1 . A true reality of retirement planning is that your future is riding on the quality of your assumptions. Humble ______ can be dangerous.

For example, eight years into this bull market, expecting stocks to deliver as strong returns over the next decade is an uncertain proposition many are nonetheless ______.

Another potential ______ assumption is that you will be able to keep working past 65. Yet the recently released 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute finds that more than half of workers say they expect to still be on the clock past age 65. ______, less than 15 percent of today's retirees kept working that long.

"If you plan on working longer as a way to get by in retirement, you are going to be in trouble," says Craig Copeland, senior research associate at EBRI. "It should be a ______ to a solid savings and spending plan, not the foundation."

It's simply too ______ to assume you will indeed be able to work longer. A survey by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies found that nearly two-thirds of retirees left the workforce earlier than expected because they were laid off, reorganized out of a position, or due to general unhappiness with a job. Only 16 percent of retirees who ______ the work force earlier than they expected did so because they felt they could ______ afford to.

______, a new report from Prudential puts a dollar value on why your current employer may not be inclined (倾向于) to do back flips to keep an older you happy and engaged. The estimated one-year cost to a firm when an employee ______ retirement: $50,000.

Prudential estimates that on a company-wide level, delayed retirement can ______   overall workforce costs by 1 percent to 1.5 percent. That's not nothing. And it goes a long way in explaining why employers may be more inclined to focus on "financial wellness" strategies to get workers ready to retire ______ than programs to help workers delay retirement.

Fewer than one-third of employees surveyed by TCRS report their employer has some sort of "transition" program such as flexible work schedules, reduced hours or ______ to a different role.

"Workers' vision of retirement is changing faster than employers' business ______," said Catherine Collinson, president of TCRS. That makes it ever more crucial for pre-retirees to take the steps today that will increase the ______ they can continue to work longer, if that's part of the plan.

1.

A．pessimism

B．optimism

C．concern

D．consideration

2.

A．relying on

B．holding back

C．accounting for

D．turning down

3.

A．reliable

B．possible

C．flawed

D．firm

4.

A．As a result

B．In addition

C．Needless to say

D．By comparison

5.

A．complement

B．composition

C．compliment

D．comprehension

6.

A．ridiculous

B．sensible

C．risky

D．logical

7.

A．extended

B．exited

C．existed

D．remained

8.

A．economically

B．mentally

C．financially

D．physically

9.

A．However

B．Therefore

C．Instead

D．Moreover

10.

A．delays

B．expects

C．gets

D．decides

11.

A．influence

B．decrease

C．increase

D．transform

12.

A．later

B．sooner

C．faster

D．slower

13.

A．shifting

B．altering

C．ranging

D．functioning

14.

A．deals

B．practices

C．customs

D．operations

15.

A．prospect

B．capabilities

C．odds

D．outputs

2 . Questions are based on the following passage.
1.

A．He is training to fly a single engine plane.	B．He hopes to be an international pilot.
C．He is not sure about his future plan.	D．He works for Air Canada.

2.

A．From his friends.	B．From his father.
C．From his training.	D．From his university.

3.

A．By attending special schools.

B．By getting a private license first.

C．By getting into an airline company first.

D．By passing a test for commercial license.

4.

A．His flying hours in total.	B．His interview performance.
C．His university degrees.	D．His private pilot license.

3 . The Companies Doing the Most to Make Their Employees Happier

Fat paychecks, light workloads, and endless vacation days don’t necessarily add to happy employee. In fact, the happiest employees in the U. S. owe their happiness to first-rate employee motivations, sufficient benefits, career advancement programs, and great work-life balance. The companies that have been the most devoted to cultivating and advancing these things in the past year have seen employee happiness _____ .

The jobs site CareerBliss.com just announced the winners of this year’s “Leap Awards,” which honor the companies that have made the biggest leaps to improve employee happiness year-over-year. CareerBliss evaluated more than 250,000 company reviews and ratings it received from _____nationwide to determined the top 50 deserving companies. To_______the list, each company had to have at least 50 reviews.

