1 . For nearly a decade now, Merebeth has been a self-employed pet transport specialist. Her pet transport job was born of the financial crisis(危机)in the late 2000s. The downturn hit the real estate (房地产)firm where she had worked for ten years as an office manager. The firm went broke and left her looking for a new job. One day, while driving near her home, she saw a dog wandering on the road, clearly lost. She took it home, and her sister in Denver agreed to take it. This was a loving home for sure, but 1, 600 miles away. It didn’t take long for Merebeth to decide to drive the dog there herself. It was her first road trip to her new job.

Merebeth’s pet delivery service also satisfies her wanderlust. It has taken her to every state in the US except Montana, Washington and Oregon, she says proudly. If she wants to visit a new place, she will simply find a pet with transport needs there. She travels in all weathers. She has driven through 55 mph winds in Wyoming, heavy flooding and storms in Alabama and total whiteout conditions in Kansas.

This wanderlust is inherited from her father, she says. She moved their family from Canada to California when she was one year old, because he wanted them to explore a new place together. As soon as she graduated from high school she left home to live on Catalina Island off the Californian coast, away from her parents, where she enjoyed a life of sailing and off-road biking.

It turns out that pet transporting pays quite well at about $30, 000 per year before tax. She doesn’t work in summer, as it would be unpleasantly hot for the animals in the car, even with air conditioning. As autumn comes, she gets restless—the same old wanderlust returning. It’s a call she must heed alone, though. Merebeth says, “When I am on the road, I’m just in my own world. I’ve always been independent-spirited and I just feel strongly that I must help animals.”

1. Why did Merebeth changed her job?

A．She wanted to work near her home.

B．She was tired of working in the office.

C．Her sister asked her to move to Denver.

D．Her former employer was out of business.

2. The word “wanderlust” in paragraph 2 means a desire to _________?

A．make money.	B．try various jobs.
C．be close to nature.	D．travel to different places.

3. What can we learn about Merebeth in her new job?

A．She has chances to see rare animals.

B．She works hard throughout the year.

C．She relies on herself the whole time.

D．She earns a basic and tax-free salary.

2 . My students frequently ask me how I planned out my career to become president of Fidelity Investments. I always tell them, “There was no grand plan; I backed into my career one step at a time.” In this tough economy and ever-changing world, it is more important than ever to smartly evaluate each step in your career. To prepare for whatever surprises lie ahead, try to make choices today that will maximize your options in the future.     1    

Gaining transferable (可转移的) knowledge begins with the choices you make at school. You want your education to provide you with the necessary skills and expertise to succeed in a wide variety of jobs.     2     I favor those that involve extensive writing, rigorous analysis, or quantitative skills.

Once you have finished your formal education, search for jobs that will allow you to further expand your transferable knowledge—to help you find your next job. Let’s say you take a job putting together airplane leases. Within a few years, you could become the world’s expert on the subject.     3     By contrast, if you take a job that will expand your computer programming skills, you can greatly boost your options for later steps in your career.

Remember gaining transferable knowledge is only one piece of the puzzle.     4     As a saying goes, “Organizations don’t hire people. People hire people.” The more people you know, the more people will think of you when a job pops open—even when it is not publicly advertised.

Of course, you can build your network to some degree without changing jobs.     5     But this sort of event-driven networking pales in comparison with the deep bonds you can develop with your colleagues by working, communicating, and traveling with them.

A．You can make yourself more attractive.

B．Gain transferable expertise and form close bonds with your colleagues.

C．Your next step should help you expand your web of personal relationships.

D．This later helped me evaluate and start business units throughout the world.

E．You can attend conferences or participate in committees at trade associations.

F．This means that you need to make smart choices about the courses you will follow.

G．However, this narrow expertise probably won’t help you in any other line of work.

3 . Get up at 6 am, arrive at the hospital one hour earlier to help patients check in, and accompany patients during consultations… In recent years, “patient escorts” has emerged as a new industry, and those who have taken on this career are known as “people who sell time”, 26-year-old Zhang Tian is one of them.

