1 . Last Sunday I was thinking about the difference between successful people and those who don’t achieve anything significant. I made an interesting discovery. This difference may at first look obvious, but the fact is quite the opposite.
Everyone has a purpose behind their actions. If they don’t, they wouldn’t take action.
Different purposes will result in completely different life experiences. People who work to survive are the ones who fear that some unexpected bill will arrive. They go to bed worrying about money and unimportant things. They hate their employment but don’t quit because they doubt their own ability to create something greater. I know this kind of feeling because I was like that once. That’s a very uncomfortable state to be in because you are constantly worried about insignificant things.
Now there are some people who don’t accept the “Life is hard” story and they are fueled by an entirely different purpose.
They work to thrive.
| A．So let me ask you a few questions. |
| B．This state does not allow you to be creative. |
| C．It lies in what motivates people to take action. |
| D．Such an attitude invites great opportunities to you. |
| E．And they don’t think about why something cannot be done. |
| F．And this makes you take even more or better quality action. |
| G．But successful people have a completely different purpose behind their actions. |
2 . When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was to spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sport to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I had a paper round: delivering newspapers to people’s homes.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage (成人仪式) .It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV (简历). Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their own money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employers’ organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school and they are under some pressure now to study hard and get good exam result and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
Many young people actually want to work because it gives them a sense of freedom. One 13-year-old girl called Rachel, who has a Saturday job in a shop, told the BBC that “I enjoy my job because I’m earning money and it helps me socialize with people I work with.” That seems like something worth getting up for a Saturday morning. Did you do a part-time job when you were at school?
1. What can we conclude from Para 2?| A．Students taking up part-time jobs are more independent. |
| B．Taking up part-time jobs can help students save money. |
| C．Taking up part-time jobs is good for students in many ways. |
| D．Children over 13 in the UK must take up part-time jobs. |
| A．important | B．harmful |
| C．threatening | D．beneficial |
| A．Students with good grades and no study pressure can do part-time jobs. |
| B．Students should put all their energies into their studies. |
| C．The more part-time jobs they do, the more beneficial it is for students. |
| D．It is good for students to do part-time jobs as long as they are proper. |
| A．Should schoolchildren have part-time jobs? |
| B．What kind of part-time job should schoolchildren do? |
| C．What benefits can part-time jobs bring to schoolchildren? |
| D．Why do British schoolchildren show less interest in part-time jobs? |
3 . Upskilling is the future—but it must work for everyone
Automation and job replacement will be one of the most significant challenges for the global economy of the coming decades. A 2017 Mckinsey report established that 375 million workers will need to switch occupational categories by 2030. The World Economic Forum suggests that by 2022, automation will replace 75 million jobs globally—but create 133 million new ones.
Research into the likelihood that a job will be impacted by digitization has largely focused on the “automatability” of the role and the following economic regional and political effects of this. What this research doesn’t take into account is something more important for the millions of taxi drivers and retail workers across the globe: their likelihood of being able to change to another job that isn’t automatable. Recent research suggests that the answer to this may be that the skills that enable workers to move up the ladder to more complex roles within their current areas might be less important than broader skills that will enable workers to change across divisions.
In July, Amazon announced that it would spend $700 million retraining around 30% of its 300,000 US workforce. While praiseworthy, it will be interesting to see the outcome. In the UK, the National Retraining Scheme has largely been led by employers, meaning that those on zero-hours contracts and part-time workers—often low-skilled—will miss out. Governance will be a crucial element of ensuring that such schemes focus on individuals and life-long learning, rather than upskilling workers into roles that will soon also face automation.
According to the Mckinsey report, “growing awareness of the scale of the task ahead has yet to translate into action. Public spending on labour-force training and support has fallen for years in most member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development,” which impacts more than just the low-skilled and poorly compensated.
The global impact of automation is also put into relief by research demonstrating that, between 1988 and 2015, income inequality increased throughout the world. Billions of people do not have the essentials of life as defined by the UN Sustainable Development goals.
Alongside climate change, automation is arguably tech’s biggest challenge. As with globalization, governments and employers—and us workers—ignore its potential consequences at risk to ourselves.
