1 . 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If only I had had a little more Fobo, also known as the fear of becoming out-of-date.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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
2 . Career planning is important. Get started today. Connect your personal interests and academic aspirations to plan a wonderful career at University of New Brunswick (UNB).
Career Connections will help you figure out who you are — your strengths and interests — as you find which field of study and careers arc right for you. Career Connections also helps connect you to the experts, workshops and information you need.
To guide you through your academic and career exploration, Career Connections includes information for future, current, and graduating students. In this site, you will find:
Program Blueprints for each of our programs, career resources including workshops and expert advice, information about experiential learning opportunities, career myths, news trends and career-related research.
On-campus Career Support
We have the experts to help you in your academic and career development.
Career Development & Employment Centre
Consult with your career and employment advisors, depending on your needs; complete workshops for the Career Development Certificate; learn about the Work-study Program; go to career fairs and much more.
Career Counselling
Students are supported by two career counsellors who will help you explore academic and career options through the Carcer Planning Process. They will help you develop a plan for gaining the skills and knowledge needed to pursue your passions.
Academic Advising
Academic advising is an important aspect of career exploration. It is through your academic advisor(s) that you will explore program options, discussing how these fit your career goals, and how to map your academic future in developing the knowledge and skills needed to be an employment-ready, life-long learner.
Experiential Education
There are many experiential (体验的) learning opportunities at UNB. Several programs include work placements as part of your degree requirements. Additional experiential opportunities include the Work-study Program and The Summer Institute. as well as finding and securing employment during your studies or the summer.
1. If you want to get a Career Development Certificate, you’d better go to ________.| A．Career Counselling | B．Academic Advising |
| C．On-campus Career Support | D．Career Development & Employment Centre |
| A．get chances for experiential learning |
| B．study on articles during summer vacation |
| C．obtain high professional grades and degrees |
| D．work out the value of programs and institutes |
| A．In a brochure. | B．On a website. | C．In a magazine. | D．In a news report. |
3 . Read the following tips given by the different consultants.
Alice  A university degree is no guarantee of a job, and job hunting in itself requires a whole set of skills. If you find you are not getting past the first interview, ask yourself what is happening. Is it a failure to communicate or are there some skills you lack? Once you see patterns emerging it will help you decide whether the gaps you have identified can be filled relatively easily. If you cannot work out what the mismatch is, get back to the selection board with more examining questions, and find out what you need to do to bring yourself up to the level of qualification that would make you more attractive to them: but be careful to make this sound like a genuine request rather than a challenge or complaint. |
Paul  Do not be too dispirited if you are turned down for a job, but think about the reasons the employers give. They often say it is because others are ‘better qualified' but they use the term loosely. Those who made the second interview might have been studying the same subject as you and be of similar ability level, but they had something which made them a closer match to the selector’s ideal. That could be experience gained through projects or vacation work, or it might be that they were better at communicating what they could offer. Do not take the comments at face value: think back to the interviews that generated them and make a list of where you think the shortfall in your performance lies. With this sort of analytical approach you will eventually get your foot in the door. |
Rebecca  Deciding how long you should stay in your first job is a tough call. Stay too long and future employers may question your drive and ambition. Of course, it depends where you are aiming. There can be advantages in moving sideways rather than up, if you want to gain real depth of knowledge. If you are a graduate, spending five or six years in the same job is not too long provided that you take full advantage of the experience. However, do not use this as an excuse for indifference. Graduates sometimes fail to take ownership of their careers and take the initiative. It is up to your will to make the most of what’s available within a company, and to monitor your progress in case you need to move on. This applies particularly if you are still not sure where your career path lies. |
Smith  It is helpful to think through what kind of experience you need to get your dream job and it is not a problem to move around to a certain extent. But in the early stages of your career, you need a definite strategy for reaching your goal, so think about that carefully before deciding to move on from your first job. You must cultivate patience to master any role. There is no guarantee that you will get adequate training, and research has shown that if you do not receive proper help in a new role, it can take 18 months to master it. |
1. It can be concluded from the passage that the consultants intend to help graduates ________.
| A．figure out a qualified consultant | B．work out the mismatch |
| C．start out on their career path | D．make out future employers |
| A．make sure your approach for information is positive in tone |
| B．some information you are given may not give a complete picture |
| C．you should demonstrate determination to improve your job prospects |
| D．keep your initial objective in mind when you are planning to change jobs |
| A．Alice. | B．Paul. | C．Rebecca. | D．Smith. |