September 4 was a lucky day for Zhang Tian. On this day, Zhang Tian saw a video about patient escorts on a short video platform. The daily routine of patient escorts shown in the video fascinated her and gradually inspired her to take this on as a business. She browsed through many platforms and read multiple information and found there indeed exists a certain demand for patient escorts, especially for the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Since she had never engaged in this kind of work before, she spent two days in major hospitals in Wuhan, in order to familiarize herself with all the departments on different floors, as well as the processes of medical consultation and preparation for surgery.

After preliminary preparatory (预备的) work, Zhang Tian posted a video of myself-introduction on major social platforms, talking about the help and services a patient escort provides, as well as some tips for a quick and convenient medical consultation. At first, she was a little worried that her video would go unnoticed. However, after she uploaded the video, it got over 100 likes and she received her first ever offer as a patient escort.

The memory of her first task is still alive and fresh in her mind. She received a phone call on September 9 from a man whose father was seriously ill and might need surgery. He wanted Zhang Tian to accompany his father through his consultation and treatment.” Zhang Tian made full preparations before meeting her first client and did a very good job despite her nervousness.

“Later, the family expressed their gratitude to me over and over again, which warmed my heart and gave me a sense of achievement.” Zhang Tian said.

1. What do patient escorts do?

A．They assist doctors in hospitals.

B．They arrive at hospitals early to check in.

C．They take on this career to sell their time.

D．They help patients get treated in hospitals.

2. September 4 was a lucky day for Zhang Tian because ______.

A．she enjoyed seeing an interesting video

B．she got inspiration for her own career

C．she found a demand for medical workers

D．she was well received on social platforms

3. How did Zhang Tian get her first client?

A．She got familiar with the routine work in hospitals.

B．She spent two days in major hospitals to meet patients.

C．Her video on social platforms attracted her first client.

D．The man’s father was seriously ill and might need a surgery.

4. Which of the following words best describe Zhang Tian?

A．Hardworking and considerate.	B．Humorous and careful.
C．Ambitious and imaginative.	D．Talkative and positive.

4 . Work from Anywhere Movement

For a lot of us, working from wherever we wanted was a bit of a dream. It would mean we’d be able to visit family and not take holiday days. But suddenly that “dream” of not working in the office became a reality for many. Working from home over the last years has proven that it isn’t always necessary for teams to physically be together and there is more flexibility.     1    

An obvious benefit for many employers is reduced costs. With a widespread workforce, there’s no need to have an office big enough for everyone. They also save on travel costs, as meetings that once “needed” to be done face-to-face can now be done online.     2     With the work from anywhere movement, employers can hire global talents. They’re not restricted to people living nearby.

    3     In an ever changing and developing working world, offering benefits like this could be what makes a company stand out from another for a specific candidate.

For many employees, working from anywhere supports mental health.     4     Imagine ending a particularly stressful meeting. Rather than going back to your office desk, you step out your door and have a coffee in the sun or walk along a beach. In Addition, working from anywhere allows you to have a better work-life balance. It lets you travel to see family, watch your daughter’s soccer game, and go to the little bakery—all while being paid.     5    

A．But it’s not only about money.

B．However, every coin has two sides.

C．It decreases stress and other concerns.

D．Your time is spent on the things that matter.

E．There are a lot of benefits for companies and workers.

F．Offering remote job positions makes a company more competitive.

G．Offices are increasingly where you go to put the company into company.

5 . How many bosses could rely on their employees threatening to quit in mass if they were abruptly forced out? Sam Altman received such a show of support from more than 700 staff after he was fired from Open AI that he was swiftly restored to his position by the board. But this level of loyalty is not typical and may not always be a good thing.

