Some people bring out the best in you in a way that you might never have fully realized on your own.My mother was one of those people.
My father died when I was one-year-old.While I was growing up, we led a very hard life, but my mom gave me a lot of love.Each night, she seated me on her lap and, spoke the words that would change my life, "Kemmons, you are sure to be a great man and you can do anything in life if you work hard enough to get it."
At fourteen, I was hit by a car and the doctors said that I would never walk again.Every night my mother spoke to me in her gentle, loving voice, telling me whatever those doctors said, I could walk again if I wanted to.She drove that message so deep into my heart that I finally believed her.A year later, I walked on my own to school!
When the Great Depression broke out, my mother lost her job.Then I left school to support the two of us.At that moment I decided never to be poor again.
Over the years, I experienced a lot of business success.But the real turning point happened on a vacation I took with my wife and five kids in 1951.I was dissatisfied with the second-class hotels available for families and was very angry that they charged an extra $2 for each child.That was too expensive for an ordinary American family.I told my wife that I was going to open a motel (汽车旅馆) for families that would never charge extra money for children.Many people did not believe me at that time.
Not surprisingly, mom was my strongest supporter.As in any business, I experienced a lot of difficulties.But with my mom's words in my heart, I never doubted I would succeed.Fifteen years later, I had the largest hotel system in the world—Holiday Inn.In 1979 my company had 1,759 inns in more than fifty countries with an income of $l billion a year.
You may not have started out life in the best situations.But if you find a task in life worth working for and believe in yourself, nothing can stop you.
1.What Kemmon's mother often told him during his childhood was____.
A.caring B.moving C.encouraging D.interesting
2.Who played the most important role in making the author walk back to school again?
A.Doctors. B.Nurses. C.His friend. D.His mom.
3.What caused Kemmon to start a motel by himself?
A.His terrible experience in the hotel. B.His wife's suggestion.
C.His previous business success. D.His mom's support.
4.Which of the following best describes Kemmon's mother?
A.Modest, helpful and hard-working.
B.Loving, supportive and strong-willed.
C.Careful, beautiful and helpful.
D.Strict, sensitive and supportive.
5.Which of the following led to Kemmon's success?
A.Self-confidence, hard work, higher education and a poor family.
B.Mom's encouragement, clear goals, self-confidence and hard work.
C.Clear goals, mom's encouragement, a poor family and higher education.
D.Mom's encouragement, a poor family, higher education and opportunities.