2012年职称英语综合类的A级真题及答案阅读理解2

　　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 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 modem than the classical schools and they offered courses in modern languages，mathematics，science，and accounting2.Most people including Marias 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 sapproval. She finally did，with her mothers help，though for many years after，there was tension in the family. Marias 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.

　　参考答案：

　　36. Maria wanted to attend a ____.答案为C. technical high school.

　　37. In those days, most Italian girls ___.答案为B. didnt go to high school.

　　38. Marias father probably ___.答案为B. had a traditional view about women.

　　39. High school teachers in Italy in those days were very ___.答案为D. strict

　　40. We can infer from this passage that __答案为D. Maria was a girl of strong will