I faced a tight budget when I was nine. On November 1st, I used up most of the money I saved. With a small amount of pocket money left before Christmas I didn’t have enough to buy presents for the family.
I was seriously considering going to my dad and asking for an advance on the next year’s pocket money, so I could at least buy gifts for my family members. But then, one evening, I was sitting in my room reading advertisements in the back of a magazine. Several greeting-card companies were telling us how people could make money by selling their cards and stationery(文具). Normally, I would have passed right over the ads, but this time my situation was so difficult that I felt I had nothing to lose.
The ad that attracted me most was one by a well-known greeting-card company in my nation, whose products were of high quality. With my parents’ help, I contacted the company, although they preferred adults or older kids to advertise their products. After my sincere request, they agreed to give me, a nine-year-old boy, a chance.
My sales materials arrived within the week. I had expected something small and neat, but the package looked like a dinosaur’s shoebox; it was close to three feet long and nearly a foot wide, full of stuff. There was a thick binder(活页夹) containing a complete selection of the cards and some writing paper, which I would be selling for around $ 3 per box.
Although my parents supported my try to make money by myself, they had little confidence in my success; after all, instead of an outgoing kid, I was somewhat shy. However, I was determined to have a try to challenge myself.
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Wasting no time, I set off and knocked on doors in my neighborhood. Eventually, I earned over $20, a large sum of money for a 9-year-old kid in 1954. |
参考答案
Wasting no time, I set off and knocked on doors in my neighborhood. Taking a deep breath, I introduced myself as the young representative of the well-known greeting-card company. The initial reactions varied — some people ignored me and slammed the door in my face, while others were fascinated by the sight of a child taking on such a role. After receiving support and encouragement from a few people, my confidence grew steadily, enabling me to display exquisitely designed cards and share the captivating stories behind each design with people. As I engaged with more people, I found myself engaging in conversations thatwent beyond the purpose of sales.
Eventually, I earned over $20, a large sum of money for a 9-year-old kid in 1954. The sense of accomplishment I felt was overwhelming. Not only did I earn money to buy Christmas presents for my family through my own efforts, but I also learned a lot from the experience. It showed me that even in challenging times, there are opportunities to make a difference and overcome obstacles. The sense of achievement and independence I gained from this endeavor stayed with me throughout my life, shaping my outlook on challenges and reinforcing the importance of determination and hard work.
