The Story of Helen Keller (Cambridge Connection English)
Comprehension
A. Answer the questions briefly.
1. Who introduced Anne Sullivan to Helen's parents?
= Alexander Graham Bell introduced Anne Sullivan to Helen's parents.
2. Where did Helen learn to speak?
= Helen learnt to speak at the Perkins Institution with a teacher called Sarah Fuller.
3. Where did Helen graduate from?
= Helen graduated from Radcliff College in 1904.
B. Answer the questions.
1. How did Anne Sullivan's arrival change Helen's life?
= Anne Sullivan came as a blessing for Helen and she stayed with Helen from March 1887 till her own passing in October 1936. Sullivan taught Helen how to communicate with others and understand the world around her.
2. How did Anne Sullivan teach Helen to associate words with objects?
= Anne taught little Helen to feel the objects around her. Her teacher would place different objects over Helen's hands and then spell out their names on her palm with her fingers.
3. What was the interesting way Helen learnt about water?
= One day, Helen became angry while trying to learn the word m-u-g and w-a-t-e-r. Miss Sullivan then had an idea. She placed Helen's palms under the spout as cool water flowed and spelled out the word w-a-t-e-r with her fingers on Helen's palm. Helen learnt that water meant something cool and wonderful, flowing over her hands.
C. Read the lines and answer the questions.
1. "... became angry while trying to learn the words m-u-g and w-a-t-e-r."
a. Who became angry?
= Helen became angry.
b. What was the reason for being so angry?
= Helen became angry while trying to learn the word m-u-g and w-a-t-e-r.
c. How was the difference between water and mug finally explained?
= Miss Sullivan then had an idea. She placed Helen's palms under the spout as cool water flowed and spelled out the word w-a-t-e-r with her fingers on Helen's palm. Helen learnt that water meant something cool and wonderful, flowing over her hands. On the other hand, m-u-g was the object.
2. "Helen wrote about her life and what it felt like to live with blindness in women's magazines of her time."
a. Why do you think Helen wrote about her life?
= I think Helen wrote about her life to let the people know about her struggle. And to inspire them about the fact that nothing can stop someone who is determined to succeed.
b. How was her life an example to all people living with disabilities?
= Helen Keller serves as an inspiration to everyone suffering from disabilities and difficulties in life. She was able to learn and develop skills that no other person with disabilities had till then even dreamt of achieving.
c. What other ways did Helen contribute to make lives of people with disabilities better?
= Helen began her career as a speaker giving lectures on behalf of the American Foundation for the Blind. Helen travelled all over the world on her lecture tours. This prevented several people with disabilities form being shut away in asylums where they would be treated badly.
3. "Helen spent her winters at the Perking Institution learning Braille."
a. What is Braille?
= Braille is a system of printing for blind people, using raised letters that they read by touching.
b. What are the different skills that Helen learnt and how was she unique to have learnt them?
= Helen began training to speak with another teacher called Sarah Fuller. At the age of 14, she enrolled in school. She went on to study at the Cambridge for Young Ladies and later on she graduated with honours from Radcliff College in 1904.
4. "She was able to learn and develop skills that no other person with disabilities had till then even dreamt of achieving."
a. Who was able to learn and develop skills?
= Helen was able to learn and develop skills.
b. What were the skills that she learnt?
= The skills that she learnt are - to read, to speak, to write, to deliver speeches.
c. Why do you think these skills were such that no other person with disabilities had till then even dreamt of achieving?
= I think these skills were such that no other person with disabilities had till then even dreamt of achieving because there were no such facilities or freedom or consciousness to inspire the persons with disabilities.
D. Think and answer.
1. Do you think it was easy for Helen to learn to read and speak? Why do you believe she had a more difficult time than someone without a disability?
= I think it was not easy for Helen to learn to read and speak.
I think someone without a disability can see, hear and feel any object of his or her own without any help of others. On the other hand, a person with disabilities, can not do the same of his or her own. They have to take help of other in every step of their lives.
2. Do you agree that Helen Keller's life serves as an example for us all? How do you find her inspiring?
= Yes, I think Helen Keller's life serves an an example for us all. If such a girl with so much disabilities, can achieve so many things and conquer the world, then everyone can do anything in life and achieve success. Many times we feel sad, disappointed, helpless, but at that time Helen Keller's life will inspire us a lot and help us to fight back and reach to our goal.