Occupational Licenses with the Biggest Bang for Buck
Some 1.8 million American were laid off or discharged from their jobs each month on average in 2019, according to data from the U. S. Bureau of Labor statistics. People who lose their jobs often confront a difficult choice: should they take a new job that pays less, or should they make a costly investment in gaining new skills so that they can compete for another similar job or an even better one?
If they do decide on retraining ,which programs and occupational licenses are worth their while? In general, the highest-paying jobs tend to have the most difficult education/ training and experience requirements. But that is not always the case. The following are five occupational licenses with the biggest bang for your buck.
Drone Pilots: If you want to become a drone pilot, all you need to do is be above 16 years old, pass the Federal Aviation Administration's Remote Pilot Certificate exam (which requires about 15 to 20 hours of studying), and pay a $ 150 licensing fee. Pay for drone pilots averages $ 56,426 per year, and jobs are growing rapidly across a range of industries. For example, companies like UPS are making substantial investments in drone delivery and will need to hire thousands of drone pilots in the coming years.
Home Inspectors: If you need a job that makes about $ 60K per year, you might want to consider becoming a Home Inspector. Both Home Inspectors and HVAC Contractors earn about $ 61K per year, on average, but getting a state HVAC Contractor license typically requires about 4,000 hours of training and experience (those systems are becoming even more complex), whereas a Home Inspector license only requires 360 hours of training and experience, and much of the training can be gained free of charge on the job.
Massage Therapists: On average, Manicurists/Pedicurists are required to complete more hours of training than Massage Therapists (700 hours versus 500 hours), but Massage Therapists earn almost twice as much, on average ($54,639 versus $ 32,509).
Radiologic Technologists: Licensing requirements for cosmetologists（美容师）have become so onerous that candidates now need 2,700 hours of training and experience on average. That's not much less than the requirement for becoming a Radiologic or MRI Technologist (3,300 hours), a job which is growing considerably faster than average, is more recession - proof, and pays twice as much ($ 56,162 versus $ 28,608).
Dental Hygienists: Among jobs that require a two-year associate's degree granted by a college or university, some pay substantially more than others. The average state licensing fee for becoming a Dental Hygienist is a hefty $ 1,600, but the pay bump you'll receive will likely make up for it ten times over in the first year.
1. The underlined expression "the biggest bang for your buck" in Paragraph 2 probably means ________.| A．the job loss for your hesitation to invest |
| B．a good income resulting from your skills |
| C．a good return for the money you have spent |
| D．the great efforts you'd make to change your life. |
| A．Among the drone operators, those who work for delivery services can earn the most. |
| B．Compared to a home inspector, being an HVAC Contractor is more cost-effective. |
| C．As an MRI technologist, you'd be less likely to be jobless during an economic crisis. |
| D．Higher education isn't a compulsory requirement if you want to be a dental hygienist. |
| A．① Radiologic Technologist; ② Cosmetologist; ③General Contractor |
| B．① Drone Pilot; ② General Contractor; ③ Dental Hygienists |
| C．① Message Therapist; ② Radiologic Technologist; ③ Cosmetologist |
| D．① Drone Piolt; ② Cosmetologist; ③ Radiologic Technologist |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Summer break provides teens with an opportunity to make a little extra money and gain some practical experience.
Take time to think about the types of jobs that are suitable for you.
When you're searching for a summer job, look for help beyond the wanted signs. Let your family, neighbors and teachers know that you're looking for a job. And even if a business doesn't have a sign or advertisement indicating that they are looking for help, stop by and ask a manager.
Be flexible when you're looking for a summer job. Ice cream shops, restaurants, grocery stores and movie theaters commonly hire students. These jobs are probably not what you're looking for.
| A．Look at the skills required for each. |
| B．Figure out what your interests are. |
| C．You can think about your interests and passions. |
| D．You might fill in an application that leads to a position. |
| E．The summer job market for teens can be highly competitive. |
| F．Understand why you want to work and determine where to apply. |
| G．You may take a job that has less desirable hours or that you don't enjoy. |
【推荐2】Have you ever been in a situation when you are unwilling to carry out the tasks that need to be done?
