There’s a quote putting, “life doesn’t come with a manual (手册); it comes with a mother.” Thankfully, for Jabez and Christopher, their manual — or mother — found a creative way to keep her little boys’ fingers safe around a sewing machine. And as a result, she turned them into successful business owners.
Queenie Jenkins from Atlanta worked in the fashion industry and in her spare time, made matching scarves and skirts on her sewing machine at home. But once she became a mother with two energetic boys at her feet, her hobby became both difficult and dangerous. So, she turned the problem into a life lesson. Jenkins taught her boys how to use the sewing machine skilfully and safely. It wasn’t long before the boys were no longer green hands. As they grew older, they knew how to change the trousers into shorts for the summer months well.
When Jabez’s elementary school held a Career Day, he made 30 bow ties and 30 hair bows to sell. Within minutes, all of them had sold out. Then Jabez launched Kings and Gents Accessories, a small workshop, in 2018 with his brother. In addition to making and selling their bow ties, the brothers have also written a book and created a YouTube channel to host meetings for other potential “kidpreneurs (儿童企业家).”
Now as a freshman in high school, Jabez said inspiring the next generation of business owners is an important part of their mission. “We just wanted to show younger kids how we got started, and how they can get started,” said Jabez, “We’re no different than any other kids.”
Jenkins has plenty to be proud of. Not only have her boys created a successful business, but they’ve gained valuable life skills along the way. “They’ve learned not to give up, to be more creative, and to be thinkers,” said Jenkins. “They don’t allow their fear to stop them.”
1. In which aspect do Jabez and Christopher benefit most from their mother’ sewing machine?| A．Life skills. | B．Safety rules. | C．Business plans. | D．Cloth materials. |
| A．Awkward learners. | B．Attractive experts. |
| C．Admirable pioneers. | D．Amazing artists. |
| A．Well-rounded. | B．One-sided. | C．Short-lived. | D．Far-reaching. |
| A．Mama’s sewing machine. | B．Business on the rocks. |
| C．Sewing the seeds of success. | D．Developing creative thinking. |
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【推荐1】Two things changed my life: my mother and a white plastic bike basket. I have thought long and hard about it and it’s true. I would be a different person if my mom hadn’t turned a silly bicycle accessory into a life lesson I carry with me today.
My mother and father were united in their way of raising children, but it mostly fell to my mother to actually carry it out. Looking back, I honestly don’t know how she did it. Managing the family budget must have been a very hard task., but she made it look effortless. If we complained about not having what another kid did, we’d hear something like, “I don’t care what so-and-so got for his birthday, you are not getting a TV in your room/a car for your birthday a lavish sweet-16 party.” We had to earn our allowance by doing chores around the house. I can still remember how long it took to polish the legs of our coffee table. My brothers can no doubt remember hours spent cleaning the house. Like the two little girls growing up at the White House,we made our own beds (no one left the house until that was done) and picked up after ourselves. We had to keep track of our belongings, and if something was lost, it was not replaced.
It was summer and, one day, my mother drove me to the bike shop to get a tire fixed -- and there it was in the window. White, shiny, plastic and decorated with flowers, the basket winked at me and I knew -- I knew-- I had to have it.
“It’s beautiful,” my mother said when I pointed it out to her, “What a neat basket.”
I tried to hold off at first, I played it cool for a short while. But then I guess I couldn’t stand it any longer: “Mon, please can I please, please get it? I’ll do extra chores for as long as you say, I’ll do anything, but I need that basket, I love that basket. Please, Mom .Please?”
I was desperate.
“You know,” she said, gently rubbing my back while we both stared at what I believes was the coolest thing ever, “If you save up you could buy this yourself.”
“By the time I make enough it’ll be gone!”
“Maybe Roger here could hold it for you,” she smiled at Roger, the bike guy.
“He can’t hold it for that long, Mom. Someone else will buy it. Please, Mom, Please?”
“There might be another way,” she said.
And so our paying plan unfolded. My mother bought the beautiful basket and put it safely in some hiding place I couldn’t find. Each week I eagerly counted my growing saving increased by extra work here and there (washing the car, helping my mother make dinner, delivering or collecting things on my bike that already looked naked without the basket in front). And then, weeks later, I counted, re-counted and jumped for joy. Oh, happy day! I made it! I finally had the exact amount we’d agreed upon….
