Finding a Job
At sixteen Ron Mackie might have stayed at school, but the future called to him excitedly. "Get out of the classroom into a job, " it said, and Ron obeyed. His father, supporting the decision, found a place for him in a supermarket. "You're lucky, Ron," he said. "For every boy with a job these days, there's a dozen without. " So Ron joined the working world at twenty pounds a week.
For a year he spent his days filling shelves with tins of food. By the end of that time he was looking back on his school days as a time of great variety and satisfaction. He searched for an interest in his work, with little success.
One fine day instead of going to work Ron got a lift on a lorry going south. With nine pounds in his pocket,a full heart and a great longing for the sea, he set out to make a better way for himself. That evening, in Bournem0uth, he had a sandwich and a drink in a care run by an elderly man and his wife. Before he had finished the sandwich, the woman had taken him on for the rest of the summer, at twenty pounds a week, a room upstairs and three meals a day. The ease and speed of it rather took Ron's breath away. At quiet times Ron had to check the old man's arithmetic in the records of the business.
At the end of the season, he stayed on the coast. He was again surprised how straightforward it was for a boy of seventeen to make a living. He worked in shops mostly, but once he took a job in a hotel for three weeks. Late in October he was taken on by the sick manager of a shoe shop. Ron soon found himself in charge there;he was, the only one who could keep the books.
36. Why did Ron Mackie leave school at sixteen?
A. His father made him leave
B, He had reached the age when he had to leave.
C. He left because he was worried about the future.
D. He left because he wanted to start work.
37. What did Ron's father think about his leaving school?
A. He thought his son was doing the right thing.
B. He advised him to stay at school to complete his education.
C. He did not like the idea, but he helped Ron to find work.
D. He knew there was a job for every boy who wanted one.
38. It took about a year .for Ron to realize that
A. he worked well because he was interested in the job.
B. his work at the supermarket was dull.
C. being at work was much better than going to school.
D. the store manager wanted to get rid of him.
39. Why did Ron leave the supermarket?
A. He knew he would find work in Bournemouth.
B. He took a job as a lorry driver.
C. He gave up the job because he felt unwell.
D. He wanted to work at the seaside.
40. Ron was able to take over the shoe shop because
A. he got on well with the manager there.
B. he knew how to keep the accounts of the business.
C. he had had experience of selling books.
D. he was young and strong.
参考译文
找工作
16岁的罗恩•麦基本应该继续在学校学习，但是未来已经在急切地召唤他了：“走出教室，找份工作!”于是罗恩响应了这一召唤。他的父亲支持他的决定并帮他在超市里谋到了个职位。“罗恩，你很幸运，”父亲说，“如今十二、三个年轻人中只有一个能找到工作。”这样，罗恩就开始了他的职业生涯，他的薪水是一周20英镑。
在接下来的一年里，罗恩每天都在往货架上摆放罐头。一年过去了，罗恩再回顾学生时代时才意识到那是一段非常丰富多彩和令人满意的生活。他试图培养对工作的兴趣却徒然无果。
一个天气晴朗的日子，罗恩没有上班，他搭乘一辆卡车去了南方。带着对大海的渴望，罗恩揣着口袋里的9块钱和一颗热情的心出发去寻求更美好的生活。当晚，他在伯恩茅斯的一家咖啡馆里吃了一块三明治，喝了点东西。这家咖啡馆的老板是对老年夫妇。罗恩还没有吃完三明治，老太太就已经决定让他在夏天剩下来的日子里留在这里工作，条件是薪水每周20英镑，并为他提供楼上的房间住宿和每日三餐。得到这份工作之简单和快速让罗恩大为惊讶。安静的时候罗恩还得检查老人在账目中的计算是否正确。
夏天过去了，罗恩并没有离开沿海地区。他再一次为谋生对一个l7岁男孩来说是如此简单而感到惊奇。大多数时间他都是在商店上班，但也有一次他在一家旅馆工作了3个月。10月底一家鞋店患病的经理雇用了他。很快罗恩就发现自己成了这里的顶梁柱，因为他是店里惟一懂得记账的人。
At sixteen Ron Mackie might have stayed at school, but the future called to him excitedly. "Get out of the classroom into a job, " it said, and Ron obeyed. His father, supporting the decision, found a place for him in a supermarket. "You're lucky, Ron," he said. "For every boy with a job these days, there's a dozen without. " So Ron joined the working world at twenty pounds a week.