Management experts say staff who are loyal to their employer are inclined to invest more time and effort in their jobs, helping to create an engaged and higher performing workplace. In turn they receive promotions and pay rises. They have a greater sense of belonging and potentially a longer career at the same organisation. But it is not all rosy. People who are too loyal are more likely to take actions that are deemed wrong to keep their jobs and protect their employer, according to a 2021 academic paper. They might overlook wrongdoing and be less likely to expose corruption. Loyalty is sometimes seen as such a force for good that it can be used to justify bad behavior.

Often companies and senior bosses are the real winner a of employee loyalty. Research led by Matthew Stanley at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business published this year, found that managers were more likely to exploit loyal individuals. Stanley recruited almost 1,400 managers to read about a fictional 29-year-old employee called John, who worked for a company that was trying to keep costs down. They had to decide how willing they would be to ask John to work longer hours and take on more work without more pay. Researchers created various situations including labelling John as loyal versus other traits such as honest and fair. Managers were more willing to ask loyal John to take on the burden of unpaid work.

However, Consultancy Gallup’s latest state of the workplace report showed that half of the 122, 416 employees who took part in a global survey were looking out for new work. “You can’t guarantee anyone will stick around these days,” says a consultant who advises boards. This is particularly true of younger generations. They trust their bosses less and are not as patient when it comes to career progression, seeing little benefit in keeping their heads down and following orders if they do not see results quickly.

1. What does the author want to say by mentioning Sam Altman in Paragraph 1?

A．Open AI’s staff loyalty is quite high.

B．Staff loyalty’s rosy side in the work.

C．Sam Altman could count on his employees.

D．This level of loyalty is not always good.

2. How did Matthew Stanley conduct his research!

A．Through global surveys concerning a fictional employee named John.

B．By creating different situations to ask John ta take on more unpaid work.

C．By asking managers to make decisions about work arrangements of John.

D．By recruiting managers to read fiction about work traits like loyal and honest.

3. What can you learn from the passage?

A．Loyalty can be used by management to exploit employees.

B．Younger generations are more patient towards their employers.

C．Employees who are loyal are more likely to report wrongdoing.

D．Loyalty to an employer always leads to a positive work environment.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．How Job Loyalty Affects the Work Environment?

B．Why Staff Loyalty is Not Always a Good Thing?

C．Are Loyal Employees More Likely to be Promoted?

D．Does Work Loyalty Help Career Progress More Quickly?

6 . It’s not easy to find a job. Many jobs have age or experience requirements that you might not meet. On top of that, you need to juggle(应付)schoolwork, extracurriculars, and your social life. Fortunately, there are still some good jobs for you to start gaining working experience.

Tutor

Straight-A student? Then a job as a tutor(家庭教师)might be the best option for you. Helping younger students with their homework is a great way to put what you’ve studied to good use and make some extra money. One of the easiest ways to show that you’re qualified to teach other students is by listing your GPA(Grade Point Average) on your tutor resume.

Dog Walker

Love dogs? Then a position as a dog walker is the perfect fit for you. Dog walking requires no work experience and has flexible hours. However, you may need to do some shadowing or an interview before people trust you with their pets.

Delivery Driver

If you’re 16+ years old and have a driver’s license, you could try working as a delivery driver. Driving is a great way to gain relevant experience and show future employers that you’re responsible and work well under pressure.

Call Center Representative

If you don’t mind talking on the phone, then a job as a call center worker is a good choice for you. Working as a call center representative can even teach you some useful customer service skills that will help your career later on. To land a job at a call center, highlight your customer service and interpersonal skills on your resume.

1. Who are the passage intended for?

A．Parents.

B．Teachers.

C．Students.

D．Employers.

2. What qualifies you as a tutor?

A．Relevant experience.	B．Timely homework completion.
C．Flexible time schedule.	D．Impressive academic performance.

3. Which job requires good social skills?

A．Tutor.	B．Dog walker.
C．Delivery driver.	D．Call center representative.

7 . You may feel your backbreaking and low-paid part-time summer job isn’t worth you effort.     1     Here are some you can enjoy.

