For decades, world wars and fears of a brave new world have made British workers very anxious. Yet it appears that the rise of robots has been overestimated, according to new data. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) published a series of data which showed that far fewer jobs are at risk of replacement by robots than previously thought.
In 2017, out of the 19.9 million jobs analyzed in England, 7. 4 percent of people were employed in jobs at high risk of replacement. This marked a fall of 0.7 percent less than in 2011. However, the number of employees that were in jobs at low risk of replacement in 2017 was 27.7 percent of all employees, a rise of 2.4 percent since 2011.
The ONS found that the three jobs with the highest possibility of replacement are waiters and waitresses, shelf fillers and the most basic sales jobs. As expected, regular things in a fixed order and repeated tasks can be carried out more quickly and efficiently by an algorithm(计算程序) written by a human, or a machine designed for specific functions. Therefore, the risk of replacement in such jobs is to be higher.
However, the three jobs at the lowest risk of replacement are doctors, higher education professionals and senior education professionals. Furthermore, while the general number of jobs has increased, most of these are jobs that are at low or medium (中等的) risk, suggesting that the labour market may be changing to jobs that require more complex skills.
Alessandro, an expert in AI, said he was not surprised by the fall in jobs which were at risk. “When something like technology becomes fashionable, there's a rise in major expectations. Our expectation reaches the highest point, and then it comes back down to a more realistic level,” he added.
1. What do data in paragraph 2 mainly want to show?| A．Robots are helpful to job market. |
| B．The future of robots looks bright, |
| C．Robots have better performance than people. |
| D．The threat of job replacement by robots isn't as serious as expected. |
| A．Regular and repeated tasks are likely to be replaced. |
| B．The work of service will no longer exist. |
| C．More people prefer working on computers. |
| D．Jobs with lower pay will totally be replaced by machines. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Uncertain. |
| C．Supportive. | D．Critical. |
| A．Most Jobs Are Being Replaced by Robot |
| B．Jobs Replaced by Robots Are Fewer Than Thought |
| C．People's Anxiety on Education |
| D．The Robot Application on Education Industry |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】The idea of a four-day workweek used to be a pipedream for most workers and firms. But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies around the world have given it a go — and gathered promising results.
In the US and Ireland, a six-month trial among 33 volunteer companies in 2022 showed a positive impact on company performance, productivity and employee wellbeing. Employees working the shortened week reported less stress and fatigue, plus improved work-life balance and satisfaction. The 27 companies that submitted a final survey rated the trial a nine out of 10. In a 2022 UK trial of 70 firms, 86% of companies said the four-day week was a great success. They cited benefits such as increased productivity and significant financial savings for employees on transport and childcare.
Yet despite the overwhelmingly positive data, a four-day workweek still seems out of reach for many workers. Tech workers in flexible, forward-thinking small companies might hope for such a benefit in the near future, but it is harder to expect the same change for schoolteachers or office workers in more traditional companies.
“In practice, what we see is more small and medium companies trialling the four-day workweek,” says Pedro Gomes, author of Friday is the new Saturday. Other organizations for which four-day workweeks are likely off the table are hourly-and service-based — like restaurants, retail and healthcare — where a shorter workweek and subsequently fewer shifts eventually means pay cuts. Creating a pathway to less labour may be impossible in these industries, if it means losing out on pay.
Even facing resistance from some leaders, experts say it is likely the four-day week will become more mainstream. In sectors that are already welcoming the shift, the 32-hour week is emerging as “a tool for competitive advantage in terms of talent, attraction and retention”, says Joe O’Connor, director of the Work Time Reduction Center of Excellence. “In tech companies, not offering a four-day week will be almost a competitive disadvantage.”
1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?| A．The popularity of a four-day workweek. |
| B．Why a four-day workweek is necessary. |
| C．How a four-day workweek is carried out. |
| D．The problems with a four-day workweek. |
| A．Government officers. | B．Schools and hospitals. |
| C．Small tech companies. | D．Traditional big companies. |
| A．Reduced stress. | B．Lower incomes. |
| C．Better performance. | D．Increased productivity. |
| A．It will be the future trend. | B．It will face great challenge. |
| C．It will have negative effects. | D．It will improve productivity. |
【推荐2】If you’re searching for your dream graduate job, have faith. These top tips can help you get your perfect graduate job quickly.
