A
Car washes are a common sight throughout Nigeria, but Madinat Aliyu’s roadside business is very special: she is the only woman car-washer in the north of the country.
“This job has caused me a lot of problems,” said the 27-year-old, checking cars waiting to be cleaned in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara state.
Aliyu took up her work two years ago, hoping to use the 7,000 naira (£28) she earned every month to put her younger sisters and brothers through school following the death of their mother, the only one who made money to support the family. But her family begged her to stop doing this job, and she has received “judgment and warnings” from strangers too.
“My grandmother cried for many days. Some people thought it was a joke to bring more customers. Others said if she is doing it for money, let’s just give her money to stop bringing us shame,” she said as she got water from a well by the roadside. “But I hate laziness or depending on somebody else.”
However, Aliyu has admirers. “Some customers only allow her to wash their cars,” said her colleague (同事) Shamsudeen Mohammed. “I was trained to wash cars by men, and I can honestly tell you women are better to work under,” he added.
Recently another woman came to Aliyu to ask for advice on starting her own car wash. “Unfortunately her family discouraged her. I told her, if you listen to them, you will find yourself begging or marrying a man who is older than your grandfather,” she said.
Though she is considered a pariah (贱民) by many, Aliyu has no plans to stop her work. “I see men doing something and I think I can do it too.”
21. Madinat Aliyu washes cars mainly to _____.
A. make a living
B. learn about cars
C. meet her future husband
D. know the life of the poor
22. From the fifth paragraph, we know Shamsudeen Mohammed _____.
A. thought Aliyu did a good job
B. trained Aliyu to wash cars
C. had more customers than Aliyu
D. liked to work with men
23. As a woman car-washer, Aliyu _____.
A. gets her family’s support
B. dreams of going to school
C. is thought highly of by strangers
D. sets an example for the women in Nigeria
24. Which of the following can best describe Aliyu?
A. Shy but smart.
B. Independent and confident.
C. Honest but lazy.
D. Humorous and imaginative.
