1 . An employee whose personality traits closely match the traits that are ideal for his or her job is likely to earn more than an employee whose traits are less congruent (一致的), according to new research.
Findings from previous research have shown that some personality traits are generally beneficial when it comes to a work environment. Being highly conscientious (勤勉认真的), lead researcher Jaap J.A. Denissen notes, is connected with being hard-working and well-organized, qualities that are typically prized in employees. But Denissen questioned the idea that there is an ideal personality type. The researchers thought that the match, or mismatch, between a person's traits and job requirements, might be important when it comes to important outcomes like income.
The researchers developed a new way of directly comparing the fit between a given employee and a given job, using the well-established Big Five personality traits to quantify (量化) the traits that a job requires. The researchers examined personality, yearly income, and jobs of 8,458 persons living in Germany.
The results showed that fit really does matter, at least when it comes to extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experiences. For these three traits, greater congruence between an employee's own personality and a job's requirements was connected with higher income. Importantly, the data also showed that employees who were more agreeable, more conscientious, or more open to experiences than their jobs required actually earned less than people who had congruent levels of those traits.
The researchers note that additional studies will be required to understand how job experiences, job satisfaction, and job performance might influence the association between the individual job personality fit and income. The results of the present study do suggest that achieving the right fit requires a special approach to knowing both personal traits and job-related traits. Paying attention to the approach could have important implications for both employees and employers.
1. What does the previous research show?| A．Conscientious people earn much. |
| B．Certain personality traits are advantageous in jobs. |
| C．Job requirements are decisive in choosing an employee. |
| D．People's income can be predicted simply by the work environment. |
| A．How the new research was done. |
| B．A study on Big Five personality traits. |
| C．Denissen's opinions on previous research. |
| D．Why certain personalities are needed for a job. |
| A．Employees with a strong personality earn more than others. |
| B．Having too little of a given trait will cause less job satisfaction. |
| C．A perfect individual job personality fit contributes to higher income. |
| D．Conscientious employees earn more than those who are open to experiences. |
| A．It still needs further studies. |
| B．It has been applied to job interviews. |
| C．It will help people find the right job easily. |
| D．It has proved the previous study totally wrong. |
2 . Jobs at Apple
Amaze Yourself, Amaze the World
A job at Apple is unlike any other you've had. You'll be challenged. You'll be inspired. And you'll be proud. Because whatever your job is here, you’ll be part of something big.
Every detail matters.
Every piece of packaging. Every swipe of the finger. Every "How can I help you?” Everything. And it doesn’t matter just some of the time. It matters all of the time. That's how we do things at Apple. The result is some of the best-loved products in the world.
Simplicity isn't simple.
Ask anyone here. It's hard work. It means forever asking, “Why is it this way?” and “How can it be better?” It means rethinking every customer experience until the clutter has fallen away — until all that remains is what's essential, useful and beautiful. That might be a new product feature that delights even die-hard fans. It might be a customer support call, or even a display in an Apple store, arranged and lit exactly so.
Creativity from every comer.
When you imagine the creative process at Apple, at first you may not picture someone in HR. Or operations. Or finance. But we expect creative thinking and solutions from everyone here, no matter what their responsibilities are. Innovation takes many forms, and our people seem to find new ones every day.
1. Where will you probably find this passage?| A．In a booklet introducing Apple's management. | B．On the official website of Apple Inc. |
| C．In the help-wanted ads section of a newspaper. | D．In a magazine telling business stories. |
| A．customers' complaint | B．simple question | C．unnecessary part | D．old feature |
| A．die-hard fans with new Apple products | B．a customer support call |
| C．the arrangement of the display | D．the lighting of an Apply store |
3 . China: Making Graduates Employable
Universities in China are facing similar demands to improve the employability of their graduates as those in the UK, new research among employers has revealed.
But what are the skills employers want and how much do they differ between the two nations?