Days later the unthinkable happened. A neighborhood girl I’d played with millions of times appeared with the exact same basket fixed to her shiny, new bike that already had all the bells and whistles. I rode hard and fast home to tell my mother about this disaster. This horrible turn of events.
And then came the lesson. I’ve taken with me through my life: “Honey, your basket is extra-special,” Mom said, gently wiping away my hot tears. “Your basket is special because you paid for it yourself.”
1. What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?| A．The author came from s well-off family. |
| B．The children were fond of the US president’s daughters. |
| C．The mother raised her children in an unusual way. |
| D．The children enjoyed doing housework. |
| A．something impossible to get | B．something she could afford |
| C．something she could do without | D．something important to her |
| A．the basket cost more than she had saved |
| B．something spoiled her paying plan |
| C．someone else had got a basket of the same kind |
| D．a neighborhood girl had bought a new bike |
| A．Save money for a rainy day |
| B．Good advice is beyond all price. |
| C．God helps those who help themselves |
| D．Earn your bread with your sweat |
【推荐2】The quality of the family relationship is more important than family configuration(结构). A healthy family relationship is the base of a happy family.
A family with a healthy relationship requires every single family member’s commitment. Family members hold family as a top priority (优先考虑的事) and consider the impact on relatives before making important decisions. Family members are dependable and always there for each other in times of crisis .
A characteristic of healthy family relationship is that they spend time doing enjoyable activities together.
| A．Therefore, members do not feel they are on their own |
| B．Family members share everything they have with each other |
| C．It is important to keep in mind that each family member is individual |
| D．Respect is an important characteristic of healthy family relationships |
| E．It provides members with the support and encouragement that they need |
| F．Family members tend to select activities that help the family to grow closer |
| G．Family with healthy relationship engage in positive and meaningful communication |
【推荐3】My dad doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would bake great bread, but he is and he does. Every Saturday he produces homemade bread. When he’s done, the whole house smells delicious.
The rest of the week, Dad fixes cars at work. The shop where Dad works doesn’t have enough work, so he’s under a lot of stress. I link Dad began baking bread to help him relax. I’ve been feeling kind of stressed out myself since I found out I didn’t make the school swim team. Now I have to wait a whole year to try out again. Plus, I’m taking some difficult classes this year.
I think Dad knew I was feeling bad. Last Saturday he asked me how things were going. I said OK, even though I didn’t feel OK at all. He looked at me for a moment, and then he said it was time for me to help. Then he headed to the kitchen.
I followed right behind him. Once we were there, Dad got out his big mixing bowl, handed me a large wooden spoon, and told me to mix while he added the ingredients. Dad isn’t big on measuring, but he knows how much of each ingredient to use, and the bread always turns out great.
When I finished stirring, Dad showed me how to knead the dough(揉面团). Next came the most difficult part-doing nothing. We put the dough back into the bowl and. then we waited for more than an hour for the dough to slowly rise and double in size. Next, we divided it into two and waited for it to rise again. Afterward, we put the dough into pans and waited another hour for the dough to rise and double.
Dad said the waiting is always the hardest part. “It’s hard to resist(抵制)putting the dough directly into the oven(烤箱), but if you do, the bread will be hard. The most important lesson of all is learning to be patient.” Dad taught me more than how to bake bread.
1. Why is the author feeling stressed？| A．School isn’t going well. | B．She dislikes making bread. |
| C．She feels sorry for her father. | D．Some classes aren’t worth it. |
| A．Dad is unskilled when counting. | B．Dad doesn’t like measuring. |
| C．Dad has a talent for measuring. | D．Dad is careful about ingredients. |
| A．Never give up. | B．Take life easily. | C．Believe in yourself. | D．Enjoy time with family |
【推荐1】Orla Walsh was not exactly an example of good health. Back in 2014, the 25-year-old then was fully occupied with her work and graduate study in Dublin, mostly eating on the go. “I was feeding on quick, easy food like sandwiches,” she said. “I stayed up a lot and the gym was a foreign concept for me for I did not work out at all.”
That changed the following year when Walsh needed a convenient, reliable and budget-friendly way to get to and from class. “Driving was expensive, and public transportation in the Irish capital left much to be desired,” she said. She turned instead to cycling.