Jump out of bed at the beginning of the day. Research tells us that turning off the alarm clock and going back to sleep are bad for us. You might think lying there and enjoying the warmth of the covers would make you more energized later, but the opposite happens.
Tell yourself you can do something. Action changes everything. One moment you're passive (被动的)and frozen, but the next you're changing things, simply because you act. You are not decided by what went on before. If you do feel stuck, try telling yourself your action statements: I am up at once and I am productive! And definitely no “if only” statements.
Celebrate success and milestones.
| A．This is often considered laziness. |
| B．Set some goals that are likely to be achieved. |
| C．We are actually more tired throughout the day. |
| D．Such a board can be used to fully map out your dreams. |
| E．Make a list of reasons why you want to accomplish tasks. |
| F．You can reward yourself with small gifts for the job well done. |
| G．Those are for people who truly don't want to be satisfied in life |
【推荐3】Twenty-five years ago, most young Britons wanted a career in law, to be a doctor, or, if they were creative enough, to take up singing. But today, things stand differently.
According to a survey by Tesco Mobile, a UK company, the “dream job” of young people aged between 16 and 25 in the UK is a video blogger (写博客的人), or “vlogger (视频博主)”．The survey, carried out among 1,002 people, found that as many as 40 percent of them put vloggers as their number one choice on a list of ideal careers.
This change is undoubtedly as a result of the Internet and social media.They have made it so much easier to reach the audience of the world, without having to enter a career in show business in the traditional way.
In the past, the biggest stars were trained by the Hollywood studios; now, anyone with a computer camera can become a star. Vloggers are the big stars of today because they are normal people interacting (交流) with their fans about everyday life.
However, what people see is only the bright side of being a vlogger and they fail to notice the fact that only those who are successful earn fame (名声) and fortune. For every success there are hundreds of others who never get off the starting line. There are the dreams that come true and the dreams that remain dreams forever.
Although being vloggers is popular, some young people choose to follow careers that don’t necessarily earn them fame, but allow them to make good use of the Internet to share their hobbies.Young Israeli David Leshaw, for example, runs a business called the Finishers Club.It’s an online platform for runners to keep a record of their races.His job allows him to express his enthusiasm, and is always a learning experience.And that’s enough for him．
1. Why do more and more young Britons choose to be vloggers?| A．Vloggers can earn little fame and money on the Internet. |
| B．There is too much competition in the traditional show business. |
| C．The Internet makes it convenient to become vloggers. |
| D．Anyone with a computer will surely become a star. |
| A．Only a few vloggers can be successful. | B．A vlogger can not earn fame or fortune. |
| C．Being a vlogger is not a good career. | D．Dreams will come true one day. |
| A．Learn from others. | B．Become an online hit. |
| C．Hold running races. | D．Mix jobs with hobbies. |
| A．Most young Britons choose to be vloggers as their jobs. |
| B．The Internet is influencing young Britons’ career choice. |
| C．The Internet is taking the place of traditional studios. |
| D．Young Britons can not find jobs without the Internet. |
【推荐1】It’s no secret that humans have been using wells to collect water for a long history. Now, it turns out we’re not the only species that knows how to tap water from the earth.
In April 2019, Science posted an article that details how various horses and donkeys had been seen digging wells up to six feet deep to try and reach fresh water when they were miles away from the nearest natural source. Apparently, they use their hooves (蹄) to dig into the ground until they have enough water. They were found doing so at one site in Mojave Desert, California, and four different sites in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona.
Scientists quickly set up cameras to watch the area and noticed that as many as 57 species visited the well to drink. Most of them were different types of birds, including Cooper’s hawks, owls, and red-tailed hawks. They were not alone. American badgers and even black bears were seen drinking from the new wells too. It seems that many of the wells became an oasis (绿洲) for those in the surrounding areas as the likes of river toads, sheep, and mule deer all moved into the area.
