Liu Lingli was born in Hengyang, Hunan province, in 1973. Her first interaction with people with disability was with one of her neighbors, surnamed Wang. Liu was a child then.

One day in the winter, when Liu was playing in her house, Wang used sign language to communicate with her. But Liu could not understand what she was trying to say. It was Wang’s husband who told Liu that she wanted to make her a scarf.

“Even as a child, I was moved by her kind gesture, and thought it would be great if she could speak,” Liu said. The incident left an unforgettable mark on Liu. At the age of 14, she decided to major in teaching hearing-impaired (听力受损的) students, and later enrolled in Nanjing Normal University of Special Education. After four years, she graduated with a secondary vocational (职业的) degree and became a teacher at Hengyang Normal School of Special Education, and taught Chinese language to first graders.

Although she was only 18 at the time, she treated the students as her children, and practiced sign language in front of the mirror for one to two hours every day till she mastered it. With great care and patience, she also taught the students how to wash their face and clothes, and cut their nails, gradually becoming the “mother” of the students.

In 2005, at the age of 32, Liu gave birth to her own child. But the child, a boy, was diagnosed with congenital (先天性的) hearing impairment when he was seven months old. Concerned that she would need time to overcome the shock, Liu’s colleagues requested her to take a break from teaching and take her son to Changsha, capital of Hunan province, for treatment. But she refused to do so, partly because such treatments are a long-term process.

Instead, she began teaching a new class, because she didn’t want to leave the students alone, and decided to provide therapy for the child herself after work. Thanks to Liu’s tireless efforts, her son could make some sound after several months of training, and her students showed great improvement. “Whenever they managed to say ‘mom’ or ‘dad’ for the first time, I felt it was the sweetest sound in the world,” Liu Lingli said.

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1.Why did Liu major in special education?

A To reduce uneducated people.

B To help special populations.

C To cure her son’s illness.

D To realize her dream.

解析：选B。B细节理解题。根据第三段中的“The incident left an unforgettable mark on Liu. At the age of 14, she decided to major in teaching hearing-impaired students”可知，跟邻居的聊天给她留下来难以磨灭的印象，她想要帮助这类残障人士。故选B。

2.Which words can best describe the 18-year-old Liu?

A Patient and confident.

B Brave and knowledgeable.

C Caring and successful.

D Responsible and kind.

解析：选D。D细节理解题。根据第四段中的“she treated the students as her children”“With great care and patience”“gradually becoming the ‘mother’ of the students”可知，18岁的刘伶琍善良、体贴、耐心又富有责任感。故选D。

3.What does the underlined words “the shock” refer to?

A Leaving her career.

B The loss of her lover.

C Her son’s disease.

D Difficulties in her work.

解析：选C。C细节理解题。根据倒数第二段划线部分前文可知，2005年，刘伶琍生下自己的孩子，孩子在7个月大的时候被诊断患有先天性听力障碍。即the shock指的是她的孩子患病的情况。故选C。

4.How did Liu feel when the children spoke for the first time?

A She felt comforted.

B She was astonished.

C She appeared ambitious.

D She was light-hearted.

解析：选A。A推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“I felt it was the sweetest sound in the world”可知，当孩子们第一次说话，喊“爸爸”“妈妈”时，刘伶琍感到很欣慰。故选A。