阅读理解
One of the greatest stories of rags to riches success is that of Andrew Carnegie, who started life in
poverty but became one of the richest men in the world.
Carnegie was born in Scotland in 1835, the son of a weaver. In 1848, the family moved to the United States and at 13 Carnegie began to work in a cotton mill, earning $1.5 per week.About three years later,
he found a better job as a telegraph messenger boy. At work, his superiors (上级) were impressed by
his abilities and willingness to work hard. In 1853, he gained an office job at the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. This was his first big break. He continued to impress and rose rapidly through the company,
gaining_more_and_more_responsibility.At the same time, Carnegie loved reading very much and made
use of every opportunity to visit the library.He read widely on all subjects, particularly literature.
Carnegie now began to save a little money and, with the help of his employer, began to make some
successful investments. He invested in the iron industry and eventually set up in business himself, owning
several iron and steel plants. This was where he made his fortune.By the 1890s, the Carnegie Steel
Company was the biggest and most profitable business in the world.
Carnegie had always believed that the pursuit (追求) of wealth was never an end in itself. In his view,
successful, wealthy people should redistribute their wealth for the benefit of everyone in society. True to
his word, in 1901, at the age of 66, he retired from business and devoted the rest of his life to charity
work.
Carnegie's lack of formal education and his poor family background clearly didn't put barriers in the
way of success. His rapid rise from poverty to wealth was due to his willingness to work hard, his
intelligence and good business sense, and his talent for making things happen. He died in 1919 at the age
of 83.
1. What can be learnt from the text?
A. Carnegie's employers had a high opinion of him.
B Carnegie made the investments independently after saving enough money.
C. Carnegie believed that we should try to earn as much money as possible in our life.
D. Carnegie could have been more successful if he had been formally educated.
2. What does "gaining more and more responsibility" in the second paragraph most probably mean?
A. Becoming more and more intelligent.
B. Being promoted to higher ranks.
C. Having a better sense of confidence.
D. Reading more and more books.
3. When did Carnegie get his first big success in his life?
A. When he took a job as a telegraph messenger boy.
B. When he worked at the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
C. When he made investments in the iron industry.
D. When he founded the Carnegie Steel Company.
4. Which of the following will be the suitable title for the text?
A. Andrew Carnegie: A Wealthy Man
B. Steel & Iron: The Most Profitable Business
C. From Rags to Riches: The Story of Andrew Carnegie
D. Intelligence and Good Business Sense: Two Factors in Becoming Wealthy
