【WouldyoubelievethatthefirstoutstandingdeafteacherinAmericawasaFrenchman?HisnamewasLaurentClerc.HebecameafriendofThomasHopkinsGallaudetandtogethertheyfoundedAmerica'sfirstschoolforthedeaf.】

　　WouldyoubelievethatthefirstoutstandingdeafteacherinAmericawasaFrenchman?HisnamewasLaurentClerc.HebecameafriendofThomasHopkinsGallaudetandtogethertheyfoundedAmerica'sfirstschoolforthedeaf.

　　LaurentClercwasborninasmallvillagenearLyonsFranceonDecember261785.Whenhewasoneyearoldhefellintoafirelosingbothhishearingandhissenseofsmell.

　　At12LaurententeredtheRoyalInstitutionfortheDeafinPariswhereheexcelledinhisstudies.Afterhegraduatedtheschoolaskedhimtostayonasanassistantteacher.

　　MeanwhileinAmericaThomasHopkinsGalaudetwasstudyingtobeaminister.Hewasveryconcernedaboutthelackofeducationalopportunitiesforthedeaf.Thereforein1815GallaudetsailedtoLondonEnglandtoseekideasonhowtoteachdeafpeople.WhilehewastherehemetaFrencheducatorofthedeafwhoinvitedhimtogotoParistospendthreemonthslearningattheRoyalInstitutionfortheDeaftheschoolwhereLaurenClercwasteaching.Gallaudetacceptedtheoffer.Thetwomenworkedandstudiedwelltogether.WhenthetimecameforGallaudettoreturnheaskedClerctocomewithhim.Clercacceptedononecondition:thathewouldstayinAmericaonlyashorttime.

　　ThetwomensetsailonJune1816.ThevoyageacrosstheAtlanticOceantook52days;howeverClereandGallaudetputthetimetogooduse.ClercstudiedEnglishandGallaudetstudiedsignlanguage.Theydiscussedtheschoolforthedeafwhichtheyplannedtoopen.Onthelongtriptheyhadmanyconversationsabouteducationanddeafness.TheyearaftertheyarrivedtheyfoundedaschoolforthedeafinHarfordConnecticut.

　　AttheschoolClercledabusylife.HetaughtsignstoPrincipalGallaudet;hetaughtthepupils;andhetaughthearingmenwhocametotheschooltostudydeafeducation.

　　In1819ClercmarriedElizaCrockerBoardmanoneofhispupils.Theyhadsixchildren.Heretiredfromteachingin1858.AlthoughhehadintendedtoreturntoFranceheneverdid.HediedonJuly181869intheUnitedStates.

　　31.WhydidThomasHopkinsGallaudetsailtoLondon?

　　A.Heneededtofinishhisstudiestobecomeaminister.

　　B.ItwastheeasiestwaytogettoFrance.

　　C.Hewantedtostudytheirsystemofdeafeducation.

　　D.He