At first, Walsh was doubtful. “I didn’t want to wear the same suits like other riders because it looked strange for me,” she joked. But as soon as she gave it a go, she was spellbound. The six miles she had to cover on her commute (上下班往返) each way didn’t seem like so much. “I can’t believe how quick and easy that was,” Walsh said. “The more I cycled, the easier it got, and I started getting faster. I think what I enjoyed the most was the freedom the bike gave me.”
In early 2016, she took the next step and joined a local cycling club, where she took part in long group rides. But something incredible was happening at the same time. As her weekly mileage (里程数) increased, her unhealthy habits fell by the wayside. She cleaned up her diet and cut back on burning the midnight oil. “I gradually got rid of that bad habit after joining in training,” she said.
Then, thanks to the encouragement of other club members, she tried open road racing. At first, she was overwhelmed by the competition, getting dropped by other members on every climb. Yet she kept pushing and viewing the failures as learning experience. “I was enjoying the challenges and was more confident,” she said.
1. Which of the following can best describe Walsh’s lifestyle in 2014?| A．Simple. | B．Decent. | C．Fashionable. | D．Unhealthy. |
| A．Poor means of transportation. | B．Her wish to break bad habits. |
| C．Her curiosity about cycling. | D．Club members’ encouragement. |
| A．Threatened. | B．Bored. | C．Fascinated. | D．Embarrassed. |
| A．By inspiring her to realize her dream. |
| B．By teaching her to brave challenges. |
| C．By encouraging her to be competitive. |
| D．By pushing her to connect with others. |
【推荐2】The Boy Made It!
One Sunday, Nicholas, a teenager, went skiing at Sugarloaf Mountain in Maine. In the early afternoon, when he was planning to go home, a fierce snowstorm swept into the area. Unable to see far, he accidentally turned off the path. Before he knew it, Nicholas was lost, all alone! He didn’t have food, water, a phone, or other supplies. He was getting colder by the minute.
Nicholas had no idea where he was. He tried not to panic. He thought about all the survival shows he had watched on TV. It was time to put the tips he had learned to use.
He decided to stop skiing. There was a better chance of someone finding him if he stayed put. The first thing he did was to find shelter form the freezing wind and snow. If he didn’t, his body temperature would get very low, which could quickly kill him. Using his skis, Nicholas built a snow cave. He gathered a huge mass of snow and dug out a hole in the middle. Then he piled branches on top of himself, like a blanket to stay as warm as he could.
By that evening, Nicholas was really hungry. He ate snow and drank water from a nearby stream so that his body wouldn’t lose too much water. Not knowing how much longer he could last, Nicholas did the only thing he could he huddled in his cave and slept.
The next day, Nicholas went out to look for help, but he couldn’t find anyone. He followed his tracks and returned to the snow cave, because without shelter, he could die that night. On Tuesday, Nicholas went out again to find help. He had walked for about a mile when a volunteer searcher found him. After two days stuck in the snow, Nicholas was saved.
Nicholas might not have survived this snowstorm had it not been for TV. He had often watched Grylls’ survival show Man vs. Wild. That’s where he learned the tips that saved his life. In each episode of Man vs. Wild. Grylls is abandoned in a wild area and has to find his way out.
When Grylls heard about Nicholas’ amazing deeds, he was super impressed that Nicholas had made it since he knew better than anyone how hard Nicholas had to work to stay alive.
1. What happened to Nicholas one Sunday afternoon?| A．He got lost. | B．He broke his skis. | C．He hurt his eyes. | D．He caught a cold. |
| A．returned to his shelter safely. | B．was saved by a searcher. |
| C．got stuck in the snow. | D．stayed where he was. |
| A．did the right things in the dangerous situation. | B．watched Grylls’ TV program regularly. |
| C．created some tips for survival. | D．was very hard-working. |
【推荐3】In 1939,two brothers,Mac and Dick McDonald,started a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino,California.They carefully chose a busy corner for their location.They had run their own businesses for years,first a theater,then a barbecue restaurant,then another drive-in.But in their new operation,they offered a new,shortened menu:French fries,hamburgers,and sodas.To this small selection they added one new concept:quick service,no waiters or waitresses,and no tips.
