第二篇
19、
第二篇
Going Her Own Way
When she was twelve, Maria made her first important decision about the course of her life. She decided that she wanted to continue her education, Most girls from middle-class families chose to stay home after primary school,though some attended private Catholic "finishing" schools. There they learned a little about music,art,needlework,and how to make polite conversation. This was not the sort of education that interested Maria —or her mother. By this time,she had begun to take her studies more seriously. She read constantly and brought her books everywhere. One time she even brought her math book to the theater and tried to study in the dark.
Maria knew that she wanted to go on learning in a serious way. That meant attending the public high school,something that very few girls did. In Italy at the time,there were two types of high schools: the "classical" schools and the "technical" schools. In the classical schools,the students followed a very traditional program of studies,with courses in Latin and Greek language and literature,and Italian literature and history. The few girls who continued studying after primary school usually chose these schools.
Maria,however,wanted to attend a technical school. The technical schools were more modern than the classical schools and they offered courses in modern languages,mathematics,science,and accounting.Most people — including Maria's father — believed that girls would never be able to understand these subjects. Furthermore,they did not think it was proper for girls to study them.
Maria did not care if it was proper or not. Math and science were the subjects that interested her most. But before she could sign up for the technical school,she had to win her father' s approval. She finally did,with her mother's help,though for many years after,there was tension in the family. Maria's father continued to oppose her plans,while her mother helped her.
In 1883,at age thirteen,Maria entered the "Regia Scuola Tecnica Michelangelo Buonarroti" in Rome. Her experience at this school is difficult for us to imagine. Though the courses included modern subjects,the teaching methods were very traditional. Learning consisted of memorizing long lists of facts and repeating them back to the teacher. Students were not supposed to ask questions or think for themselves in any way. Teachers were very demanding,discipline in the classroom was strict,and punishment was severe for those who failed to achieve or were disobedient.
36 Maria wanted to attend _____.
A a private“finishing" school
B a school teaching Latin
C a technical high school
D a school for art and music
37 In those days, most Italian girls_____.
A did not go to primary school
B went to“finishing" schools
C did not go to high school
D went to technical schools
38 Maria's father probably_____.
A had a modern view about women
B had a traditional view about women
C was interested in women's education
D thought Latin was easy for women
39 High school teachers in Italy in those days were very_____.
A flexible
B intelligent
C kind
D strict
40 We can infer from this passage that_____.
A Maria's parents liked her personality
B Maria was a girl of strong will
C Maria's mother paid for her education
D Maria gave in under her father's pressure
本题分数(15)
36 C 第三段的第一句话讲得很清楚Maria想上的是哪一类学校:Maria,however,wanted to attend a technical school.
37 C 第一段里有这样一句话:Most girls from middle-class families chose to stay home after primary school, though some attended private Catholic“finishing"schools.可见大多数中产阶级家庭的女孩读完小学后选择待在家里,有些则上私立的天主教的“finishing schools”,但并不属于中学。所以实际上当时大多数意大利的女孩子是不读中学的。
38 B 在第三段里讲到技术中学比经典的中学更现代化,教授现代语言、数学、科学、会计等科目。大多数人,包括Maria的父亲认为女孩子学不了这些科目,甚至认为女孩子不该学这些东西。可见他对女性的观点是很传统的。
39 D 这可以从最后一段,尤其是最后一句话看到:Teachers were very demanding,discipline in the classroom was strict, and punishment was severe for those who failed to achieve or were disobedient.
40 B 纵观全文,不难看出Maria是个个性很强的女孩,有自己的想法,而且顶住种种压力达到自己的目标。文章的标题Going Her Own Way实际上也已经点明了她的个性。
(责任编辑:vstara)