The teacher who did the most to encourage me was, as it happens, my aunt.She was Myrtle C.
Manigault, the wife of my mother's brother Bill.She taught me in second grade at allblack Sumner
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 her 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 humour, 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.

1. Which of the following did Aunt Myrtle do to the author during her childhood and youth?

A. She lent her some serious classics.
B. She cultivated her taste for music.
C. She discovered her talent for dancing.
D. She introduced her to adult plays.

2. What does Archy & Mehitabel in Paragraph 3 probably refer to?

A. A book of great fun.  
B. A writer of high fame.
C. A serious masterpiece.  
D. A heartbreaking play.

3. Aunt Myrtle recommended the author to a newspaper editor mainly to ________.

A. develop her capabilities for writing
B. give her a chance to collect material
C. involve her in teenage social activities
D. offer her a series of writing jobs

4. We can conclude from the passage that Aunt Myrtle was a teacher who ________.

A. trained pupils to be diligent and welldisciplined
B. gave pupils confidence in exploiting their potential
C. emphasized what was practical or possible for pupils
D. helped pupils overcome difficulties in learning