When Jim was young, he liked watches very much. When he was 18 years old, he joined the army (参军), and after a year, he began to teach himself to mend (修理) watches. A lot of his friends brought him their watches with problems and asked for mending. Jim was always glad to help.

Jim’s captain (上校) heard about this, and one day he brought Jim a watch and said, “My watch doesn’t work, can you mend it for me?” “Yes, sir. I can,” Jim answered. A few days later, he brought the watch back to the captain. “How much shall I pay?” the captain asked. “Nothing, sir,” Jim said. He took out a small box and gave it to the captain and said, “In the box are three wheels (齿轮) from your watch, and I couldn’t find any places for them when I put everything back.”

Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students with cars buy large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the street.

Adult (成年的) drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, the weather, and the life of American people. Most of the radio programs are music.

Pop or popular music singers make much money. They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in many places. Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape. Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer. Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.

There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is folk (民间) music. It tells stories about the common (普通) life of Americans. Another is western or country music. This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music about country life and the love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.