Question

Helen Keller was an American educator and journalist, who became one of the leading humanitarians in the history of the United States. Born on June 27, 1880 in Tuscumbia, a small town in Alabama, Keller was stricken with a childhood disease that left her deaf, and blind. The illness Keller suffered (遭受) is a mystery to this day. Unable to see, or hear, Keller became difficult to deal with as her behaviour was described as wild by her family and friends.

Soon Keller and her family developed their own type of sign language that allowed them to communicate with each other. Helen’s mother needed help for her anguished (痛苦的) child, which eventually led to Anne Sullivan, who was a recent graduate (毕业生) of the Perkins Institute for the Blind. The school had been successful in the past in educating blind students, and Sullivan was one of its star graduates. Once Sullivan and Keller got through the difficult beginnings, their friendship, and association (合作) lasted for 49 years.

Keller was determined to become educated, and to teach herself to communicate. After attending several schools, she became the first deaf and blind person to earn a college degree. She became very well-known, and began a lecture tour where she made speeches on social and political issues, including women’s suffrage (选举权), and birth control. Also she required the government to raise awareness to the situation of the blind. She devoted much of her later life to raising funds for the American Foundation for the Blind.

On September 14, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the United States’ two highest civilian honours. In 1999, Keller was listed in Gallup’s Most Widely Admired People of the 20th century.

Helen Keller—Overcoming Disability
Childhood	Keller was made deaf and blind by an 1. illness. Her family and friends   2. her as wild because of her disabilities.
3.	The Keller family   4. their own type of sign language to make their communication possible. Anne Sullivan 5. Keller’s life and gave her a lot of help. Keller made up her   6. to teach herself to communicate. Keller earned a college degree after 7.  several schools.
Social Activities	While travelling around the country, Keller made a series of 8. on social and political issues. Keller 9.  much of her later life in raising funds for the American Foundation for the Blind.
Awards	In 1964, Keller was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1999, her name was on the 10. in Gallup’s Most Widely Admired People of the 20th century.

Answer

1.unknown

2.described

3.Education

4.developed

5.entered/changed

6.mind

7.attending

8.speeches

9.spent

10.list

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述的是聋、盲人士，海伦凯勒，战胜身体残疾，创造自己的手语，最终成为一个美国教育家和新闻记者的故事。

1.unknown 题意：什么病使Keller耳聋、眼瞎？从文中这两句“Keller was stricken with a childhood disease that left her deaf, and blind. The illness Keller suffered (遭受) is a mystery to this day.”（Keller童年遭受的疾病留给她的是耳聋、眼瞎。她所遭受的病如今也是一个迷。）可知，这是一个未知的疾病。故填：unknown。

2.described 题意：因为她什么也做不了，家人和朋友说她的智力未开发。从第一自然段最后一句可以推测出这里填：形容，描述：describled。

3.Education 短文从四个方面来写海伦凯勒：童年、教育、社会活动及荣誉。故这里填Education。

4.developed 句意：凯勒一家发展了自己的手语，使得交流成为可能。从短文第2自然段第一句可以推出本题填：developed。

5.entered/changed Anne Sullivan改变了凯勒的生活并给她很多帮助。从文中看出。盲校毕业生Anne Sullivan同凯勒一起经历了艰难的开始，而她们的友谊及合作持续了49年。说明Anne Sullivan进入变改变了凯勒的生活，改变change，进入：enter，用一般过去时，填changed或entered。

6.mind句意：凯勒决定自学交流。短文第3自然段第一句说，凯勒决定自觉交流。Be determined to 决定，相当于：make up one’s mind。故填mind。

7.attending 句意：在参加了一些学校学习后，凯勒获得了大学学位。从短文第3自然段，可以找到。本处填出席，参加：attend，after后用现在分词短语作状语。故填attending。

8.speeches 句意：当她周游全国时，凯勒作了一系列的关于社会及时政敏感问题的演讲。短文第3自然段可知此处填演讲，“一系列的演讲”用名词复数形式，故填speeches。

9.spent 题意：凯勒把她的许多剩余时间花在为美国盲人慈善基金筹钱上。短文第3自然段最后一句：她把余生的很多时间奉献给为美国盲人慈善事业筹款上。结合本题题意，可知此处用“花费时间”故填spent。

10.list 句意：在1999年，她的名字上了二十世纪最受尊敬人物榜单。在榜单上：on the list。结合短文最后一句，可知本题填list。

考点：人生励志类短文阅读。