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【阅读理解】Reading: One Stick of Chalk
Mira kept one stick of chalk in her pocket.
She was a critic of her old life, and she had come to this Mediterranean island to test a simple idea.
Her grant was small.
Her assistantship had ended.
Still, she wanted to establish a school for the children of migratory workers.
At first the work was mundane.
She had to ensure a suitable room, distribute notebooks, and clarify the rules.
Local officials showed little cooperation.
One said the project was illegal.
Another asked about her religion.
A third warned that the island's economy was exhaustible and that her plan would undermine stability.
Mira felt the words strike her chest.
That night she sat alone, naked under a bare bulb, and watched a bubble of hope nearly explode.
She did not quit.
She began to cultivate trust, one family at a time.
She would tug a child's sleeve and offer a small task.
She taught the germ of an idea: that language is a form of magic.
The children learned to invert sentences, to underline verbs, and to celebrate small victories.
Their progress was notable.
A few parents, once perplexed, became patriotic about the school.
They saw education as a vital tool, not a whim.
Then came the adverse turn.
A storm devastated the harbour.
The school roof failed.
Water ruined the bulk of the books.
For a week Mira could not foresee any positive outcome.
Her inspiration thinned.
She felt deprived of direction.
But the children came anyway.
They carried miscellaneous objects: a shell, a particle of glass, a broken toy.
They wanted to learn.
That devotion was unconquerable.
It relieved her.
Mira changed her approach.
She commenced a new formulation.
Lessons would mix sensory play with basic science.
Older students would assist younger ones, creating a succession of peer teachers.
The method fostered independence and mutual respect.
It also addressed the issue of deviance: bored children who once disturbed the class now helped stabilise it.
By spring, the school had grown.
A local entrepreneur donated funds.
A nurse spoke about nutrition and the danger of inflammable waste.
The children studied the fusion of music and maths.
They learned about the universe, about extinction, about the velocity of light.
Mira saw the amount of change and concluded that reinforcement works better than punishment.
The school was not perfect, but it was authentic.
She kept a list of aims for the foreseeable future: incorporate more extracurricular activities, seek optimum class sizes, temper her own temper, and avoid any rush to judgement.
The island had given her a second renaissance.
She had come to teach, but she had also learned.
Her one stick of chalk was now a tool of considerable power.
Questions
1. What did some local officials do when Mira first tried to start her school?
A. They offered her a small grant and a room. B. They donated books and notebooks for the children. C. They asked about her religion and warned about the economy. D. They helped her distribute notebooks to families.
2. What happened after the storm damaged the school?
A. Mira decided to leave the island immediately. B. The children brought various small objects and still wanted to learn. C. The children stopped coming to school. D. Local officials finally agreed to repair the roof.
3. The word "inflammable" in the passage is closest in meaning to:
A. easily burned B. extremely valuable C. safe to handle D. difficult to find
4. What can be inferred about Mira's new teaching method?
A. It required a lot of money from the local government. B. It focused only on basic science and ignored language. C. It was rejected by most parents on the island. D. It helped reduce bad behaviour by giving bored children a role.
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Why Local Officials Oppose Education for Migrant Children B. The Dangers of Inflammable Waste in Schools C. A Teacher's Struggle and Success on a Mediterranean Island D. How to Build a School with One Stick of Chalk