“The Leap Awards are important because they highlight _____ in our workforce,” says CareerBliss’s chief executive, Heidi Golledge. CaareerBliss asked the respondents to evaluate the key factors that ______work happiness, including work-life balance, one’s relationship with the boss and co-workers, the work environment, job resources, salary, growth opportunities, company culture, company reputation, daily tasks, and job _____ .

Each respondent valued each of these things on a 1-to-5 scale, and indicated how important each was to their overall happiness at work. These numbers were______to find an average rating of overall employee happiness for each company. These averages were compared to last year’s numbers to find which companies had ______the most.

“Every employer who receives a Leap Award should ______their workplace happiness initiatives,” says Golledge. “Even though we are coming out of a difficult time, it is _____to see companies putting their efforts into providing a great environment for their employees. These efforts in workplace happiness will ensure that their employees will be around for years to come, as happiness breeds _____ .”

“We find each year that work-life balance is a key factor in determining employee happiness,” says Golledge. “Employee want to know that they can balance their career with their family and personal life. Often this______ over things like salary. Having programs that allow managers to offer employees flexibility can be a key factor in creating a happy work environment. ______, we see career advancement programs have a big impact on overall employee happiness. Often employees would rather take a job for a ______salary, if the company provides a comprehensive program which will help grow their career. Employees want to learn, develop and sustain a successful career path.”

Workplace happiness is the core of Career Bliss’ mission, Miller says“An individual’s happiness at work will create happiness throughout all areas of their life, and ______a company with a happy, motivated workforce will see exceptional results in its products and services.”

1.

A．soar

B．change

C．cease

D．disappear

2.

A．netizens

B．administrators

C．candidates

D．employees

3.

A．make up

B．quality for

C．count on

D．refer to

4.

A．change

B．power

C．duty

D．variety

5.

A．lay in

B．resulted from

C．focused on

D．contributed to

6.

A．analysis

B．vacancy

C．flexibility

D．responsibility

7.

A．applied

B．combined

C．compared

D．remembered

8.

A．benefited

B．improved

C．changed

D．produced

9.

A．approve of

B．account for

C．take pride in

D．get used to

10.

A．good

B．easy

C．impossible

D．interesting

11.

A．profit

B．honesty

C．creativity

D．loyalty

12.

A．turns

B．runs

C．advantages

D．skips

13.

A．However

B．Otherwise

C．Besides

D．Instead

14.

A．lower

B．fair

C．regular

D．similar

15.

A．obviously

B．frankly

C．fortunately

D．similarly

4 . Being attractive isn’t usually considered much of a disadvantage in today’s world. Actually, there is the endless potential benefit about it, but researchers have found one area that being pretty makes life a challenge securing yourself a boring, low-paying job.

This stands in contrast to a large body of research that attractiveness, in general, helps candidates in the selection process. For the most part good looks is a blessing. We treat pretty people more favorably in general, often vote for them more in elections, and pay them more in their professions. The research suggests that attractive people may be discriminated against in selection for relatively less desirable jobs.

Researchers carried out four experiments involving more than 750 participants, including university students and managers who make hiring decisions in the real world. Participants were shown photos of two potential job candidates, one attractive and the other unattractive. Participants were then asked a series of questions designed to measure their opinions of the job candidates and whether they would hire these candidates for a less-than-desirable job.

The less desirable jobs included a warehouse worker, housekeeper, customer service representative and the more desirable jobs included things like a manager, project director, IT elite(精英). In all experiments where they were asked, participants were significantly less likely to hire the attractive candidate for the less desirable job and more likely to hire the attractive candidate for the more desirable job.

Ms Lee said, “In the selection decision for an undesirable job, decision makers were more likely to choose the unattractive individual over the attractive individual. Co-author Dr Madan Pillutla said, “It is interesting that decision makers consider others’ opinions in their decisions. They thought that attractive individuals would want better outcomes, and therefore would be less satisfied, so they favored unattractive candidates when selecting for a less desirable job.”

The research also suggests the established view that attractive candidates are favored when applying for jobs might be limited to high-level jobs.

1. What do people generally think of being attractive?

A．It is a disadvantage.

B．It is a blessing.

C．it is not important.

D．It has nothing to do with jobs.

2. What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?

A．The participants of the experiment

B．The importance of the experiment

C．The process of the experiment

D．The result of the experiment.