Generally, it includes family and friends and links with people working in other companies, voluntary organizations, or leisure activities. The Chinese also tend to take more time building up relationships with people before getting down to business. The University of Plymouth and its partner China Agricultural University in Beijing are working to determine the skills most likely to lead to employability and successful careers. Staff at both universities have conducted face-to-face and telephone interviews with local employers of graduates in three areas, marketing, human resources and finance-accounting.
“Students in China generally lose touch with society and they need help to understand how companies work and what is involved in the different jobs and professions. They know very little outside the campus and that is where I think they differ from students in the UK. We can share our experiences.”
| A．“However, there are some clear differences in the emphasis put on different attributes, such as the value placed by the Chinese on ‘guanxi’, the network of connections that a person has built up.” he said. |
| B．Employers in both countries valued the personal skills of graduates seeking work in human resources. |
| C．The Chinese employers said the person who could complete a job and get things done was highly prized |
| D．That is the question Dr. Troy Heffernan, a senior lecturer in marketing at the University of Plymouth, set out to answer through his involvement in one of 13 partnerships between institutions in the UK and China. |
| E．A draft of a report to be published later this year shows marketing executives in both countries put a high emphasis on good communication skills. |
| F．The Chinese government issued a circular earlier this year urging universities and colleges to strengthen their efforts in preparing students for the workplace. |
4 . Working-from-home dream now a reality
Sunjit Patel is a graphic designer with a well known publishing company. He has lived in England since he was five. He lives in South London, and for the last three years he has been working from home. Sunjit isn’t alone.
This rapidly-growing trend towards working from home is the same in many countries. But why? The main reason is technological: easy access to the Internet and the availability of phone and video-conferencing. These enable people to use their home as an office in an efficient and cost-effective way.
Sunjit Patel says, “I have been working from home since my son was born and have been really enjoying it.
| A．But, I can tell you that homeworking requires special skills like time management. |
| B．Not everyone agrees with Sunjit though. |
| C．Actually, I found it hard to work from home at first. |
| D．In Britain, there are 2.1 million people who work from home at present. |
| E．Sunjit has a lot of supporters. |
| F．Other reasons for homeworking are the benefits to both employers and employees. |
5 . Personality may play only a small part in leadership effectiveness, but there is no doubt that some leaders have a certain magic that leaves peers envious and followers entranced. If you could bottle this leadership X-factor—charisma—the queue of interested executives would be a long-one. But what qualities can these often highly successful leaders be said to possess?
As individuals, charismatic leaders have highly developed communication skills, including the ability to convey emotions easily and naturally to others, says Ronald Riggio, professor of leadership and organizational psychology. “They are able to inspire and arouse the emotions of followers through their emotional expressiveness and verbal skills.”
“They connect with followers because they seem to truly understand others’ feelings and concerns.”
“And they are great role models because they have the ability to engage others socially and display appropriate role-playing skills that allow them to walk the talk” Professor Riggio says.
“One quality we like in our leaders is if they are seen to really represent us. We think someone is more charismatic, the more they represent our collective identity,” Professor Van Knippenberg says. In this way, a charismatic leader is somehow a larger-than-life version of ourselves.
Academics say that charismatic leaders also manage to stand out from the crowd. They might do this by being unconventional or by taking a different approach to problem-solving, for example.
“They are up for new things, and they are not stuck in the status quo. They are open to out-of-the-box thinking, etc. An optimistic, energetic quality helps us to see leadership qualities in them and makes us open to their influence,” he says.
“A lot of charismatic leadership, and leadership in general, is very contextual. It’s really good in entrepreneurial firms. It’s also good for turnarounds if the organization is in a bad state because it inspires”, says Kai Peters, the chief executive of Ashridge Business School.
But not every organization needs a charismatic leader. Leaders loaded with the X-factor can be narcissistic (自恋的), self-glorifying, exploitative and authoritarian. As Peters says: “Where it is a problem is where you have ‘look at me, I’m a star.’’’