When landing a job, you’ll put yourself into unfamiliar territory and learn how to survive and develop there.     2     Whether it’s learning a new skill or dealing with a tough boss, you must rely on yourself for solutions, through which you can build up your self-belief.

Hanging around all summer is a great way to relax, but it won’t contribute to your time management skill.     3     This skill helps you decide what should be accomplished in a day and learn how to handle those things to make it happen, which involves prioritizing, planning and judging how much you can realistically finish. The best way to develop this skill is through practice. With loads of free time, you’ll likely not have to flex your time-management muscles.

    4     Take it easy. Most people change their minds many times before settling on their long-term career. Getting out into the workforce as a waiter at a cafe may not help you see what it’ll be like as a doctor but you’ll figure out whether you like to work with people or whether you can work efficiently under pressure. A summer job helps zero in on your likes and dislikes to evaluate your strengths and resolve your weaknesses.

Chances are that your social circle is comprised of people in your age group. However, in a job, you’ll work with diverse groups of people, from whom you’ll learn varying viewpoints and experiences.     5    

A．Working will, though.

B．But such jobs uplift willpower

C．Not sure of your future profession?

D．Does a summer job help with college?

E．Actually, its added bonuses go beyond your wallet.

F．There’re various confidence-boosting challenges to overcome

G．You can develop friendships and increase your visibility as well

8 . I was 68 when I first stepped on stage as a standup comedian in 2003. I’d never set foot in a comedy club before. I’ve always been a performer - I’ve worked as a singer, actor and musician - but all that came to an end after 9/11. I live in New York, and we watched the twin towers fall from my apartment building. For a year afterwards, nobody wanted to go out or be entertained.

It was then that I started to think about comedy. I realised people needed to laugh, to enjoy themselves again, and thought that with a little training I could do it. I took a few classes, tried to work out a routine, and finally plucked up the courage to get up on stage. That first time was terrifying. I had no idea what the audience would make of me.

In New York, comedians are typically young men with beards. It’s hard enough to break through as a woman, even harder as someone old enough to be their grandmother. As I stepped on stage that first time, people laughed nervously. They were clearly surprised to see me. I introduced myself, stated my age and tried my first joke. There was silence. But by the time I got to the third line, people were properly laughing, I was addicted.

Now my sets differ. I might be on stage for 10 minutes in front of a dozen people, or my one-woman show is a full hour in front of a crowd of 100. Even today, I’m nervous before I step out. My first line is, “Hello, everybody. I’m 88 and three-quarters years old. I’m telling you that in case I don’t make it all the way through the show.” Then people laugh and I relax.

After a show, people young and old come up to me, saying what an inspiration I am. They say they want to be as active as me when they reach my age. I’m pleased I can show that as an older person you don’t need to take a back seat in life.

I’ve no intention of stopping comedy. I’m taking all these pills, trying to stay alive, and I hope to still be performing when I’m 100. My goal is to still be up there making people laugh. It’s hard work, but it stops me being bored. I’d only be playing golf otherwise

1. What made the writer take up comedy?

A．She wanted to overcome her fears	B．She wanted to brighten others’ lives
C．She was unwilling to quit performing	D．She wanted to work out a routine

2. Why does the writer mention young men with beards in Paragraph 3?

A．To show the challenge she was facing

B．To explain her attraction to the job

C．To illustrate her special advantage

D．To describe her new friends in comedy

3. How has the writer made progress since her first performance?

A．She now performs before larger audiences

B．She no longer feels nervous before performances

C．She remains on the stage for a longer time

D．She has learned to make a joke of her age

4. Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?

A．Age is just a number

B．Advancing years bring greater wisdom

C．Old age means a chance to sit back

D．Being elderly means you have to slow down

9 . “Thank you for letting me observe your classes. It was an unusual experience,” the email began, which got my heart racing.

