Crafts: 20 TOPIK II reading passages, each with translated sentences and comprehension questions.
🪵 The Seal Carved by Hand
아버지의 정년 퇴임을 앞두고 저는 오래 남을 선물을 고민하고 있었어요.
With my father's retirement coming up, I was trying to think of a gift that would last a long time.
그러다 시장 골목 안쪽에서 사십 년째 손으로 도장을 새기는 작은 가게를 알게 됐어요.
Then I found out about a small shop deep in a market alley where seals have been carved by hand for forty years.
요즘은 서명으로 대부분의 일을 처리해서 도장을 새기는 사람이 많이 줄었다고 해요.
These days most things are handled with a signature, so they say far fewer people have seals made.
하지만 손으로 새긴 도장은 쓸수록 정이 들더라는 회사 선배의 말이 계속 마음에 남았어요.
But a senior coworker's words, that he had found a hand-carved seal grew dearer the more he used it, stayed with me.
할아버지 사장님은 아버지 이름을 종이에 여러 번 써 보신 뒤에야 나무에 칼을 대셨어요.
The elderly owner wrote my father's name on paper many times before he finally set his knife to the wood.
도장 하나를 완성하는 데 사흘이 걸렸고, 획마다 굵기가 조금씩 달라서 더 따뜻해 보였어요.
It took three days to finish one seal, and because each stroke was a slightly different thickness, it looked even warmer.
사장님은 기계로 새기면 빠르지만 똑같은 도장이 수없이 나올 수 있다고 하셨어요.
The owner said that carving by machine is fast, but it can turn out countless identical seals.
아버지는 퇴임식 날 그 도장을 받으시고 한참 동안 손바닥 위에 올려놓고 보셨어요.
On the day of his retirement ceremony, my father received the seal and looked at it in his palm for a long time.
What did the owner do before carving the seal?
- He wrote the father's name on paper many times ✓
- He called the father to ask his name
- He first tried carving the name by machine
- He went to the market to buy wood
Why did this person decide to give a hand-carved seal?
- Because a seal is more convenient than a signature
- Because the father had wanted a seal
- Because of a senior's words that it grows dearer with use ✓
- Because it is cheaper than a machine-made seal
Which of the following matches the text?
- More people have seals made these days
- It took three days to finish the seal ✓
- The owner carves seals by machine
- The father used the seal right away
🎹 The Piano Tuner Who Listens
우리 집 거실에는 제가 어릴 때부터 치던 오래된 피아노가 한 대 있어요.
In our living room there is an old piano that I have played since I was little.
몇 년 동안 거의 치지 않다가 올겨울 다시 연습을 시작했는데 소리가 영 이상했어요.
I had barely played it for several years, and when I started practicing again this winter, it sounded completely off.
그래서 동네에서 삼십 년째 피아노를 고쳐 온 조율사 선생님을 집으로 모셨어요.
So I invited over a piano tuner who has been fixing pianos in our neighborhood for thirty years.
선생님은 들어오시자마자 피아노가 난방기 바로 옆에 놓인 것을 보고 고개를 저으셨어요.
As soon as he came in, he saw that the piano was right next to the heater and shook his head.
겨울에 실내가 너무 건조해지면 나무가 줄어들어서 줄이 쉽게 풀린다고 하셨어요.
He said that when the room gets too dry in winter, the wood shrinks and the strings loosen easily.
어쩐지 겨울만 되면 소리가 더 이상하더라니, 피아노를 둔 자리가 문제였던 거예요.
No wonder it always sounded worse every winter; the problem was where the piano was placed.
선생님은 기계 없이 귀로만 건반 하나하나의 소리를 맞추시느라 두 시간 넘게 일하셨어요.
He worked for over two hours, tuning each key by ear alone without any device.
피아노를 창가 쪽으로 옮기고 나서 지금은 맑은 소리로 다시 연습하고 있어요.
After moving the piano toward the window, I am now practicing again with a clear sound.
How did the tuner adjust the sound?
- He measured the keys with a device
- He replaced all the strings with new ones
- He compared it with a recording
- He tuned the keys by ear alone ✓
Why did the piano start to sound strange?
- Because the piano was next to the heater ✓
- Because the strings were too old
- Because this person played too hard
- Because cold air came in from the window
What can be learned from this text?
- A piano is best kept next to a heater
- Tuning usually takes about ten minutes
- This person bought a new piano
- Dry air affects the sound of a piano ✓
🔨 The Brassware Master's Question
한 산골 마을에는 오십 년 넘게 방짜 유기를 만들어 온 장인이 있어요.
In a mountain village, there is a master craftsman who has made hand-forged bronze ware for over fifty years.
어느 날 서울에서 온 스물다섯 살 청년 민호 씨가 이 일을 배우고 싶다며 공방에 찾아왔어요.
One day Minho, a twenty-five-year-old from Seoul, came to the workshop saying he wanted to learn the craft.
장인은 청년을 먼저 만난 제자에게 “그 젊은이는 왜 이 힘든 일을 하겠답니까?” 하고 물었어요.
The master asked the apprentice who had met him first, “And why does he say he wants to do such hard work?”