It seems the wild donkeys and horses that dig wells have done a lot more than create a place to drink; they have changed the local environment now that everything has access to fresh water. Cottonwoods and willows quickly started to appear in some of the spots as they germinated (发芽) in the fresh soil. Not only has this changed the landscape, but it could be the difference needed to bring some of the endangered and critical desert trees back from the edge. Scientists have called it “ecosystem engineering”, an event that sees animals change their environment. The most well- known example of this has often come in the form of beavers (an animal), who create dams that prevent wildfires, raise the water table, and enhance species diversity. Now, it seems the wild donkeys and horses have found a new way to improve their areas, too.
1. What do we know about the wild horses’ wells?| A．They were mostly close to each other. |
| B．They were too small to give enough water. |
| C．They were distant from other water sources. |
| D．They were dug to attract other species. |
| A．They were found where trees grew well. |
| B．They quickly attracted many local animals. |
| C．They caused the local ecosystem to worsen. |
| D．They were accessible only to large animals. |
| A．To provide details. | B．To give explanations. |
| C．To make a comparison. | D．To support a theory. |
| A．How Do Animals in the Desert Get Water? |
| B．It Turns Out Wild Donkeys and Horses Dig Wells |
| C．What Is the Main Source of Water for Desert Animals? |
| D．Water Sources Increase Species Richness in the Desert |
【推荐2】The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 50 million people around the world have dementia. Alzheimer’s disease might be the cause of 60 to 70 percent of dementia cases. Alzheimer’s slowly attacks areas of the brain needed for memory, reasoning, communication and basic, daily tasks. There is no known cure for the disease. And long-standing treatments on the market just manage symptoms.
Last year, Drugmaker Biogen’s aduhelm became the first new Alzheimer’s drug introduced in the past 20 years. Given weak evidence of its effectiveness and the high prices, doctors and insurers have not given the treatment to patients. The beta-amyloid protein is involved in the development of Alzheimer’s. This year, Biogen and Eisai developed lecanemab. Both lecanemab and aduhelmaim to remove the protein from the brain. But lecanemab tries to clear the protein before it could form a hard cover on the brain. The companies said early results of the study of lecanemab showed that the treatment reduced thinking loss by 27 percent when compared to a placebo, an inactive substance. The one year-long study involved l,800 subjects. All had been identified with early-stage Alzheimer’s. The patients were measured for mental decline and their ability to do daily activities like putting on clothes and feeding themselves.
Dr. Jeff Cummings is the director of the Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The expert told Reuters, “If you can slow a disease by almost 30 percent, that’s fantastic.”
Eisai said they would discuss the full results from the study in late November. They also plan to publish findings in a medical publication. And the company said it was seeking quick approval for the drug in the United States, Japan and Europe by early next year.
The race to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s comes as the number of Americans living with the disease is expected to double to 13 million by 2050, the Alzheimer’s Association said.
1. What is paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．What WHO does. | B．What Alzheimer’s is. |
| C．How dementia is treated. | D．What affects human’s brain. |
| A．Aduhelm. | B．Placebo. | C．Lecanemab. | D．Beta-amyloid protein. |
| A．It rarely shows effects. |
| B．It is still in development. |
| C．It has been officially put into use. |
| D．It cured some patients of the Alzheimer’s. |
| A．Alzheimer’s will disappear in 30 years. |
| B．Slower progress is made in studying Alzheimer’s. |
| C．There is an urgent need to find cure for Alzheimer’s. |
| D．Alzheimer’s will bring more severe pains to patients. |
However, it was not until 1974, following the chance discovery of the Army of Terracotta Warriors by well-digging farmers, that Xi'an was once again pushed onto the international map. Three decades later, the local government is pouring funds into the tourism sector. Ancient monuments and museums are being restored, and various copies of Buddhist and Tang heritage are being constructed to help Chinese tourists rediscover their national heritage.
