8
The Story of My Life
by Helen Keller
When I had played with my new doll a little while,
Miss Sullivan slowly spelled into my hand the word
"d-o-l-I." When I finally succeeded in making the
letters correctly I was flushed with childish pleasure
and pride. Running downstairs to my mother I held
up my hand and made the letters for doll. I did not
know that I was spelling a word or even that words
existed; I was simply making my fingers go in
monkey-like imitation. In the days that followed I
learned to spell in this uncomprehending way a
great many words, among them pin, hat, cup and a
few verbs like sit, stand and walk. But my teacher
had been with me several weeks before I
understood that everything has a name.
We had a tussle over the words "m-u-g" and "w-a-t-
e-r." Miss Sullivan had tried to impress it upon me
that "m-u-g" is mug and that "w-a-t-e-r" is water,
but I persisted in confounding the two. In despair
she had dropped the subject for the time, only to
renew it at the first opportunity. I became impatient
at her repeated attempts and, seizing the new doll,
I dashed it upon the floor....
We walked down the path to the well- house,
attracted by the fragrance of the honeysuckle with
which it was covered. Someone was drawing water
and my teacher placed my hand under the spout.
Select the correct answer.
What can you infer about Helen's teacher, Miss Sullivan?
A.
She understands that Helen needs to learn through experience.
B.
She is unable to teach Helen to spell the word doll.
She repeatedly tries to help Helen understand the meaning of the word monkey.
D.
She becomes very impatient and angry when Helen throws her doll.
C.
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