内容正文:
WEEK NINE
》阅读理解
一位记者的早期经历
Monday
话题
人物故事
词数
357
难度
★★★
体裁
记叙文
限时
8分钟
得分率
/5
I began working in journalism when I was eight.It was my mother's idea.She wanted me to "make something"of
myself.and decided I had better start young if I was to have any chance of keeping up with the competition.
With my load of magazines I headed toward Belleville Avenue.The crowds were there.There were two gas stations
on the corner of Belleville and Union.For several hours I made myself highly visible,making sure everyone could see me
and the heavy black letters on the bag that said THE SATURDAY EVENING POST.When it was suppertime,I walked
back home.
"How many did you sell.my boy?"my mother asked.
"None."
"Where did you go?
"The comer of Belleville and Union Avenues."
"What did you do?"
"Stood on the comner waiting for somebody to buy a Saturday Evening Post."
"You just stood there?"
"Didn't sell a single one."
“My God.Russell!
Uncle Allen put in."Well.I've decided to take the Post."I handed him a copy and he paid me a nickel ()
It was the first nickel I earned.
Afterwards my mother taught me how to be a salesman.I would have to ring doorbells.address adults with self-
confidence.and persuade them by saying that no one.no matter how poor.could afford to be without the Saturday
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Evening Post in the home.
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One day,I told my mother I'd changed my mind.I didn't want to make a success of the magazine business.
E
"If you think you can change your mind like this."she replied."you'll become a good-for-nothing."She insisted
that,as soon as school was over.I should start ringing doorbells.selling magazines.Whenever I said no.she would scold
me.
My mother and I had fought this battle almost as long as I could remember.My mother.dissatisfied with my father's
plain workman's life.determined that I would not grow up like him and his people.But never did she expect that,forty
years later,such a successful joumalist as me would go back to her husband's people for true life and love.
()1.Why did the