제자는 청년이 할아버지가 쓰시던 유기 그릇을 보고 반해서 왔다고 대답했어요.
The apprentice answered that the young man had fallen in love with a bronze bowl his grandfather used to use.
장인은 쇠를 수천 번 두드려야 그릇 하나가 나온다며 쉽게 허락하지 않았어요.
The master, saying a single bowl takes thousands of hammer blows, did not give his permission easily.
하지만 청년은 석 달 동안 매일 공방 청소를 하며 기다렸어요.
But the young man waited, cleaning the workshop every day for three months.
결국 장인은 청년의 끈기를 인정하고 망치를 쥐는 법부터 가르치기 시작했어요.
In the end, the master acknowledged his persistence and began teaching him, starting with how to hold a hammer.
지금 민호 씨는 오 년째 공방에서 일하며 자기 이름을 새긴 첫 그릇을 준비하고 있어요.
Now in his fifth year at the workshop, Minho is preparing his first bowl engraved with his own name.
What did the master ask the apprentice?
- When the young man came from Seoul
- Why the young man wanted this work ✓
- The price of the bowl he brought
- The name of his grandfather
Why did the master not give permission easily at first?
- There was no room to work in the workshop
- The young man was bad at cleaning
- Making bronze ware is very hard ✓
- The young man was too old
Which of the following matches the passage?
- He got to learn the craft after waiting three months ✓
- He learned bronze-making from his grandfather
- The master accepted him as soon as he saw him
- He has already sold a bowl with his name
🏺 The Hundred-Year-Old Onggi Kiln
지난 주말에 저는 전통 옹기를 만드는 시골 공방에 구경하러 갔어요.
Last weekend I went to look around a countryside workshop that makes traditional onggi earthenware.
공방 뒤쪽 언덕에는 흙으로 길게 쌓아 올린 오래된 가마가 있었어요.
On the hill behind the workshop, there was an old, long kiln built up out of earth.
안내를 맡은 직원은 “주인 어르신 말씀으로는 이 가마가 백 년이 넘었답니다.” 하고 설명했어요.
The staff member guiding us explained, “According to the owner, this kiln is over a hundred years old.”
옹기는 흙 속의 작은 구멍으로 공기가 드나들어서 김치나 장이 잘 익는다고 해요.
They say air passes through tiny holes in the clay, which helps kimchi and fermented sauces ripen well.
그런데 요즘은 플라스틱 통을 쓰는 집이 많아서 옹기를 찾는 사람이 크게 줄었대요.
But these days many homes use plastic containers, so far fewer people look for onggi.
그래서 공방에서는 체험 수업을 열어 사람들에게 옹기의 가치를 알리고 있어요.
So the workshop holds hands-on classes to show people the value of onggi.
저는 된장을 담글 작은 항아리 하나를 샀는데, 무거워서 집으로 보내 달라고 부탁했어요.
I bought a small jar for making soybean paste, and since it was heavy, I asked them to send it to my home.
그 항아리가 도착하면 어머니와 함께 된장을 담가 볼 생각이에요.
When the jar arrives, I plan to make soybean paste in it with my mother.
Which is true about the workshop's kiln?
- It was built recently
- It is over a hundred years old ✓
- The staff member built it himself
- It is in the front yard of the workshop
Why have fewer people been looking for onggi?
- Onggi prices rose sharply
- Nobody makes kimchi anymore
- More homes use plastic containers ✓
- All onggi workshops have closed
Which of the following matches the passage?
- The writer carried the jar home that day
- The writer made a jar in a class
- The workshop doesn't hold classes
- The jar the writer bought will be sent home ✓
🧵 Waiting for Indigo Season
우리 이모는 쉰이 넘어서 천연 염색을 배우고 싶다며 시골의 한 공방에 전화를 하셨어요.
My aunt, who is over fifty, said she wanted to learn natural dyeing and called a workshop in the countryside.
봄에 바로 시작하고 싶었지만 공방에서는 여름까지 기다려야 한다는 대답이 돌아왔어요.
She wanted to start right away in spring, but the workshop told her she would have to wait until summer.
이모는 아쉬운 얼굴로 “선생님 말씀이 쪽물은 칠월이 지나야 들일 수 있답디다.” 하셨어요.
With a disappointed look, my aunt said, “The teacher told me indigo dyeing can only be done after July.”
쪽은 파란 물을 얻는 풀인데 잎이 충분히 자라는 한여름에만 염료를 만들 수 있대요.
Indigo is a plant that gives blue dye, and they say the dye can only be made in midsummer when the leaves have grown enough.
칠월 말, 저도 이모를 따라 공방에 가서 하얀 손수건을 쪽물에 담가 봤어요.
At the end of July, I went to the workshop with my aunt and dipped a white handkerchief into the indigo dye.
물에서 막 꺼낸 천은 초록빛이었는데 바람을 맞자 조금씩 파랗게 변해서 신기했어요.
The cloth was greenish when I first took it out, but it slowly turned blue in the breeze, which amazed me.
선생님은 원하는 색이 나올 때까지 담그고 말리기를 열 번도 넘게 되풀이한다고 하셨어요.
The teacher said she repeats dipping and drying more than ten times until she gets the color she wants.