1. It can be known from Paragraph 2 that .| A．recent research has found ways to face automation |
| B．broad skills are of great significance in changing jobs |
| C．regional economy can affect the automatability of a job |
| D．it is even harder for workers to move up the social ladder |
| A．Supportive. | B．Critical. |
| C．Skeptical. | D．Sympathetic. |
| A．Less spending on training. | B．A slowdown of globalization. |
| C．Social unrest and instability. | D．An increase in income inequality. |
| A．argue the urgency of creating new jobs | B．compare globalization with automation |
| C．analyze the automatability of certain jobs | D．stress the importance of upskilling workers |
4 . Born in New York in 1918, scientist Gertrude B. Elion had an impressive career, during which she developed medicines to cure many major diseases. Elion spent her early youth in Manhattan. She attended senior high school and had, in her words, an unbelievable thirst for knowledge.
Influenced by the death of her grandfather, who died of cancer, Elion entered Hunter College at the age of 15 and graduated in chemistry at the age of 19. She had difficulty finding employment after graduation because many laboratories refused to hire women chemists. She found a part-time job as a lab assistant and went back to school at New York University. Elion worked as a high school teacher for a few years after finishing work on her master’s degree.
The start of World War II created more opportunities for women. At the age of 26, Elion was able to get a job at Burroughs Welcome, where she began a 40-year partnership with Dr. George H. Hitchings. Her thirst for knowledge impressed Dr. Hitchings, and he permitted her to take on more responsibility.
Elion and Hitchings set out on a course of creating medicines by studying the chemical composition of diseased cells. Rather than relying on old trial-and-error methods, they used the differences in biochemistry between normal human cells and pathogens(病原体)to design medicines. In all, Elion obtained 45 patents on medicine and was awarded 23 honorary degrees.
In 1988, Elion received the Nobel Prize for Medicine, together with George H. Hlitchings and Sir James Black. She received other awards for her work, including the National Medal of Science in 1991, and that same year, she became the first woman to be absorbed into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In 1997, she was awarded the Lemelson-MIT Lifetime Achievement Award.
1. What can we say about Elion as a high school student?| A．She had a satisfying part-time job. |
| B．She had a strong desire for learning. |
| C．She had a gift for chemistry at high school. |
| D．She made great achievements in chemistry. |
| A．To meet her grandfather’s wish. |
| B．To find a good job after graduation. |
| C．To create medicines to cure diseases. |
| D．To be a chemistry teacher in the future. |
| A．In 1944. | B．In 1937. | C．In 1933. | D．In 1984. |
| A．Her later life. | B．Her contributions. |
| C．Her interest in chemistry. | D．Her honors. |
From time to time, life might provide a person with the present of a moment that changes everything. As for me, that came on a plane home in January, 2009. Frankly, as a lawyer, I specialized in corporate law in oil and gas projects. In fact, I’d grown to hate my job. It involved too much paperwork and loads of traveling, which I thought was fairly exhausting.
Actually, becoming a lawyer was unintended. I loved my school but it was competitive and students were destined for a good university, and then a graduate plan. That was the track I was on. After graduation, I became a lawyer, but that just made me trapped. I wanted to make a difference, but I had no idea what else I could do.
On that life-changing flight, I asked a stewardess to bring me a hot drink. When she returned, I couldn’t help crying. Hugging me, she said, “I don’t know what’s wrong but if you’re crying in business class, you need to change your life.”
Those words had a great effect on me. I couldn’t carry on in a job that made me so uncomfortable.
After much reflection, I resigned 18 months later. The last time I’d been happy was when I was volunteering at a school. Because of that, my friend Sophia kept telling me I’d love teaching. Then I contacted four schools and became a teacher in the end. No amount of planning would have prepared me for my first day as a teacher. It was stressful, but as I became familiar with the curriculum, I relaxed.
Five years on, I’m head of department. Watching my students develop is so rewarding and results day makes me burst with pride. I used to feel scared about the thought of becoming a more senior lawyer, but I’m so positive about the opportunities teaching can offer. I earn less now but I become richer in many ways.
Every single day, I feel excited to go to work.
1. Why did the author dislike her job? (no more than 15 words)2. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 2 mean? (no more than 3 words)
3. What made the author choose to become a teacher? (no more than 10 words)
4. How does the author’s life change after being a teacher? (no more than 10 words)
5. What kind of career will you choose after graduation? Please explain. (no more than 25 words)
| Waiter / Waitress A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant. |
| Work in a library If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students. |
| Internet jobs There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers. |
1. A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
| A．in a restaurant | B．in a library |
| C．on the Internet | D．in an IT company |
| A．tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs |
| B．advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job |
| C．teach young people how to make lots of money |
| D．introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs |
| A．The teens have more free time. |
| B．They can pay less to the teens. |
| C．They need advice to make products for teens. |
| D．The teens usually express their true opinions. |
7 . Cooking is Chris Spear's passion. He's been professionally cooking since he was 16. Over the years, he worked for big restaurants and reached a point where he had almost 100 employees reporting to him. That's when he missed flexibility and wanted to be more creative. So, he quit working for restaurants and set up his own catering (餐饮) company, Perfect Little Bites in Frederick, Maryland.
