Shirley Chisholm was best known as the first black woman elected to the United States Congress and the first black woman to run for president of the United States. However, her life was filled with much more than being the first black woman to do important things. She believed in being a person to fight for change. All her life, she worked to improve the lives of others.
Shirley was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1924. Though her parents had very little money, they wanted their daughters to get a good education and to have a better life. When Shirley was three years old they sent her and her sisters to live with their grandmother in Barbados. There Shirley received a good education from the British school system. She enjoyed the years with her grandmother. Shirley always remembered the words her grandmother spoke.
In 1934 Shirley moved back to Brooklyn. She continued to do very well in school. She later graduated from Brooklyn College with honors.In 1949, she married Conrad Chisholm who worked as a private investigator. Together they took part in local politics. Their marriage ended almost thirty years later.
As a young woman, Shirley decided to become a teacher.She believed she could improve society by helping children.She worked for seven years at a childcare center in the Harlem area of New York City.She attended Columbia University at night and received an advanced degree in early childhood education in 1952. She became known as an expert in children and early education.From 1959 to 1964 Shirley was an education official in the day care division of the city's office of child welfare.
In 1964 Shirley's political career began.She was elected to the New York State Assembly, where she served for four years.In 1968 she ran for the United States Congress and she succeeded. She became the first black woman elected to Congress.
Shirley was very different from other members of Congress.She looked different.Her hair was a big cloud of curls. She wore very large eyeglasses. And she had dark skin. Her voice was strong.She spoke with power.She said her greatest tool was her mouth. She was not afraid to say the things others would not say before Congress and the public.
小题1:From the passage，we learn that Shirley's parents believed that ________.
A．women played an important part in modern society
B．black people ought to have equal rights as whites
C．a good education was important for a child's future
D．the UK had a better education system than the USA小题2:Who influenced Shirley most during her childhood?
A．Her father.
B．Her mother.
C．Her sisters.
D．Her grandmother.小题3:How many of the following have been mentioned in the passage?
a．Her education. b．Her family.
c．Her marriage. d．Her political career.
e．Her political beliefs. f．Her contribution to the USA.
A．Three. B．Four.
C．Five. D．Six.
小题4:In which order did the following events take place?
a．Her marriage to Conrad Chisholm ended.
b．She was elected to the New York State Assembly.
c．She became an education official.
d．She succeeded in running for the United States Congress.
e．She received an advanced degree in Columbia University.
A．e－c－b－d－a
B．c－a－b－d－e
C．e－c－a－b－d
D．e－c－b－a－d小题5:The last paragraph mainly tells us about ________.
A．her political career
B．her political opinions
C．her typical style
D．her contribution in politics
