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。

Maria wanted to attend____.

A:private "finishing" school B:In those days, most Italian girls____. C:did not go to high school D:went to technical schools

Paula (doesn’t want) to (attend) the meeting (and) Sheila doesn’t (too).（　）

A:doesn’t want B:attend C:and D:too

Paula (doesn' t want) to (attend) the meeting (and) Sheila doesn't (too).

A:doesn't B:attend C:and D:too

The reason (why) Jack (failed) to (attend) the lecture is (because) he had a bad cold.

A:why B:failed C:attend D:because

Paula (doesn' t want) to (attend) the meeting (and) Sheila doesn't (too).

A:doesn't B:attend C:and D:too

The reason (why) Jack (failed) to (attend) the lecture is (because) he had a bad cold.

A:why B:failed C:attend D:because

A little boy invited his mother to attend (出席) his elementary school’s first teacher-parentmeeting. To the little boy’s dismay, his mother said she would go. This would be the first time that his classmates and teachers met his mother and he was embarrassed (尴尬的) by her appearance. There was a severe (严重的) scar (伤疤) that covered nearly the whole right side of her face. The boy never wanted to talk about why or how she got the scar.
At the meeting, the people were impressed (留下深刻的印象) by the kindness of his mother with the scar, but the little boy was still embarrassed and hid himself from everyone. However, he could hear clearly the conversation between his mother and the teacher.
"How did you get the scar on your face" the teacher asked.
The mother replied, "When my son was a baby, he was in a room that caught on fire. Everyone was too afraid to go in because the fire was out of control, but I went in. As I was running towards his bed, I saw a burning wood falling down and I placed myself over him trying to protect him. I was knocked to be unconscious (无知觉的) , but luckily, a fireman came in and saved both of us. " She touched the burned side of her face. "This scar will be forever, but until today, I have never regretted doing what I did. "
When the little boy heard this, he couldn’t help running towards his mother with tears in his eyes. He hugged her and felt his mother was greater than anyone. He held her hand tightly for the rest of the day.
According to the passage, the little boy_______

A:didn’t ask her mother to attend the meeting B:wanted her mother to attend the meeting at first C:didn’t really want her mother to attend the meeting at first D:wasn’t moved by what her mother said