British people are famous for drinking tea. But brother and sister, Sahar and Bobby Green, became young millionaires (百万富翁) when they opened a chain of American-style (美国风味的) coffee shops in the U.K.
Having the idea: It started when Sahar took a weekend trip to New York to visit her brother Bobby. One evening, in a Thai restaurant, Sahar told Bobby how much she wished she could buy American-style coffee in London. Bobby suggested they start their own coffee shop. Sahar fell in love with the idea.
Doing the Research: Back in London, she spent a whole day on the London subway, getting off the train at different stations to taste the coffee. “It was terrible, and I knew there was a gap in the market.” In November 1995, they opened their first Coffee Republic shop in central London.
Making it work: The first year was very difficult. There were problems finding and keeping staff, and British people were not used to the names of American coffees, like latte and macchiato. But being successful was their dream and they were not going to give up. Today, there are over 100 Coffee Republic shops all over the country and the company has revenues (收入) of £30 million a year.
Advice for others: Sahar has now written a best-selling book about their experience, called Anyone Can Do It! She hopes it will help other young people to start their own businesses. She believes success is 1% idea and 99% hard work, but she says, "If you think you have the energy, then get out and follow your dream."
What kind of company do these people run (经营)?
A.A fast-food restaurant. | B.A tea shop. |
C.A coffee shop. | D.A hotel. |
How many people run the company?
A.One. | B.Two. | C.Three. | D.Four. |
Where are their Coffee Republic shops?
A.All over the U.K. | B.All over the US. |
C.In central London. | D.In New York. |
Which of the following statements is RIGHT?
A.British people prefer tea to coffee. |
B.Sahar was not interested in Bobby’s idea. |
C.As soon as they opened their first coffee shop, they were very successful. |
D.The best-seller written by Sahar is about how to make coffee. |
What is the passage mainly about?
A.Sahar’s life story. |
B.Sahar’s trip. |
C.The American-style coffee. |
D.The success of a family business. |