Their hamburgers sold for fifteen cents.Cheese was another four cents.Their French fries and hamburgers had a remarkable uniformity（一致）,for the brothers had developed a strict routine for the preparation of their food,and they insisted on their cooks sticking to their routine.Their new drive-in became incredibly popular, particularly for lunch. People drove up by the hundreds during the busy noontime.The self-service restaurant was so popular that the brothers had allowed ten copies of their restaurant to be opened.They were content with this modest success until they met Ray Kroc.
Kroc was a salesman who met the McDonald brothers in 1954,when he was selling milkshake-mixing machines.He quickly saw the unique appeal of the brothers' fast-food restaurants and bought the right to franchise（特许经营）other copies of their restaurants.The agreement struck included the right to duplicate the menu,the equipment,even their red and white buildings with the golden arches（拱门）.
Today McDonald's is really a household name.Its names for its sandwiches have come to mean hamburger in the decades since the day Ray Kroc watched people rush up to order fifteen-cent hamburgers.In 1976,McDonald's had over$1billion in total sales.Its first twenty-two years is one of the most incredible success stories in modern American business history.
1. This passage mainly talks about_______.| A．the development of fast-food services |
| B．the business careers of Mac and Dick McDonald |
| C．how McDonald's became a billion-dollar business |
| D．Ray Kroc's business talent |
| A．a drive-in | B．a theater |
| C．a barbecue restaurant | D．a cinema |
①Sell the right to franchise their restaurants
②Allow ten copies of their restaurant to be opened
③Start a drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino,California
④Has over$1 billion in total sales
| A．③②①④ | B．③①②④ | C．③①④② | D．③②④① |
【推荐1】When I moved to northern New Jersey in 2012 and took a software test engineering job in midtown Manhattan, I suddenly found myself with an hour-long bus commute. I’d solved newspaper crossword puzzles for many years, but I had little patience and wasn’t very good. So when I started my crosswording again during those long trips, I was determined to become a better solver. However, after noticing that all of The New York Times puzzles had bylines(署名行),I figured, “Why couldn’t one of them be mine?”
I bought crossword construction software and a dictionary of valid crossword puzzle entries. I started with a blank 15×15 grid (网格). After reading, rereading, and more rereading of my puzzle, I decided that it was as good as it was ever going to be. So I sent it off to The Times and anxiously waited for their response. Several weeks later, I received an email from a staffer writing on behalf of editor Will Shortz. His answer was basic,“Thanks, but no thanks.” What’s worse, I received nearly the same rejection from Shortz and his colleagues for the next several puzzles I submitted.
Then I found my way to the Crossword Puzzle Collaboration Directory group on Facebook.In the group I connected with Mark, a more experienced constructor who became my teacher. After making some edits for my 21×21 grid at Mark’s suggestion, I sent the puzzle off to The New York Times. A few months later, I got something new in my inbox: an actual acceptance message from The New York Times! They changed some of the clues to be more straightforward. Anyway, my hard work finally paid off. Naturally, I told all my friends and family to get a copy of the paper on the publication date, March 21,2021.
Now I’ve made a lot in my spare time. Even if constructing a puzzle feels like an impossible task from time to time, it’s probably not. Very few things in life are truly impossible.
1. What did the author intend to do after seeing the bylines?| A．Apply to be a crossword puzzle editor. |
| B．Create crossword puzzles by himself. |
| C．Solve some challenging word games. |
| D．Develop crossword construction software. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Hopeful. |
| C．Uninterested. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．It achieved great popularity. |
| B．It was changed into a smaller grid. |
| C．It was published after being made simpler. |
| D．It became something impossible to be outdone. |
| A．He wrote to Shortz frequently for advice. |
| B．He is a committed amateur puzzle builder. |
| C．He works full-time at The New York Times. |
| D．He started solving newspaper puzzles in 2012. |
【推荐2】The lunch in the back room of a dull Moscow restaurant consisted of small bites of food and large shots of vodka. Musk had arrived that morning with Adeo Ressi and Jim Cantrell on their search to buy a used Russian rocket for their mission to Mars. After many toasts to friendship, the Russians gave the Americans gifts of vodka bottles with labels that had each person’s image. Musk, who was holding his head up with his hand, passed out, and his head slammed into the table.
