📖 The Janitor Who Became a College Graduate
课文精讲 · 原文 + 词汇 + 练习 · 一体化教学
🏔️ 故事山 · Story Mountain
背景
¶1-2 清洁工+免费上课
上升
¶3-5 深夜苦读+毕业
高潮
¶6-8 逃亡+求职+寄钱
下降
¶9-11 无悔+志向+精神富足
结尾
¶12 回去工作
1
From Janitor to Graduate
背景
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
For years, Gac Filipaj mopped floors, cleaned toilets and took out trash at Columbia University. A refugee from war-torn Yugoslavia, he made a living working for the Ivy League school since 1993. But Sunday, May 13, 2012, was payback time. The 52-year-old janitor put on a cap and gown to graduate with a bachelor's degree in classics.
📖 词汇精讲
mopped
mopped 此处是过去分词作前置定语，表被动和完成：“被拖过的”
on the floor 在地板上
floor plan 平面图
wooden floor 木地板
sea floor 海底
floor price 底价
📝 听力练习
1.1Filipaj worked at Columbia University since _____.
A. 1992
B. 1993
C. 2012
D. 1990
📖 原文：he made a living working for the Ivy League school since 1993.
1.2Filipaj was a refugee from war-torn Yugoslavia.
T
F
📖 原文：A refugee from war-torn Yugoslavia.
1.3Filipaj graduated with a bachelor's degree in _. __
classics
📖 原文：to graduate with a bachelor's degree in classics.
故事继续…
2
Free Classes and Seneca
背景
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
As a Columbia employee, he didn't have to pay for the classes. Filipaj said he loved Seneca's letters, which were written in the spirit he was educated in — not to look for fame and fortune, but to have a simple, honest, honorable life.
📖 词汇精讲
📝 听力练习
2.1Why didn't Filipaj have to pay for his classes?
A. He was a refugee
C. He had a scholarship
D. He was a senior citizen
📖 原文：As a Columbia employee, he didn't have to pay for the classes.
2.2Filipaj loved _'s letters, which were written in the spirit he was educated in. __
seneca
📖 原文：he loved Seneca's letters.
2.3What does 'not to look for fame and fortune, but to have a simple, honest, honorable life' reveal about Filipaj's values?
He values inner richness over material wealth — a philosophy that guided his whole life.
📖 关键词：inner richness, not material wealth.
故事继续…
3
Years of Late-Night Study
上升
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
For Filipaj, the degree comes after years studying late into the night in his Bronx apartment, where he'd open his books after a 2:30 to 11 p.m. shift as a heavy cleaner. Before exam time or to finish a paper, he'd pull all-nighters, then go to class in the morning and then to work. As his mother tongue is Albanian, it took him almost seven years to learn to master the English language.
📝 听力练习
3.1What were Filipaj's working hours?
A. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
B. 2:30 to 11 p.m.
C. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
D. Midnight to 8 a.m.
📖 原文：a 2:30 to 11 p.m. shift as a heavy cleaner.
3.2It took Filipaj almost seven years to master English.
T
F
📖 原文：it took him almost seven years to learn to master the English language.
3.3Filipaj's mother tongue is _. __
albanian
📖 原文：As his mother tongue is Albanian.
故事继续…
4
Graduation Day
上升
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
On Sunday morning on Columbia's Manhattan campus, Filipaj flashed a huge smile and gave a thumbs-up as he walked off the podium after shaking hands with Columbia President Lee Bollinger.
📝 听力练习
4.1Who shook hands with Filipaj at the ceremony?
A. The dean
D. The mayor of New York
📖 原文：shaking hands with Columbia President Lee Bollinger.
4.2Filipaj flashed a huge _ and gave a thumbs-up. __
smile
📖 原文：Filipaj flashed a huge smile and gave a thumbs-up.
4.3Why did the university president personally preside over the ceremony?
To show respect for his achievement — a janitor graduating with honors deserved the highest recognition.
📖 推断题：校长亲自主持表示对清洁工毕业优等的最高敬意。
故事继续…
5
A Man with Great Pride
上升
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"This is a man with great pride, whether he's doing custodial work or academics," said Peter Awn, dean of Columbia's School of General Studies. "He is very humble and grateful, but he's an individual who makes his own future."
📝 听力练习
5.1How did Dean Peter Awn describe Filipaj?
📖 原文：This is a man with great pride... He is very humble and grateful.
5.2Dean Awn said Filipaj was someone who makes his own future.
T
F
📖 原文：he's an individual who makes his own future.
5.3What is the function of 'whether...or...' in this context?
It shows that Filipaj takes pride in both aspects of his life — custodial work and academics.
📖 whether...or...表示无论哪种情况都成立，强调两方面都有尊严。
故事继续…
6
Fleeing to America
高潮
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
It's been a long road for Filipaj who fled to the United States in 1992, leaving behind his parents and siblings on a family farm in Montenegro, then a Yugoslav republic. He had attended the Law College in Belgrade as a part-time student, but the civil war broke out and he had to leave during the last year of his studies.
📖 词汇精讲
📝 听力练习
6.1When did Filipaj flee to the United States?
A. 1990
B. 1991
C. 1992
D. 1993
📖 原文：fled to the United States in 1992.
6.2Filipaj had completed his law degree in Belgrade before fleeing.
T
F
📖 原文：he had to leave during the last year of his studies — 没完成。
6.3Filipaj left behind his parents and _ on a family farm in Montenegro. __
siblings
📖 原文：leaving behind his parents and siblings.
故事继续…
7
Finding Columbia
高潮
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
At first in New York, his uncle in the Bronx offered him shelter in exchange for work in his grocery store. Filipaj asked people which were the best schools in New York. Columbia topped his list. "I went there to see if I could get a job," he said.