Appear professional on social media.
The first thing you should be doing as a graduate job searcher is making sure you have a professional online presence.
Upload your CV (履历) to job sites.
It’s not only job seekers who use job sites — employers often search through them when looking for potential candidates too. There’s a chance that a future employer could come across your CV on a job site and realize you’re the ideal candidate for them.
The way to blow a potential employer away is by showing them you have a real interest in the company. Whether it’s for an application or when you’re through to the interview stage, knowing your business is sure to impress. Not only this, but after spending a good hour or so reading up on a company, the work they do and the role you’re applying for, we can guarantee that your covering letter will be easier to tailor.
| A．Research companies before applying for jobs. |
| B．Tailor every application for the role. |
| C．It’s too good an opportunity to miss. |
| D．And it is much more likely to impress. |
| E．In fact, we think being professional is quite important. |
| F．Smaller startup companies are too often overlooked by job seekers. |
| G．We don’t mean you have to post photos of yourself wearing a suit and tie online. |
【推荐3】Want to find a job? Now read the following advertisements.
FAIRMONT HOTEL
Five Waiters and Ten Waitresses
— Aged under 22
— At least high school graduate
— Good-looking; men at least 1.72 meters tall and women at least 1.65
— Those knowing foreign languages favored
— Paid 1,600—2,200 dollars per month
One Secretary
— Aged under 30
— Female favored
— Good at writing and skilled at computer
If interested, call 465-4768 or write to:
Mr. Jack Hundris
Room 0825, Fairmont Hotel
567 Wood Street, San Markers, 78003
Fax: 6954828
WILSON BOOKSTORE
Accountant (会计)
— Aged between 25 and 40
— With an experience of at least two years
— With a degree and an accountant certificate (证书)
— Paid 3,000—4,000 dollars monthly
— With a practical knowledge of computer
Salesclerk
— Basic education of 12 years or more
— Good at computer
— Paid 1,800—2,200 dollars monthly
Tel: 447-4398
Fax: 3485269
1. If you don’t know how to use a computer, you can just get the position as ________.| A．a waiter or waitress | B．a secretary |
| C．an accountant | D．a salesclerk |
| A．having been an accountant | B．knowing well how to use a computer |
| C．being a woman | D．having an accountant certificate |
| A．you’ll be better paid in Wilson Bookstore than in Fairmont Hotel |
| B．the better education you’ve received, the more money you’ll make |
| C．all the jobs offered require experience |
| D．if you want to be an accountant, you may call 465-4768 |
【推荐1】Pets are a significant part of society today. However, some people who would like to have a pet are not able to find the time to care for one because of their busy lives. Other people who love animals have allergies that prevent them from owning a pet.
A robot pet is an artificial animal, created to serve as the perfect replacement for a live pet.
One disadvantage of owning a live pet is that it usually needs to be taken outside and fed at least twice a day, whereas with a robot pet, these chores aren’t required.
As technology advances, more and more lifelike pets will appear emerge, creating even more opportunities for all kinds of people to become pet owners.
| A．If people are not able to own live pets |
| B．When a live pet gets old and passes away |
| C．If a pet owner becomes tired of owning a pet |
| D．Some popular robot pets actually have senses |
| E．Keeping live pets can be the best way to solve the problems |
| F．Many of these robot pets are able to express emotions as well |
| G．A robot pet may be the perfect choice for these types of people |
【推荐2】With a relatively small population, pandas are unable to survive in the bamboo forest. Habitat loss is the main reason why the number of wild panda is falling. And while around 54% of its wild habitat is protected, these areas are still likely to be destroyed by natural disasters, such as wildfires. To protect panda habitat, the Digital Panda System, co- developed by the Sichuan government and Chinese technology giant Huawei, was used effectively across forest and grasslands in Sichuan Province.