그날 만든 손수건은 색이 고르지 않지만 저에게는 어떤 물건보다 소중해요.
The handkerchief I made that day is not evenly colored, but to me it is more precious than anything.
What answer did the aunt get from the workshop?
- That she had to wait until summer ✓
- That the workshop would close soon
- That the fee had gone up a lot
- That the class was already full
Why can indigo dyeing only be done in summer?
- Because the workshop has few visitors in summer
- Because cloth only dries well on hot days
- Because the indigo leaves grow enough then ✓
- Because the teacher is busy in other seasons
Which of the following matches the text?
- This person learned dyeing at the workshop in spring
- Cloth from the indigo dye turns blue in the air ✓
- One dip is enough to get the color you want
- The handkerchief this person made is evenly colored
🥐 Rumors About the Old Bakery
서연 씨는 작년에 아버지가 이십오 년 동안 운영하던 동네 빵집을 물려받았어요.
Last year, Seoyeon took over the neighborhood bakery her father had run for twenty-five years.
서연 씨는 가게를 밝게 꾸미고 젊은 손님들을 위해 새로운 빵도 몇 가지 내놓았어요.
She redecorated the shop to make it brighter and added a few new breads for younger customers.
그러자 오랜 단골들 사이에서는 빵 맛이 변했더라느니 크기가 작아졌더라느니 말이 많았어요.
Then there was a lot of talk among longtime regulars, some saying the bread tasted different, others that it had gotten smaller.
서연 씨는 속상했지만, 그 말들을 무시하지 않고 단골들에게 직접 의견을 묻기로 했어요.
She was hurt, but instead of ignoring the comments, she decided to ask the regulars directly for their opinions.
알고 보니 사람들이 가장 아쉬워한 것은 맛이 아니라 아버지의 단팥빵이 없어진 것이었어요.
It turned out that what people missed most was not the taste but her father's red bean bun, which had disappeared.
서연 씨는 아버지께 다시 배워서 그 단팥빵을 옛날 방식 그대로 만들기 시작했어요.
Seoyeon learned it again from her father and started making the red bean bun exactly the old way.
요즘 이 빵집에는 옛날 빵과 새로운 빵을 함께 사 가는 손님이 많아졌어요.
These days, many customers at the bakery buy both the old breads and the new ones together.
서연 씨는 가게를 지키는 것이 무조건 아무것도 바꾸지 않는 것은 아니라는 걸 배웠대요.
Seoyeon says she learned that keeping a shop alive doesn't mean never changing anything.
What did Seoyeon do after taking over the shop?
- She raised bread prices a lot
- She gave bread away to regulars
- She moved the shop elsewhere
- She made the shop brighter ✓
What did the regulars miss most?
- The old red bean bun being gone ✓
- The bread getting smaller
- The shop becoming too bright
- The bread's taste changing a lot
What is the main idea of this passage?
- A shop should never be changed
- It's best to ignore customers' rumors
- Old items should go for young customers
- You can keep tradition while adding something new ✓
💐 Word from Mom About My Flowers
저는 석 달 전에 대학 앞 작은 골목에 혼자 꽃집을 열었어요.
Three months ago, I opened a flower shop on my own in a small alley in front of a university.
처음에는 손님이 거의 없어서 매일 밤 가게를 계속할 수 있을지 걱정했어요.
At first there were hardly any customers, so every night I worried whether I could keep the shop going.
그러던 어느 날 근처에 사시는 어머니께서 전화를 하셨어요.
Then one day my mother, who lives nearby, called me.
어머니는 “옆집 아주머니가 네 꽃이 일주일이 지나도 싱싱하더라는구나.” 하고 말씀하셨어요.
My mother said, “The lady next door told me your flowers were still fresh even after a week.”
저는 매일 새벽 꽃 시장에 가서 가장 신선한 꽃만 고르는데, 그 노력을 알아준 것 같아 기뻤어요.
I go to the flower market every dawn and pick only the freshest flowers, so I was happy that someone noticed.
그 아주머니는 나중에 친구들에게도 제 가게를 소개해 주셨대요.
I heard that the neighbor later recommended my shop to her friends as well.
요즘은 주말마다 꽃다발 예약이 들어올 만큼 손님이 늘었어요.
These days I have so many more customers that I get bouquet orders every weekend.
작은 가게일수록 손님 한 사람 한 사람의 믿음이 가장 큰 힘이 된다는 것을 느껴요.
I feel that the smaller the shop, the more each customer's trust becomes its greatest strength.
What did the writer's mother pass on?
- The neighbor was opening a flower shop
- The writer's flowers stayed fresh a long time ✓
- The bouquets were too expensive
- The flower market closes at dawn
Why do the writer's flowers stay fresh so long?
- The writer's mother picks the flowers
- The shop is right in front of a university
- The writer picks fresh flowers every day ✓
- Bouquets are made only once a week
Which of the following matches the passage?
- A neighbor's word brought more customers ✓
- The writer opened the shop with a friend
- The shop was busy from the start
- The writer's mother orders bouquets weekly
🪑 The Chair That Doesn't Wobble
도윤 씨는 회사를 그만두고 목공소에서 의자 만드는 일을 배운 지 이 년이 되었어요.
