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 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' sapproval. 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.

　　詞匯:

　　discipline   n. 紀律，學科，訓練，懲罰

　　 punishment  n. 懲罰，嚴厲對待，虐待

　　注釋:

　　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. 在傳統學校中，學生們都依照一種非常傳統的教學方式學習，包含拉丁語、希臘語與文學課，還有意大利文學與歷史。

　　2. The technical schools were more modem than the classical schools and they offered courses in modern languages，mathematics，science，and accounting. 技術學校比傳統學校要現代得多， 他們提供的課程有現代語言、數學、自然科學，以及會計學。

　　練習:

　　1.Maria wanted to attend________.

　　A.private “finishing” school

　　B.school with Latin and Greek

　　C.technical high school

　　D.school for art and music

　　2.In those days, most Italian girls________.

　　A.went to classical schools

　　B.went to “finishing” schools

　　C.did not go to high school

　　D.went to technical schools

　　3.You can infer from this passage that________.

　　A.girls usually attended private primary schools

　　B.only boys usually attended technical schools

　　C.girls did not like going to school

　　D.only girls attended classical schools

　　4.Maria’s father probably________.

　　A.had very modern views about women

　　B.had very traditional views about women

　　C.had no opinion about women

　　D.thought women could not learn Latin

　　5.High school teachers in Italy In those days were________.

　　A.very modern

　　B.very intelligent

　　C.quite scientific

　　D.quite strict

　　答案與題解：

　　1. C 本題的問題是：Maria想去個怎樣的學校?由文中第三段可明確得出結論。“Maria, however, wanted to attend a technical school .” A, B, D項均有明顯錯誤。

　　2. C 本題的問題是：在當時的意大利大多數女孩的選擇是什么?由文中的第一段可知“Most girls from middle­–class families chose to stay home after primary school ,”所以本題的正確答案為C。

　　3. B 本題為推理題，問題是：從全文可以得出什么樣的結論?A選項未提及。C選項錯誤，原文只說大多數女孩子都選擇呆在家里，并未說她們都不喜歡讀書。D選項錯誤，原文只說就算是上學的話大多數女孩子都選擇傳統學校，而并非只有女孩子可以去。所以正確答案為B。

　　4. B 本題問的是：Maria的父親對女性的態度是什么?由文中第三段倒數第二句“Most people—including Maria’s father —believed in the girls would never be able to understand these subjects.”可以得出答案，父親和大多數人一樣都持傳統觀念。

　　5. D 本題的問題是：當時的意大利高中教師是怎樣的?從文中最后一段可以得出結論“Teachers were very demanding, discipline in the classroom was strict, and punishment was severe for those who failed to achieve or were disobedient,”故正確答案為D。