To be or not to be Entrepreneurs
A friend of mine was once so inspired by his own start-up concept that he pulled out his phone, checked the availability of his preferred URL, and registered the domain name on the spot. Similar scenes play out at lots of business schools in the USA. The majority of MBA students range in age from the mid-20s to the 30s; with all the discussion of start-ups and new businesses, it would seem that they’re living the Millennial dream of entrepreneurship.
But it seems more often than not these days, the startup ideas fail to take off. When I check on my peers’ start-up proposals after a few weeks, I often find that their ideas have been abandoned, and that my classmates are focused on their steady corporate jobs. Research suggests entrepreneurial activity has declined among Millennials to almost a quarter-century low. More Millennials believe they can have a successful career by staying at one company and attempting to climb the ladder than by founding a new one.
Some of the reasons have been well-documented.
The romantic view of entrepreneurship involves angel investors and venture capital funds, but in fact, the ordinary entrepreneur is more likely to fund a start-up using personal savings—something underemployed Millennials simply could not build as they entered the workforce during or in the immediate wake of the Great Recession. Funding from friends and family is the next most common source, but this personal network could not help much during the most recent economic downturn, when so much home equity was underwater.
Lately, though, it seems that even those who might typically have access to other forms of funding, like venture capital, are having a hard time getting investors’ attention. While a mobile app can make for a decent side hustle to a regular corporate job, it won’t turn into the next Apple or Google, and American investors know that.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . When Chris decided to study teaching, he knew his father would be upset. Chris found it hard to make decisions, if they
The 25-year-old special-education teacher, who lives in Maryland, US, wanted to make a
Chris’ father had worked hard,
Chris, the kid of a famous doctor, felt as if he was acknowledged as his father’s child rather than as himself. That might be because his father
But it’s possible to settle differences and
| A．went against | B．agreed with | C．took over | D．rooted in |
| A．fortune | B．difference | C．decision | D．story |
| A．education | B．medicine | C．law | D．art |
| A．expecting | B．complaining | C．confirming | D．admitting |
| A．suggested | B．opposed | C．assumed | D．realized |
| A．Moreover | B．Therefore | C．Otherwise | D．However |
| A．fit | B．career | C．case | D．choice |
| A．pleasant | B．impossible | C．stressful | D．shameful |
| A．attracted | B．paid | C．needed | D．divided |
| A．instead of | B．regardless of | C．due to | D．according to |
| A．off | B．from | C．in | D．over |
| A．recognition | B．access | C．wealth | D．independence |
| A．switch | B．escape | C．manage | D．benefit |
| A．ambitious | B．social | C．great | D．unique |
| A．appears | B．proves | C．matters | D．happens |
1. Why does Julia want to leave her present job?
| A．She does not like the job. |
| B．She wants to do something different. |
| C．She wants to travel and teach English. |
| A．Julia will move out of London. |
| B．Tom will refuse to let Julia leave. |
| C．Julia will go abroad soon. |
| A．Julia’s husband. | B．Julia’s brother. | C．Julia’s boss. |
1. How does Alex feel about the job interview?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Regretful. | C．Worried. |
| A．Luck didn’t favor him once again. |
| B．Someone fit the job better than him. |
| C．Something went wrong with his CV. |
| A．Write a CV. | B．Apply for another job. | C．Practise interview questions. |
5 . 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. |
6 . Ten years ago, liberal arts majors were a hot proposition, but according to a recent report, engineering and science majors are more favored by Chinese university students nowadays.
The shift has happened since the country set its sights on growth powered by technological breakthroughs and high-end manufacturing.
The popularity of engineering has also been reflected in the annual adjustment of university majors by the Ministry of Education.
Since the ministry approved the establishment of AI-related undergraduate majors in 2018, 440 universities now offer them. When 180 universities set up AI majors in 2019, they became the top new majors of the year. Many engineering majors are associated with terms like “intelligent” and “smart”, with technological and scientific innovation in mind.
Financial and management majors were previously popular due to the capital’s role in driving social and economic progress. Rising geopolitical tensions have encouraged the turn toward engineering, as China has realized that technology will be the fundamental engine of future growth, and so engineering and science majors have become the most popular. More importantly, there are still many weak links and bottlenecks in China’s technological development, which require more talent to solve.
The development of AI in China still has a long way to go, so students are obliged to study properly and contribute to the sector’s rapid development.
A senior researcher said that students need to be more objective about popular majors as the demand for them might change based on societal demand and employment prospects. When choosing a major, they should focus more on their strengths and passions, he said, adding that if they pursue a popular major in which they are not interested, they will not learn professionally and will still find it hard to get a good job.