One of those ancient monuments is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda-Xi'an's most sacred (神圣的) monument-which was built in 652 by the monk Xuanzang ,who travelled across India for 18 years and returned with a precious collection of Buddhist sacred texts. In 1966,the Red Guards burnt the pagoda's scriptures, silk wall hangings and other relics in a bonfire that raged all night. But that destruction has largely been forgotten as tourists flock to the newly restored pagoda. The only original remainders-the empty shell of the seven-storey pagoda-light up at night, standing out in the city's skyline.
Xi'an is also displaying the glories of the ancient Tang Dynasty, with a 165-acre Tang Paradise Theme Park that is visited by flocks of tourist groups. Although every bit of this Tang heritage is recreated, it is artistically pleasing, landscaped with ponds and lakes, classical gardens, bridges, palaces and pavilions. Explore the vast area on a golf cart, hopping on and off to see shortened operas from the Tang Dynasty days, laser shows on the lake, highly structured man-made waterfalls, as well as murals and statues of historical figures ,philosophers and poets.
A 36km drive northeast takes you to Xi'an's most famous attraction, the Army of Terracotta Warriors. They were made to order in 221BC by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huangdi, who used the forced labour of 700,000 subjects to create a mausoleum(陵庙) guarded by an entire army.
1. From the passage we can learn that a large sum of money of the local government in Xi'an is being ploughed into .
| A．restoring the monuments |
| B．restoring the Pagoda |
| C．tourism industry |
| D．exploring the history |
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．One. | D．Six. |
| A．Visitors are pleased with the survivals from the Tang Dynasty. |
| B．The natural waterfalls in it are very attractive. |
| C．It is totally recreated but is artistically pleasant. |
| D．Visitors can appreciate the full Tang Dynasty operas. |
| A．Make a visit to ancient sites at once. |
| B．China's ancient capital rises again. |
| C．Travel to the Army of Terracotta Warriors. |
| D．Take a view in the modern city. |
【推荐1】A few years ago, Adina Lichtman was handing out sandwiches on the streets of New York City to help people experiencing homelessness. One man, grateful for the sandwich, approached her and offered a surprising idea.
“It’s great that you’re giving out sandwiches,” he said, “but one thing we really need is socks, especially as winter approaches.”
“Here I was, sandwiches in hand, thinking I knew the best way to help people,” Lichtman said. “It was a powerful lesson, and I wanted to put it into action.”
She began that night, with a simple step: going door-to-door on the floor of her dormitory at New York University, asking her classmates if they could each just donate (捐赠) just one pair of their own socks to someone experiencing homelessness. She got 40 pairs of socks in a single night, from a single floor. The next morning she opened her door to find a lot of socks that other people had donated.
That morning officially kicked off Knock Knock, Give a Sock (KKGS), a new nonprofit (非营利的) organization that has now provided over 350,000 pairs of socks to the homeless across America. To date, over 50 colleges and high schools across the US have joined KKGS over the years.
“While many people donate clothing, 9 out of every 10 clothing donors have never donated socks. On top of that, people who are trying to donate socks often find it difficult to donate used socks,” she says. “KKGS is one of the only organizations that collects used socks. We have volunteers knocking on doors of their classmates in school, of their workmates at work, and even of their neighbors.”
But, whether you’re 26 or 62, you don’t need to wait to organize your own sock drive, collect socks, or even wash and clean some of your own to donate to your local shelter, or someone in need who you meet on the street.
1. How did the homeless man’s words affect Lichtman?| A．They caused her to start KKGS. |
| B．They pushed her to go to college. |
| C．They encouraged her to house the homeless. |
| D．They made her continue to give out sandwiches. |
| A．Some refused it politely. |
| B．They strongly supported it. |
| C．Some felt quite surprised by it. |
| D．They considered it unreasonable. |
| A．Take action in small ways. |
| B．Start your own organization. |
| C．Make donations from an early age. |
| D．Find creative ways to help people. |
【推荐2】I never meant to be a teacher. I watched my mother over the years, and I knew it wasn’t for me.
Going back to school to learn French and then teach the language, our mother had changed the center of her world when we were pre-teens.
When we went to bed, I knew how worried she could be over her students when they were troubled and how much of their stress she took on herself.
