1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

A French bakery has become a tourist attraction in Nanping township, which is part of Zhuhai, a coastal city in Guangdong province.

Papa Romantic, located in Beishan community, attracts a large number of Chinese and foreigners alike. After     1     (taste)the bakery’s bread, some Chinese students who have returned from abroad have expressed admiration, while foreigners who lived in Zhuhai but moved to other Chinese cities such as Beijing     2     (continue) to have bread and pastries from the shop     3     (ship) to them.

The bakery is a welcoming environment for those who want to sit and enjoy authentic French cuisine.

On one side is a well-preserved old ancestral hall, and on the other side are lush trees that provide shade     4     the sun. The shop has a bright storefront, and the aroma of the bread, the aluminum tables and the chairs under sun umbrellas display a peaceful atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle.

At Papa Romantic, the best-selling items include baguettes, croissants, sandwiches, crepes and cookies. In addition, some unique treats such as fig bread and colorful macrons are also popular among young customers.

Owner and baker Ronan Salaun,     5     comes from the Brittany region of France, said the ingredients at his bakery     6     (import), and he refuses to use chemicals or additives in his food.

    7     his friends return to France, they know they need to bring him some crystal salt from a natural salt pond in France. The black pepper he uses comes from Madagascar.

“Simple things are important, and the quality of salt and pepper makes a big difference,” Salaun said.

While remaining true to his French roots, he has also taken into consideration the dietary habits of Chinese people. “Chinese locals prefer soft crust bread, while French like the crusty one. I sell both kinds. I can’t just maintain the original characteristics; I must adapt to locals’ preferences,” he said.

A former mechanical engineer, Salaun, was sent by a Hong Kong company to work at a furniture factory in Wanzai township, Zhuhai, in November 2000. He said he couldn’t have imagined how much his life would change with that move.

At that time, Wanzai was a tiny town     8     (border) Macao known for its flower trade.

For Salaun, life in Wanzai seemed simple and rustic. He remembers    9     when he wanted to take a bath, he had to heat the water up with firewood and then transport the water in a bucket to the bathtub.

Although the living and working conditions were not as favorable as     10     abroad, Salaun grew to love Zhuhai, which is located at the mouth of the Pearl River.

2 . Both my parents worked for 30-plus years for their employers — they had lifelong careers at a single company. Growing up, they taught me the importance of “loyalty” and “commitment”.

But in a rapidly changing world, the concept of a job for life has become as rare as a dial-up internet connection. This shift from stable, long-term employment and single-employer careers to a world where frequent job changes are the norm comes directly from globalisation, rapid technological advancements and the changing ideas about work.

Globalisation has turned the world economy into a giant, interconnected web. This has made job markets fiercely competitive and talent and opportunities in the labour market more diverse and digitally accessible.

Jobs can be widely publicised and explored online and are no longer tied to your city of birth. Add to this the rapid technological progress. We now live in a world where the skills you learned yesterday might not be enough for today’s job market.

The job market is transforming, with new careers emerging as automation and artificial intelligence (AI) advances. Risks and price policies can be efficiently assessed using AI, making insurance underwriters redundant while advanced software in banking and finance mean data analysis can be automated.

Online booking has reduced demand for travel agents and desktop publishers are being replaced by user-friendly software, which allows people to create their own materials. These changes highlight the need for professionals to update their skills and adapt to a technologically evolving job market.

As a result, career paths have become fluid and multi-directional. It’s no longer just about climbing the corporate ladder and getting a regular paycheck; it’s about exploring different paths, switching jobs and industries and sometimes even venturing into freelancing and the gig economy.

Loyalty is defined as an employee’s commitment to their organisation and its goals. It means a willingness to put in extra effort and to uphold the company’s values and objectives. Loyal workers often identify strongly with their workplace, are reliable and view the organisation positively, even during tough times.

When long-term employees change workplaces, it does not mean they are disloyal. It signifies a change in priorities and a redefined loyalty bond. Employees are loyal to their employer and its interests while working there. But they also seek mutual growth and expect to be recognised and rewarded.

Career paths are now a kaleidoscope (万花筒) of experiences and opportunities. Instead of a career identity being about a company brand, it is about skills, experiences and the meaningfulness of the work. This transformation means career decision-making is more intricate, considering personal aspirations, market trends and family considerations.

1. What factors have contributed to the shift in job market dynamics?

A．Increased reliance on desktop publishing software.

B．Changing ideas about loyalty and commitment.

C．The decreasing demand for travel agents due to online booking systems.

D．Globalization, rapid technological advancements, and evolving work concepts.

2. What skills are highlighted as essential for professionals in the evolving job market?

A．Skills related to desktop publishing.

B．Skills that were relevant yesterday.

C．Skills in data analysis and adaptability.

D．Skills in insurance underwriting.

3. How does the passage suggest employees should approach loyalty in the modern workplace?

A．By remaining with a single employer for their entire career.

B．By prioritizing personal growth and recognition.

C．By relying on traditional definitions of loyalty.

D．By avoiding job changes to maintain loyalty.

4. The best title for the passage is________.

A．Forget About a Job for Life

B．Learn More as Much as You Can

C．Benefit from Long-term Employment

D．The Impact of Globalization

3 .

A．Boring and uninteresting	B．Dull and slow-paced
C．A real page-turner	D．Too complex to follow

4 .

A．Filled with exciting challenges and projects	B．Surprisingly relaxed and stress-free
C．Productive but a bit overwhelming	D．Unpredictable and full of surprises

5 .

A．Change in meeting venue	B．Frequent rescheduling
C．Long meeting duration	D．Lack of agenda

6 .

A．Nervous but satisfied with the change	B．Regretful and uncertain about the style
C．Uninterested and indifferent to his appearance	D．Excited and confident with the new look

7 . Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese.
在一堂写作课上，老师给出了以下三个题目供学生选择。

题目一： 以“盛年不重来，一日难再晨。”（Prime years do not return; a day’s morning is hard to come by again.）为题，结合你的生活体验，写一篇文章。 题目二： 针对目前因为了升学考试而导致的学生知识结构很不平衡（unbalanced knowledge structures）的现象，你觉得有什么好的方法或手段能够改变这种情况，谈谈你的想法。 题目三： 续写“当最后一个地球人（earthling）坐在房间里时，传来了敲门声……”

如果你是这个班级的学生，你会怎么选择呢?
写一篇短文，说明你选择的题目，简述理由并介绍你的写作思路。
文章必须包括以下内容：
1. 你选择的作文题目及理由；
2. 你的写作思路。
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8 .

A．If it offers any unique or signature drinks

B．Whether the coffee is freshly brewed

C．If it has a cozy atmosphere and comfortable seating

D．If it has free Wi-Fi and a quiet environment

9 .

A．Whether it helps with focus and concentration.

B．If it’s a time-consuming practice.

C．If it involves meditation or other techniques.

D．How it affects sleep patterns and overall well-being.

10 .

A．Early morning

B．Midday

C．Afternoon

D．Late at night