remember is that he would give money to my mother and bring us some new clothes.
　　My father's work went well, and the three of us, my mother, elder sister and I, looked forward to the city life. But this dream was shattered3 one day when my father asked my mother for a divorce. He had met another woman in Shanghai. She had already had his child. My mother signed the divorce agreement silently, choking back4 her tears. Later, my sister went to live with my father in Shanghai, so it was my mother that single-handedly5 brought me up6. In a backward area such as my home village, divorce is considered something shameful. My mother was forced to take on all the hard work while carrying the shame.
　　Life thus became much harder. Each morning my mother prepared my breakfast and left it on the stove before going out to do the farm work. The soil in our village is poor, and the price for farm products is low, but we coped7 to some extent that my mother was able to save money for my schooling. She was a loving but strict person, always encouraging and urging me to do my homework. She often said, “Men are not superior to women, and boys are not more intelligent than girls. If women are to improve their social status8, they need better education.” I could see that I was my mother's only hope, and I could not disappoint her. I studied hard from primary school right through high school, and was always among the top students. My hard work paid off, and on finishing high school I was offered a place in Yangzhou University. I am now a college student, and my mother is very proud of me. Few persons from our village have gone to university, particularly girls.
　　I will never forget the day I left the village for Yangzhou. Our financial circumstances9 prevented my mother from accompanying10 me to the university campus, so she saw me off at the local bus station. Seeing her standing there, thin, pale, and much older than other women of her age after years of hard labor, I could not hold back my tears.
　　As my mother never learned to read or write, she could not write me letters. When she missed me badly, she would make a long distance call, each time saying, “Take care of yourself, don't worry about me. I am very well.”
　　I don't know how I can repay my mother for the sacrifices11 she made. It seems all I can do is to study hard. My good scores at school won me a scholarship12 and the national subsidy13 for poor students. This, however, was not enough to pay my tuition14 and living expenses15. So I took on some part-time jobs to collect the necessary funds instead of completely relying on my mother.
　　This is the story of my mother and me—two women struggling against adversity16 in order to live a better life. I will continue to do my best to excel17 in all I do for my beloved mother, who has endured so many physical and psychological18 hardships. My mother's illiteracy19 has never stopped her from teaching me how to be independent and maintain self-esteem20.

1. decent  adj． 体面的；好的
2． infant n． 婴儿
3． shatter ] v． 粉碎；破坏
4． choke back 抑制
5． single－handedly adv． 无助；独自
6． bring up 抚养
7． cope v． 处理，应付
8． social status  社会地位
9． financial circumstance 
经济状况
10． accompany  v． 陪伴

11． sacrifice n． 牺牲
12． scholarship  n． 奖学金
13． subsidy  n． 补助金
14． tuition  n． 学费
15． expenses  n． （pl．）费用
16． adversity n． 不幸，逆境
17． excel  v． 胜出，超出
18． physical adj． 身体的 
psychological  adj． 心理上的
19． illiteracy n． 文盲
20． self－esteem  n． 自尊