A
I'll always remember that day in 1994 when I received a call from my friend Jack. “Hey, Bill, " he said. "I'm going to end the Christmas lighting business. Would your sons be interested in making a few dollars over Christmas vacation?"
I had two sons in college, and Jack explained that he had many customers who paid him to string（串联）lights at their homes. He said he’d sell me the lights for only $ 300. I thought it was a great idea because my sons could earn some money to help with their expenses, but they weren't especially interested. Unwillingly, they agreed to work over their vacations from school.
Jack drove his car to my home and unloaded boxes and boxes of Christmas lights and various other decorations. Since the lights weren't new, they all had to be tested before installation(安装). I also started calling customers to set up installation dates. It seemed everybody wanted it done at the same time. This meant we'd have to start early each day and work long hours to complete all the jobs in the few weekends before Christmas.That doesn't really fit in with the schedule of 20-year-olds who go out every night. So on most mornings, I'd be up before the sun and head out to start decorating alone. My sons did help, but all I remember are the times I spent alone. When it was time to take down the decorations, the boys were back in school and that also became my job.
We made some money the first few years, but each year, the complaints increased. Each year, we lost customers. One day a homeowner in Eaton's Neck told us that if we didn't take down his lights soon, he'd take them down himself and keep them. That was the last year of our business.
1. What was the main purpose of Jack's call?
A. To hand over his business.
B. To find a business partner.
C. To help him make some profits.
D. To donate some Christmas decorations.
2. Why did the author get up early on most mornings?
A. To avoid the traffic jam.
B. To finish testing the lights.
C. To satisfy the customers’ demands.
D. To fit in with his son’s schedule.
3. What does the passage imply about the author’s lighting business?
A. It ended for a bigger business
B. It didn’t go well in the end.
C. He always depended on his sons.
D. He didn’t make any money from it.
【答案】1. A 2. C 3. B
【解析】
【分析】
这是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了作者朋友结束圣诞节挂彩灯的生意，作者带着儿子接管了，前几年盈利很不错，后期顾客投诉增多，慢慢就放弃了这个生意的故事。
【1题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段中“I'm going to end the Christmas lighting business. Would your sons be interested in making a few dollars over Christmas vacation?（我要结束圣诞节挂彩灯的生意。 你的儿子有兴趣在圣诞节假期赚几美元吗？）”可知，Jack打电话过来的主要目的是想找人接管他的生意。故选A项。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中“It seemed everybody wanted it done at the same time. This meant we'd have to start early each day and work long hours to complete all the jobs in the few weekends before Christmas.（似乎每个人都希望同时完成。 这意味着我们必须每天早上开始，并且要长时间工作才能在圣诞节前的几个周末完成所有工作。）”可知，作者早起的原因是因为想满足顾客的需求。故选C项。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段中“We made some money the first few years, but each year, the complaints increased. Each year, we lost customers.”（最初几年我们赚了一些钱，但每年的投诉都在增加。 每年我们都会失去客户。）可知，关于圣诞节挂彩灯的生意，作者意在表明这个生意结果并不好。故选B项。
【点睛】
