1 . What do you want to be when you are growing up? A doctor, an engineer — or maybe a footballer or actor? We all have big plans for our futures and believe there is a dream job waiting for us — one that will pay well and give great job satisfaction. But how realistic is that?
Today, in the UK at least, young people are being warned that some of their career hopes and dreams don’t match the types of jobs available. Research by the charity Education and Employers suggests five times as many 17 and 18 year-olds in the UK want to work in art, culture, entertainment and sport than there are jobs.
The excitement of working in these employment sectors (部门) is obviously an attraction. But those looking for these types of job will be disappointed. That’s what the report, Disconnected: Career ambitions and jobs in the UK, says. Writing about this for the BBC, Katherine Sellgren points out that although young people are keen to work in art, entertainment, culture and sport, the economy is unlikely to need them all. At the same time, there is a shortfall of young people wanting to work in careers such as catering and retail(零售).
Previous research about the career ambitions of young people by the Office for National Statistics also found a “reality gap” between their dreams and the sometimes disappointing truth by the time they reached their early to late-20s. Apart from those who aimed to go into teaching, fewer than one in 50 were in the jobs they had wanted — such as a doctor, vet, firefighter or actor. Most were working as sales assistants, careers or in sales and marketing.
Although it’s good to have ambitions, the aims of young people need to be realistic. This latest report suggests that children need to be made more aware of a wider variety of occupations at a younger age. It also calls for improved career advice in secondary schools. A spokeswoman for the Department for Work and Pensions told the BBC that “early careers advice can help young people set out on the right path to the job that channels their interests and unlocks their potential.”
1. Which employment sector in the UK needs more people to work in?| A．Sport. | B．Service industry. |
| C．Art & culture. | D．Entertainment. |
| A．ambition and reality | B．males and females |
| C．theory and practice | D．the past and the present |
| A．They ought to be offered better career advice in secondary schools. |
| B．They should know more kinds of jobs at an early age. |
| C．The government should create more jobs for the young. |
| D．Their employment ambition should be realistic. |
| A．Unemployment Problems in Britain |
| B．Young People’s Lifestyles in Britain |
| C．Tips for Finding Dream Jobs in Britain |
| D．Unrealistic Career Ambitions in Britain |
2 . Beijing—Chengdu Train
Altogether about 5 pairs of trains are running between Beijing and Chengdu at present. Among them, a few pairs are high speed trains, which run between Beijing West Railway Station and Chengdu East Railway Station with duration of 8 to 10 hours; the rest few pairs are normal types between Beijing West Railway Station and Chengdu Railway Station and the whole journey takes about 21 to 32 hours.
High Speed Trains
Basic Facts:
·Duration: about 8—10 hours
·Distance: about 1,874—2,391 kilometers (1,165—1,485 miles)
·Top speed: 300 km/h (186 mph)
·Operated at: Beijing West Railway Station, Chengdu East Railway Station
·Stations along the way: Shijiazhuang, Handan East, Anyang East, Zhengzhou East,
Huashan North, Xi'an North, Guangyuan, Mianyang
Beijing to Chengdu High Speed Train Schedule:
(Last Update on Nov 12, 2020)
| Train No. | Departure - Arrival | Travel Time |
| G89 | 06:53—14:38 | 7h45m |
| G571 | 09:22—18:54 | 9h32m |
| G307 | 09:38—19:36 | 9h58m |
| G349 | 15:13—22:58 | 7h45m |
Beijing—Chengdu Train Ticket Price:
(Last Update on Nov 12, 2020)
| Business Class Seat | First Class Seat | Second Class Seat |
| CNY 2,417 / USD 350 | CNY 1,246 / USD 181 | CNY 778 / USD 112 |
Note: Children under the height of 1.2 for free ; Children with height between 1.2 and 1.5 meters half price ; Children above the height of 1.5 full price.
