Older workers who take courses to keep their skills up-to-date will be more likely to keep their jobs, claims David Willetts, the higher education minister. He said the age limit on student loans to cover tuition fees had been lifted, making a degree course “great value” for older people. His comments followed a government report which found that the country's future economic success would depend on the skills and contributions of older workers.
One in four people will be older than 65 by 2033 and economists have warned thatthe ageing population will place a heavy burden on taxpayers unless more people work for longer. The state pension age is to rise to 67 by 2028. Ministers have warned that they have no idea when younger workers in their thirties will be able to retire.
Mr Willetts, who is accompanying David Cameron in India, urged workers older
than 60 to give further education serious consideration.“There is certainly a
pressure for continuing to get retrained and upskilled,”he said.“Higher education has an economic benefit in that if you stay up-to-date with knowledge and skills you will be more employable.”
Mr Willetts said a university course had “wider” benefits, making people more likely to lead healthy lives.“Education is such a good thing that it is not reserved for only younger people,” he said.“ There will be people of all ages who will want to study. There is great value in lifelong learning.” Under previous rules, students in England would get a loan to cover tuition fees only if they were younger than 54.
Latest figures showed that only 1,940 undergraduates starting courses last year were older than 60, out of a total of 552,240 students in Britain. Some 6,455 were aged between 50 and 60, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
1. We can learn from Paragraphs 1 & 2 that older workers ________.
A.have no chance to get a loan to cover tuition fees |
B.may hold back the country's future economic success |
C.are encouraged to go back to university and retrain |
D.should be retrained after retirement |
pension in 2028 in Britain.
A.54 | B.67 | C.65 | D.60 |
A.People of all ages can receive different education. |
B.There is no need for workers older than 60 to receive further education. |
C.University courses have nothing to do with a healthy life. |
D.Education is only provided for younger people. |
A.Britain: entering the ageing state |
B.Over60s are told: go back to university and retrain |
C.The situation of education in Britain |
D.The system of pension in Britain |
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【推荐1】It seems no one can really agree on the question of “What’s so funny?” So imagine trying to teach a robot how to laugh. But that’s exactly what a team of researchers at Kyoto University in Japan are trying to design an AI that takes its cues through a shared laughter system. The scientists describe their innovative approach to building a funny bone for the Japanese android ‘Erica’ in the latest issue of the journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI.
“We think that one of the important functions of conversational AI is empathy(移情,共鸣),”explained lead author Dr Koji Inoue, an assistant professor at Kyoto University in the Department of Intelligence Science and Technology within the Graduate School of Informatics. “One way a robot can empathize with users is to share their laughter.”
In the shared-laughter model, a human initially laughs and the Al system responds with laughter as an empathetic response. This approach required designing three subsystems-one to detect laughter, a second to decide whether to laugh, and a third to choose the type of appropriate laughter. The type of laughter is also important, because in some cases a polite chuckle may be more appropriate than a loud snort of laughter.
The team tested Erica’s new sense of humor by creating four different short dialogues between a person and Erica with her new shared-laughter system. Then they asked more than 130 people in total to listen to each dialogue within the three different conditions- shared-laughter system, no laughter, all laughter- and evaluated the interactions based on human-likeness, naturalness and understanding. The shared-laughter system performed better than either baseline.
“Robots should actually have a distinct character, and we think that they can show this through their conversational behaviors, such as laughing, eye gaze, gestures and speaking style,” Inoue added. “We do not think this is an easy problem at all, and it may well take more than 10 to 20 years before we can finally have a casual chat with a robot like we would with a friend.”
1. What’s the purpose of raising the question “What’s so funny” at the beginning?A.To show opinions on funny things. |
B.To encourage readers to share their ideas. |
C.To stress the difficulty of teaching a robot to laugh. |
D.To emphasize the importance of being funny. |
A.The sense of humor |
B.The shared-laughter system |
C.The speaking style |
D.The distinct character |
A.Designing the subsystem to decide whether to laugh. |
B.Assessing the interactions based on emotions. |
C.Creating brief conversations between a human and Erica. |
D.Asking people to listen to the previously created dialogues. |
A.Indifferent |
B.Suspicious |
C.Optimistic |
D.Objective |
【推荐2】Why can’t penguins fly?