That evening, slightly recovered, Musk and his companions met with another group in Moscow selling used missiles. That encounter turned out to be equally odd. The Russian in charge was missing a front tooth, so whenever he spoke loudly, which was often, spit would fly out in Musk’s direction. At one point, when Musk started his talk about the need to make humans multiplanetary (多行星), Cantrell recalls, the Russian spit at them. “Did he just spit on us?” Musk asked, eyes wide open. “Yeah, he did,” Cantrell answered. “I think it’s a sign of disrespect.”
Despite the clown show, Musk and Cantrell decided to return to Russia in early 2002. Ressi didn’t come, but Justine did. This time Musk focused on buying two Dnepr rockets, which were old missiles. The more he negotiated, the higher the price went. He finally thought he had a deal to pay $18 million for two Dneprs. But then they said no, it was $18 million for each. “That’s insane!” he says. The Russians then suggested maybe it would be $21 million each. “They taunted him,” Cantrell recalls. “They said, ‘Oh, little boy, you don’t have the money?’”
It was fortunate that the meetings went badly. It drove Musk to think bigger. Rather than merely using a secondhand rocket to put a demonstration greenhouse on Mars, he would attempt one of the most audacious (大胆的) projects of our times: privately building rockets that could launch satellites and then humans into orbit and eventually send them to Mars and beyond.
1. What happened during the lunch in the Moscow restaurant?| A．Musk got seriously drunk. | B．Musk bought a used rocket. |
| C．Musk was hit on the head. | D．Musk made lots of friends. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Shocked. | C．Anxious. | D．Ashamed. |
| A．Try to annoy. | B．Try to inspire. | C．Try to amuse. | D．Try to disappoint. |
| A．Money can’t buy everything. | B．Constant dripping wears away a stone. |
| C．Repetition plays a critical role in success. | D．Frustration can sometimes be a stepping stone. |
【推荐3】The e-mail request came in to Ekiben restaurant in Baltimore late on a Thursday afternoon. The man, Brandon Jones was writing for his mother-in-law, who loved the dish. He explained that she was now in the final stages of lung cancer at her home in Vermont and that he was hoping to get the recipe to make it for her there.
Steve Chu, one of the Asian fusion restaurant’s co-owners, read the e-mail and quickly replied with another suggestion, ”Thanks for reaching out, “he wrote. ”We’d like to met you in Vermont and make it fresh for you.”
For the past six years, every time Brandon’s mother-in-law visited Baltimore, the first place she wanted to go was Ekiben so she could order that dish. “She had always told us, ‘When I’m on my deathbed, I want to have that broccoli (花椰菜),’” recalls Brandon’s wife, Rina Jones.
That Friday after work, a day after receiving Brandon’s e-mail, Chu prepared all the food ingredients (原料) and then headed for Vermont with his business partner and an employee. They stayed overnight in an Airbnb rental and drove the next day to where Rina’s mother lived. After cooking and boxing everything up, they knocked on their customer’s door.
“As soon as she opened the door, she recognized the amazing smell,” Brandon says.
Rina says her mother also recognized Chu and his coworkers. “My mom kept saying, ‘You drove all the way up here to cook for me?’ She was so happy and touched to have that broccoli.”
“It was an honor to help make the family’s wishes come true,” Chu says.“There was a lot of good positive energy in doing this.” Rina was happy that her mother was able to enjoy her beloved broccoli with a side order of excellent kindness one last time.“My mom cried later about their generosity, and so did I.” Rina says.“I’ll carry that positive memory with me always.”
1. Why did Brandon send the e-mail to Ekiben restaurant?| A．To learn how to cook the dish for his mother-in-law. |
| B．To ask the owner to treat his mother-in-law. |
| C．To invite the owner to cook for his mother-in-law. |
| D．To enjoy the food himself. |
| A．He was generous to his coworkers. |
| B．He had a strong desire for charity. |
| C．He felt honored to deliver positive energy to the family. |
| D．He was unwilling to share the recipe with others. |
| A．Puzzled and amazed. | B．Surprised and moved. |
| C．Anxious and thankful. | D．Stressed and concerned. |
| A．A special order. | B．A generous restaurant owner. |
| C．Positive memory, valued. | D．Kindness, delivered. |
