1 . Katherine would never forget the day when her daughter brought a plate from kindergarten, with a drawing of mouse-like creatures on it.

“Emma, what are these little characters? What do you _________ them?” Katherine said. “Mom, they’re my _________. They come to children who are lonely or who were meant to have a _________ life,” Emma said. It _________ the unemployed 36-year-old mom’s heart during a time when she wasn’t feeling too good about her job _________.

All this eventually _________ a new project for Katherine, unemployed for months—making a line of stuffed animals for sale based on her daughter’s _________. “Every day, I would work on it,” she said. “Over time, it felt like this is what I really _________.” In her basement, Katherine cut patterns, wrote storylines and _________ prototypes (原型样品) to turn “The Representatives” into dolls (玩偶).

Today she has four __________ doll prototypes and specific storylines to go with each main character. She hopes to__________ the dolls to parents going through hard times, or maybe those preparing to work overseas, leaving their __________ behind with relatives.

She said even if the dolls don’t __________, she’s taught her daughter __________ to keep moving even in down times. It’s really a __________ for those unemployed right now, she said.

1.

A．leave

B．call

C．bring

D．feed

2.

A．representatives

B．classmates

C．supporters

D．guides

3.

A．longer

B．tougher

C．better

D．fairer

4.

A．broke

B．closed

C．touched

D．won

5.

A．descriptions

B．reports

C．duties

D．prospects

6.

A．led to

B．referred to

C．adapted to

D．belonged to

7.

A．memories

B．drawings

C．toys

D．feelings

8.

A．learned

B．imagined

C．wanted

D．promised

9.

A．tested

B．labeled

C．copied

D．sewed

10.

A．advertised

B．completed

C．marked

D．printed

11.

A．return

B．donate

C．market

D．expose

12.

A．kids

B．parents

C．jobs

D．stories

13.

A．turn up

B．catch up

C．break off

D．take off

14.

A．on purpose

B．by example

C．at will

D．in detail

15.

A．tradition

B．dream

C．wonder

D．lesson

2 . 听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why does Bill look troubled?

A．He is short of money.

B．He has made a big mistake.

C．He is facing a tough choice.

2. What is Bill now?

A．A college student.

B．An army officer.

C．A computer engineer.

3. What does the woman seem to suggest Bill do?

A．Learn to repair cars.

B．Decline the job offer.

C．Ask his uncle for advice.

3 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is wrong with Bill?

A．He is short of money.

B．He has made a big mistake.

C．He is facing a tough choice.

2. What does Bill currently do?

A．He studies at university.

B．He works as an engineer.

C．He serves at a gas station.

3. What does Grace advise Bill to do?

A．Focus on education.

B．Ask his aunt for advice.

C．Accept the well-paying job.

4 . A comment from Zadie Smith caught my attention this week. Asked whether she had ever considered recording an album, the novelist responded, “I have a dream of having a Café Carlyle residency in New York in my 80s.” Here she is at the height of her success dreaming of a career Plan B just like the rest of us!

Weird Plan Bs fascinate me because for years I had one of my own. Despite being perfectly happy in my chosen profession, I had long harboured the fantasy of becoming a photographer and I took a lockdown leap and applied to art school to acquire some actual skills.

Has it brought me fame and riches? Not as yet. Like many people who dream of having a go at something different, I was focusing on creative fulfilment rather than my future finances. By the time I graduated in 2022, my dream of running a portrait photography business was looking a lot less practicable—in part thanks to AI head-shot generators.

If only I had had a little more Fobo, also known as the fear of becoming out-of-date. This workplace trend is an updated version of Fomo—the fear of missing out, which now feels like a poignant (辛酸的) throwback to more optimistic times. 22% of workers are worried that technology will put them out of a job. And who can blame them?

There is another reason that nurturing an alterative career might be risky. Research indicates that having a back-up plan can work against you. Having a Plan B as a safety net can cause people to make less effort at their day job and — unhelpfully — run a greater risk of losing it.

So, do I regret pursuing my Plan B? Not at all — hopefully I’ve got a few years before robot photographers take over the world, and I currently spend a day a week on photography. My only sorrow is something unexpected. For so many years. I had the fantasy of trying something new. My “someday” ambition sustained me through dull and boring days. But now I’m actually spending some of my week doing it, which has caused empty space in my life. It made me realize that having an alternative career to dream about is in itself sustaining and comforting. You might never do it, and that might not even matter. So, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and start working on my Plan C...

1. Why did Zadie Smith want to have a Cafe Carlyle residency?

A．She was not satisfied with her writing career.

B．She was eager to take up a second career.

C．She was depressed by recording an album.

D．She was unable to reach the height of success.

2. What do you know about the author’s plan B?

A．She was a skilled photographer who graduated from an art school.

B．She gave up her chosen occupation because of lockdown.