Even the very smallest penguin,the fairy penguin,weighs 1 kg,which is about as much as a herring gull (银鸥). But herring gulls have a 1.4-meterwingspan,compared with just 32 centimeters for the fairy penguin. Water is 784 times denser (密度较大的) than air,and around 62 million years ago,penguins began making adaptations for swimming underwater. Their bones are filled with heavy bone marrow (骨髓)rather than air and they have much larger stomachs for making long fishing trips away from the nest.
How do squirrels find buried nuts?
It was once thought that they just used their noses to sniff out buried nuts and that the majority were never actually located. But a study at Princeton University showed that squirrels actually have a good memory and can build a map of the route from one hidden nut to the next.
Why don’t horses have toes?
Early horses such as Hyracotherium, which lived 55 million years ago, did have toes, but they were much smaller animals. For taller animals, extra weight at the end of their legs has a much bigger influence on their speed. A recent study at Harvard University, the USA, found that one broad hoof (蹄) is almost as strong as many smaller toes, but much lighter.
Do animals have blood types?
Yes, they do! As long as the animals in question have blood (not all do)then they will have species-specific “blood groups”. As with humans, these groups are determined by the structure of the blood based on the presence or absence of antibodies along with the make-up of the proteins that sit on the outside of red blood cells.
Humans are usually one of four main blood types. Thirteen types have been identified for dogs, eight for horses and three for cats.
1. Why can’t penguins fly?A.Because of their physical characteristics. | B.Because of their poor adaptation. |
C.Because of their habits of swimming. | D.Because of their changing environment. |
A.3. | B.4. | C.8. | D.13. |
A.Squirrels find buried nuts by chance. | B.Horses are stronger without hooves. |
C.All animals have their blood types. | D.An animal is a book with secrets. |
A.Questions you may be interested in | B.Questions on the animal kingdom |
C.Secrets to discover in nature | D.Knowledge around you |
【推荐3】Some people never read any books again and feel that since they already know the outcome, there is nothing to be gained by rereading. I have to dissent.
I am reminded of a professor in college, who always had us read our assignments twice. “The first time, read fast and for fun,” he said. “The second time, look for delicate distinctions and small differences in meaning.” His suggestion works great for me.
When I have a new book, I read fast, eager to discover the resolution. Then if I like the book, I will read it again. Not right away, but a few months later, possibly on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I will grab the book and settle down to discover the small details. I will read more slowly the second time, appreciating the descriptions and looking forward to my favorite sections, enjoying the anticipation. Knowing those favorite passages are coming does not spoil anything. I’m looking forward to revisiting those treasured places in the book. Knowing they are coming heightens my enjoyment.
Rereading a book gives me a chance to appreciate the small things an author integrates into her story. A turn of a character’s head, a thought in the night, a sigh, these are the things that give insights into a book and the characters. I love dissecting (剖析) a story the second time around, looking for clues that give the tale a deep meaning. Reading is like revisiting a friend, familiar, yet always with something more inside.
What have I been reading lately? The Merlin Trilogy by Mary Stewart. These books rank among my all-time favorite rereads. Set in Britain in roughly the second half of the 5th century CE, they were Mary Stewart’s take on the familiar King Arthur stories. If you are unfamiliar with them, I highly recommend all three books, especially if you love fantasy and historical fiction.
1. What does the underlined word “descent” in paragraph 1 mean?A.Understand. | B.Disagree. | C.Complain. | D.Discontinue. |
A.Look for assignment clues. | B.Pay attention to the finer details. |
C.Stick to the most interesting sections. | D.Skip some parts to get to the end fast. |
A.Visiting the places mentioned in the book. | B.Discovering the resolution of the story quickly. |
C.Finding out the lessons learned by the characters. | D.Appreciating the writer’s storytelling techniques. |
A.The author’s new favorites. | B.A series of science-fiction novels. |
C.Books based on ancient British stories. | D.Mary Stewart’s successful adaptations. |
Leadership today is not about forcing others to do things. If this is even possible, it is short-term, and tends to backfire. If you order someone to do something against their will, they may do it because they feel they must, but the anger they feel will do more harm in the long-term, They will also experience fear.
Fear causes the thinking brain to shut down, making the person unable to function at his or her best. If they associate you with this emotion of fear. They will become less functional around you, and you will have succeeded in not only shooting yourself in the foot. but possibly making a very good employee or partner unable to perform effectively. Fear has no place in leadership.
The way we influence people in a lasting way is by our own character, and our understanding and use of emotion. We can order someone to do something, which may be part of the work day; or we can employ them at the emotional level, so they became fully devoted to the projects and provide some of their own motivation (积极性). Today’s work place is all about relationships.
