Sometimes when it feels like things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place. This is exactly the case for Holly Smith, 34, from Surrey, when she lost her job two years ago.

At the beginning of 2020, Holly was working as a general manager for a small independent bakery business in Surrey. She had been there six years and couldn’t believe it when they told her she had to pack up her bags and leave. Being made redundant came as a huge shock for her and she panicked about struggling to pay the bills and finding another job during such a difficult time.

Holly didn’t know where to turn initially, but she was determined to find a silver lining, so she picked up a paintbrush and began to paint. Holly painted a portrait of her parent’s dog, a Spinone Italiano named Bailey, and shared the image online. Straight after, a few friends requested their own pet paintings and soon her career took off.

Holly named her business Holly & Murphy, after her special five-year-old cocker spaniel, Murphy. She is often at her most creative when she’s floating on water, together with her furry companion in her boat. She combines watercolour paints and pencils to bring dogs’ faces to life. A small painting usually takes two to three days to complete. Customers love how she captures their pet’s personality in great detail. Some of the most memorable paintings she has been asked to do are of dogs that have passed away. Her dog portraits start at £295 and can cost up to £595.

“When it first happened, it felt like the end of the world,” Holly, a current full-time painter and business owner, told The Mirror, “but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. And I’m so grateful to have a job that I love.”

【小题1】What does the underlined word “redundant” in paragraph 2 probably mean?

A．Responsible.

B．Retired.

C．Unimportant.

D．Unemployed.

【小题2】Who contributed to the initial development of Holly’s business?

A．The netizens.	B．Holly’s parents.
C．Holly’s friends.	D．Customers losing their pets.

【小题3】What do customers think of Holly’s paintings?

A．They speak highly of her paintings.

B．They don’t like her pet paintings.

C．They think her paintings need to be improved.

D．They think her paintings should include more details.

【小题4】What does the story convey to the readers?

A．Interest is the best teacher.

B．Every cloud has a silver lining.

C．He who laughs last laughs best.

D．Failure is the mother of success.