I am an industry scientist, and in my spare time I was teaching a course for computer science students at a local university. By that point in the semester, I hadn't asked the students to solve any technical problems or even open their computers. Instead, I taught them teamwork and communication and skills they’d need in industry. My approach caught the attention of the university, so a teaching expert appeared in my class. This made me wonder whether university officials would agree with the unique view I brought from industry—or remove me from the classroom.

I thought of these lessons when I started to develop the university class. The part-time role was appealing because I was eager to share my expertise and get back to working with students. But I didn’t want to use my old teaching style, which focused on lectures and whiteboard exercises. I wanted to develop the same qualities I was looking for in job candidates at my company.

I decided to use games and challenges to encourage teamwork and creativity. In one, students had to work together to decide how to survive a tough desert environment. In another, they built the tallest structure they could out of spaghetti and candies. The teaching expert sat in on one such class.

I worried they might have been taken aback(吓到). But after that unsettling opening, their email was positive: “I understand the important message you're conveying,” they wrote. “Today's industry is about people, not just computers. Keep up the good work.” Hearing that my teaching had a positive impact on their career paths was truly rewarding.

In the end, education is not just about sharing knowledge. It's also about helping students develop soft skills that will help them succeed wherever they plan to go, be it academia or industry.

1. What made the author's heart race?

A．Uneasiness.

B．Excitement.

C．Heart failure.

D．Lack of sleep.

2. Why did an expert come to the author's class?

A．To teach communication skills.	B．To take over the author's work.
C．To learn about the author's teaching.	D．To help solve technical problems.

3. What does the author teach in class?

A．Survival skills.

B．Soft skills.

C．Game design.

D．Book knowledge.

4. What can we infer about the teaching expert?

A．He has a great impact on the author's career.

B．He attaches importance to sharing knowledge.

C．He points out the leading role of the computer.

D．He shares the same teaching idea with the author.

10 . In 2000, Andréa Speranza achieved her dream of becoming a firefighter joining the Halifax Regional Fire Service. Her job was exactly as satisfying as she imagined it would be, except for one thing: she still hadn’t seen another woman in her role — not in a magazine, not on television, not in real life. Even today, less than five percent of firefighters in Canada are women. Speranza decided that she wanted to help young women see that they, too, could have a career like hers.

The result is Camp Courage, a program for girls aged 15 to 19 who want to learn more about firefighting. In 2006, Speranza and about 20 volunteers welcomed their first 17 participants, recruiting (招募) attendees through advertising in schools and recreation centers. Over the course of eight days, the girls discovered the ins and outs of being first responders: learning how to put out fires, deliver first aid and even use the jaws of life (救生钳) on a car.

Camp Courage now runs one session every year in Halifax and is free to attend. To offset costs, Speranza and her fellow campers fundraise by holding everything from car washes to comedy nights. Hopeful campers must also submit an essay describing how they plan to help their community, or a specific individual in need. And they have to deliver on the plan—from building a bench (长椅) for a senior at a bus stop to launching a local chapter of the Kids Help Phone.

Hundreds of girls have passed through Camp Courage, and 36 percent are doing exactly what 52-year-old Speranza hoped they would: working as first responders across the country. This past summer, the camp held its first session for young women in Halifax, as well as its first national camp in Calgary with plans to roll out more in 2023.

1. What was probably Speranza’s wish in 2001?

A．To see more female firefighters.

B．To make contact with more teenage girls.

C．To be recruited to the Halifax Regional Fire Service.

D．To work part-time in schools and recreation centers.

2. What does the underlined part “ins and outs” in paragraph 2 mean?

A．Risks.

B．Chances.

C．Details.

D．Purposes.

3. What can be inferred about Camp Courage?

A．It is a nonprofit international organization.

B．It teaches the value of being helpful to others.

C．It requires its campers to write an essay every week.

D．It introduces boys and girls to the emergency services.

4. What can we say about Speranza?

A．She had a burning ambition to play comedy.

B．She used to be reserved and disciplined.

C．She is intellectual and scholarly.

D．She is brave and inspiring.