It has been two years since Doyun quit his company job and started learning to make chairs at a woodshop.
그는 못을 쓰지 않고 나무끼리 끼워 맞추는 전통 방식을 고집하고 있어요.
He insists on the traditional method of fitting pieces of wood together without using nails.
이 방식은 손이 많이 가서 의자 하나를 완성하는 데 보통 일주일이 넘게 걸려요.
This method takes a lot of work, so finishing one chair usually takes more than a week.
그래서 도윤 씨는 이렇게 느리게 일해도 괜찮은지 가끔 고민했어요.
So Doyun sometimes wondered whether it was really all right to work this slowly.
그런데 어느 날 사장님이 “카페 주인이 네 의자는 일 년 넘게 써도 안 흔들리더라는군.” 하며 웃으셨어요.
But one day his boss smiled and said, “The café owner says your chairs haven't wobbled once in over a year.”
그 카페는 도윤 씨가 처음으로 의자 열 개를 만들어 보낸 곳이었어요.
That café was the first place Doyun had ever made and delivered ten chairs for.
그 말을 들은 뒤 도윤 씨는 빨리 만드는 것보다 오래 쓰게 만드는 것이 더 중요하다고 믿게 되었어요.
After hearing that, Doyun came to believe that making things last is more important than making them fast.
최근에는 그 카페 주인의 소개로 새 식당의 의자 주문도 받게 되었어요.
Recently, thanks to a referral from the café owner, he also received a chair order from a new restaurant.
How does Doyun make his chairs?
- He uses many nails to make them sturdy
- He fits the wood together without nails ✓
- He makes several a day by machine
- He outsources part of the work
Why did Doyun sometimes worry?
- His chairs soon started to wobble
- The café owner sent the chairs back
- His chairs took a long time to make ✓
- His boss often scolded him
What is the main idea of this passage?
- Good chairs must be sold at high prices
- Traditional methods don't suit customers now
- Quitting a job to start a business is risky
- Making things last matters more than speed ✓
🍡 Less Sugar in the Rice Cakes
하은 씨의 가족은 전통 시장에서 삼대째 떡집을 하고 있어요.
Haeun's family has run a rice cake shop in a traditional market for three generations.
이 가게는 쌀을 직접 빻아서 떡을 만들기 때문에 식감이 부드럽기로 유명해요.
The shop grinds its own rice to make the cakes, so it is famous for their soft texture.
그런데 지난주에 한 단골손님이 요즘 떡이 예전보다 좀 달다고 말했어요.
But last week, a regular customer said the rice cakes had been a bit sweeter than before lately.
하은 씨는 어머니께 “단골손님이 요즘 떡이 좀 달더라는데, 설탕을 더 넣으셨어요?” 하고 여쭤봤어요.
Haeun asked her mother, “A regular said the rice cakes tasted a bit sweet lately. Have you been adding more sugar?”
알고 보니 젊은 손님들의 입맛에 맞추려고 어머니가 설탕을 조금씩 더 넣고 계셨던 거예요.
It turned out her mother had been adding a little more sugar to suit younger customers' tastes.
하은 씨와 어머니는 오래 이야기를 나눈 끝에 원래의 맛으로 돌아가기로 했어요.
After a long talk, Haeun and her mother decided to go back to the original taste.
대신 단맛을 좋아하는 손님을 위해 꿀을 따로 곁들여 주기로 했어요.
Instead, they decided to serve honey on the side for customers who like things sweet.
그 후로 단골들은 떡에서 다시 쌀 맛이 난다며 반가워했어요.
After that, the regulars were delighted, saying the rice cakes tasted of rice again.
What did the regular customer say?
- The rice cakes seemed a bit sweet lately ✓
- The rice cakes were too hard
- The portions had gotten smaller
- The prices had gone up too much
Why had the rice cakes become sweeter?
- They started buying rice elsewhere
- Haeun created a new rice cake
- Her mother had been adding more sugar ✓
- They began putting honey inside
Which of the following matches the passage?
- The shop buys rice flour from another store
- Honey is served on the side for sweet lovers ✓
- Regulars liked the sweeter taste
- Haeun paid no attention to the comment
👓 Three Months for a Pair of Glasses
저는 얼마 전에 손으로 안경테를 만드는 작은 공방에 다녀왔어요.
Not long ago, I visited a small workshop that makes eyeglass frames by hand.
그곳에서는 장인 한 분이 두꺼운 판을 직접 자르고 깎아서 안경테를 하나씩 만드세요.
There, a single craftsman cuts and shapes thick sheets of material himself, making frames one at a time.
손님의 얼굴 모양과 코 높이를 재서 만들기 때문에 똑같은 안경테는 하나도 없어요.
He measures each customer's face shape and nose height, so no two frames are exactly alike.
공방 주문이 석 달이나 밀려 있더라니까 친구들은 처음에 제 말을 믿지 않았어요.
When I told my friends I had seen that the workshop's orders were backed up a full three months, they didn't believe me at first.
요즘 같은 시대에 안경 하나를 석 달이나 기다리는 사람이 있을지 의심했던 거예요.
