BrendaLinsonnevergoesanywherewithoutanemptyspectaclescase.Itisasvitaltoherasherpurse.Yetshedoesn’twearglasses.Thereasonshecannotdowithoutitisthatshecannotreadandshecannotwrite.Ifevershegetsintoanysituationwhereshemightbeexpectedtodoeitherofthesethingsshefishesaroundinherbagforthespectaclescasefindsit’semptyandasksthepersonconcernedtodothereadingforher.Untilafewmonthsagohardlyanybodyknewaboutherproblem.Herhusbanddidn’tknowandherchildrendidn’tknow.Thechildrenstilldon’t.

Shehadmanytacticsforhidingherdifficult—forexampleneverlingeringnearaphoneatworkincaseshehadtoansweritandmightberequiredtowritesomethingdown.

Ithasneveroccurredtothechildrenthattheirmothercannotread.Shedoesn’treadthemstoriesbutthentheirfatherdoesn’teithersotheyfindnothingsurprisinginthefact.SimilarlytheyjustacceptthatDadistheonewhowritesthesicknotesandreadstheschoolreports.NowthattheelderboyTomisquiteaproficientreaderBrendacanskillfullygethimtoreadanynotesbroughthomefromschoolsimplybyasking“What’sthatallaboutthen?”

Brenda’shusbandneverguessedthetruthintenyearsofmarriage.Foronethingheinsistsonhandlingalldomesticcorrespondenceandbillshimself.Asalesmanforalargecompanyhetravelsagreatdealandsoisnotaroundsomuchtospotthetruth.Whilehe’sawayBrendacoreswithanysituationsbyexplainingthatshecannotdoanythinguntilshe’sdiscusseditwithherhusband.

Brendawasverysuccessfulinherjobuntilrecently.Forthelastfiveyearsshehadworkedaswaitressatanexpensiverestaurantandhadeventuallybeenpromotedtoheadwaitress.Shekeptthethingasecrettheretooandgotoverthepracticaldifficultiessomehow.

1.Brenda’schildrenhaveneverfoundoutaboutherproblemas__________.

A.sheisn’toftenathome.

B.theyaretooyoungtoguessthetruth.

C.theyfinditnormaltoasktheirfatherforeverything.

D.theythinkitnaturalthatshort-sightedpeopleliketheirmotherdon’tdomuchreadingorwriting.

2.WhatmostprobablymadeBrendatryhardtohideherdifficulty?

A.Herdesiretobesuccessfulinherjob.