The unique reporting system helps to detect wildfires in hard-to-reach areas, informing fire departments, as well as monitoring wildlife. Meanwhile, another smart technology, facial recognition, could help identify individual pandas more accurately. To the human eye, their fur-covered faces all look the same, but this system can use specific methods to distinguish the differences.
The system collects data from 596 cameras and satellites. Researchers can use this data to track and study wildlife, as well as detect wildfire location. Because the cameras are used in remote areas where there is little or no electricity, the system is solar powered, which means it doesn’t require cables (电缆). The system assists 140,000 forest keepers and researchers in Sichuan. In its first five months of operations, it discovered 651 wildfire locations, reducing forest fires by 71.6% compared to the same period the previous year.
Despite its name, the Digital Panda System offers protection to more than just pandas. The system covers a newly established Giant Panda National Park in Sichuan. The park is home to most of China’s 1800 wild pandas — along with over 8000 animals and plant species. In the future, the digital panda system could be applied nationwide, creating more success stories for other endangered species.
1. Why was the Digital Panda System developed?| A．To monitor the health of giant pandas. |
| B．To record the population of wild animals. |
| C．To predict natural disasters in Sichuan Province. |
| D．To protect endangered species from habitat loss. |
| A．Its main functions. | B．Its unique design. |
| C．Methods of using it. | D．Inspiration for creating it. |
| A．It has been applied successfully nationwide. |
| B．It requires a lot of electricity to operate. |
| C．It works effectively in reducing forest fires. |
| D．It mainly depends on satellites to collect data. |
| A．Human activities cause pandas to lose their home. |
| B．Smart technology is helping to save endangered animals. |
| C．Huawei has taken the lead in facial recognition technology. |
| D．The digital panda system has protected many species’ habitat. |
【推荐3】Electronic sensors built into paper could be used in a range of ways from information storage to touch screens and more.
Electronic sensors built into cartons（纸盒）may make it easier to tell when it’s time to throw out rotten milk or orange juice. And that’s just the start. At least that’s the goal for researchers working on putting electronics into paper. They’re trying to figure out how to combine the flexibility, low-cost and recyclability of paper with the information-carrying ability of electronics.
Daniel Torbjork, a physics graduate student in Finland, has been working on the problem. He’s published a review of the field in the journal Advanced Materials.
Much research has been focused in this area. While most electronic applications require patterned conducting structures, conductive paper could be used in applications such as energy storage devices, sensors, electric heaters and others, according to Torbjork.
“You could even have some interactive functions in magazines,” Torbjork said, “You could put a simple game in a package. If you want a touch screen, press a button and then something happen. Sensors in paper could tell us when something has gone bad.”
Additional applications, such as information storage and security paper, have been suggested for magnetic papers containing magnetite. In Massachusetts, researchers have figured out how to post a video of such a device put into a paper airplane.
German researchers have also put electronic chips in paper bank notes to defend counter-feiters（造伪币者）. Paper is a good material but printing electronics also requires low-cost manufacturing. As many US and European paper makers lose market share to cheaper paper from China, these big paper companies are looking for added value products. That’s where electronic paper devices could make a difference.
“The major obstacles are paper’s large surface roughness and chemical impurities.” Torbjork says. But others in the field think that electronic sensors in paper are still far from the consumer marketplace.
“I don’t think it’s going to happen.” said Roy Horgan. “You need a conductive surface. It could be 10 years out. What we are looking for are solutions that you can commercialize today.”
Solar Print is partnering with Italian automaker Fiat to develop a unique auto-glass with tiny photostatic cells（光电）that can capture electricity from the sun. In the meantime, using paper to conduct electricity is still a “blue-sky” project.
“I would love to see someone prove me wrong, because that means that it’s actually happening.” Horgan said. “If someone comes up with conductive paper, then that’s a very interesting technology.”