Spending long hours in the kitchen doesn't tire Spear, but he had often been concerned that becoming an independent chef would make him feel lonely. Spear said he wanted to find an arrangement that would be beneficial to all such groups but didn't cost them any money. That inspired him to found Chefs Without Restaurants, an online resource for chefs.
Now he has a Facebook group where he can post information about, for instance, a potential customer who wants to arrange a dinner in a given location and within a certain price range, and he can offer interested chefs more information. Customers can also benefit from this network. Spear is building a website where customers will be able to check out profiles of the Chefs Without Restaurants members, learn about their specialties and see what kinds of events they can cater, large or small.
Sharon Streb, owner of Oil & Vinegar Frederick which introduces cooking ideas and chefs to their customers, said small businesses should help one another succeed. "When other chefs and businesses come to my store, they get in front of our customers and hopefully we get in front of their customers. That's a win-win for both of us," she said. "It's tough out there for a small business, and not a lot of small businesses succeed. It's important that we can work together and be successful, both of us. "
That's the goal for Spear, who wants to carve out a space for independent chefs on the food map in the area.
1. Why did Spear start his own business?| A．He got tired of being a chef. | B．He longed to help other chefs. |
| C．He wanted to make more profits. | D．He sought not to be bound. |
| A．To compete with other chefs. | B．To provide training for chefs. |
| C．To share resources among chefs. | D．To set up virtual restaurants. |
| A．Data about chefs. | B．Price ranges of dinners. |
| C．Locations of restaurants. | D．Events held around. |
| A．Reveal the toughness of small businesses. |
| B．Stress the significance of Spear's work. |
| C．Call on other businesses to join the group. |
| D．Show customers' appreciation for Spear. |
8 . Technology has revolutionized (使革命化) the way we work in many ways. One of the most significant changes has been the shift towards remote and flexible work. With the rise of internet and cloud-based software, workers are no longer tied to a physical office and can work from anywhere with an internet connection. This has allowed for greater flexibility and work-life balance, as well as reduced commuting (通勤) time and costs.
Another major change is the increasing use of automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace. This has the potential to increase efficiency and productivity, as well as reduce the need for certain types of work. However, it also raises concerns about job displacement and the need for workers to adapt to new technologies.
Finally, technology has greatly expanded the types of jobs available. With the rise of the gig (临时工) economy and freelance (自由职业者) work, workers can now find opportunities in areas such as graphic design (平面设计), copywriting (文案撰写), and social media management. This has created opportunities for individuals to work in areas that were previously inaccessible or did not exist.
1. What is the shift in the way we work brought about by technology?| A．Flexible and remote work. | B．Tying people to a physical office. |
| C．Increased commuting and travel. | D．Higher costs and lower productivity. |
| A．It has reduced work-life balance. | B．It has increased commuting time and costs. |
| C．It has allowed for greater flexibility and work-life balance. | D．It has caused job displacement. |
| A．Increased job displacement. | B．Reduced efficiency and productivity. |
| C．Increased efficiency and productivity. | D．Increased commuting and travel. |
| A．Technology has decreased the number of available jobs. |
| B．Technology has created opportunities for individuals to work in areas that were previously inaccessible or did not exist. |
| C．Technology has only impacted traditional office jobs. |
| D．Technology has increased commuting time and costs. |
9 . If you had asked me then if I would accept a job as a restaurant critic for The New York Times or others, I would have replied, “Definitely not! ” This was partly because I did not want to think of myself as an ambitious sort. Working in restaurants was honest labor, and anyone could see that. Writing about them for the mainstream press was not.
However, the renewing was fun, so much fun that when mainstream publishers started paying me for my opinions, I didn’t do the decent (体面的) thing, and before I knew it, I had stopped cooking professionally. Then I stopped cooking altogether. “She’s joined the leisure class.” my friend said.
I disarmed my critics by inviting them along; nobody I knew could afford to eat out and nobody refused. We went with equal amounts of guilt and pleasure, with a feeling that we were stepping onto the playgrounds of the rich.
