By JENNIFER D’ANGELO

A young woman wants desperately to become a hairdresser, but cannot read the proficiency exam. Three aspiring truck drivers cannot pass the commercial driving test. Others cannot read street signs, use the Yellow Pages, vote on Election Day or help their children with their homework.

These are the real stories of real Queen residents, adults who are among the 33 percent in our borough that a 1993 study found to be unable to locate intersections on street maps or correctly fill out applications. Compared to the 24 percent of individuals who are functionally illiterate statewide, Queens’ number is proportionately high.