3. An ordinary-looking graduate may have an advantage when applying for ________.

A．a manager

B．a project director

C．a warehouse worker

D．an IT elite

4. Why are less attractive applicants preferred for less desirable jobs?

A．Because they are more hardworking.

B．Because they will be more satisfied.

C．Because they have no requirements at all.

D．Because they will want better outcomes.

5. Which of the following agrees with the research?

A．Attractive people are more fit for high-level jobs.

B．Less attractive people are easy to find high-level jobs.

C．Attractive people can always be hired when applying for jobs.

D．Less attractive people can easily get highly paid if they work hard.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?

A．What job to do in the future.

B．Which professor to follow.

C．What abilities to possess.

2. What subject does the man probably prefer?

A．History.

B．Politics.

C．Art.

3. What do the woman’s parents expect her to be?

A．A restaurant manager.

B．A politician.

C．A teacher.

4. What is the woman good at doing?

A．Dealing with people.

B．Working with kids.

C．Painting pictures.

6 . Security guard, truck driver, salesperson—year after year, these jobs appear on lists of the unhappiest careers. Although many factors can make a job _________ —unusual hours, low pay, no chance for advancement—these three jobs _________ for another reason: a lack of small talk.

Psychologists have long said that connecting with others is central to our well-being, but just how much conversation we require is under _________ . In one study, researchers overheard undergraduates for four days and then _________ each conversations either “small talk” (“What do you have there? Pop corn? Yummy!”) or “serious” (“Did they break up soon after?”). They found that the second type is connected with happiness—the happiest students had roughly twice as many “serious” talks as the unhappiest ones. Small talk, meanwhile, _________ only ten percent of their conversation, versus almost 30 percent of conversation among the unhappiest students.

However, don’t just consider small talk _________ yet. Scientists believe that small talk could promote bonding. Chatting with strangers could _________ our morning. In a series of experiments, psychologists found that those who chatted with other train passengers reported a more pleasant journey than those who didn’t.

Small talk can also help us feel connected to our _________ . People who smiled at, made eye contact with and _________ spoke with their Starbucks baristas (咖啡师) reported a greater sense of __________ than those who rushed through the transaction (交易). __________ , when volunteers broke the silence of the art gallery to chat with gallery-goers, the visitors felt happier and more connected to the exhibit than those who were not __________.

Of course, some of us are better than others at turning small talk into something bigger. In one study, people who were rated “less curious” by researchers had trouble getting a conversation __________ on their own. People who were considered “curious”, meanwhile, needed no help   __________ conversations about ordinary things like favorite holidays into friendly exchanges. A “curious mindset,” the researchers concluded, can lead to “positive social __________.”

Therefore, go ahead—small talk needn’t be idle, and nosiness isn’t all bad.

1.

A．rewarding

B．depressing

C．exhausting

D．challenging

2.

A．stand out

B．turn up

C．give off

D．put forward

3.

A．negotiation

B．construction

C．investigation

D．examination

4.

A．divided

B．entitled

C．imposed

D．cataloged

5.

A．figured out

B．made up

C．look over

D．added to

6.

A．worthless

B．essential

C．boring

D．ridiculous

7.

A．occupy

B．satisfy

C．brighten

D．spoil

8.

A．emotions

B．heart

C．customers

D．surroundings

9.

A．purposefully

B．briefly

C．continuously

D．generally

10.

A．responsibility

B．security

C．belonging

D．achievement

11.

A．Consequently

B．Oppositely

C．Unexpectedly

D．Similarly

12.

A．approached

B．attached

C．addressed

D．attended

13.

A．breaking

B．pausing

C．rolling

D．stopping

14.

A．evolving

B．substituting

C．adapting

D．transforming

15.

A．interaction

B．standard

C．impact

D．involvement

7 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How long did the speaker stay abroad?

A．Six months.

B．One year.

C．Two years.

2. Why did the speaker quit the job in the family?

A．She didn’t like the children in the family.

B．She decided to try something else.

C．She wanted to go back home.

3. Why did the speaker think it was good to work in a bakery?

A．It gave her chances of practising her languages.

B．It provided her with free meals and easy work.

C．It offered her much free time in the afternoon.

4. What can we learn about the speaker in the end?

A．She followed her parents’ advice on finding a job.