1. Putting electronics into paper will ________.| A．cut the cost and impurity of paper |
| B．depend on flexible conductive structure |
| C．help consume rotten milk or orange juice |
| D．combine the advantages of paper and electronics |
| A．practical use | B．theories |
| C．structures | D．design process |
| A．put an end to fake money | B．make the paper smoother |
| C．add more value to paper | D．improve the printing technology |
| A．has a burning desire to make a great profit |
| B．showed much interest in Solar Print industry |
| C．is not confident about the conductive paper |
| D．started a “blue-sky” project to study paper |
【推荐1】Armed with surprisingly powerful forelegs, the brown bear, also known as grizzly, is the fastest of the eight bear species, reaching speeds of up to 35 mph. The grizzly is only slightly faster than the world’s most common bear species, the American black bear.
Of course, a bear would be able to achieve such a speed only at the top of its athletic ability—not fresh out of hibernation (冬眠), having lost 15% to 30% of its body weight — and only on certain soft, flat surfaces into which their long claws (爪子) can run easily.
In any case, bears are surprisingly fast considering their huge bodies. Discover the characters that make their quickness possible, and what to do (besides run) if you encounter one in the wild.
Even the fastest known human on Earth, Usain Bolt, could not run faster than a determined black or grizzly bear at its top speed. The famous Jamaican short-distance runner achieved the fastest recorded human foot speed ever during a 2009 race in Berlin. He was clocked going an unbelievable 27.8 mph, about 4 mph faster than his average (平均) speed and more than 10 mph faster than the average human runner. Still, that’s 7 mph slower than the supposed top speed of a grizzly and just over 2 mph short of a black bear’s.
At his record speed, Bolt may be able to run faster than a slow polar bear, which tops out at 24 mph, or a panda, which can reportedly go 20 mph. A bear, however, can keep up speeds of 25 to 28 miles per hour for 2 miles. The average human, running at a comparatively slow 15 mph, would simply not stand a chance. The good news is that bears, and most wildlife, would usually rather avoid humans than run after them. They generally only attack to protect their food, young, and space.
1. What does the text mainly tell about the bear?| A．Its types. | B．Its speed. | C．Its power. | D．Its weight. |
| A．Watch over. | B．Pick out. | C．Run after. | D．Come across. |
| A．To make readers better understand the bears' speed. |
| B．To describe the fastest man in the world. |
| C．To warn us of the great danger from the bears. |
| D．To introduce a new topic to discuss. |
| A．A bear. | B．A panda. | C．A polar bear. | D．An average human. |
Take a good look at the American burying beetle(甲虫)Once found in 35 states, the insect is assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as critically endangered. Like the tiger, the American burying beetle has orange and black stripes(条纹); like the tiger, the beetle is declining in number. The tiger is an instantly recognizable symbol of species preservation, but most people aren’t familiar with the beetle.
This difference is an example of the domination of the so-called celebrity species—the fascinating creatures that nonprofits and government agencies use to raise public interest in conservation. Most nonprofit funds for animal protection go to species such as apes, elephants, big cats, rhinoceroses, and giant pandas. Tigers are often rated the most popular animal—and India, home to the majority of these big cats, spent more than 49 million on tiger conservation alone in 2019. Meanwhile, many lesser known species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and birds weaken in namelessness. Worldwide, more than 35, 500 plant and animal species are on the edge of disappearing forever.
This leaves us with a tough situation. Conservation is underfunded, so how do we decide which species to save?
One potential solution, the debatable idea of conservation triage(检伤分类), holds that experts need to quickly decide which species can be saved while realizing that others can’t be saved. Conservationists have developed analytical tools to approach the question in a less emotional, more practical way. Fish and Wildlife Service now uses this knapsack (背包)method—inspired by a hiker’s need to fit the most valuable items into a small space—to get the “most bang for their buck” in saving species. The method calculates the most efficient conservation strategies using factors such as costs to recover a species and its likelihood of going extinct.
1. What does the first paragraph serve to the whole passage?| A．To propose a definition | B．To introduce the topic |
| C．To reach a conclusion | D．To present an argument |
| A．Concerned. | B．Unclear. |
| C．Optimistic | D．Indifferent. |
| A．Damage to the environment. | B．Hard work for a goal. |
| C．Best value for money. | D．Most fun from the hike. |
| A．Causes of some animals’ endangerment. |
| B．Other methods of deciding which species to save. |
| C．The authorities’ role in reasonable use of funds. |
| D．An appeal to save the American burying beetle. |
Most of us feel bad when we make mistakes, beat ourselves up about it, feel like failures, get mad at ourselves.
