1 . In the fog of uncertainty about how new technology will change the way we work, policymakers around the world have flocked to the same idea. No matter what the future brings, they say confidently, we will need to upskill the workforce in order to cope.
The view sounds reassuringly sensible. If computers are growing smarter, humans will need to learn to use them to humans’ advantage. Otherwise, they may run the risk of being replaced by computers.
Research published by the Social Mobility Commission shows that workers with degrees are over three times more likely to participate in training as adults than workers with no qualifications. That creates a virtuous circle for those who did well at school, and vicious circle for those who did not. If the robots are coming for both the accountants and the taxi drivers, you can bet the bean counters will be more able to retrain themselves out of danger.
It is no good criticizing employers for directing investments at their highly skilled workers. They are simply aiming for the highest return they can get. And, for some types of lower-paid work, it is not always true that technological progress requires more skills. The UK’s latest Employment and Skills Survey, which is performed every five years, suggests the use of literacy and numeracy skills at work has fallen since 2012, even as the use of computers has increased. The trouble is, when the computer makes your job easier one day, it might make it unnecessary the next. Many of those affected by automation will need to switch occupations, or even industries.
It is time to revisit older ideas. The UK once had an energetic culture of night schools, for adults to attend after their day jobs. These institutions have been disappearing due to funding cuts. But a revival of night schools could be exactly what the 21st century needs.
It is still not clear whether the impact of new technology on the labour market will come in a trickle or aflood. But in an already unequal world, continuing to reserve all the lifeboats for the better-off would be a dangerous mistake.
| A．Employers also invest more in better educated workers by launching employer-sponsored cmployee education programs. |
| B．According to an Oxford University study, nowadays employers are more likely to hire the first-year apprentices. |
| C．Rather than just “upskilling” in a narrow way, people could choose to learn an entirely new skill or trade. |
| D．But the truth is, the people who are being “upskilled” in today’s economy are the ones who need it the least. |
| E．People can effectively train or upskill themselves to meet their specific professional needs. |
| F．But a retailer or warehouse company is not going to retrain its staff to help them move to a different sector. |
2 . Jobs that use both technical and creative thinking are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying ones, according to a new report from Burning Glass Technologies, a job market analytics (分析) company in Boston.
It studied millions of job postings to better understand the skills companies require. What they discovered was that many want workers with experience in such new abilities as big-data (数据) gathering and analytics, or design using digital technology.
Burning Glass came up with the term “hybrid jobs” to describe these kinds of positions, which require skills not normally found together. For example, these hybrid jobs might require people with skills in data science and advertising, or engineering and sales. “The jobs of the future don’t involve just one skill,” says Matt Sigelman, chief manager of Burning Glass.
The company expects general job growth of about 10% between 2018 and 2028, but the hybrid jobs by 21%. What’s more, hybrid jobs pay more than positions that call for a traditional set of skills. For example, a marketing manager mastering a database program gets paid 41% more than a traditional one, with an average yearly salary of $100, 000. Moreover, an engineer who improves her sales skills and becomes a consulting engineer for a software company can more than double her pay from $180, 000 to $400, 000.
While data shows that workers who fail to update their skills will be able to find fewer jobs, people in hybrid jobs are less likely to become out of date, with only 12% possibility of being replaced by machine, compared with 42% for general jobs, says Burning Glass. Hybrid jobs are mostly not beginner roles, so they mainly go to workers with years of experience and, most importantly, more training after leaving college. That means workers, bosses and educators will have to think about how to better prepare people for these roles.
1. Why did the company research into job advertisements?| A．To understand the growth of best paid workers. |
| B．To compare workers’ experience with new abilities. |
| C．To find out companies’ requirements about skills. |
| D．To tell the possible changes in future job market. |
| A．Data engineer. |
| B．Machine operator. |
| C．Marketing manager. |
| D．Medical consultant. |
| A．$180, 000. | B．$71, 000. | C．$41, 000. | D．$10, 000. |
| A．How to Get Trained for Jobs |
| B．The Skills for “Hybrid” Jobs |
| C．Future Jobs Requiring “Hybrid” Skills |
| D．Tips on Finding Fastest-Growing Jobs |
1. 表达申请意愿；
2. 你的优势（至少两点） 。
注意：
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
To whom it may concern,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
Much time and effort has been devoted to researching the mental health benefits of flexible work environments, but can the ability to leave work early to watch your son’s soccer game, or arrive at the office a bit later in the morning in order to see to some personal matters, have physical health benefits besides making you feel a bit relaxed?