1. Which word is closest in meaning to “charisma” in the first paragraph?| A．Charm. | B．Character. | C．Gratitude. | D．Optimism. |
| A．proper role-playing skills | B．subtle emotional expressiveness |
| C．marvellous problem-solving ability | D．unconventionality in the crowds |
| A．The one who has a heroical image. |
| B．The one who can speak for us. |
| C．The one who is a collective version of us. |
| D．The one who resembles us in characteristic. |
| A．Critical. | B．Approved. | C．Neutral. | D．Suspicious. |
8: 45 AM.
Hi ladies. We have a new client that just called this morning. Are either of you free to take the job?
Athena
8: 46 AM.
What's the location of the job? And what is the client expecting?
Paula
8: 47 AM.
Mrs. Hunter lives at the intersection of Maple Street and Givers Rd. She has a fairly large 3500 square foot house, and would like someone to come for 5— 6 hours each week, preferably on a Monday, to clean it.
Athena
8: 48 AM.
Sorry, that's too far for me to go. And I already have a regular client in the afternoons on Mondays.
Julie
8: 49 AM.
I can probably do it. I don't have any clients on Mondays at the moment.
Athena
8: 50 AM.
Make sure you negotiate the hours with her. Or let her know how much you can physically clean in 5. 6 hours.
Julie
8: 51 AM
I think it'd be fine. I'm sure she's not expecting one person to clean the entire house in those hours.
Paula
8: 52 AM
I can call her back to get some more details. It's always better to make sure both parties have the same expectations.
Julie
8: 53 AM
OK. Both of you have way more experience than me so I'll definitely listen to your advice.
Paula
8: 54 AM
Julie, I'll let you know when I've talked to her. You might have to call her yourself later, too.
1. What could the name of this company be?
| A．Drivers for Hire | B．Maid Service Plus | C．Accountants R Us | D．Toys Toys Toys |
| A．Let the client know her age. | B．Clarify workload and working hours. |
| C．Give the client a piece of her mind. | D．Have an honest conversation with the client. |
| A．She's the organizer. | B．She's the new hire. |
| C．She's in the marketing department. | D．She's in the technology department. |
7 . Welcome to Fresh Start February! This week Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that I would transition to the private sector. Today, my last official day as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs. After serving 6 years in the Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser and 2 of those years as Director, of the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs, I am very excited and look forward to starting this next phase in my career.
I am humbled and grateful to Mayor Bowser for trusting in me to be a leader in her administration and to serve as the primary liaison between you-the members of the community, and 13 community affairs offices to foster relationships across all 8 Wards. What can I say, other than it has been an amazing journey and I am grateful!
This journey has been the very foundation of our work in partnership and collaboration between District of Columbia residents and the Executive Office of the Mayor. We have established partnerships with communities, conducted and coordinated several events, town halls, forums, and projects in support of carrying forward mayoral initiatives at the community level.
We have built stronger ties between the Mayor and community organizations civic groups, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) while attending to the intersectional needs of the community.
Also, thank you to the 90+ MOCA staff members that have helped me up to provide support to our office directors and District residents throughout the years. Interacting with you all and having the opportunity to work with such dedicared individuals is something I have and will never take for granted. I have often been inspired by the creativity and innovation that they bring to the respective offices. Our work has left a lasting impression on my life.
Again, thank you to our first female two-term Mayor, Muriel Bowser for her leadership and for allowing me to be a part of this great work! I want to thank you for your support throughout this journey, and I am excited about the great work that will continue to go forward. I leave with fond memories of my 8 years total in the John A. Wilson Building.
2 years in the office or Councilmember Anita Bonds and with memories that I will forever cherish. I also know that MOCA is well-positioned to go to the NEXT LEVEL! It has been one of my greatest privileges to serve with you. Until we meet again.
