1 . Look people in the eye. Smile. Shake hands. Sit up tall. Speak clearly and confidently. That’s the last- minute advice professor Paul Calhoun gives a handful of college students before they head off for a series of job interviews. The Skidmore College seniors he’s talking to are dressed in suits and shirts , or dresses and heels.
There isn’t an actual job on the other end of these interviews, just a satisfactory / unsatisfactory grade from a class called Presenting the Brand Called Me at this college in New York. Calhoun created the popular course 10 years ago. He’d spent more than three decades working in the banking industry, where he saw the importance of presentation skills :“A lot of it is acting .”
When he came to Skidmore as a business professor, he noticed a lot of students struggling with public speaking. He got theater professors to help him shape what eventually became this class , in order to give business majors the training analogous to what the theater department gives to actors .
Over the 13 weeks, there’s some role - playing with improv (即兴创作)--- “Talk for a minute about anything ----go !“ There are dance classes , and many guest speakers who talk about cover letters , resumes (简历) and personal branding . By the end of the course , students leave with a polished “ STAR ” story --- the short story about themselves and their abilities that’s designed to help land them a job . “ People don’t remember when you tell them you’re good at something,”Calhoun explains .“They remember when you tell them a story that proves you ‘ re good at something.” Dante Delemos is a junior business major. In his interviews , he tells a story about winning the election for class president . And it works . Delemos is spending the summer working part- time in finance .
In addition, the class also created professional-sounding email addresses for students. Say goodbye to “Bubblegum123.”“ You can’t email your future boss with some really odd email name,”explains Tytianna McClenningham , a recent graduate. And they’re email manners , too .I didn’t even think it was important to use a subject in an email ,” McClenningham says .“But now I know .”
1. What is described in the first paragraph ?| A．An activity at a job fair . |
| B．A college entrance interview . |
| C．A scene in a college class . |
| D．A college graduation ceremony . |
| A．Similar . | B．Superior . | C．Available . | D．Important . |
| A．It can help interviewees relax . |
| B．It will impress interviewers . |
| C．It can meet the requirements of interviewers . |
| D．It will show interviewees’ communication skills . |
| A．It is boring . | B．It is practical . |
| C．It is too popular . | D．It is too abstract . |
2 . Starting this fall, primary and middle school students in China will have at least one weekly course on labor education, according to a new curriculum standard released by the Ministry of Education (MOE).
Labor education ranges from household chores to on-campus labor and community volunteer services, generally 3 types according to the new standards: the first refers to everyday chores, including cleaning, organizing, cooking, and using and maintaining home appliances (家电); next is productive labor, including agriculture, making traditional handicrafts (手工艺品), and applying new technologies such as 3D printing; the third type is service work, including volunteer work. The new curriculum also calls for a week of extra-curricular and off-campus activities designed for labor education once every school year.
A recent study showed that primary and middle school students in China only spend an average of 12 minutes a day on chores, compared to 72 minutes in the US, 42 minutes in South Korea and 30 minutes in France. Many countries start students’ labor education at a young age. Finland begins to develop students’ life skills in primary school. Spinning, woodworking, cooking and other craftsmanship classes are offered. In Germany, pupils have two labor classes per week. Electronics, office technology, sewing, housekeeping, and career guidance are all taught there.
Adding labor education was out of concern that the country’s youngsters do too little housework and look down on manual labor (体力劳动) jobs. Due to great academic pressure, schools tend to put their academic curricula on the top, and parents sometimes see household chores as distractions. But, according to the MOE, labor education must be strengthened to help students develop social values, an interest in labor and finally an all-around development.
1. What is the purpose of adding labor education?| A．To enrich the students’ off-campus life. |
| B．To improve the students’ performance on learning. |
| C．To help students achieve an all-around development. |
| D．To follow the education mode of some western countries. |
| A．The history of labor education. |
| B．The content of labor education. |
| C．The significance of labor education. |
| D．The future development of labor education. |
| A．They start labor education in the middle school. |
| B．There are a wide variety of labor education courses. |
| C．It is viewed more important than academic learning. |
| D．Students spend more than 30 minutes on housework daily. |
| A．A week of extracurricular activities is a must every term. |
| B．Students decide whether to take the courses on their own. |
| C．Specially-designed courses have been applied for many years. |
| D．The school has to recognize the importance of labor education. |
3 . For high school students, just thinking about your career probably isn’t enough. You have to actively do some research and plan. Here are some of the best careers for the future and how you can get your foot in the door.
Registered Nurses
To become registered nurses, you’re going to need either an associate degree in nursing, a Bachelor of Science in nursing, or another officially approved diploma(文凭) from a nursing program. If you want to be a practicing physician, you’ll need a medical degree in your chosen field on top of your four-year degree.
Data Analysts
Big data is a growing field with profitable opportunities for college graduates. You are required to have a master’s degree in computer science or another related field. Data science is a traditionally male-dominated industry and only 26 percent are held by women. Thankfully, it is holding out an olive branch to females and there are some terrific programs specially designed for them to break into this dynamic field.
Plumbers (管道工) and Electricians
Not all of the best careers for the future will require a four-year undergraduate degree. There’s a serious demand for skilled positions jobs like plumbers and technicians. Many of these positions require a high school degree and often an associate degree in a related field, but don’t necessarily require graduation from a four-year university.
Cybersecurity (网络安全) Experts
The average salaries for cybersecurity experts can start at $80, 000 for IT Security Consultants and can reach six figures for other positions such as a security director. The best way to start your path in cybersecurity is with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, engineering, or other related fields.
1. In which job will the gender distribution probably be more balanced?| A．Data Analysts. | B．Registered Nurses. |
| C．Cybersecurity Experts. | D．Plumbers and Electricians. |
| A．A master’s degree in computer science. |
| B．A certificate of high school graduation. |
| C．A bachelor’s degree in information technology. |
| D．A diploma officially approved from a medical program. |
| A．A health lecture. | B．A school website. |
| C．A job advertisement. | D．A science magazine. |
4 . Top tips for students doing voluntary holiday work
I have had some of the best and worst experiences of my life doing volunteers projects. Having taken part in a few such programs before, here are some tips I have picked up.
Many of these schemes are advertised on legal websites, but even these can have hosts who take advantage of them. These people will advertise something that simply isn’t true and when you arrive the arrangement may be different from what you expected.
Choose somewhere with a lot of positive reviews.
Many sites that advertise work projects have a space for reviews. Reviews tend to mean people have been there.
Bring a friend or a few.
In one place where I volunteered, a team member complained about having to work a few hours a day. He didn’t seem to realize it was a small(or no)price to pay to live in a hotel with food and a swimming pool for free.
If you find a good place, don’t move on too soon.
If you like the work and you’re getting free food and accommodation, why leave?
Anyway, volunteering is an amazing experience. Enjoy it.
| A．Only go if you intend to work. |
| B．Learn the language of where you are going. |
| C．It can be nice to have a familiar face around. |
| D．And positive reviews indicate people enjoyed it. |
| E．The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. |
| F．Don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. |
| G．People are likely to ask you to help them with their projects. |