📝 听力练习
7.1How did Filipaj find out about Columbia?
B. He asked people which were the best schools
C. Through a friend
D. Through an advertisement
📖 原文：He asked people which were the best schools in New York.
7.2Filipaj's uncle offered him _ in exchange for work in his grocery store. __
shelter
📖 原文：his uncle in the Bronx offered him shelter in exchange for work.
7.3Why did Filipaj go to Columbia to 'get a job' instead of applying as a student?
He was strategic — getting a job there first gave him access to free classes as an employee.
📖 推断题：先工作再利用员工福利免费上课，是有策略的。
故事继续…
8
Sending Money Home
高潮
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
Part of his twenty-two-dollar-an-hour janitor's pay still goes back to his brother, wife and two kids in Montenegro. He doesn't have a computer or a cellphone. He bought a computer for his family and can only be reached via e-mail.
📝 听力练习
8.1Where does part of Filipaj's pay go?
A. To his brother, wife and two kids in Montenegro
B. To savings
C. To luxury items
D. To travel
📖 原文：still goes back to his brother, wife and two kids in Montenegro.
8.2Filipaj bought a computer for himself.
T
F
📖 原文：He bought a computer for his family — 给家人买的，不是给自己。
8.3Filipaj can only be reached via _. __
e-mail
📖 原文：can only be reached via e-mail.
故事继续…
9
No Regret
下降
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
During the interview with the Associated Press, Filipaj didn't show the slightest regret or bitterness. Instead, he cheerfully described encounters with surprised students who wondered why their classmate was cleaning up after them.
📖 词汇精讲
📝 听力练习
9.1How did Filipaj feel about his hard life?
A. Full of regret
B. No regret or bitterness, cheerful
D. Sad and depressed
📖 原文：didn't show the slightest regret or bitterness. Instead, he cheerfully...
9.2Younger students were surprised to see their classmate cleaning up.
T
F
📖 原文：surprised students who wondered why their classmate was cleaning up.
9.3Why does the author use 'cheerfully' to describe Filipaj's tone?
To show that Filipaj had no shame about being a janitor — he was comfortable with who he was.
📖 cheerfully说明他对清洁工身份坦然接受，不以为耻。
故事继续…
10
Ambition for the Future
下降
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
His ambition is to get a master's degree, maybe even a Ph.D., in Roman and Greek classics. He hopes to become a teacher someday and translate his favorite classics into Albanian.
📝 听力练习
10.1What is Filipaj's ambition?
A. To make more money
D.
C. To retire early
D. To become a manager
📖 原文：His ambition is to get a master's degree, maybe even a Ph.D.
10.2Filipaj hopes to translate his favorite classics into _. __
albanian
📖 原文：translate his favorite classics into Albanian.
10.3Why does Filipaj want to translate classics into Albanian?
To give back to his homeland — sharing the wisdom of classics with his people in their own language.
📖 推断题：翻译成母语是为了回馈祖国，让同胞用母语读经典。
故事继续…
11
Richness in Heart
下降
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
He's not interested in furthering his studies to make more money. "The richness is in me, in my heart and in my head, not in my pockets," he said. For now, he's trying to get a better job, maybe as supervisor.
📝 听力练习
11.1Is Filipaj interested in furthering his studies to make more money?
A. Yes, very interested
B. No, not interested
C. He hasn't decided
D. He wants to be rich
📖 原文：He's not interested in furthering his studies to make more money.
11.2"The richness is in me, in my _ and in my head, not in my pockets." __
heart
📖 原文：in my heart and in my head.
11.3What does 'The richness is in me, in my heart and in my head, not in my pockets' mean?
True wealth is internal — knowledge, wisdom, character — not material possessions.
📖 关键词：internal wealth vs material possessions.
故事继续…
12
Back to Work
结尾
💡 先听2遍做题，再点按钮看原文
Soon after, the spirited, 5-foot-4 janitor picked up a broom and dustpan and went back to work.
📝 听力练习
12.1What did Filipaj do right after the interview?
A. He went home to rest
B. He picked up a broom and dustpan and went back to work
C. He quit his job
D. He went to a party
📖 原文：picked up a broom and dustpan and went back to work.
12.2Filipaj quit his janitor job after graduation.
T
F
📖 原文：went back to work — 他回去继续工作了，没有辞职。
12.3What is the deeper meaning of ending the story with 'went back to work'?
It echoes the beginning — he was a janitor, and he remains a janitor. Graduation didn't change his identity or attitude. True success is staying grounded.
📖 首尾呼应：开头是janitor，结尾还是janitor。毕业没有改变他的身份和态度。
📎 其他
🎧 听力做题技巧
【三级听力 A级】
Step 1 听前：扫题干+选项，划关键词（人名/地名/数字/动词），猜话题
Step 2 第一遍：抓主旨（开头3句），标注选项中听到的词，不纠结个别词
Step 3 第二遍：确认答案，补漏听细节，注意陷阱（听到≠正确，可能是否定/转折后内容）
Step 4 听后：未选题用排除法，填空查拼写（单复数/时态），常识判断不能违背常理
【四级听力 B级】
Step 1 听前：15秒速扫全部选项，找共同词=主题，找差异词=考点，预判3种可能问法
Step 2 第一遍：抓主旨(开头)+细节(转折词but/however/actually后)，标注选项听到词，注意语气变化
Step 3 第二遍：确认答案，重点听未确定题，排除"听到原词但意思不对"的干扰项
Step 4 听后：排除法收尾，填空查拼写+语法，推断题用"原文依据+合理推理"不能凭空猜
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