1. А_______________ is a person whose job is to make sure there is a good relationship between two groups or organizations.| A．mayor | B．resident | C．director | D．liaison |
| A．2 | B．6. | C．8. | D．10. |
| A．Muriel Bowser. | B．The private sector. |
| C．Local residents. | D．MOCA staff members. |
8 . Once you choose to become an actor, many people who you thought were your closest friends will tell you you’re crazy, though some may react quite differently. No two people will give you the same advice. But it is a very personal choice you are making, and only you can take responsibility for yourself and for realising your ambition.
There are no easy ways of getting there — no written examination to pass, and no absolute guarantee that when you have successfully completed your training you will automatically make your way in the profession. It’s a matter of luck plus talent.
I have frequently been asked to define this magical thing called talent, which everyone is looking out for. I believe it is best described as natural skill plus imagination — the latter being the most difficult quality to assess. And it has a lot to do with the person’s courage and their belief in what they are doing and the way they are putting it across.
Where does the desire to act come from? It is often very difficult to put into words your own reasons for wanting to act. Certainly, in the theatre the significant thing is that moment of contact between the actor on the stage and a particular audience. And making this brief contact is central to all acting, wherever it takes place — it is what drives all actors to act.
If you ask actors how they have done well in the profession, the response will most likely be a shrug. They will not know. They will know certain things about themselves and aspects of their own technique and the techniques of others. But they will take nothing for granted, because they know that they are only as good as their current job, and that their fame may not continue.
Disappointment is the greatest enemy of the actor. Last month you may have been out of work, selling clothes or waitressing. Suddenly you are asked to audition (试镜) for a part, but however much you want the job, the truth is that it maybe denied you. So actors tend not to talk about their chances. They come up with ways of protecting themselves against the stress of competing for a part and the possibility of rejection.
1. If you decide to take up acting, you may well receive a lot of _____ from your close friends.| A．encouragement | B．sympathy |
| C．jealousy | D．objection |
| A．Good actors know very well about their secret of success. |
| B．Talented actors are usually those with a vivid imagination. |
| C．There should be training and exams to qualify potential actors. |
| D．Not all actors like the contact with the audience while on the stage. |
| A．It is what actors often talk about. |
| B．Actors should compete to avoid it. |
| C．Actors should get accustomed to it. |
| D．It will surely affect actors’ performance. |
| A．So you want to be an actor |
| B．Wanting to be an actor? Don’t hesitate |
| C．Why acting appeals to young people? |
| D．Acting: riskier than expected |
9 . Across the rich world, well-educated people increasingly work longer than the less-skilled. Some 65% of American men aged 62-74 with a professional degree are in the workforce, compared with 32% of men with only a high-school certificate. This gap is part of a deepening divide between the well-education well off and the unskilled poor. Rapid technological advance has raised the incomes of the highly skilled while squeezing those of the unskilled. The consequences, for individual and society, are profound.
The world is facing as astonishing rise in the number of old people, and they will live longer than ever before. Over the next 20 years the global population of those aged 65 or more will almost double, from 600 million to 1.1 billion. The experience of the 20th century, when greater longevity translated into more years in retirement rather than more years at work, has persuaded many observers that this shift will lead to slower economic growth, while the swelling ranks of pensioners will create government budget problems.
But the notion of a sharp division between the working young and the idle old misses a new trend, the growing gap between the skilled and the unskilled. Employment rates are falling among younger unskilled people, whereas older skilled folk are working longer. The divide is most extreme in America, where well-educated baby-boomers (二战后生育高峰期出生的美国人) are putting off retirement while many less-skilled younger people have dropped out of the workforce.
Policy is partly responsible. Many European governments have abandoned policies that used to encourage people to retire early. Rising life expectancy, combined with the replacement of generous defined-benefit pension plans with less generous defined-contribution ones, means that even the better-off must work longer to have a comfortable retirement. But the changing nature of work also plays a big role. Pay has risen sharply for the highly educated, and those people continue to get rich rewards into old age because these days the educated elderly are more productive than the previous generation. Technological change may well strengthen that shift: the skills that make up for computers, from management knowhow to creativity, do not necessarily decline with age.