1. Where will you get off if you take a normal type train from Beijing to Chengdu?
| A．Chengdu Railway Station. | B．Chengdu East Railway Station. |
| C．Beijing West Railway Station. | D．Mianyang Station. |
| A．G571. | B．G307. |
| C．G89. | D．G349. |
| A．USD 224. | B．USD 280. |
| C．USD 336. | D．USD 1945. |
3 . Recently I’ve had two good roles on television. But when I was just getting started in theater work 17 years ago, I never thought I’d make it. Back then I was recovering from surgery and had been off work for six months. Even worse, as a single mother with three youngsters, I had no place to live in. I felt hopeless.
One Sunday morning I saw actor Robert Young on the television talking about his faith: Believe yourself! If we confidently take that first step, well take the next, until we reach our goal.
The first step was scary. After I went working part-time, I looked for an apartment. The ones I saw were either too expensive, or I couldn’t raise my children in them. I knew a house, not an apartment, was more suitable for me. However, after seeing several houses, my confidence was shaken. I found two seemed right, but when I was about to make an offer, someone else had ordered.
I remembered a saying, “When one door closes, a better one opens.” I wouldn’t just sit staring at the closed one but got up and struggled on. In a real estate (房地产) agent, I found a small house with proper price. To buy it, I had to borrow $ 3,000 for a down payment and get a mortgage (按揭). Common sense argued that a mortgage for a single mother working part-time was impossible. But I had enough self-confidence without following common sense.
After getting the house, my new self-confidence grew. Later , when I began filling small parts in television productions, that self-confidence showed. I'd always played the role as the director wanted. Now I find myself freer to interpret (演绎) it.
Self-confidence has made it through life. Trouble can be scary at first, but each time I take that step, I believe I will win the next.
1. How did the author feel when entering television industry at first?| A．Hopeful. | B．Embarrassed. | C．Pessimistic. | D．Aggressive. |
| A．To show the value of self-confidence. |
| B．To share her different life experiences. |
| C．To introduce her toughest part of life. |
| D．To tell us her ways to get over difficulty. |
| A．Her sense of confidence. | B．The difficulty in her life. |
| C．The director’s good direction. | D．Her success in her first attempt. |
| A．Appear on the Stage | B．Struggle with Life |
| C．Stick to Your Plan | D．Believe in Yourself |
4 . If you live near a park, you’ve probably observed this unique squirrel behavior. As winter approaches, these creatures begin what looks like preparation for a wide scavenger（觅食）hunt. In great numbers, these squirrels begin to bury nuts! This kind of behavior raises a lot of questions for squirrel enthusiasts—the most pressing being how the squirrels find their nuts again. Eastern gray squirrels, in particular, bury their nuts far and wide. Scientists themselves aren’t even quite sure of everything that goes into this hiding behavior, but they have some ideas.
For one, scientists have observed gray squirrels frequently burying and reburying their nuts. The scientists assumed that this behavior was to help always keep a fresh memory of the nuts! locations. However, it’s not only memory that the squirrels need to combat（战斗）in order to find their nuts! The gray squirrel community is rampant(猖獗的)with nut stealing. The squirrels can lose up to 25% of their hidden nuts to such thieves! Luckily, the squirrels have developed some clever methods to protect their nuts. Scientists have observed the squirrels creating false caches（储藏）in order to trick thieves. If the squirrels are worried about thieves, they will also start to hide their nuts in difficult-to-reach places（like under bushes or in muddy areas）.
While it might be frustrating for squirrels to lose their carefully hidden nuts, it can be beneficial for other organisms. In particular, it can help the forest itself! A study done at the University of Richmond reports that squirrels fail to recover up to 74% of the nuts they bury. This misplacing of so many acorns (the seeds of oak trees), the study says, is likely responsible for oak forest regeneration. When squirrels misplace these buried acorns, they allow for these seeds to eventually grow into full oak trees! The squirrels’ habit of widespread caching is also important to the growth of the forest, as it allows the genetic（基因的）information to spread far.
What seemed like a harmless scavenger hunt is actually part of an endless complex ecosystem in our forests!