B．She worked for a bank in a foreign country.

C．She continued her study in the foreign language department.

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How long did Donna work for the Peace Corps?

A．Three months.

B．Two years.

C．Three years.

2. What was Donna assigned to do in Brazil?

A．Work on an agricultural project.

B．Carry out a cultural program.

C．Teach Portuguese.

3. What did Donna do first after she went back to Brazil?

A．A farmer.

B．A journalist.

C．An English teacher.

4. How does Donna make extra money to support herself?

A．By renting her apartment to someone.

B．By writing stories for newspapers.

C．By planting crops.

9 . Perhaps at one point in time, it was acceptable to start any letter or e-mail with “To Whom It May Concern.”     1     Starting your cover letter or e-mail for a job this way might give off the impression that you didn’t do your research on who you’re writing to.     2     After all, people who address other people by their names when writing and speaking to them tend to be more pleasant.

    3     It can be used in letters of recommendation or reference, formal complaints（抱怨）made to a company, letters of introduction, and letters of interest.

Grammarly uses the example of needing to write a letter of recommendation, for a colleague who will have to make several copies to distribute to interviewers,     4     “In most cases, though, try to narrow your focus rather than cast a broad net,” notes Grammarly.”Ask yourself. Who does this e-mail concern? If you can honestly answer ‘Anyone, ‘then feel free to use “To Whom It May Concern.” （These are the things you should never say in your cover letter.）

If you do happen to find that using “To Whom It May Concern” is appropriate, don’t make grammar mistakes, for example, letters or punctuation.     5    

A．However, it maybe interesting.

B．Those times have changed, though.

C．Making mistakes in writing will surely get you low scores.

D．It’s also very impersonal, which some employers might not appreciate.

E．In that circumstance, sending and receiving letters is more of a formal greeting.

F．You might want to take note of other common errors you might be committing, too.

G．But according to Grammarly, there are four times when it’s OK to use this greeting.

10 . Imagine that you’re looking at your company-issued smartphone and you notice an e-mail from Linkedln:“These companies are looking for candidate like you!” You aren’t necessarily searching for a job, but you’re always open to opportunities, so out of curiosity, you click on the link. A few minutes later your boss appears at your desk. “We’ve noticed that you’re spending more time on Linkedln lately, so I wanted to talk with you about your career and whether you’re happy here,” she says Uh-oh.
It’s an awkward scene. Attrition(损耗) has always been expensive for companies, but in many industries the cost of losing good workers is rising, owing to tight labor markets. Thus companies are making greater efforts to predict which workers are at high risk of leaving so that managers can try to stop them. Methods range from electronic monitor to sophisticated analyses of employees’ social media lives.
Some of this work may be a reason to let employees to quit. In general, people leave their jobs because they don’t like their boss, don’t see opportunities for promotion or growth, or are offered a higher pay; these reasons have held steady for years.
New research conducted by CEB, a Washington-based technology company, looks not just at why workers quit but also at when. “We’ve learned that what really affects people is their sense of how they’re doing compared with other people in their peer group, or with where they thought they would be at a certain point in life, says Brian Kropp, who heads CEB’s HR practice. “We’ve learned to focus on moments that allow people to make these comparisons.”
Technology also provides clues about which star employees might be eyeing the exit. Companies can tell whether employees using work computers or phones are spending time on (or even just opening e-mails from) career websites, and research shows that more firms are paying attention to these things. Large companies have also begun tracking badge swipes(浏览痕迹)—employees’ use of an ID to enter and exit the building or the parking garage—to identify patterns that suggest a worker may be interviewing for a job.
1. From the first paragraph, we can infer Linkedln is ________.

A．an e-mail

B．a job from the Internet

C．a professional social network

D．a world-famous company

2. What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?

A．The cost of losing good workers is rising.

B．Companies are stricter with workers than before.

C．Measures have been taken to find the potential workers who want to quit.

D．Finding new jobs has been a trend for most workers.

3. According to the research by CEB, which of the following might be the most probable reason for workers to quit their jobs?

A．They don’t like their bosses.

B．Workers are always doing comparisons.

C．Not seeing opportunities for promotion.

D．To find a higher-paid job.