1. What has helped deepen the divide between the well-off and the poor?| A．Longer life expectancies. |
| B．A rapid technological advance. |
| C．Profound changes in the workforce. |
| D．A growing number of the well-educated. |
| A．Economic growth will slow down. |
| B．Government budgets will increase |
| C．More people will try to pursue higher education. |
| D．There will be more competition in the job market. |
| A．Unskilled workers m ay choose to retire early. |
| B．More people have to receive in-service training. |
| C．Even wealthy people must work longer to live comfortably in retirement. |
| D．People may be able to enjoy generous defined-benefits from pension plans. |
| A．Computers will do more complicated work. |
| B．More will be taken by the educated young. |
| C．Most jobs to be done will be creative ones |
| D．Skills are highly valued regardless of age |
10 . Gone are the days when a mother’s place was in the home: in Britain women with children are now as likely to be in paid work as their unburdened sisters. Many put their little darlings in day care long before they start school. Mindful that a poor start can spoil a person’s chances of success later in life, the state has intervened ever more closely in how babies and toddlers are looked after. Inspectors call not only at nurseries but also at homes where youngsters are minded; three-year-olds follow the national curriculum. Child care has increasingly become a profession.
For years after the government first began in 2001 to twist the arms of anyone who looked after an unrelated child to register with the schools, the numbers so doing fell. Kind but clueless neighbours stopped looking after little ones, who were instead herded into formal nurseries or handed over to one of the ever-fewer registered child-minders. The decline in the number of people taking in children now appears to have halted. According to data released by the Office for Standards in Education on October 27th, the number of registered child-minders reached its lowest point in September 2010 and has since recovered slightly.
The new lot are certainly better qualified. In 2010 fully 82% of nursery workers held diplomas notionally equivalent to A-levels, the university-entrance exams taken mostly by 18-year-olds, up from 56% seven years earlier, says Anand Shukla of the Daycare Trust, a charity. Nurseries staffed by university graduates tend to be rated highest by inspectors, increasing their appeal to the pickiest parents. As a result, more graduates are being recruited.
But professionalization has also pushed up the price of child care, defying even the economic depression. A survey by the Daycare Trust finds that a full-time nursery place in England for a child aged under two, who must be intensively supervised, costs £194 ($310) per week, on average. Prices in London and the south-east are far higher. Parents in Britain spend more on child care than anywhere else in the world, according to the OECD, a think-tank. Some 68% of a typical second earner's net income is spent on freeing her to work, compared with an OECD average of 52%.
The price of child care is not only eye-watering, but has also become a barrier to work. Soon after it took power the coalition government pledged to ensure that people are better off in work than on benefits, but a recent survey by Save the Children, a charity, found that the high cost of day care prevented a quarter of low-paid workers from returning to their jobs once they had started a family. The government pays for free part-time nursery places for three-and four-year-olds, and contributes towards day-care costs for younger children from poor areas. Alas, extending such an aid during stressful economic times would appear to be anything but child’s play.
1. Which of the following is true according to the first paragraph?| A．Nursery education plays a leading role in one’s personal growth. |
| B．Pregnant women have to work to lighten families’ economic burden. |
| C．Children in nursery have to take uniform nation courses. |
| D．The supervision of the state makes child care professional. |
| A．the registered child-minders are required to take the university-entrance exams |
| B．the number of registered child-minders has been declining since 2001 |
| C．anyone who looks after children at home must register with the schools |
| D．the growing recognition encourages more graduates to work as child-minders |
| A．prevents mothers from getting employed |
| B．may further depress the national economy |
| C．makes many families live on benefits |
| D．is far more than parents can afford |
| A．The professionalization of child care has pushed up its price. |
| B．The high cost of child nursing makes many mothers give up their jobs. |
| C．The employment of more graduates makes nurseries more popular. |
| D．Parents in Britain pay most for child nursing throughout the world. |