And that’s only natural: most of us have been taught from a young age that mistakes are bad, that we should try to avoid mistakes. We’ve been scolded when we make mistakes—at home, school and work. Maybe not always, but probably enough times to make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction.
Yet without mistakes, we could not learn or grow. If you think about it that way, mistakes should be cherished and celebrated for being one of the most amazing things in the world: they make learning possible; they make growth and improvement possible.
By trial and error—trying things, making mistakes, and learning from those mistakes—we have figured out how to make electric light, to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, to fly.
Mistakes make walking possible for the smallest toddler, make speech possible, make works of genius possible.
Think about how we learn: we don’t just consume information about something and instantly know it or know how to do it. You don’t just read about painting, or writing, or computer programming, or baking, or playing the piano, and know how to do them right away. Instead, you get information about something, from reading or from another person or from observing, then you make mistakes and repeat, making mistakes, learning from those mistakes, until you’ve pretty much learned how to do something. That’s how we learn as babies and toddlers, and how we learn as adults. Mistakes are how we learn to do something new—because if you succeed at something, it’s probably something you already knew how to do. You haven’t really grown much from that success—at most it’s the last step on your journey, not the whole journey. Most of the journey was made up of mistakes, if it’s a good journey.
So if you value learning, if you value growing and improving, then you should value mistakes. They are amazing things that make a world of brilliance possible.
1. Why do most of us feel bad about making mistakes?
| A．Because mistakes make us suffer a lot. |
| B．Because it’s a natural part in our life. |
| C．Because we’ve been taught so from a young age. |
| D．Because mistakes have ruined many people’s careers. |
| A．We should try to avoid making mistakes. |
| B．We should owe great inventions mainly to mistakes. |
| C．We should treat mistakes as good chances to learn. |
| D．We should make feeling bad about mistakes an unconscious reaction. |
| A．a small child learning to walk |
| B．a kindergarten child learning to draw |
| C．a primary pupil learning to read |
| D．a school teenager learning to write |
| A．most of us can really grow from success |
| B．growing and improving are based on mistakes |
| C．we learn to make mistakes by trial and error |
| D．we read about something and know how to do it right away |
【推荐1】Singapore researchers say they have developed a form of electronic skin that can create a sense of touch. They hope their invention will give people with prosthetic hands (假肢手) the ability to identify different objects.
The skin device measures 1 square centimeter. The system contains 100 small sensors that attempt to recreate things like texture (质地), temperature and even pain. The researchers call the device Asynchronous Coded Electronic Skin, or ACES, which can process information faster than humans' nervous system. Machine learning methods trained the device to recognize 20 to 30 different textures. It can even correctly read Braille letters most of the time, the researchers say.
The system does not require the users' movement to work. Humans need to slide to feel texture. But in this case the skin, with just a single touch, is able to detect textures of different roughness.
A demonstration showed that the device could identify the difference between a soft ball and a solid plastic one. “When you lose your sense of touch, you essentially become numb and prosthetic users face that problem,” said Benjamin Tee, leader of the research team. “So by recreating an artificial version of the skin, for their prosthetic devices, they can hold a hand and feel the warmth and feel that it is soft.”
Tee said his idea for the device came from the movie Star Wars, when character Luke Skywalker loses his right hand and it is replaced with a robotic one. In the film, the new hand is able to experience touch sensations just like the real one.
The artificial skin technology is still going through experiments and development. But Tee said there had already been a lot of interest in the system, especially from the medical community. Tee said similar inventions that his team has developed include see-through skin that can repair itself when torn and a material for wearable electronic devices that gives off light.