They doubted that anyone these days would wait three whole months for a pair of glasses.
하지만 장인은 서두르면 편하게 오래 쓸 수 있는 안경이 나오지 않는다고 하셨어요.
But the craftsman said that if he rushes, the glasses won't come out comfortable enough to wear for a long time.
결국 저도 주문을 했고, 이번 겨울에 제 얼굴에 꼭 맞는 안경을 받을 예정이에요.
In the end I placed an order too, and I'm due to receive glasses that fit my face perfectly this winter.
기다리는 시간조차 설레는 물건이 있다는 것을 처음 알게 되었어요.
For the first time, I learned that there are things where even the waiting is exciting.
Why is every frame from this workshop different?
- Materials come from a different place each time
- They are made to fit each customer's face ✓
- Several craftsmen make them together
- Customers draw the designs themselves
Why didn't the writer's friends believe what the writer said?
- The writer had never been there
- The glasses were too expensive
- Waiting three months seemed strange ✓
- The workshop had already closed
Which of the following matches the passage?
- The writer has ordered glasses and is waiting ✓
- The writer got glasses on the spot
- The workshop makes frames by machine
- The writer's friends ordered glasses too
🔪 A Knife from the Village Blacksmith
제 고향 읍내에는 아직도 불에 달군 쇠를 두드려 칼과 농기구를 만드는 대장간이 있어요.
In the small town where I grew up, there is still a smithy that makes knives and farm tools by hammering red-hot iron.
할머니께서는 그 대장간에서 산 부엌칼 하나를 삼십 년 가까이 쓰셨어요.
My grandmother used one kitchen knife from that smithy for nearly thirty years.
그런데 서울 회사의 동료들은 요즘 누가 대장간에서 칼을 사느냐며 웃었어요.
But my coworkers in Seoul laughed, asking who buys knives from a blacksmith these days.
저는 “정말 그 집 칼은 오래 써도 잘 무뎌지지 않더라니까요.” 하고 몇 번이나 말했어요.
I told them again and again, “I'm telling you, I've seen it: those knives stay sharp even after years of use.”
결국 지난 명절에 고향에 내려가서 동료 두 명을 위해 그 대장간에서 칼을 사 왔어요.
In the end, when I went home for the last holiday, I bought knives at that smithy for two of my coworkers.
대장장이 아저씨는 칼을 건네며 가끔 숫돌에 갈아 주기만 하면 평생 쓸 수 있다고 하셨어요.
Handing me the knives, the blacksmith said they would last a lifetime if you just sharpened them on a whetstone now and then.
몇 달 뒤 동료들은 이제 다른 칼은 못 쓰겠다며 저에게 고맙다고 했어요.
A few months later, my coworkers thanked me, saying they could no longer use any other knife.
오래 쓰는 물건에는 만든 사람의 시간과 정성이 담겨 있다는 것을 다시 느꼈어요.
I felt once again that things that last carry the time and care of the people who made them.
Which is true about the writer's grandmother?
- She worked at the smithy for years
- She used the same knife for a long time ✓
- She moved to Seoul
- She often bought new knives
Why did the writer buy knives for the coworkers?
- They asked for knives as holiday gifts
- The blacksmith gave them as gifts
- To show them how good the knives were ✓
- All their knives had broken
Which of the following matches the passage?
- The coworkers wanted them from the start
- The knives never need sharpening
- The writer bought the knives in Seoul
- The coworkers were happy with the knives ✓
👜 A Bag That Lasts Ten Years
저는 대학을 졸업하고 취직하면서 좋은 가방을 하나 사고 싶었어요.
When I graduated and got my first job, I wanted to buy one good bag.
백화점에서 몇 개를 봤지만 가격에 비해 바느질이 약해 보여서 망설였어요.
I looked at a few at a department store, but the stitching looked weak for the price, so I hesitated.
그때 사촌 언니가 “그 공방 가방은 좀 비싸도 십 년은 거뜬하더라니깐.” 하며 한 곳을 추천했어요.
Then my older cousin recommended a place, saying, “I'm telling you, that workshop's bags cost a bit more, but they easily last ten years.”
언니는 그 공방에서 산 가방을 대학 신입생 때부터 십 년 넘게 들고 다니고 있었어요.
My cousin had been carrying a bag from that workshop for over ten years, since her first year of university.
공방에 가 보니 주인은 가죽을 고르는 것부터 손바느질까지 모든 과정을 혼자 하고 있었어요.
At the workshop, I saw that the owner did every step alone, from choosing the leather to stitching by hand.
게다가 가방이 망가지면 언제든지 가져오라며 평생 수선을 약속해 주었어요.
On top of that, she promised lifetime repairs, telling me to bring the bag back any time it broke.
가격은 백화점 가방과 비슷했지만, 저는 오래 쓸 수 있다는 점에 마음이 끌렸어요.
The price was similar to the department store bags, but I was drawn to the fact that I could use it for a long time.
결국 저는 첫 월급으로 그 공방에서 제 이름이 새겨진 가방을 주문했어요.
In the end, with my first paycheck, I ordered a bag with my name engraved on it from that workshop.
