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 Italyat 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 history¹.  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, andaccounting². 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" inRome. 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.

 

词汇：

discipline /"disiplin/ n. 纪律，学科，训练，惩罚

punishment [ˈpʌnɪʃmənt] n. 惩罚，严厉对待，虐待

 

注释：

1.  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.在传统学校中，学生们都依照一种非常传统的教学方式学习，包含拉丁语、希腊语与文学课，还有意大利文学与历史。

2. The technical schools were more modern than the classical schools and they offered courses in modern languages, mathematics, science, and accounting.技术学校比传统学校要现代得多，他们提供的课程有现代语言、数学、自然科学，以及会计学。

High school teachers in Italyin those days were____.

A:very modern B:very intelligent C:quite scientific D:quite strict

When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak contemptuously of the poor old Romans because they relished the orgies of slaughter that went on in their arenas. We may despise them because they mistook these goings-on for entertainment. We may forgive them condescendingly because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority really justified. Are we any less bloodthirsty Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest Don’t the spectators who attend them hope they will see some violence Human beings remain as bloodthirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungry lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of sophisticated arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long ago; sports which are quite as barbarous as, say, public hangings or bearbaiting.
It is really incredible that in this day and age we should still allow hunting or bull-fighting, that we should be prepared to sit back and watch two men batter each other to pulp in a boxing ring, that we should be relatively unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames. Let us not deceive ourselves. Any talk of "the sporting spirit" is sheer hypocrisy. People take part in violent sports because of the high rewards they bring. Spectators are willing to pay vast sums of money to see violence. A world heavy-weight championship match, for instance, is front-page news. Millions of people are disappointed if a big fight is over in two rounds instead of fifteen. They feel disappointment because they have been deprived of the exquisite pleasure of witnessing prolonged torture and violence.
Why should we ban violent sports if people enjoy them so much You may well ask. The answer is simple, they are uncivilized. For centuries man has been trying to improve himself spiritually and emotionally—admittedly with little success. But at least we no longer tolerate the sight of madmen being cooped up in cages, or public floggings of any of the countless other barbaric practices which were common in the past. Prisons are no longer the grim forbidding places they used to be. Social welfare systems are in operation in many parts of the world. Big efforts are being made to distribute wealth fairly. These changes have come about not because human beings have suddenly and unaccountably improved, but because positive steps were taken to change the law. The law is the biggest instrument of social change that we have and it may exert great civilizing influence. If we banned dangerous and violent sports, we would be moving one step further to improving mankind. We would recognize that violence is degrading and unworthy of human beings.
It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s opinion of nowadays’ human beings is ______.

A:not very high B:high C:contemptuous D:critical

When you think of the tremendous technological progress we have made, it’s amazing how little we have developed in other respects. We may speak contemptuously of the poor old Romans because they relished the orgies of slaughter that went on in their arenas. We may despise them because they mistook these goings-on for entertainment. We may forgive them condescendingly because they lived 2000 years ago and obviously knew no better. But are our feelings of superiority really justified. Are we any less bloodthirsty Why do boxing matches, for instance, attract such universal interest Don’t the spectators who attend them hope they will see some violence Human beings remain as bloodthirsty as ever they were. The only difference between ourselves and the Romans is that while they were honest enough to admit that they enjoyed watching hungry lions tearing people apart and eating them alive, we find all sorts of sophisticated arguments to defend sports which should have been banned long ago; sports which are quite as barbarous as, say, public hangings or bearbaiting.
It is really incredible that in this day and age we should still allow hunting or bull-fighting, that we should be prepared to sit back and watch two men batter each other to pulp in a boxing ring, that we should be relatively unmoved by the sight of one or a number of racing cars crashing and bursting into flames. Let us not deceive ourselves. Any talk of "the sporting spirit" is sheer hypocrisy. People take part in violent sports because of the high rewards they bring. Spectators are willing to pay vast sums of money to see violence. A world heavy-weight championship match, for instance, is front-page news. Millions of people are disappointed if a big fight is over in two rounds instead of fifteen. They feel disappointment because they have been deprived of the exquisite pleasure of witnessing prolonged torture and violence.
Why should we ban violent sports if people enjoy them so much You may well ask. The answer is simple, they are uncivilized. For centuries man has been trying to improve himself spiritually and emotionally—admittedly with little success. But at least we no longer tolerate the sight of madmen being cooped up in cages, or public floggings of any of the countless other barbaric practices which were common in the past. Prisons are no longer the grim forbidding places they used to be. Social welfare systems are in operation in many parts of the world. Big efforts are being made to distribute wealth fairly. These changes have come about not because human beings have suddenly and unaccountably improved, but because positive steps were taken to change the law. The law is the biggest instrument of social change that we have and it may exert great civilizing influence. If we banned dangerous and violent sports, we would be moving one step further to improving mankind. We would recognize that violence is degrading and unworthy of human beings.
It can be inferred from the passage that the author’s opinion of nowadays’ human beings is ______.

