When the two Afghan boys arrived，they were seemingly quiet and scared. In an effort to break their silence，I asked Umair if he liked to throw snow balls in winter because I knew the temperatures in their country can reach as low as —10 degrees centigrade. His face turned colorless. “I couldn’t sell the hats and gloves when it snowed. I would just sit in the room and wait for the snow to melt(融化）.How else would I earn the money to feed my family?” My heart sank.
In the days that followed, my husband and I offered to teach them English and mathematics. They were from diverse linguistic (语言的）backgrounds，so teaching them proved to be challenging but a lot of fun. In fact it became a mutual(共同的）experience. I remembered many words which I had not used since graduation.
Having passed through war zones and lived in jungles, the boys treasured the comfort provided to them by their foster carers, whose love made them show more confidence in daily life and exhibit enthusiasm for learning. Such was their hunger for learning that even if five minutes had passed the set time，there was a knock on the door, reminding us to start the lesson.
Another interesting character in this experience was my four-year-old son. His presence would keep the atmosphere cheerful and light. Learning was a mutual experience for him too. The boys would correct him when he made a mistake in counting, and he would correct the boys when they got wrong in pronunciation.
Teaching these children gave me some very important lessons in life： that a spirit which has the willingness to learn is stronger than the sharpest sword, that an environment that fosters love, support and encouragement can make broken souls shine，and that learning and education is the true lighthouse to fight darkness in this world.
【小题1】Why did the author ask Umair about snow balls?| A．She was curious what his life was like. |
| B．She liked to know the culture difference. |
| C．She wanted to encourage him to talk more. |
| D．She tried to help him adapt to the life here. |
| A．Love and care. |
| B．English and mathematics. |
| C．Mutual interest and hobby. |
| D．Confidence and enthusiasm. |
| A．Teaching is an art. |
| B．Men learn while they teach. |
| C．Teaching can make a person. |
| D．Learning is a daily experience. |
| A．A Lifelong Lesson |
| B．A Desire for Learning |
| C．International Friendship |
| D．Teaching Two Afghan Boys |