1. In what aspect do squirrels puzzle people most?| A．The way they search for food. | B．The places they hide in winter. |
| C．The location of their hidden food. | D．The way they recover hidden nuts |
| A．They often fight with each other for food. |
| B．They tend to feel more secure in bushy places. |
| C．They are cautious about storing food for winter. |
| D．They survive largely thanks to their team spirit. |
| A．Squirrels can starve due to lack of food. |
| B．It can be beneficial that squirrels lose their nuts. |
| C．It’s easy to get squirrels’ genetic information. |
| D．Squirrels always misplace their nuts deliberately. |
| A．Why do squirrels steal nuts? |
| B．How do squirrels survive the winter? |
| C．The secrets behind squirrels’ burying nuts. |
| D．The ecosystem in the forest. |
5 . The 47-year-old mum has donated a kidney（肾） to a stranger and part of her liver（肝）to a sick little boy. Sue is even trying to give away a lung. which would make her the only living person in the world to have made so many selfless donations. She said: “To be able to give someone their life back is fantastic. At the moment, giving a lung isn’t possible in this country. but I’d love to do it.”
Sue’s first donation was the kidney in 2001. She explained: “You don’t need two kidneys. A lot of people are born with only one. Why not give one to someone who needs it?” But at that time it was illegal here to give an organ to a stranger. So Sue from Dulwich, south London who accepts only travel and living expenses, posted an internet ad saying: “Free kidney. no conditions attached.”
Larry Rosenfield from Colorado in the US answered the ad. He was 60, suffering from a kidney disease and time was running out. After establishing she was a match for Larry, Sue flew to the US. “The Colorado hospitals wouldn't accept me because it was the time of mad cow disease, so Larry found a hospital in Wisconsin that would do the operation.” Larry is now 73 and leading a full and active life.
Now Sue would like to donate a lung. In 2006, selfless donations became legal in the UK but not for lung donations so she's planning to go to America again.
And she insists her husband Roland, 51, and their 19-year-old son Daniel back her all the way. She said: "Some of my friends don't understand but. I'll never regret it. It's about changing lives. It's a great feeling.”
1. What made Sue donate her organs?| A．Saving one's life. | B．Trying to be famous. |
| C．Needing living expenses. | D．Removing useless organs. |
| A．She found a hospital for him. | B．She donated a kidney to him. |
| C．She answered his advertisement. | D．She advertised his kidney online. |
| A．Critical. | B．Conservative. |
| C．Regretful. | D．Proud. |
| A．Health. | B．Science. |
| C．Real life stories. | D．Entertainment. |
6 . When NASA astronaut William Shepherd and Russian cosmonauts Yuri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikalev entered the International Space Station on November 2, 2000, they became the first of many to live in the orbiting laboratory 227 nautical miles (海里)above Earth.
Since that first 136-day stay for Expedition 1, the space station has served as a center for continuous human occupation, scientific research and a proving ground for future space exploration for 20 years.
Early in the space station program, the main focus was on building the space station. After that was completed in 2011, the focus has changed to science. More than 3,000scientific investigations have been conducted on the space station. This research has extended to a great many subjects.
While the research conducted on the space station throws light on how a range of things react to the lack of gravity，it has also been used to improve our lives on Earth. Through experiments on the station，we've learned better ways to purify air and water in our homes, developed advance rents in telemedicine，and found better treatments for diseases like cancer.
The space station is also being used as a proving ground as NASA prepares to return humans to the moon by 2024 through its Artemis program, as well as a future human task to Mars.
Going forward, Shepherd believes that a trip to Mars or other locations in the solar system will require large vehicles that will require construction in orbit, using spacewalks and robotics. It will also require the work, expense and cooperation(合作) of several countries.
“If you look at the International Space Station, it's really a blueprint (蓝图) for how to do this.”