C．She gained a sense of creative satisfaction instead of income.

D．She ran a photography business with the assistance of AI.

3. Why did the author mention the concepts of Fobo and Fomo in paragraph 4?

A．To explain why workers are eager to do plan

B．To introduce one of the disadvantages to do plan B.

C．To advocate the society’s acceptance of plan B.

D．To display the future of trend of the workforce.

4. What’s the author’s “only sorrow” according to the last paragraph?

A．She will be replaced by robot photographer in the future.

B．She can’t spare time to do photography professionally.

C．She hates the dull and boring days in doing photography.

D．She lost something new to excite some enthusiasm for life.

5 . It is a common question to ask yourself: What do you want to be when you grow up?

In the past it has generally been accepted that a person will follow one career path, but an emerging group of people have changed this idea. By pursuing jobs across several walks, this group has come to be known as “slashers (斜杠青年)”.

There are many reasons why this has become popular, particularly among those under the age of 30. In modern competitive society, having multiple income streams (多种收入来源) is one of the best ways to create financial security.

Zhao Sichen is one follower of the slasher movement. The 34-year-old is an English teacher at Tsinghua University High School. Outside the classroom, Zhao also works as project manager in charge of education programs at the Internet tech company NetEase.

In addition to providing a sense of job security, becoming a slasher reduces boredom and prevents becoming burned out on (不再热衷) focusing on a single path.

According to the Guardian, “Entrepreneurs (创业者) are a typical example of a group that expects to spread their careers across multiple areas.” Erin Albert is a typical slasher in the UK. Apart from having written books, Albert is an assistant professor, an entrepreneur and a law student. Albert often asks his students to think about, “why they can’t both take an immediate job offer they are not sure about as well as work toward their ‘dream’ job”.

Technology has also promoted this choice. Online tools and platforms have allowed people to pursue different interests and career paths as they have promoted the ability to work remotely. Never has it been easier for those who have interests in a variety of careers to pursue them at the same time. It seems that right now the sky is the limit for those who are considering what they want to do in the future.

1. What do we know about slashers?

A．They are mostly 30 years old.	B．They follow one career path.
C．They change jobs frequently.	D．They tend to work several jobs.

2. Which of the following is NOT the reason for the popularity of slasher movement?

A．It gives people more free time to relax.

B．It helps people gain financial security.

C．It gets people to pursue their dream.

D．It makes people feel less bored in a single job.

3. What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?

A．Technology allows people to work remotely.

B．Doing more than one job might be encouraged.

C．Most people will work several jobs at the same time.

D．It has become more common for people to pursue multiple jobs.

4. What’s the best title of this passage?

A．Pursuing Your Dreams.	B．Slashers in China.
C．Slashing through Jobs.	D．Choosing Multiple Jobs.

6 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How does Alex feel about the job interview?

A．Disappointed.

B．Regretful.

C．Worried.

2. Why did Alex fail in the job interview?

A．Luck didn’t favor him once again.

B．Someone fit the job better than him.

C．Something went wrong with his CV.

3. What does the woman offer to do?

A．Write a CV.

B．Apply for another job.

C．Practise interview questions.

7 . If you’re going travelling after university or as a career break, an extended period of time of unemployment can leave a gaping hole in your CV.     1     As long as you plan your trip carefully and think about what you can do, travelling can actually boost your CV and career.

Recharge you batteries

If you’ve just spent three or four years at university, or working without a break, then you’ll need to recharge your batteries. If you take time out to travel you’ll have the opportunity to think about what’s important in your life and refocus on your career.     2    

Learn a new skill

If you’re going on a round-the-world trip then you could be travelling from anywhere between a month to a year, why don’t you learn a new skill while you’re on the road?     3     All businesses and companies need candidates with a broad skill set, so look at learning another language or getting further qualifications to boost your CV.

Make contacts

When you’re backpacking and travelling, try to make contacts with people who might be useful for your career. With the rise of social media, making contacts is as simple as saying “just tweet me” or “I’ll add you on Facebook”. The contacts you make while travelling could be your avenue into a new career.     4    

Volunteer

    5     Not only will you make a difference to the community and society, but it’ll look great on your CV. With volunteering you’ll learn what it means to live and work in another country, and employers are actively encouraging it. In a survey, 63% of HR professionals said that those who have taken a constructive gap year of volunteering or working abroad had an application that stood out from the rest.

A．But don’t worry.

B．Consider the simplest way you can meet their needs.

C．It’s important to network wherever you are in the world.

D．More often than not, you’ll come home feeling refreshed and energetic.

E．Think about what employers are looking for in your industry and cater to that.

F．One of the hardest things to overcome when applying for a job is work experience.

G．Volunteering is one of the most popular activities for gap years and round-the-world trips.