What I didn’t realize was this life she’d chosen offered her deep rewards.
As I grew up, I fell in love with a French-speaking Swiss man who asked me to marry him and move to Switzerland. Years later, when I found myself back in my hometown with a small child and a love of my second language, a chance arose for me to join my mother’s world of education, and I accepted.
I landed in a primary school in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. From the first week, I knew I’d stick with teaching. This is the most challenging experience I’ve ever had, and absolutely the best. I teach French, and I have never felt so much excitement as when I receive smiles from children, or praise from other teachers.
Most of my students have not traveled outside the town where they live, and for some, a trip to the city museum proves the most adventurous experience in their lives. If I could somehow open the world to these children, and if I could push them a bit, to dream of living in a bigger word, they may work harder and maybe one day venture beyond their neighborhood.
I work late into each night creating lessons and activities for the following day, trying to come up with ways to attract my students and connect them to the larger world. I also plan to go back to school for further study so that I can also teach science, math, social studies, reading and writing.
1. Why did the author say no to teaching at first?| A．She didn’t like to work with children. |
| B．It would take up too much of her time and energy. |
| C．Her mother wanted her to do something else. |
| D．She wasn’t sure if she could do it well. |
| A．When she had her own child. |
| B．During the time when she lived abroad. |
| C．Immediately after she started teaching. |
| D．When she learnt about her students’ dreams. |
| A．Their lives are mostly limited to their hometown. |
| B．Most of them come from poor families. |
| C．They knew nothing about French in the beginning. |
| D．They work hard and dream big. |
| A．Work in her mother’s school. |
| B．Experiment with new teaching methods. |
| C．Teach more languages besides French. |
| D．Receive further education in teaching. |
【推荐3】Travelling to China is like travelling to another world. Its many famous beautiful places will make you lose yourself in them. However, it is usually not enough for a traveller only to visit these nice places. If you have time to see the local people, talk with them and even have dinner with a local family, it would be a wonderful experience, to know more about the local people’s life style at home in China.
New Hope Travel Agency will arrange a family visit to Xi’an, an ancient historic city inChina. We especially have chosen typical local families to host this activity in which you can see the true living style of Chinese people. Most of the hosts retired at home, so they are happy to see visitors from different countries to come to their homes.
Not only can we arrange to visit the local family but we can arrange to taste the true home cooked dishes. Our tour guide will ask you for advice about the food you want to eat. Just enjoy the locally cooked dishes. It’ll be quite a different and exciting experience.
Our agency also provides a good opportunity for you to learn to cook Chinese food. We have a general cooking class in the local family. If you’d like to learn to cook one or two Chinese dishes, please go to our Chinese Food Cooking Class to choose your favorite dishes.
Don’t wait. Welcome to China.
1. Where does the writer want the tourist to travel?| A．To the local family. | B．To beautiful places. |
| C．To the mountains. | D．To cooking. schools. |
| A．Yan’an | B．Beijing |
| C．Xi’an | D．Shanghai |
| A．they have retired and have free time | B．they want to learn a foreign language |
| C．they want to make some money | D．they want to travel to another country |
【推荐1】Many people think that we have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, “This is my fortune. I cannot change it.”
Of course not! You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your life depends on you, not on any other external factor.
I know a woman who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it. Guess what her lifestyle is? She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with, watches TV, and then goes to sleep. And the next day, the same routine cycle follows.
Is this what she calls “doing her best”? She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it that this is the life that has been intended for her, and that her luck can only change if God wills it. She hasn't realized that we have to do our share of making the effort to live the life of our dreams.
Remember that you harvest what your sow. You have to get off the sofa, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone, and get your mind and body to work! Don't expect your luck to change unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback; instead, learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to solve the problem. It's not enough to think positively；you also have to act positively.
If someone's life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You get to do anything you can to save the person. So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to do your best. In other words, don't just stand (or sit) there, do something to improve your life.
