19.Mike Miles hadn't had a stable job in years.He bounced around from one position to another,never sure when his last day would be.Sometimes,he lost a position with less than a day's notice.This wasn't due to a poor work ethic-from arriving early to staying late,Miles says he did everything he could to build a good relationship with employers.But because Miles had a criminal record,he was always cut loose when it came time to let staff go.
It wasn't until October 2015,nearly a decade after his release from prison,that a cousin told Miles about Lancaster Food Company,a local business that focuses on hiring people released from prison.Hoping this would clear up what felt like a thick cloud of uncertainty over his future,Miles submitted an application.He got an interview,and he then began a new job.
Miles'scenario is rare in Lancaster,where the poverty rate holds steady at 30%.This figure riled Charlie Crystle,Lancaster's co-founder and CEO.Crystle was raised in Lancaster but left in 1986to purse a college degree and later,a career in technology.He co-founded four tech companies,one of which sold for millions of dollars back in 2000.
Crystle is skeptical that many of Lancaster's low-income residents can get started the way he did.He believes food production is a key way to meet former offenders who may lack a college degree.Lancaster produces products like bread.Nowadays the company is rapidly expanding; however,at just 16full-time employees,including administration and owners,it doesn't lower the city's poverty rate.
Crystle says he wants to inspire other companies to rethink their current practices and start conversations around minimum wage and employment opportunities for everyone,including ex-offenders.Dan Jurman,who chairs the city's Commission to Combat Poverty,believes that Crystle's business is a great way to make this happen."None of us can handle these issues alone,"he said.
32.The purpose of the first paragraph is to show D.
A.a(chǎn) man's difficulty in living a stable life
B.a(chǎn)n increasingly competitive workplace
C.a(chǎn) decrease in employment opportunities
D.the reason why Lancaster Food Company was founded
33.What does the underlined word"riled"in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?A
A.Annoyed.
B.Discouraged.
C.Amused.
D.Embarrassed.
34.What words can best describe Charlie Crystle according to the text?D
A.Outgoing,kind and considerate.
B.Wealthy but a little bit greedy.
C.Humorous,diligent and ambitious.
D.Successful and socially responsible.
35.In Dan Jurman's opinion,what is the biggest achievement of Lancaster Food Company?B
A.It greatly increases employment opportunities.
B.It suggests an idea for fighting poverty.
C.It provides a way to handle ex-offenders.
D.It creates a stable environment for people.