【正确答案】：
AT THIRTEEN, AS THE ELDEST CHILD, I ACTED TO HELP SUPPORT THE FAMILY. EACH SINGLE COPPER HAD TO BE EKED OUT, AND I KEPT RACKING MY BRAINS FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.  EACH MORNING WHEN I WENT OUT TO PRACTICE SINGING IN THE OPEN AIR, I TOOK A LITTLE BASKET TO SCROUNGE FOR CINDERS FOR OUR STOVE. EVEN WHEN SCROUNGING FOR CINDERS YOU HAD TO HAVE YOUR WITS ABOUT YOU AND SHIFT FROM PLACE TO PLACE TO AVOID THOSE MISCHIEVOUS BOYS WHO BANDED TOGETHER TO COLLECT CINDERS TOO.  BEING ALL ON MY OWN AND AFRAID OF BEING BULLIED BY THEM I SHIFTED AROUND TO DODGE THEM. BECAUSE WHEN THEY FOUND ME SCAVENGING THEY MADE TROUBLE, PULLING MY PLAIT OR THROWING INSECTS AT ME, SO THAT THE SIGHT OF THEM FRIGHTENED ME AWAY.
【题目解析】：重点单词或词组：eke out：勉强维持，rack：折磨榨取，scrounge for cinders for our stove：为我们的炉子搜寻煤渣。have your wits about you：放聪明点，mischievous：淘气的，dodge：躲闪，scavenge：清扫，pull my plait：揪小辫。the sight of：一看到他们。句子结构：第一句话介词短语at thirteen, 和as the eldest child, 介绍了年龄和最大的孩子的信息。第二句话是并列句，single copper指代一个铜币都需要勉强维持，并不通顺，依照汉语习惯，译为一个钱撕成八瓣用。rack my brains for...to do译为绞尽脑汁做...... 第三句话运用了when引导的时间状语从句。第四句话运用了并列句和定语从句。第五句话的现在分词做原因状语。 本段最后一句运用了结果状语从句。