Why didn't the writer buy a department store bag?
- The stitching looked weak ✓
- The writer didn't like the design
- The bags were too small
- The color the writer wanted was unavailable
Why did the writer's cousin recommend this workshop?
- She is close to the owner
- The workshop's bags are the cheapest
- She had used her own bag for years ✓
- She had a part-time job there
Which of the following matches the passage?
- The owner works with several employees
- The workshop repairs its bags for life ✓
- The writer bought the same bag as the cousin
- The writer ordered a bag at the store
📚 The Quietest Winter at the Bookstore
저는 오 년 전부터 주택가 골목에서 작은 동네 서점을 운영하고 있어요.
For five years I have been running a small neighborhood bookstore in a residential alley.
개업 첫해 겨울에도 손님이 적더라마는, 지난겨울처럼 하루 종일 아무도 오지 않은 날은 없었어요.
I remember there were few customers in my first winter too, but there was never a day like last winter when no one came at all.
추운 날씨에 골목 앞 도로 공사까지 겹쳐서 사람들이 이 길로 잘 다니지 않았기 때문이에요.
That's because, on top of the cold, there was road construction at the mouth of the alley, so people rarely came this way.
할 일이 없던 저는 책마다 그 책을 좋아하는 이유를 손글씨 쪽지로 써서 끼워 두었어요.
With nothing to do, I wrote handwritten notes on why I loved each book and tucked them inside.
그런데 봄이 되자 그 쪽지를 읽은 손님들이 자기 생각을 적은 답장을 남기기 시작했어요.
Then, when spring came, customers who read the notes began leaving replies with their own thoughts.
어떤 책에는 서로 모르는 손님들의 쪽지가 열 장 넘게 쌓이기도 했어요.
Some books even collected more than ten notes from customers who didn't know each other.
쪽지를 읽으러 일부러 찾아오는 단골도 생겨서 매출도 조금씩 회복됐어요.
Some regulars even started coming just to read the notes, and sales slowly recovered.
저는 작은 서점이 책만 파는 곳이 아니라 사람을 이어 주는 곳이라는 것을 깨달았어요.
I realized that a small bookstore is not just a place that sells books but a place that connects people.
Why were there fewer customers last winter?
- The bookstore moved elsewhere
- Book prices suddenly rose
- The store often closed in winter
- Cold weather plus road construction ✓
What changed at the bookstore after spring came?
- Customers left replies to the notes ✓
- Road construction started again
- The owner stopped writing notes
- Customers took all the notes
What does the writer most want to say?
- Bookstores should close in winter
- Buying books online is more convenient
- It's best not to put anything in books
- A small bookstore can connect people ✓
🪵 Two More Cutting Boards
현우 씨는 퇴근 후에 작은 작업실에서 나무 도마를 만들어 인터넷으로 팔고 있어요.
After work, Hyunwoo makes wooden cutting boards in a small workshop and sells them online.
그는 도마마다 나뭇결을 살려서 손으로 다듬고, 기름을 여러 번 발라 마무리해요.
He smooths each board by hand to bring out the wood grain and finishes it with several coats of oil.
하지만 공장에서 만든 도마보다 값이 비싸서 처음에는 주문이 거의 없었어요.
But they cost more than factory-made boards, so at first there were almost no orders.
그러던 중 첫 손님이 몇 주 뒤에 다시 연락을 해 왔어요.
Then, a few weeks later, his very first customer got in touch again.
그 손님은 직접 써 보니 칼자국이 잘 안 남고 가볍더라며 같은 도마를 두 개 더 주문했어요.
Saying she had used it and found it light and hardly marked by knives, the customer ordered two more of the same board.
하나는 결혼하는 동생에게, 하나는 어머니께 선물하겠다고 했어요.
She said one was a gift for her younger brother, who was getting married, and the other for her mother.
그 후 그 손님이 남긴 정성스러운 후기 덕분에 주문이 조금씩 늘기 시작했어요.
After that, thanks to the thoughtful review she left, orders began to increase little by little.
현우 씨는 요즘 내년에 회사를 그만두고 작업실을 제대로 열 계획을 세우고 있어요.
These days Hyunwoo is planning to quit his job next year and open his workshop properly.
Why did the first customer order more boards?
- The price went down
- She used it and liked it ✓
- Her first board broke
- Hyunwoo asked her to
Why were there almost no orders at first?
- The boards were too heavy
- He didn't sell them online
- They cost more than factory boards ✓
- The wood grain didn't show
Which of the following matches the passage?
- Hyunwoo currently has a company job ✓
- Hyunwoo has already quit his job
- The customer kept all the boards herself
- Hyunwoo makes the boards by machine
🍓 An Argument Over Strawberries
수아 씨와 친구 성민 씨는 일 년 전에 함께 수제 잼을 만드는 작은 회사를 차렸어요.
A year ago, Sua and her friend Seongmin started a small company together that makes handmade jam.
두 사람은 처음부터 근처 농장에서 직접 받은 과일만 쓰기로 약속했어요.
From the start, the two promised to use only fruit they got directly from a nearby farm.
그런데 올봄 딸기 값이 오르자 성민 씨가 값이 싼 수입 딸기로 바꾸자고 했어요.