1. Which of the following is NOT the function of the space station?| A．To conduct scientific experiments. | B．To send astronauts to Mars. |
| C．To serve as a proving ground. | D．To provide stay for astronauts. |
| A．To do scientific researches. | B．To conduct space explorations. |
| C．To construct the space station. | D．To send humans to the space station. |
| A．More space stations. | B．More spacewalks and robotics. |
| C．Larger orbiting laboratories. | D．Joint efforts of several countries. |
| A．The future exploration of the space station |
| B．The efforts humans put into the space station. |
| C．The construction and protection of the space station. |
| D．The development and potential of the space station. |
7 . Northeastern University in Northeast China's Liaoning Province said it will remove 52PhD students who failed to finish their studies within the permitted study period. One often has been studying for their PhD for 18 years and another two for 17 years, according to an announcement made by the university's College of Information Science and Engineering on Tuesday.
The students were admitted to the college from 2002 to 2012, a list on the college's official website showed. About 78 percent of them have been studying for their PhD at the college for over a decade. The study period for doctoral students in the university is three years, however, and the maximum length of schooling is six years with suspensions included, according to the management rules of the university.
Chinese universities have been seen clearing those postgraduate or PhD students who fail to graduate at the correct time in recent years. Xidian University in Xi'an of Northwest China, for example, removed 33 PhD students in August, some of whom had been studying for 15 years. Yanbian University in Northeast China's Jilin Province announced on November29, 2019, that it would delist 136 graduate students, including 14 PhD students.
A staff member of the university said that some of the students left without telling the school or going through the correct procedures. The difficulties in PhD study and the improving requirements for academic achievements have been found to be the main reasons resulting in students dropping out, experts said. Yang Liu, an associate professor who graduated with a PhD four years ago from a key university in Shanghai, told the Global Times that it is not strange for some PhD students to drop out under the strict academic review process. He also said that some may be scared off by the economic pressure of long-term schooling.
1. What is the permitted study period for a PhD at most?| A．A decade. | B．7 years or so. | C．6 years. | D．Within 3 years. |
| A．The long term of schooling. | B．The increasing requirements for study. |
| C．The economic pressure of schooling. | D．The mixed procedures for leaving universities. |
| A．The difficulties in PhD study scare off many students |
| B．Students fail to graduate from their universities |
| C．University in China's northeast delists over 50 PhD students |
| D．Chinese University is considering clearing some PhD students |
| A．Objective. | B．Worried. | C．Critical. | D．Hopeful. |
Douban rating: 7.3
IMDb rating: 7.0
Set in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the story happens between a farm boy Isa and his friend Kalbinur. Isa's mother, deaf and dumb, depends on her son to look after her. Kalbinur, though a smart Uyghur girl at school, finds the Chinese language hard to master at the village school. Isa reads a story called A First Farewell in school, and although he does not fully understand the idea of farewell, he will soon experience it himself.
The film won the Asian Future Best Film Award at Tokyo International Film Festival in2018 and a Crystal Bear at the 2019 Berlinale.
Sheep Without a Shepherd
Douban rating: 7.7
IMDb rating: 6.7
Li Weijie and his wife, A Yu, have lived in Thailand for 17 years and raised two daughters. At the age of 40, Li runs an internet company and is well liked by the townspeople. However, the family's peaceful life is suddenly interrupted by an unexpected guest. In this town filled with drug trafficking, fairness comes into a critical testing moment.
The Pursuit of Happiness
Douban rating: 9.1
IMDb rating: 8.0
This film is based on a true story about a man named Christopher Gardner. Gardner has invested heavily in a device known as a “bone density scanner”. However, the devices do not sell. As Gardner works to make ends meet, his wife leaves him and he loses his apartment. Forced to live out on the streets with his son, Gardner takes on an unpaid internship as a stockbroker, with few chances for advancement to a paid position. Before he can receive pay, he needs to survive in the competition through six months of training, and to sell his devices to pay off debts.
Ne Zha
Douban rating: 8.5
IMDb rating: 7.5
The Primus(天尊) makes a Mixed Yuan Bead(珠) into a spirit bead and a demon bead. The spirit bead can be re-incarnated in a human to help King Zhou set up a new dynasty, the demon bead will create a devil and harm humans. Ne Zha is the one who should be the spirit bead hero but he becomes a devil incarnate, because the spirit bead and the demon bead are switched.
