学进去

【语篇来自二十一世纪学生英文报·试题原创】

Vacation start-ups

After toiling all semester on campus, the summer vacation has finally arrived.

Unlike upperclassmen facing the pressures of job hunting or applying to graduate schools, freshmen and sophomores can usually cut themselves some slack. But in order to gain the upper hand in future competition, more students are choosing to gain business experience and skip having a conventional summer of leisure.

Xia Cheng began doing holiday internships in his first semester as a freshman. He wants to have a company of his own sometime in the future. The 21-year-old English major at a Suzhou-based university partly made his dream come true this summer.

He has launched an express service with two other friends aimed at graduating students who need to send things home from their dorms. “We don’t count on our company making money, but we want to gain experience for the future,” said Xia.

The trio have service phone numbers registered to Xia’s dorm and printed order pads and receipts with their company logo and names. “The more we prepare now the more likely we can survive in business after graduation,” said Xia. “I just don’t want to work for a salary.”

For Geng Li’an, his summer start-up came with a *brainwave which provided extra cash. The business major at Beijing University of Technology is an early bird. His project this summer is to run a fruit and vegetable delivery service. The 21-year-old noticed that many white collar workers are either too busy or too tired to pick up fresh products at morning markets.

So he came up with the idea of a Taobao store for fruit and vegetables. Every morning, Geng shops in accordance with orders taken the previous night and delivers produce to clients’ doors. After a trial run for a week, Geng earned 400 yuan, which he reckons is a good start. “The best part is there is no investment,” said Geng. “I just have to get up early as I always do.”

For someone like Li Siqi, at Southwest University of Nationalities, her summer project is the result of financial pressure. Li’s New Year resolution is to try to make a living on her own to relieve the burden on her family.

With friends she opened an English class in her hometown for junior high school students. For needy pupils, it’s free. “We can not only make money but also help some students to have a better future by learning English well,” said the 20-year-old.

Lin Qian, of the student affairs office of Shenzhen University, praises students’ choice of giving up a holiday to work hard for their future. “Starting up a business on the eve of graduation is often haunted by lack of experience,” said Lin. “Some early business experiments on campus increase your chance of success later.”

But Geng Li’an says that it is not necessary for summer start-ups to evolve into companies. “I just think running a business on my own is helpful for cultivating key skills,” said Geng. “Money is not everything this summer.”

1．What pressures can be upperclassmen facing?
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2．When did Xia Cheng begin doing holiday internships?
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3．What service did Xia Cheng and his friends launch this summer?
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4．Why did Geng Li’an want to open a Taobao store for fruit and vegetables?
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5．What is Geng Li’an’s view on running a business on his own?
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