1. Why has engineering become popular recently?| A．Liberal arts majors are less popular. |
| B．Chinese universities favor engineering majors. |
| C．China has have aimed at developing high-end manufacturing. |
| D．The Ministry of Education makes adjustments annually. |
| A．By listing the numbers. | B．By making experiments. |
| C．By giving a description. | D．By making a discussion. |
| A．The capital’s role in the progress. | B．Rising geopolitical tensions. |
| C．Many weak links and bottlenecks. | D．Societal rapid development. |
| A．Engineering leads to good jobs. | B．Choosing a major depends on its popularity. |
| C．People must follow the crowd. | D．Interest is the best teacher. |
7 . Three years into my postdoctoral (博士后) position, I decided I needed a new career plan. After applying for more than two dozen teaching jobs, I hadn’t landed a single interview. I was disappointed but not surprised. I was applying in the middle of the 2008 financial crisis, when many universities carried out hiring freezes, and my publication record didn’t stand out.
One day after my failed job search, my office mate was amazed by what a journal’s scientific illustrator had done to the sketches (草图) in her review article with artistic techniques. I thought to myself, “That would be such a fun job.” A long dormant (蛰伏的) dream of becoming an artist began to stir.
My family was bursting with mathematicians and engineers who pursued music and literature in their spare time, so it felt natural to have my daily life revolve around science, with art as my dreamy lunar companion. I had once considered going to art school but had put that idea aside when I decided to pursue chemistry as an undergraduate. In the years that followed, I kept up my interest in art by taking drawing and painting classes at night.
I decided to test out a new career direction by creating similar illustrations for my institute’s newsletters. I spent nights and weekends reading scientific papers and thinking about how to illustrate the results. It was a fun task-something that engaged my artistic, creative side and made use of my scientific training. I felt I was on the right path.
It was exciting to find a career that drew on my diverse skill set. I did feel a sense of loss for not becoming an academic educator, and I worried I’d be letting down the people and institutions who’d invested time and resources in me. But it helped to remind me that my new career path wasn’t removed from science. I now work as a visual designer at a biomedical research institute, not far from my husband’s company, and my business is flying.
1. Why did the author fail to land a job at first?| A．She lacked interview skills. | B．It was a very difficult period. |
| C．Her publications were of little value. | D．Universities adopted rigid hiring requirements. |
| A．Her family culture. | B．Her childhood dream. |
| C．Her talent for science. | D．Her colleague’s encouragement. |
| A．Romantic and curious. | B．Creative and generous. |
| C．Humorous and hard-working. | D．Science-pursuing and considerate. |
| A．Power from Science | B．Challenge of Job Hunting |
| C．Shift from Traditional Belief | D．Take-off with Artistic Wings |
1. Why did the woman leave Japan?
| A．She decided to start a company of her own. |
| B．She had to come back to look after her parents. |
| C．She couldn't find a suitable job after the earthquake. |
| A．A secretary. | B．A designer. | C．A teacher. |
| A．Call the manager. | B．Read an application. | C．Look for a job. |
9 . When choosing your dream career, it is important that you first know yourself well. The best way to begin is through self-exploration which will allow you to uncover more about your personal interests, skills, personality, and values.
Interests are important considerations when choosing a career. By focusing on your interests, you can determine which career options would provide you with the highest satisfaction and a sense of enjoyment.
The next thing you have to consider is the skills you own.
Another important factor to consider in your decision when choosing a dream career is your values.
| A．Values are relevant to your beliefs. |
| B．What are the things you are good at? |
| C．Interests are also important for your choice. |
| D．Choosing a dream career will have an influence on your skills. |
| E．If you enjoy your job, you will be more motivated to do your job well. |
| F．One or more of these factors may have a great influence on your choice of careers. |
| G．It’s equally important to take personality into account when you’re choosing the dream career. |
10 . How to Choose the Right Career?
Choosing the right career can be difficult, and consequently you will find many of us can hardly find a suitable job in our daily life.
Assess your hobbies. It is very easy to turn your hobbies or something you love doing into a future career. Many hobbies are related to real world needs and positions. Consider what you like to do and how that might fit into a career. Remain humble as you work toward your goal.
Assessing your skills
Consider what skills you are good at. If you are particularly good at certain skills, such as fixing things or making things, this can provide you with a great future career, since skilled labor is often in demand and you will find it fairly easy to find work.
Considering your current state
Explore yourself. Figuring out what you should do with your life may sometimes require you to get to know yourself better. If you want a career that will really make you happy, you have to have an impressive awareness of what you want and what you enjoy.
Thinking about your future
Examine your future financial security. One of the most important things to consider is if the career path you're choosing will provide you with an acceptable level of financial security. In other words, will you be able to make enough money to support yourself and your family? Meanwhile, you are supposed to pay special attention to your future job stability,
Admittedly, the combination of the above four steps proved extremely effective when choosing the future career. Once you get started, you'll find it quite beneficial and even enjoyable!
| A．Evaluating your interests |
| B．Assessing your personality |
| C．Therefore, having a defined career direction will help you achieve your goal. |
| D．Job markets changes a lot as society needs different things at different times. |
| E．For some people, this means taking some time off to decide what's vital to them. |
| F．If you have a good command of communicating with others, there are jobs for you as well. |
| G．However, with serious self-planning and self-reflection, you can set yourself on a path towards a fulfilling career. |