A:not very high B:high C:contemptuous D:critical

"High tech" and "state of the art" are two expressions that describe very modern technology. High tech is just a shorter way of saying high technology. And high technology describes any invention, system of device that uses the newest ideas or discoveries of science and engineering.
What is high tech A computer is high tech. So is a communications satellite. A modern manufacturing system is surely high tech.
High tech became a popular expression in the United States during the early 1980’s. Because of improvements in technology, people could buy many new kinds of products in American stores, such as home computers, microwave ovens, etc.
"State of the art" is something that is as modern as possible. It is a product that is based on the very latest methods and techn01ogy. Something that is "state of the art" is the newest possible design or product of a business or industry. A state of the art television set, for example, uses the most modern electronic design and parts. It is the best that one can buy.
"State of the art" is not a new expression. Engineers have used it for years, to describe the best and most modern way of doing something.
Millions of Americans began to use the expression in the late 1970’s. The reason was the computer revolution. Every computer company claimed that its computers were "state of the art".
Computer technology changed so fast that a state of the art computer today might be old tomorrow. The expression "state of the art" became as common and popular as computers themselves. Now all kinds of products are said to be "state of the art".
What is the purpose of the passage

A:To tell how "high tech" and "state of the art" have developed. B:To give examples of high tech. C:To tell what "high tech" and "state of the art" are. D:To describe very modern technology.

"High tech" and "state of the art" are two expressions that describe the modem technology. High tech is just a shorter way of saying high technology. And high technology describes any invention, system of device that uses the newest ideas or discoveries of science and engineering. What is high tech A computer is high tech. So is a communications satellite. (79) A modem manufacturing (生产) system is surely high tech. High tech became a popular expression in the United States during the early 1980’ s. Because of improvements in technology, people could buy many new kinds of products in American stores, such as home computers, microwave ovens, etc.
"State of the art" is something that is as modem as possible. It is a product that is based on the very latest methods and technology. Something that is "state of the art" is the newest possible design or product of a business or industry. A state of the art television set, for example, uses the modernest electronic design and parts. It is the best that one can buy.
"State of the art" is not a new expression. Engineers have used it for years, to describe the best and most modem way of doing something. Millions of Americans began to use the expression in the late 1970 ’ s. The reason was the computer revolution. Every computer company claimed that its computers were "state of the art".
Computer technology changed so fast that a state of the art computer today might be old tomorrow. (80) The expression "state of the art" became as common and popular as computers themselves. Now all kinds of products are said to be "state of the art".
What is the purpose of the passage

A:To tell how "high tech" and "state of the art" have developed. B:To give examples of "high tech". C:To tell what "high tech" and "state of the art" are. D:To describe very modem technology.

"High tech" and "state of the art" are two expressions that describe the modem technology. High tech is just a shorter way of saying high technology. And high technology describes any invention, system of device that uses the newest ideas or discoveries of science and engineering. What is high tech A computer is high tech. So is a communications satellite. (79) A modem manufacturing (生产) system is surely high tech. High tech became a popular expression in the United States during the early 1980’ s. Because of improvements in technology, people could buy many new kinds of products in American stores, such as home computers, microwave ovens, etc.
"State of the art" is something that is as modem as possible. It is a product that is based on the very latest methods and technology. Something that is "state of the art" is the newest possible design or product of a business or industry. A state of the art television set, for example, uses the modernest electronic design and parts. It is the best that one can buy.
"State of the art" is not a new expression. Engineers have used it for years, to describe the best and most modem way of doing something. Millions of Americans began to use the expression in the late 1970 ’ s. The reason was the computer revolution. Every computer company claimed that its computers were "state of the art".
Computer technology changed so fast that a state of the art computer today might be old tomorrow. (80) The expression "state of the art" became as common and popular as computers themselves. Now all kinds of products are said to be "state of the art".
What is the purpose of the passage

A:To tell how "high tech" and "state of the art" have developed. B:To give examples of "high tech". C:To tell what "high tech" and "state of the art" are. D:To describe very modem technology.

Passage 3

What is the purpose of the passage

A:To tell how "high tech" and "state of the art" have developed. B:To give examples of "high tech". C:To tell what "high tech" and "state of the art" are. D:To describe very modem technology.