1. The text is mainly written to advise you to ________.| A．improve your life | B．understand yourself |
| C．believe in yourself | D．encourage yourself to work hard |
| A．enjoys her life very much | B．takes her way of life for granted |
| C．tries her best to improve her life | D．fails to achieve her life goal |
| A．Many people do little to change their life. |
| B．You have to count on others for success. |
| C．One can harvest everything with great efforts. |
| D．Few people are willing to make full use of setbacks. |
| A．positive thinking | B．hope for the best |
| C．positive action | D．good luck |
【推荐2】Islands in the world are famous for different things. But Hawaii is special for its variety of features. Beautiful sandy beaches, active volcanoes (火山），a great canyon (溪谷) and special history and culture add up to create its famously romantic atmosphere.
Formed by volcanoes at the bottom of the sea, the Hawaii islands are like a necklace in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 6,000 kilometers off the west coast of Mexico. There are eight main islands in the group, including Hawaii (or Big Island), Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau.
The youngest and biggest island, also called Hawaii was formed 430,000 years ago and is still growing. Kauai, the oldest was formed 5.1 million years ago. For tourists, the sight of the lava (溶岩) that still flows from some of the volcanoes down to the sea, is a major attraction.
Hawaii is the newest and smallest state in the US. In 1900, the islands joined the US. In modern history, it will always be remembered for the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese air force in 1941.
About 1,000 years ago, the islands were settled by Polynesians (波利尼西亚人), Captain James Cook led the first group of Westerners there in 1778.
Native Hawaiians have a special culture and language. Although nowadays English is the official language of Hawaii, folk music and dancing are still widely practiced. The traditional dance of the islands is the hula, a Hawaiian word that means dance.
Hawaii's reputation for romance was spread when Hollywood started to use its typical music in movies in the 1960's.
Today, Hawaii is famous for its mix of cultures. Chinese, Japanese and Filipinos all live there.Chinese arrived in the islands as early as the late 18th century. Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the famous Chinese revolutionary, grew up there.
Everyone in Hawaii is a member of an ethnic minority (少数民方矣) and generally they exist in a pleasant harmony (和谐）of races and cultures.
1. Which of the following about Hawaii is NOT true?| A．There are eight main islands in the group Hawaii islands. |
| B．Hawaii islands are like a necklace in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. |
| C．Hawaii islands are formed by volcanoes on earth. |
| D．Hawaii is the smallest and youngest state in the US. |
| A．The Hawaii islands are all formed 5.1 million years ago |
| B．Hawaii islands were settled by Japanese in 1941 |
| C．Hawaii is an area with one nation |
| D．Hawaii is a famous tourist destination |
| A．Features of Hawaii islands. |
| B．History and culture of Hawaii. |
| C．Hawaii—a perfect destination. |
| D．My experience in Hawaii. |
【推荐3】For years, business people in Western Europe were worried. They knew they could not compete against business from the U.S. The United States is much larger and had many more resources than any Western European countries.
Some European people realized that the European nations need to join together to help each other. If they could forget their language differences and the differences in customs, they might become strong competition against other countries.
In 1958, six of the European countries — Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Italy got together and decided to cooperate. They called their group the European Economic Community, or the Common Market. These countries agreed to join their resources together.
Within a few years, the European Economic Community had worked so well that its members were more prosperous than many other European nations. Soon, other nations began to realize the advantage of the Common Market. Today the Common Market includes most of the important countries in Western Europe. It is helping Western Europe to again take its place as a leader among the industrial nations of the world.
1. From the passage we know the U.S. is much richer than ________ in resources.| A．any other Western European countries | B．any other country in Western Europe |
| C．any country in Western Europe | D．every country in Europe |
| A．share their resources and become more prosperous |
| B．can again take the place as a leader in the world |
| C．forget the differences in their languages and customs |
| D．have become strong competition against the U.S. |
| A．The Common Market is only a political association. |
| B．The Common Market is an economic and political association. |
| C．The Common Market is only an economic association. |
| D．The Common Market is neither an economic association nor a political one. |
| A．join together to found a united country |
| B．help each other to smooth away the differences in customs |
| C．work and act together for common purpose |
| D．work together and fight against the U.S. |
