11．When I was a high school student，mathematics looked like a big hurdle（障礙）for me and several of my classmates．When we reached the ninth class，we got Mr．Iyer，a strict maths teacher who was also our class teacher．He always stuck to his discipline．We had to arrive on time，pay undivided attention to his lectures，and dared not neglect any of h is homework．
Even so，as our class teacher，we got to know him better．Noticing some of us fidgeting one day as the mid-term exams approached，he stopped solving a mathematical problem to ask us why．"There's too much to do，"we sighed．"We're afraid we'll never manage to finish our revision before the exams．"
"Nothing is impossible，"Mr．Iyer told us．"This classroom is on the second floor．Do you have a problem reaching here？"
We reacted with blank stares．
"No，you don't!"he said，answering his own question．"You have a staircase to help you climb up to this level．No one expects you to make it in two giant leaps．You simply take one step at a time．Any task can be solved if you focus on the immediate action to be taken．The rest w ill take care of itself，if you keep at it．One step at a time．That's the secret．"
Then he wrote down an o ld motto on the blackboard-the longest journey starts with a single step．Having heard his staircase analogy（比擬），w e understood why he asked us the question and we saw him in a new light．
Most of my classmates scored distinctions in maths．And I went on to become an English teacher．To this day，whenever I pass on Mr．Iyer's invaluable advice to my own students，they brighten up at the prospect of a lighter academic burden．
24．What can we learn from the first paragraph？D
A．Maths was difficult for most of the author's classmates．
B．The students thought Mr．Iyer was not a good teacher．
C．Mr．Iyer would punish the students neglecting his discipline．
D．The students showed great fear to Mr．Iyer．
25．The underlined word"fidgeting"in Paragraph 2probably means""B．
A．excited
B．nervous
C．hardworking
D．calm
26．Why did the author and his classmates react with blank stares？D
A．Because they were too tired to understand what Mr．Iyer said．
B．Because they felt surprised at such an unbelievable problem．
C．Because they had no interest in any subjects that were no good for their exam s．
D．Because they first thought reaching the second floor had no connection with the worry．
27．The staircase analogy implies that．A
A．goals can be reached step by step
B．one can reach his/her goals in a giant leap
C．tasks can be solved under the guide of the teacher
D．there is only one step between success and failure．
分析 本文講了作者高中時候的一個數學老師的故事．這位數學老師，也是班主任，對"我們"要求很嚴格．他布置的作業"我們"總是按時完成，上學從不敢遲到，聽他的演講從不敢分心．一次，老師的"爬樓梯"的比喻，對我的學習和以后的工作都有深刻的、積極的影響．
解答 24．D 細節理解題．根據"He always stuck to his discipline．We had to arrive on time，pay undivided attention to his lectures，and dared not neglect any of h is homework．"他總是堅持他的原則，我們必須按時到校，集中精力聽他的演講，并且不敢忽視他布置的任何作業．可知，答案D正確．
25．B 詞義猜測題．由該詞的下句""There's too much to do，"we sighed．"We're afraid we'll never manage to finish our revision before the exams．"可知，我們感到緊張．故選B項．
26．D 推理判斷題．由于我們當時不理解樓梯和學習有什么關系，所以會"茫然凝視"．故選D項．
27．A 細節理解題．根據"Having heard his staircase analogy（比擬），w e understood why he asked us the question and we saw him in a new light．Most of my classmates scored distinctions in maths．"可知，我們的目標就像爬樓梯一樣，會一步一步的實現．故選A項．
點評 做閱讀理解題，要針對每一種題型，采用具體的解決方法．細節理解題，要針對問題在文中找信息句；推理判斷題，要通讀全文，才能推出正確答案；詞義猜測題，要讀劃線單詞或短語的上下句，猜測答案；主旨大意題，要細讀全文，才能總結出答案．