1. Which of the following can best describe ACES?| A．Tiny and smart. | B．Simple and fashionable. |
| C．Rough and ready. | D．See-through and short-lived. |
| A．The artificial skin feels warm when touched. |
| B．The prosthetic devices should be made softer. |
| C．The device can recreate the feeling of real touch. |
| D．The sense of touch is often overlooked by people. |
| A．The financial needs. | B．A scene of a famous movie. |
| C．The interest in Braille letters. | D．A desire to help those in need. |
| A．Mature | B．Unreliable | C．Promising | D．Debatable |
【推荐2】A flock of wild mandarin ducks(鸳鸯) are the biggest draw in the West Lake scenic area in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, with tourists flocking from around the country to see them. However, some of the tourists have been feeding the ducks, even pulling them by the neck to force-feed them. On Monday, a video claiming that some of the ducks had died from over-feeding went viral on social networking sites.
Although there are prominent signboards warning people against feeding them, tourists just cannot hold back. Some even believe the ducks are underfed and they are doing them a favor, little realizing that their action can be detrimental to the birds' health.
Human food does not always go down well with ducks, particularly potato chips, as the oily snack can damage the health of mandarin ducks. However, tourists can frequently be seen feeding the ducks food that the birds cannot digest. Besides, feeding the ducks could stop them from competing in the wild to find their food. If they become dependent on food provided by humans, they will lose their survival skills. Also, by giving food to them, the tourists are polluting the environment. Especially, food thrown into the water could harm the ecosystem there.
However, the tourists know little about the harm they cause to the environment and there is a need to create awareness about it. Meanwhile, the number of mandarin ducks at West Lake has dropped from 336 last year to 260 this year. Maybe the declining numbers will wake the tourists up to this reality.
1. What is the main reason for the ducks' death in the West Lake according to the passage?| A．The ducks are fed with oily snacks. | B．The tourists fail to see the warning signs. |
| C．The tourists feed the ducks too much food. | D．The tourists kill the ducks by pulling their necks. |
| A．harmful. | B．sensitive. | C．vital. | D．beneficial. |
| A．Human food is not suitable for ducks to digest. |
| B．Food thrown into the water does harm to the ecosystem. |
| C．Tourists' feeding ducks may have a bad effect on ducks and the environment. |
| D．Ducks may lose their survival skills if receiving food from people all the time. |
| A．More mandarin ducks are seen in the West Lake this year than before. |
| B．People have already known the damage they did to the mandarin ducks. |
| C．More mandarin ducks are likely to be introduced to the West Lake in the future. |
| D．It's high time that people should be aware of the harm to ducks caused by overfeeding. |
【推荐3】Tricia Hurt, her husband Brian, and their son Brady were out enjoying a fishing adventure on Marsh-Miller Lake in Wisconsin when they found a baby bear in huge suffering. According to the locals in the area, the little bear had been running on land with a plastic tub on his head for three to four days, but he somehow got into the water, worsening his condition.
The bear could be seen swimming in fear and shifting away from the family as they edged the boat closer. He was terrified, but the tub was quickly filled with water and he was in danger of drowning.
"Go a little faster, Brady. Get in front of him," Tricia instructed her son to drive the boat closer to the animal. Brian got close to the bear and tried to pull the tub out, but it had become too slippery. Brian lost his control, but he wasn't discouraged because the bear's ears had managed to come loose. That meant the plastic tub wasn't stuck and he just had to get closer.
The rescue lasted about five minutes and they made several attempts before the tub finally came off. Brady made the boat circle around the bear and his father gave one last try that set the animal free. Once the tub came off, the bear was able to swim easily to the shore and catch a much-needed break.
The family was extremely relieved as Tricia called out to the swimming animal, "Swim happily.''
"We were so excited! We did our good deed for the day. It felt good to help the poor bear. You don't like to see animals struggle." Tricia later said in an interview.
When the Hurts returned to their resort, everyone offered their gratitude. Tracy, a native, said, "No one else had been able to help the bear for several days as it struggled with the deadly tub on its head. We need more people like the Hurts!"
1. What happened to the bear?| A．He was drowned in the lake. |
| B．He was hurt by hunters. |
| C．He got a tub on his head. |
| D．He got trapped by the locals. |
| A．Tracy. | B．Tricia. | C．Brady. | D．Brian. |
| A．A Family Outing-Timely Rescue. |
| B．Tubs Banned-Animals Saved. |
| C．Never Too Late to Save Animals. |
| D．An Exciting Family Adventure. |
