【题目】 Once I had a student called Jamal. He would squirm (扭来扭去)in his chair during independent work, and he would never stay still for more than three or four minutes. Students like Jamal can confuse brand new teachers because they’re not quite sure how to support young people like him. I took a direct approach. I negotiated with Jamal. If he could give me focused work, then he could do it from anywhere in the classroom: from our classroom rug, from behind my desk, or from inside his classroom locker, which turned out to be his favorite place.
Jamal’s least favorite subject was writing, and he never wanted to read what he had written out loud in class, but we were still making progress. One day, I decided to host a mock (模拟的)2008 presidential election in my classroom. My third graders had to research and write a speech for their chosen candidate: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain. The favorite candidates were obvious, but one student chose John McCain. It was Jamal. Jamal finally decided to read something that he had written out loud in class, and sure enough, Jamal stunned all of us with his brilliance. Just like Jamal’s dad, John McCain was a veteran, and just like Jamal’s dad protected him, Jamal believed that John McCain would protect the entire country. He wasn’t my candidate of choice, but it didn’t matter, because the entire class erupted into applause for our brave friend Jamal who finally showed up as his most confident self for the first time that year.
A lack of confidence pulls us down from the bottom and weighs us down from the top, crushing us between a flurry of can’ts and won’ts. Without confidence, we get stuck, and when we get stuck, we can’t even get started. Instead of getting mired in what can get in our way, confidence invites us to perform with certainty.
【1】Which of the following best describes Jamal?
A.Naughty and stubbornB.Determined but shy
C.Smart but unfocusedD.Confident and generous
【2】Why did Jamal choose John McCain in the mock 2008 presidential election?
A.Because John was the least popular among the three choices.
B.Because John had written something about him before.
C.Because John shared some similarities with Jamal’s father.
D.Because John was a soldier who could protect the country.
【3】What does the underlined word “stun” mean?
A.Amaze.B.Cheer.C.Awake.D.Entertain.
【4】What is the main purpose of the text?
A.To introduce the change of the authors student.
B.To show how to deal with problem students.
C.To stress the importance of encouragement.
D.To encourage us to be confident.