According to new research published in the Cochrane Library Database of Systematic Reviews, it seems so. In a review of 10 previous studies examining the health effects of unfixed work conditions for more than 16,000 people, researchers from the U.K.. Durham University and University of Newcastle, as well as the University of Montreal, found that flexible work schedules, for instance, when employees can shift their starting times, were associated with improvements in a person’s overall health. In addition, perhaps, unsurprisingly, in all of the studies included in the review, researchers found no evidence for negative effects of more flexible work schedules.
This initial analysis was intended to throw light on the potential health benefits of flexible work options, which are increasingly popular throughout Scandinavia, and have recently gained some ground in the U.K. For example, last April, the British government implemented a policy that allowed parents of children aged six and under to request flexible work arrangements to include parents of children aged 16 and younger. In the U.S., the phenomenon is a bit slower to catch on. Yet, the economic slowdown of recent years may have contributed to growth in workplace flexibility—as companies unable to reward employees with bonuses or raises may turn to other forms of compensation, Reuters reported early last year.
Original analysis too, of course, indicated the benefits of flexible work environments toward positive mental health outcomes. And while these latest findings are promising, the researchers stress that more study is vital to understanding the detailed relationship between flexible work and improved health outcomes. To truly grasp the benefits of flexible working conditions, the researchers say, additional study analyzing health outcomes among a wide range of workers—from high-ranking executives to hourly employees – is critical, which helps to gain a deeper understanding of the issue, and to shape future workplace policy.
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1. What kind of company is it?
| A．A decoration company. | B．A paint company. | C．A furniture company. |
| A．It’s smelly and noisy. |
| B．It’s big and quiet. |
| C．It’s small and noisy. |
| A．Being good at writing and computers. |
| B．Efficient, accurate and honest. |
| C．Experience of working with foreigners. |
| A．Relaxing. | B．Dangerous. | C．Highly-paid. |
1. Why do American students have part-time jobs?
| A．To pay for high tuition. |
| B．To get working experience. |
| C．To save money for shopping. |
| A．In hotels. | B．In coffee shops. | C．On campus. |
| A．96 dollars. | B．80 dollars. | C．120 dollars. |
I
8 . A heart-warming story tells of a woman who finally decided to ask her boss for a raise in salary. All day she felt
The woman arrived home that
She found him in the kitchen and told him the good
Following the supper, her husband went into the kitchen to
Someone has said that the
Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa said, “What can you do to
| A．nervous | B．pleased | C．calm | D．angry |
| A．spirit | B．strength | C．courage | D．money |
| A．fear | B．delight | C．sorrow | D．disappointment |
| A．week | B．morning | C．afternoon | D．evening |
| A．meal | B．gift | C．party | D．list |
| A．shop | B．home | C．office | D．restaurant |
| A．kept out | B．turned down | C．set aside | D．put off |
| A．position | B．income | C．news | D．job |
| A．found | B．wrote | C．designed | D．read |
| A．note | B．salary | C．present | D．raise |
| A．eat | B．sweep | C．clean | D．cut |
| A．hung | B．left | C．climbed | D．fallen |
| A．worry about | B．get through | C．end up | D．take up |
| A．somewhere | B．anyway | C．however | D．instead |
| A．price | B．measure | C．method | D．means |
| A．expression | B．operation | C．acceptance | D．reaction |
| A．suffers | B．fails | C．falls | D．loses |
| A．disease | B．problem | C．habit | D．pain |
| A．life | B．family | C．duty | D．work |
| A．protect | B．defend | C．challenge | D．help |
1. What's the probable relationship between the speakers?
| A．Boss and secretary. | B．Teacher and student. | C．Interviewer and interviewee. |
| A．English. | B．Spanish. | C．Italian. |
| A．A Spanish teacher. | B．A manager assistant. | C．A company secretary. |
| A．She does well in typing. |
| B．She works in a company now. |
| C．She expects to get a driving license. |
1. What made the man decide to study medicine finally?
| A．His own experience. | B．His teachers’ advice. | C．His parents’ influence. |
| A．Took her to the hospital. |
| B．Walked back to his dormitory. |
| C．Gave her mouth-to-mouth breathing. |
| A．In a university. | B．In a television studio. | C．In an emergency room. |
| A．First aid methods. | B．Some happier moments. | C．His work in the hospital. |