We knew we didn’t belong to these grand restaurants. We always got the worst table, and since I didn’t own a credit card, I had to pay in cash. The year turned into two and three, and more. Then, I got a credit card as well as good clothes. I was writing for increasingly prestigious (声誉高的) publications. Meanwhile, a voice inside me kept whispering, “How could you?”
The voice is still there, never coming to a stop. When I receive weekly letters from people who think it is unacceptable to write about $100 meals while half the world is hungry, the voice rings right along, “They’re absolutely right, you elitist (精英) pig is not”. When it asks, “When are you going to grow up and get a real job?”, it sounds a lot like my mother.
It is just at that moment that I tell the voice to shut up because I realize all I’m doing with my life is telling rich people where to eat and how much the world has changed.
Yes, there are still restaurants where rich people go to remind themselves that they are different from you and me, but there are fewer and fewer of them. Going out to eat used to be like going to the opera; today, it is more like going to the movies.
Therefore, everyone has become a critic and I couldn’t be happier with this. The more people pay attention to what and how they eat, the more accustomed they become to their own senses and the world around them. As A. J. Liebling once said, all it really takes to be a restaurant critic is a good appetite.
1. What can we know from the first two paragraphs?| A．The author was too honest to work as a restaurant critic. |
| B．The author found it hard to work for the mainstream press. |
| C．The author didn’t think highly of the job as a restaurant critic. |
| D．The author wasn’t able to renew the work as a professional cook. |
| A．She felt like eating out with the rich. |
| B．She refused to eat out with the critics. |
| C．She had a mixed feeling about eating out. |
| D．She got much fun from being invited to eat out. |
| A．She stayed in the career as a professional cook for years. |
| B．She took up the job of writing as a restaurant critic for years. |
| C．It took a long time for the publications to increase their prestige. |
| D．It was years before her application for a credit card got approved. |
| A．Restaurants make people confused about their social status. |
| B．Rich people can get special treat in some restaurants. |
| C．Ordinary people have become accustomed to fancy restaurants. o |
| D．Restaurants have become affordable to common people. |
| A．Eating out is not a privilege of the rich. |
| B．There is no need for restaurant critics at all. |
| C．The writer is getting tired of her current job. |
| D．Good appetite makes a good restaurant critic. |
10 . “When I was a child, I enjoyed watching Chinese dramas such as Princess Pearl and Journey to the West. Fascinated by the Chinese language and culture, I finally pursued it as my major for both my undergraduate and master’s degrees,” said Dinh Thi Thu Ha, a 32-year-old Vietnamese woman working at the waste burning power factory of China First Metallurgical(冶金)Group.
When she first applied for the job in 2019, she aimed for the translator position because the company was preparing for a Vietnam project, its first overseas waste-to-energy factory, in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and it was in great need of translators. “At first, I wasn’t sure how long I could do the job since the working environment was harsh. We were surrounded by garbage, the smell was terrible and dark-colored water would flow everywhere after the rain,” Dinh recalled. But the demanding environment was not her only difficulty as Dinh soon found out that being bilingual (双语的) wasn’t enough for her to be a qualified translator. She had to be an expert in the field of garbage disposal (垃圾处理) too.
“The biggest challenge I faced was the translation of technical terms, many of which I couldn’t understand at the time,” Dinh said. “Whenever I ran into words or expressions that I wasn’t familiar with and couldn’t look up myself, I would ask my Chinese colleagues to explain them to me. They were always eager and happy to help.” In the company’s Vietnam branch, the number of Chinese staff slightly goes beyond that of Vietnamese, but Dinh said she never felt any cultural differences. “We’re not divided by our nationalities, and we’re members of the same family — China First Metallurgical Group.”
Dinh now works as a junior manager, and her job description includes translation, foreign affairs contactor, and marketing. As a local resident of Hanoi, Dinh is very proud to have contributed to this project. “I hope to improve my information research and negotiation skills in the future and to further explore and develop the Vietnamese market with my colleagues.”
1. What can be learned about Dinh from the first paragraph?| A．She enjoys writing dramas. |
| B．She has a talent for language. |
| C．She is fond of Chinese culture. |
| D．She looks forward to working in China. |
| A．Harmonious. | B．Attractive. | C．Frightening. | D．Tough. |
| A．Dealing with garbage. |
| B．Translating technical terms. |
| C．Understanding cultural differences. |
| D．Adapting to the demanding environment. |
| A．Skill is no burden. | B．Still waters run deep. |
| C．Well begun is half done. | D．Rome was not built in a day. |
