After waiting more than 80 years, Merrill Pittman Cooper finally received his high school diploma. Cooper, 101, attended Storer College in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, from 1934 to 1938, but dropped out during his senior year when his family moved to Philadelphia for financial reasons, Jefferson County Schools said in a statement.

Storer College was established in 1865 to serve newly freed slaves only after the Civil War. The school was one of the only educational resources for Black residents of West Virginia. It served more than 7,000 students before closing in the mid-1950s. At Storer College, Cooper studied Latin, biology, history, English, and mathematics.

In 2018, after a long and accomplished career in the transportation industry, Cooper visited the school, which is now part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. There, he expressed to family members his regret over not earning a diploma. To help him realize his dream, his family reached out to park staff, who worked with local, regional and state partners to honor the over-100 -year-old man with a ceremony and diploma on March 19.

Jefferson County Schools, the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the Storer College National Alumni Association, and the West Virginia Department of Education all took part. “Jefferson County Schools is committed to helping every student, young or old, fulfil their dreams,” said Bondy Shay Gibson-Learn, president of the school system. “For Mr. Cooper, that meant receiving a high school diploma. We are honored to help make that dream a reality.”

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1.Why couldn’t Cooper finish his school?

A He moved with his family.

B He was too old to continue.

C His family couldn’t afford it.

D He suffered from a serious illness.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第一段“but dropped out during his senior year when his family moved to Philadelphia for financial reasons”可知，他家因为经济原因搬家，而他也跟着搬走了。故选A。

2.Who attended Storer College when it was first set up?

A The young.

B The rich.

C The white.

D The black.

解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第二段第一句“Storer College was established in 1865 to serve newly freed slaves”以及第二句的“The school was one of the only educational resources for Black residents”可知，这所学校是当时的黑人仅能上的学校之一。故选D。

3.How did Cooper feel without a diploma?

A Relieved.

B Anxious.

C Shocked.

D Regretful.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据第三段的“There, he expressed to family members his regret over not earning a diploma”可知他对没有获得毕业证而感到遗憾。故选D。

4.Why did Jefferson County Schools award Cooper the diploma?

A To help him realize his dream.

B To thank him for his contribution.

C To honour other official departments.

D To make the Schools’ dream a reality.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据最后一段的“Jefferson County Schools is committed to helping every student, young or old, fulfil their dreams”以及“We are honored to help make that dream a reality”可知，他们给Cooper颁发毕业证是想帮助他实现他的梦想。故选A。