Huang Zhiqiang crouched by the doorstep of a villager's home, his hands busy repairing an old electric fan. With practiced ease, he removed the motor casing, reconnected the wires, wrapped them in tape and reassembled the unit. The blades began to spin.
The elderly woman standing beside him blinked in surprise, then broke into a broad smile. "This fan hasn't worked for most of the summer," she said. "And you fixed it in no time!"
Huang packed his screwdriver back into his toolbox, a smile spreading across his own face. Helping elderly residents in his village repair household appliances had become his main activity this summer.
Currently studying electrical automation at Jiangxi Vocational College of Industry and Engineering in Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, Huang obtained an electrician's certificate in May. When he returned to his hometown of Tangang village in Le'an county, Jiangxi, for the summer break, he began thinking about how he could put his skills to use helping elderly residents in the village.
"For me, many of these are minor issues that I can fix quickly; for the villagers, they're problems that have been bothering them for a long time," he said. After all, a working fan or water heater can make a big difference to elderly residents on sweltering summer days.
Huang's family background has also shaped his outlook. "I grew up in a family with limited financial means, and government financial assistance has helped me a great deal over the years. I've always kept that in mind and wanted to give back to society in my own way," he said.
This summer, he set himself a goal:starting from his hometown of Le'an, he plans to travel west along the national highway toward Pingxiang, where his school is located, repairing household appliances for people along the way and helping as many people as he can.
Reading Comprehension: Huang Zhiqiang’s Summer of Service
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. A college student repaired a fan for an old woman by chance.
B. A vocational college student uses his electrical skills to help elderly villagers during summer break.
C. The government provides financial aid to poor students in Jiangxi.
D. Electric fans are important for elderly people in hot summers.
2. Which of the following is TRUE about Huang Zhiqiang?
A. He studied electrical engineering at a university in Beijing.
B. He got his electrician’s certificate after returning to his hometown.
C. He decided to help villagers because he wanted to practice for a competition.
D. He plans to travel from Le’an to Pingxiang repairing appliances along the way.
3. Why does Huang think his help matters to the elderly villagers?
A. Because they cannot afford to buy new appliances.
B. Because small fixes like a working fan greatly improve their daily life in hot weather.
C. Because the village is too far from any repair shop.
D. Because he is the only young person in the village.
4. What motivated Huang to give back to society?
A. His teacher asked him to do volunteer work.
B. He received government financial assistance growing up and wanted to repay kindness.
C. He wanted to become famous on social media.
D. His parents owned a repair shop and taught him to help others.
5. The phrase “with practiced ease” in Paragraph 1 most probably means __.
A. with great difficulty
B. with nervous hands
C. skillfully and without effort because of experience
D. very slowly to avoid mistakes
Answer Key:
1. B
2. D
3. B
4. B
5. C
备注：英语内容来自中国日报双语新闻