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The strict COVID-19 prevention and control measures taken by Shanghai in recent months have created certain obstacles for employing college graduates this year.     1     enterprises and public institutions cannot launch large-scale offline recruitment drives for the time being, colleges and universities, too,     2     (reduce) the scope of holding campus recruitment drives or internship for graduates.

    3     (ease) the pressure on college graduates, multiple departments in Shanghai recently issued a     4     (join) notice, requiring all districts, departments and colleges to take available measures to offset the negative impact of the epidemic on     5     (employ).

The circular also proposed the building of     6     “greater online and offline employment market” for college graduates. It asked all relevant authorities to strengthen coordination, integrate recruitment platforms in Shanghai and organize a series of comprehensive online and offline job fairs.

The formation of such a     7     (great) employment market not only means that the “plate of employment” will become bigger, but also indicates that online and offline recruitment channels will be opened and interconnected,     8     (connect) jobs with job-seekers and more accurately dovetailing enterprises’ job supply     9     young people’s job demands.

In fact, Shanghai is     10     (active) mobilizing all resources it can to ensure that college graduates find jobs. The Shanghai government has tried to create various government posts, cut taxes and fees for enterprises, and implemented preferential social security policies for and offered subsidies to enterprises to encourage them to hire fresh graduates.

9 . Urban Boatbuilders (UBB) in St. Paul, Minnesota began in 1995 with a goal of introducing youths to working with their hands as a path to employment. It is a non-profit organization funded through donations from individuals and corporations.     1    The early staff had a few woodworkers among them, so they cided to teach kids how to build boats from scratch. The journey had begun.

Over the decades since, the goal of the program has grown while keeping true to its roots. UBB recognizes that youths in general and especially low-income youths lack both the academic opportunities and workforce training to succeed.     2     It now offers an apprenticeship (学徒期) program where it hires people 16 to 21 years old to work in the woodshop. It prioritizes youths with barriers to employment.

    3     What does that look like in the day-to-day of their apprenticeships? In addition to learning technical woodworking skills while building a boat, they also need to develop communication skills, learn how to manage their time and exercise personal and cooperative problem-solving. These are necessary skills for their future employment.

The staff work strongly to further individualize the program. If a youth needs a driver’s license, they help them with the process. If they want to improve their public speaking, the staff works with them. Things like filling out a job application and practicing interviewing skills are other target areas.     4    

UBB also has a partnership program that brings woodworking and building to schools in the area.     5     To see woodworking put to truly good work is inspiring. UBB is a great resource for youths. I was impressed and uplifted by the important work it is doing for them.

A．The program has a highly individualized focus.

B．It developed a program to address those roadblocks.

C．The staff are truly invested in each youth’s progress.

D．UBB’s program has both advantages and disadvantages.

E．It is supported by volunteers besides the highly professional staff.

F．It required them to obey the rules and worked for the organization.

G．The classes have been well received and provide hands-on learning for students.

10 . Google made waves recently by announcing its new program, “Google Career Certificates,” a collection of courses designed to help participants get qualifications in high-paying, high-growth job fields without attending university. The courses take about six months to complete and will cost much less, compared to a traditional college education.

The response was huge. The article has been shared thousands of times and has caused thousands of comments. Most of the feedback has been extremely positive. Those who commented included professionals, employers and especially students who were happy to see an alternative to what many consider a broken educational system — one leaving many burdened with student debt for years while unprepared for the real world. With less time, the program can better equip graduates for the jobs they are seeking with practical and necessary skills.

What Google is offering isn’t exactly new. In some ways, the alternative resembles other traditional types of training like professional education or apprenticeship (学徒制) programs. The difference since Google is a household name, its certificate can be easily recognized and accepted across companies and industries - much like a degree from a major university.

Not all the feedback I received was in praise of Google’s initiative. Many readers expressed concern that not enough employers would value Google’s certificate program. One even described it as money racket (敲诈). So to ensure other companies to follow its lead, Google has established an association for employers to tap into the program and is currently inviting more to join. But still some readers leveled the criticism that there are certain lessons taught in higher education that you simply can’t get in other places.

In the end, I don’t think Google’s program will completely replace college education. But I do think it’s a step in the right direction — a separate path for students who are looking for something different than traditional higher education.

1. Who is the new Google program intended for?

A．Career trainers.	B．Job seekers.
C．Business managers.	D．College professors.

2. Which words can best describe the Google program?

A．Well-equipped and risk-free.	B．Time-consuming and well-rounded.
C．Cost-effective and widely-recognized.	D．Time-honored and highly-valued.

3. What does paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．Praises on Google’s purpose.	B．Arguments against the Google program.
C．Solutions to Google’s problems.	D．Advantages of Google training courses.

4. What is the author’s attitude to the Google program?

A．Favorable.

B．Intolerant.

C．Skeptical.

D．Ambiguous.