But this spring, when strawberry prices rose, Seongmin suggested switching to cheaper imported strawberries.
수아 씨는 “지난번엔 농장 딸기가 제일 향이 좋더라면서 왜 이제 와서 바꾸자는 거야?” 하고 따졌어요.
Sua demanded, “Last time you said you'd found the farm strawberries smelled the best, so why do you want to switch now?”
성민 씨는 한숨을 쉬며 이대로 가면 회사 통장이 곧 바닥난다고 털어놓았어요.
Seongmin sighed and admitted that if things went on like this, the company's bank account would soon run dry.
두 사람은 밤늦게까지 이야기한 끝에 병 크기를 조금 줄이고 농장 딸기를 계속 쓰기로 했어요.
After talking late into the night, they decided to make the jars a little smaller and keep using the farm strawberries.
또 병에 농장 이름과 딸기를 딴 날짜를 적어서 정직한 재료라는 점을 강조했어요.
They also wrote the farm's name and the picking date on each jar to highlight that the ingredients were honest.
다행히 손님들은 그 정직함을 좋게 봐 주었고, 판매량도 줄지 않았어요.
Fortunately, customers appreciated that honesty, and sales didn't drop.
Why did Seongmin want to switch to imported strawberries?
- The farm strawberries lost their aroma
- Prices rose and money was short ✓
- Customers wanted imported strawberries
- The farm stopped growing strawberries
Why did Sua confront Seongmin?
- He secretly used the bank account
- He was late for their meeting
- He contradicted what he had said before ✓
- He broke a jam jar
Which of the following matches the passage?
- They made jam with imported strawberries
- Jam sales dropped sharply
- They decided to close the company
- They made the jam jars smaller ✓
🧼 Before Opening the Soap Shop
다은 씨는 피부가 예민한 동생을 위해 천연 재료로 비누를 만들기 시작했어요.
Daeun started making soap from natural ingredients for her younger sister, who has sensitive skin.
동생이 그 비누를 좋아하자 주변 사람들도 하나둘 비누를 부탁하기 시작했어요.
When her sister loved the soap, people around them began asking for some one by one.
그래서 다은 씨는 작은 비누 가게를 열기로 마음먹고 창업한 선배들을 찾아갔어요.
So Daeun made up her mind to open a small soap shop and went to see some older friends who had started their own businesses.
선배들은 첫해에는 월세를 내기도 벅차더라지만, 다은 씨는 쉽게 포기하고 싶지 않았어요.
Those older friends said they had found it hard even to pay the rent in their first year, but Daeun didn't want to give up easily.
그래서 바로 가게를 열지 않고 먼저 동네 벼룩시장에서 비누를 팔아 보며 손님들의 반응을 살폈어요.
So instead of opening a shop right away, she first sold soap at a local flea market to see how customers reacted.
석 달 동안 어떤 향이 인기가 있는지, 가격은 얼마가 적당한지 꼼꼼히 기록했어요.
For three months she carefully recorded which scents were popular and what price was right.
그 기록 덕분에 다은 씨는 필요 없는 재료를 줄이고 인기 있는 제품에 집중할 수 있었어요.
Thanks to those records, Daeun was able to cut unnecessary ingredients and focus on popular products.
다음 달이면 드디어 다은 씨의 이름을 건 작은 가게가 문을 열어요.
Next month, a small shop bearing Daeun's name will finally open its doors.
Why did Daeun start making soap?
- For her sister with sensitive skin ✓
- Her older friends recommended a soap shop
- She wanted to earn money at flea markets
- People around her gave her soap
What experience did her older friends share with Daeun?
- Soap didn't sell at flea markets
- Natural ingredients are hard to find
- Even rent was hard to pay in year one ✓
- A shop must be on a main street
Which of the following matches the passage?
- She gave up after hearing her older friends
- She checked customer reactions before opening ✓
- Her shop has been open for a year already
- She decided to buy more ingredients
✏️ How the Stationery Shop Survived
재원 씨는 초등학교 앞에서 이십 년째 작은 문구점을 하고 있어요.
Jaewon has run a small stationery shop in front of an elementary school for twenty years.
몇 년 전부터 아이들이 줄고 인터넷으로 학용품을 사는 집이 늘면서 매출이 크게 떨어졌어요.
Over the past few years, as the number of children fell and more families bought school supplies online, sales dropped sharply.
주변에서는 값을 내려 보라고 했지만, 재원 씨는 고개를 저었어요.
People around him told him to try lowering his prices, but Jaewon shook his head.
지금 값을 조금 내린댔자 큰 인터넷 쇼핑몰과 경쟁하기는 어렵다고 생각했기 때문이에요.
That's because he thought that even if he lowered his prices a little, it wouldn't be enough to compete with big online stores.
그 대신 재원 씨는 인터넷에서는 할 수 없는 일을 찾기 시작했어요.
Instead, Jaewon began looking for things that can't be done online.
준비물을 깜빡한 아이들에게 필요한 물건을 빌려주고, 방학에는 무료 만들기 교실을 열었어요.
He lent what they needed to kids who had forgotten their school supplies and held free craft classes during school vacations.