For a year he spent his days filling shelves with tins of food. By the end of that time he was looking back on his school days as a time of great variety and satisfaction. He searched for an interest in his work, with little success.
One fine day instead of going to work Ron got a lift on a lorry going south. With nine pounds in his pocket,a full heart and a great longing for the sea, he set out to make a better way for himself. That evening, in Bournem0uth, he had a sandwich and a drink in a care run by an elderly man and his wife. Before he had finished the sandwich, the woman had taken him on for the rest of the summer, at twenty pounds a week, a room upstairs and three meals a day. The ease and speed of it rather took Ron's breath away. At quiet times Ron had to check the old man's arithmetic in the records of the business.
At the end of the season, he stayed on the coast. He was again surprised how straightforward it was for a boy of seventeen to make a living. He worked in shops mostly, but once he took a job in a hotel for three weeks. Late in October he was taken on by the sick manager of a shoe shop. Ron soon found himself in charge there;he was, the only one who could keep the books.
36. Why did Ron Mackie leave school at sixteen?
A. His father made him leave
B, He had reached the age when he had to leave.
C. He left because he was worried about the future.
D. He left because he wanted to start work.
37. What did Ron's father think about his leaving school?
A. He thought his son was doing the right thing.
B. He advised him to stay at school to complete his education.
C. He did not like the idea, but he helped Ron to find work.
D. He knew there was a job for every boy who wanted one.
38. It took about a year .for Ron to realize that
A. he worked well because he was interested in the job.
B. his work at the supermarket was dull.
C. being at work was much better than going to school.
D. the store manager wanted to get rid of him.
39. Why did Ron leave the supermarket?
A. He knew he would find work in Bournemouth.
B. He took a job as a lorry driver.
C. He gave up the job because he felt unwell.
D. He wanted to work at the seaside.
40. Ron was able to take over the shoe shop because
A. he got on well with the manager there.
B. he knew how to keep the accounts of the business.
C. he had had experience of selling books.
D. he was young and strong.
参考译文
找工作
16岁的罗恩•麦基本应该继续在学校学习，但是未来已经在急切地召唤他了：“走出教室，找份工作!”于是罗恩响应了这一召唤。他的父亲支持他的决定并帮他在超市里谋到了个职位。“罗恩，你很幸运，”父亲说，“如今十二、三个年轻人中只有一个能找到工作。”这样，罗恩就开始了他的职业生涯，他的薪水是一周20英镑。
在接下来的一年里，罗恩每天都在往货架上摆放罐头。一年过去了，罗恩再回顾学生时代时才意识到那是一段非常丰富多彩和令人满意的生活。他试图培养对工作的兴趣却徒然无果。
一个天气晴朗的日子，罗恩没有上班，他搭乘一辆卡车去了南方。带着对大海的渴望，罗恩揣着口袋里的9块钱和一颗热情的心出发去寻求更美好的生活。当晚，他在伯恩茅斯的一家咖啡馆里吃了一块三明治，喝了点东西。这家咖啡馆的老板是对老年夫妇。罗恩还没有吃完三明治，老太太就已经决定让他在夏天剩下来的日子里留在这里工作，条件是薪水每周20英镑，并为他提供楼上的房间住宿和每日三餐。得到这份工作之简单和快速让罗恩大为惊讶。安静的时候罗恩还得检查老人在账目中的计算是否正确。
夏天过去了，罗恩并没有离开沿海地区。他再一次为谋生对一个l7岁男孩来说是如此简单而感到惊奇。大多数时间他都是在商店上班，但也有一次他在一家旅馆工作了3个月。10月底一家鞋店患病的经理雇用了他。很快罗恩就发现自己成了这里的顶梁柱，因为他是店里惟一懂得记账的人。
