3．The teacher who did the most to encourage me was，as it happened，my aunt．She was Myrtle C．Manigault，the wife of my mother's brother Bill．She taught in second grade at all-black Summer School in Camden，New Jersey．During my childhood and youth，Aunt Myrtle encouraged me to develop every aspect of my potential，without regard for what was considered practical or possible for black females．I liked to sing； she listened to my voice and pronounced it good．I couldn't dance； she taught me the basic dancing steps．She took me to the theatre-not just children's theatre but adult comedies and dramas-and her faith that I could appreciate adult plays was not disappointed．
My aunt also took down books from he r extensive library and shared them with me．I had books at home，but they were all serious classics．Even as a child I had a strong liking for humor，and I'll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis's Archy & Mehitabel through her．
Most important，perhaps，Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication．A writer herself for one of the black newspapers，she suggested my name to the editor as a"youth columnist"．My column，begun when I was fourteen，was supposed to cover teenage social activities-and it did-but it also gave me the freedom to write on many other subjects as well as the habit of gathering material，the discipline of meeting deadlines，and，after graduation from college six years later，a solid collection of published material that carried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs．
Today Aunt Myrtle is still an enthusiastic supporter of her"favourite niece"．Like a diamond，she has reflected a bright，multifaceted （多面的） image of possibilities to every pupil who has crossed her path．
21．Which of the following did Aunt Myrtle do to the author during her childhood and youth？D
A．She lent her some serious classics．
B．She developed her taste for music．
C．She discovered her talent for dancing．
D．She introduced her to adult plays．
22．What does Archy and Mehitabel in Paragraph 2 probably refer to？A
A．A book of great fun．
B．A writer of high fame．
C．A serious masterpiece．
D．A heartbreaking play．
23．Aunt Myrtle recommended the author to a newspaper editor mainly toA．
A．develop her abilities to write
B．give her a chance to collect material
C．involve her in teenage social activities
D．offer her a series of writing jobs
24．We can conclude from the passage that Aunt Myrtle was a teacher whoB
A．trained pupils to be hard-working and well-disciplined
B．gave pupils confidence in making use of their potential
C．gave importance to what was practical or possible for pupils
D．helped pupils overcome difficulties in learning．
分析 本文是一篇记叙文，主要讲述作者的舅妈Myrtle C．Manigault作为一位出色的教师，善于引导学生发现自身潜力，并在发展爱好和兴趣的同时给予学生们信心的故事．
解答 21．D．细节理解题．根据文章第二段最后一句She took me to the theatre---not just children's…was not disappointed可知Aunt Myrtle不仅带作者去看儿童剧同时也去看成人剧，故D项说法正确．根据第三段第一句和第二句可知A项说法错误；根据第二段第二句可知B项说法错误；根据第二段第三句可知C项说法错误．故选D．
22．A．词义猜测题．前面提到舅妈也常常和我分享她的书，我家里有书，但都是些严肃的经典书籍．根据 I'll never forget the joy of discovering Don Marquis's Archy &Mehitabel through her．可知此处是指一本很有趣的书．故选A．
23．A．推理判断题．根据第三段的Aunt Myrtle provided my first opportunity to write for publication．和aftergraduation from college six years later，a solid collection of published material thatcarried my name and was my passport to a series of writing jobs．可知AuntMyrtle给了我第一次写作的机会，在大学毕业后的六年，我的作品出版了，走上了写作之路．所以Aunt Myrtle推荐作者作报纸的编辑主要是为了锻炼作者的写作能力，故选A．
24．B．推理判断题．通过理解全文和最后一段可知Aunt Myrtle作为一位老师，总是给予学生们信心并充分开发他们的潜力，故选B．
点评 本文是人生感悟类阅读，考查学生对细节的理解把握和推理判断能力，做题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确选择．在做推理判断题时不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
