文章大意:这是一篇新闻报道。全球投资公司英特尔资本宣布将投资Shubham Banerjee的公司,使这位少年成为世界上最年轻的获得风险投资的科技企业家。文章对此进行了报道。
Intel Capital, a global investment company, has announced it’ll invest in Shubham Banerjee’s company, making the teenager the world’s youngest tech entrepreneur to receive venture capital funding.
Shubham Banerjee learned about Braille, the writing system used by the blind last December. To the middle schooler’s shock, he discovered the Braille printers cost thousands of dollars, so he decided to make his own. Using Lego pieces, he created a cheap Braille printer for his school’s science fair.
Now what started as a science fair project has transformed into a family-run startup: Braigo Labs, with mom Malini Banerjee the CEO, and dad Neil Banerjee on the board of directors. Neil also drives Shubham around and accompanies him to press events, interviews and meetings.
The funding from Intel will allow the family to hire engineers and designers, allowing Shubham to return his focus to school and easing the financial burden on the Banerjee family; Neil was planning to dipping into his own savings before Intel made its offer.
The investment also earns Shubham a place in history. He is two years younger than Nick Dickens, who was previously the world’s youngest tech entrepreneur to receive an investment in 2011.
Braigo includes software that Shubham created using Intel’s new Edison chip — a development platform to power devices built by early startups — and a printer that uses various motors and tools. Shubham published the code for the software on the Web, so other developers can use it, but the family has a patent for the printer. Intel engineers, including his dad, helped Shubham build the model.
Many have welcomed the prospect of an affordable Braille printer, which they say could give blind people better access to literature and improve Braille literacy rates. Others, however, expressed concerns, saying that the demand for Braille printers will drop.
“The number of potential sales are quite limited because there aren’t that many people who read Braille,” said Ike Presley, national project manager for the American Foundation for the Blind. “We don’t know what the demand will be for hard copy Braille 5 to 10 years from now.”
But whether or not the company survives, the experience is almost certainly something his parents will long hold onto.
“He would stay up until 2 a.m., and I would be like, ‘Give it up Shubham, just give it up,’” said Malini Banerjee. “He would keep building and breaking things and I would get so discouraged, asking, ‘Why is he wasting his time?’ But now I tell every mom, ‘Believe in your child.’”
4. What can we learn about Shubham’s company?
A.It is about to go bankrupt. |
B.It is inspired by a Lego project. |
C.It is burdened with media attention. |
D.It is staffed mainly by the Banerjees. |
5. Why does Shubham have “a place in history”?
A.He shares online the code for the software open-source. |
B.He reinvents the writing system used by the blind people. |
C.He is the youngest to get investment from a big company. |
D.He launches a new reading news app for the blind people. |
6. What does Ike Presley really mean?
A.Braigo Labs’ future is not so promising. |
B.People will read more materials in Braille. |
C.It’s wise for Intel to invest in Braigo Labs. |
D.More needs to be done to raise Braille literacy. |
7. Malini Banerjee can be best described as _______ now.
A.hesitant | B.demanding | C.supportive | D.courageous |