1 / 38 句0 词已学
【阅读理解】Reading: The Baker Who Said No
In 1998, Clara opened a small bakery in the old port district of Valencia, Spain.
She worked alone, starting at four each morning, and by seven the smell of fresh bread filled the narrow street.
Her customers were fishermen, office workers, and schoolchildren.
She knew most of them by name and remembered which loaf each one preferred.
The bakery made just enough money to pay the rent and support her two children.
One rainy Thursday, a man in a dark suit came in and ordered a coffee.
He watched Clara work for a while, then said, 'You could have ten shops. I can help you. We can sell your bread all over the region.'
Clara felt a pull. She had often worried about money.
But she also loved the quiet of her small kitchen, the feel of dough under her hands, the first customer's smile.
She told the man she needed time to think.
Over the next month, the man returned three times.
He brought charts and photos of modern bakeries with bright signs and long queues.
He promised that Clara would become famous and never worry about bills again.
Clara's sister urged her to say yes. 'Think of the children,' she said.
Clara almost agreed. Then one evening, she walked past a new chain bakery near the market.
The bread was wrapped in plastic and the staff wore uniforms.
A woman bought a loaf, took one bite, and threw the rest in a bin.
Clara stood there in the cold and knew her answer.
The next morning she told the man no. He was surprised, then angry, but he left.
Clara kept her one shop. She raised her prices a little and started baking only what she could sell.
Some regulars complained about the higher prices, but most stayed.
Years later, a journalist asked Clara why she had refused to expand.
She said, 'A bakery is not a factory. It is a place where people meet. If I lose that, I lose everything.'
Today, at seventy, Clara still bakes six days a week.
Her shop has no sign, only a small blue door that opens at seven.
Questions
1. What did the man in the dark suit suggest Clara should do?
A. Move her bakery to a bigger city. B. Close her shop and work for him. C. Sell her bread all over the region. D. Teach other people how to bake.
2. Why did Clara finally decide not to expand?
A. She was afraid of working with a stranger. B. She saw a chain bakery and did not like it. C. Her sister told her to keep the shop small. D. She could not find enough workers.
3. What does the word 'pull' in paragraph 4 mean?
A. A strong attraction or influence. B. A physical pain in the body. C. A promise made by a friend. D. A loud noise from outside.
4. What can be inferred about Clara's regular customers after she raised her prices?
A. They preferred the chain bakery near the market. B. They all stopped buying her bread. C. They asked her to open a second shop. D. They complained but still supported her.
5. What is the best title for this passage?
A. A Story of Two Sisters B. The Baker Who Said No C. The Businessman Who Wanted a Chain D. How to Run a Bakery in Valencia