When I went away to college,I chose to go to a large school in another state in an attempt to never again see those popular girls,the ones who drove quiet girls like me headlong into the arms of dusty books.
Since I didn't know a soul at this university,I volunteered for a dub to make friends. That's how I ended up one winter evening standing outside the student union,waiting for the night's famous speaker to drive up. My assignment was to escort (护送)her to the auditorium where her fans eagerly waited to hear Maya Angelou,author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
As showtime neared,Angelou's car pulled up. When its door opened,Angelou and a female friend exited,each wearing head-to-toe fur coats. I nervously guided the pair inside. Angelou was ready to sweep onstage,but first,there was her fur coat. I offered to babysit it backstage to make sure it was safe.
“No,” she said. She looked out at the audience. “You need to get out there and live."
So I found a front-row seat and heard,for the first time,a book come alive in an author's own voice. The audience clapped and cheered as they went along on the ride of this performance.
I wish I could say that my life changed then. But out of college,I went deeper into my interior self,taking a job that required little human contact. A few years later,I became a newspaper editor,which required talking to "many people. For those times,I depended on index(索引) cards. But I reminded myself that Angelou hadn't used notes.
Today,I'm in my 50s. I am speaking comfortably about what I really know to be true. I get out there now and live.
24. What kind of person did the author use to be?
A. Brave. B. Kind.
C. Careless. D. Shy.
25. Why did Angelou decline the author's offer to take care of her fur coat?
A. She wouldn’t trust a stranger with it.
B. She thought it was the duty of her assistant.
C. She wanted the author to enjoy the performance.
D. She thought it was safe enough to put it backstage.
26. Soon after graduating from college,the author.
A. found a job as a newspaper editor
B. kept shutting herself in her own world
C. changed a lot under Angelou's influence
D. felt more confident when speaking in public
27. What would be the best title for the text?
A. Get out there and live
B. The night I met Angelou
C. Speak from your inner self
D. My friendship with Angelou