1. Which film is best received by viewers?| A．A First Fareveell. | B．Sheep Without a Shepherd. |
| C．The Pursuit of Happiness. | D．Ne Zha. |
| A．It won a Future Best Film Award in 2019. | B．It was highly recognized. |
| C．It tells of a story about a businessman. | D．It was first shown in Xinjiang province. |
| A．A First Farewell. | B．Sheep Without a Shepherd. |
| C．The Pursuit of Happiness. | D．Ne Zha. |
9 . If you want to explore European towns, here is a look at the most beautiful small towns in Europe.
Manarola
Manarola, Italy, is filled with rainbow-colored homes along the Mediterranean (地中海) coast. This attractive fishing town is famous for its wine and paintings. There are no cars here, no traffic lights, and no traffic noise. You can drive to it, but you have to park outside the town and then take a shuttle bus or walk in on foot.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, is a fascinating mountain town. Once two separated towns, Roman and Teutonic, were forced to become one because of the 1936 Winter Olympics, though the two sides still have different features. The town dates back to 15 AD, filled with narrow, cobble- stoned streets lined with historic buildings painted with religious scenes.
Marsaxlokk
The energetic trading port of Marsaxlokk, Malta, was built in 900 BC. Today, this picture-like town is the main supplier of fish to the island nation that sits in the Mediterranean Sea. It has no modern buildings to ruin its attractiveness. With such quiet surroundings, including the traditional fishing boats, it’s a particularly charming place to visit.
Portmagee, Ireland
In a country filled with beautiful towns, Portmagee sits on the southwest coast of Ireland. This postcard-perfect seaside fishing town has brightly colored buildings with a rich and colorful history. At the Bridge Bar, you’ll find live music along with nice food and a fine glass of beer.
1. In which town are tourists not allowed to go sightseeing by car?| A．Manarola. | B．Garmisch-Partenkirchen. |
| C．Marsaxlokk. | D．Portmagee. |
| A．wine and paintings | B．religious scenes |
| C．fish and old buildings | D．rich history and live music |
| A．have special interest in traditional fishing boats |
| B．prefer enjoyment in an old coastal fishing town |
| C．want to stay on a Mediterranean island |
| D．need to be refreshed in a mountain town |
10 . Do you look for something to read while in London? If so, you’re lucky. The British capital happens to have an incredible collection of bookshops.
Foyles
If you will, dig the picture: four miles of shelves holding up to 200, 000 books. Let’s hope you have some time to read books when travelling in Foyles. This bookshop is impossible to leave empty-handed. It was once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest bookshop on the planet.
Location: 107 Charing Cross Rd
Hatchards
In the year 1797, Thomas Paine published Agrarian Justice. It’s also the year this London bookshop, the oldest in the city today, first turned on its lights. It stocks an excellent selection of fiction, nonfiction, history and other sorts.
Location: 187 Piccadilly St
Libreria
This bookshop is one of the most pleasing of its kind in London. The yellow bookshelves add a touch of color and mystery and, well, you kind of just want to grab a book and a seat and stay a while. Mobile phone usage is strongly banned here.
Location: 65 Hanbury St
London Review Bookshop
This wonderful bookshop that opened in 2003 comes from the smart people of the London Review of Books. As you’d expect, there is an excellent selection of history, philosophy, politics, new fiction and many other sorts here. Plus, there’s a nice cafe in which you can have something to drink and start reading.
Location: 16 Bury PI
1. Where can you find the oldest bookshop in London?| A．16 Bury PI. | B．187 Piccadilly St. |
| C．107 Charing Cross Rd. | D．65 Hanbury St. |
| A．It has various books. | B．It is located in London. |
| C．It has yellow bookshelves. | D．It is the biggest one. |
| A．Foyles. | B．Hatchards. |
| C．Libreria. | D．London Review Bookshop. |