그러자 아이들뿐 아니라 부모들도 이 문구점을 동네의 쉼터처럼 여기게 되었어요.
Then not only the children but also their parents came to see the shop as a kind of neighborhood haven.
재원 씨는 작은 가게가 살아남으려면 싸게 파는 것보다 믿을 수 있는 이웃이 되어야 한대요.
Jaewon says that to survive, a small shop needs to be a trustworthy neighbor rather than just sell cheaply.
Why did the stationery shop's sales fall?
- The school moved to another area
- The shop's prices rose a lot
- Jaewon often closed the shop
- More families bought supplies online ✓
Why didn't Jaewon lower his prices?
- He thought it would be useless ✓
- His prices were already low enough
- Parents opposed a price cut
- He wanted to sell at higher prices
What is the main idea of this passage?
- A small shop must be the cheapest to survive
- Stationery shops must start selling online
- Kids should pack their own supplies
- A small shop should be a trusted neighbor ✓
💍 A Silver Ring That Took Four Hours
지난 토요일에 저는 친구와 함께 은반지를 직접 만드는 공방 수업에 참여했어요.
Last Saturday, a friend and I took a workshop class where you make your own silver ring.
은으로 된 가는 막대를 불에 달구고 망치로 두드려 둥글게 만드는 과정이었어요.
The process was to heat a thin silver bar in a flame and hammer it into a round shape.
공방 선생님은 초보자도 두 시간이면 완성한댔는데, 저는 네 시간이 넘게 걸렸어요.
The instructor said even beginners finish in two hours, but it took me more than four.
반지 크기를 맞추다가 두 번이나 너무 작게 만들어서 처음부터 다시 해야 했거든요.
While adjusting the size, I made it too small twice and had to start over from the beginning.
옆자리 친구는 벌써 다 끝냈지만 제가 완성할 때까지 옆에서 기다려 주었어요.
My friend next to me had already finished but waited beside me until I was done.
선생님은 제 반지에 남은 망치 자국을 보시더니 이것도 손으로 만든 반지의 멋이라고 하셨어요.
Looking at the hammer marks left on my ring, the instructor said that was part of the charm of a handmade ring.
완성된 반지는 조금 투박하지만, 세상에 하나뿐인 반지라서 볼 때마다 뿌듯해요.
The finished ring is a bit rough, but it's the only one of its kind in the world, so I feel proud every time I look at it.
이 경험 후로 저는 손으로 만든 물건이 왜 비싼지 조금은 이해하게 되었어요.
After this experience, I came to understand a little why handmade things are expensive.
Why did it take the writer so long to make the ring?
- The writer didn't understand the instructor
- The ring came out too small twice ✓
- The silver bar melted in the flame
- The writer made the friend's ring too
What did the instructor say about the ring?
- The size must be redone from scratch
- The hammer marks should be smoothed out
- Hammer marks are part of its charm ✓
- It had to be finished within two hours
Which of the following matches the passage?
- The friend finished the ring first ✓
- The writer finished in two hours
- The writer went to the class alone
- The finished ring is smooth and flawless
☂️ Grandfather's Umbrella Repair Stand
저희 할아버지는 사십 년 동안 시장 입구에서 우산을 고치는 일을 하셨어요.
For forty years, my grandfather repaired umbrellas at the entrance to a market.
요즘은 우산이 싸서 고장 나면 버리고 새로 사는 사람이 많아요.
These days umbrellas are cheap, so many people throw them away and buy new ones when they break.
그래도 할아버지는 살이 하나 부러진 우산도 절대 대충 고치지 않으셨어요.
Even so, my grandfather never did a careless job, even on an umbrella with just one broken rib.
우산 하나 고치는 일에 무슨 큰 의미가 있을까마는, 할아버지께는 모든 우산이 소중했어요.
You might doubt that fixing a single umbrella means much, but to my grandfather every umbrella was precious.
할아버지는 손님마다 그 우산에 얽힌 사연을 듣고 기억해 두셨어요.
He listened to each customer's story behind their umbrella and remembered it.
돌아가신 어머니가 남긴 우산이라며 울면서 찾아온 손님도 있었대요.
I heard one customer even came in tears, saying it was an umbrella left by her late mother.
할아버지가 은퇴하신 뒤로는 제가 할아버지께 배운 대로 가족들의 우산을 직접 고쳐 써요.
Since my grandfather retired, I fix my family's umbrellas myself, the way he taught me.
우산을 고칠 때마다 물건을 고치는 일이 결국 사람의 마음을 돌보는 일이라는 것을 느껴요.
Every time I fix an umbrella, I feel that fixing things is, in the end, a way of caring for people's hearts.
What did the grandfather do for work?
- He sold new umbrellas in a market
- He repaired umbrellas at a market ✓
- He worked at an umbrella factory
- He repaired shoes at a market
Why did the grandfather never repair umbrellas carelessly?
- He wanted to charge more
- Customers often complained
- He treasured every umbrella ✓
- New umbrellas were too expensive
What does the writer most want to say?
- It's better to buy a new umbrella
- It's best to throw out old things
- Umbrella repair pays very well
- Fixing things means caring for people ✓