Anyone works harder in a positive environment in which they are recognized and valued as a human being as well as a worker. Everyone produces just a bit more for someone they like. Leaders understand the way things work. They know the pay check is not the single most motivating factor (因素) in the work life of most people.
The true strength of leadership is an inner strength that comes from the confidence of emotional intelligence—knowing your own emotions, and how to handle them, and those of others. Developing your emotional intelligence is the single best thing you can do if you want to develop your relationships with people around you, which is the key to the leadership skills.
1. An employee may have a feeling of fear in the work place when ________.
A.he is forced to do things | B.be cannot work at his best |
C.he feels his brain shut down | D.he thinks of his work as too heavy |
A.People tend to associate leadership with fear |
B.Working conditions affect people’s physical health |
C.Good relationship is the key to business success |
D.Smart people are more functional in the work place. |
A.provide better suggestions | B.develop his own personality |
C.five his employees a pay raise | D.hide his own emotion of fear |
A.provide a variety of project for employees |
B.help raise employee’s living standards |
C.give employees specific instructions |
D.deal wisely with employees’ emotions |
Of course, many senior citizens are happy with retirement. They have time to spend with their families or enjoy their hobbies. Some continue to work part time, others do volunteer work. Some, like those in the Retired Business Executives Association, even help young people to get started in new business. Many retired citizens also belong to “Golden Age” groups. These organizations plan trips and social events. There are many chances for retirees.
American society is only beginning to be concerned about the special physical and emotional needs of its senior citizens. The government is taking steps to ease the problem of limited income. They are building new housing, offering discounts in stores and museums and on buses, and providing other services such as free courses, food service, and help with housework. Retired citizens are a rapidly growing percentage of the population. This part of the population is very important and we must meet their needs. After all, every citizen will be a senior citizen some day.
1. The author believes that work first became important to Americans because of _______.
A.religion | B.economy | C.psychology | D.family |
A.money and check |
B.senior and junior |
C.work and retirement |
D.Protestants and Americans |
A.get Social Security checks |
B.feel productive |
C.enjoy themselves |
D.be religious |
【推荐3】As many as 300 million full-time jobs around the world could be automated in some way by the newest wave of artificial intelligence that has made platforms like ChatGPT, according to Goldman Sachs economists.
They predicted in a report Sunday that 18% of work globally could be computerized, with the effects caused more deeply in advanced economies than emerging markets. That’s partly because white-collar workers are seen to be more at risk than manual laborers. Administrative workers and lawyers are expected to be most affected, the economists said, compared to the “little effect” seen on physically demanding or outdoor occupations, such as construction and repair work.
In the United States and Europe, about two-thirds of current jobs “are exposed to some degree of AI automation”, and up to a quarter of all work could be done by AI completely, the bank estimates.
Further use of such Al will likely lead to job losses, the Goldman Sachs economists wrote. But they noted that technological innovation that initially displaces workers has historically also created employment growth in the long run.
While workplaces may shift, widespread adoption of Al could ultimately increase labor productivity—and boost global GDP by 7% annually over a 10-year period, according to Goldman Sachs economists.
“Although the impact of AI on the labor market is likely to be significant, most jobs and industries are only partially exposed to automation and are thus more likely to be complemented rather than replaced by AI,” the economists added. “Most workers are employed in occupations that are partially exposed to AI automation and, following AI adoption, will likely apply at least some of their freed-up capacity toward productive activities that increase output.”
Of US workers expected to be affected, for instance, 25% to 50% of their workload “can be replaced,” the researchers added. “The combination of significant labor cost savings, new job creation, and a productivity boost for non-displaced workers raises the possibility of a labor productivity boom like those that followed the emergence of earlier general-purpose technologies like the electric motor and personal computer.”
1. Who are less likely to be affected by AI automation according to Paragraph 2?A.Lawyers. | B.Repairmen. |
C.White-collar workers. | D.Administrative workers. |
A.AI has caused huge job losses. |
B.AI may increase labor productivity. |
C.AI has replaced most jobs and industries. |
D.AI may cause little impact on the labor market. |
A.To show the benefits of AI. |
B.To show using AI wasted a lot of money. |
C.To show AI had a bad effect on US workers. |
D.To show some US workers didn’t want to work. |
A.The Impacts of AI | B.The Concept of AI |
C.The Development of AI | D.The Achievements of AI |