1 . In the fog of uncertainty about how new technology will change the way we work, policymakers around the world have flocked to the same idea. No matter what the future brings, they say confidently, we will need to upskill the workforce in order to cope.
The view sounds reassuringly sensible. If computers are growing smarter, humans will need to learn to use them to humans’ advantage. Otherwise, they may run the risk of being replaced by computers.
Research published by the Social Mobility Commission shows that workers with degrees are over three times more likely to participate in training as adults than workers with no qualifications. That creates a virtuous circle for those who did well at school, and vicious circle for those who did not. If the robots are coming for both the accountants and the taxi drivers, you can bet the bean counters will be more able to retrain themselves out of danger.
It is no good criticizing employers for directing investments at their highly skilled workers. They are simply aiming for the highest return they can get. And, for some types of lower-paid work, it is not always true that technological progress requires more skills. The UK’s latest Employment and Skills Survey, which is performed every five years, suggests the use of literacy and numeracy skills at work has fallen since 2012, even as the use of computers has increased. The trouble is, when the computer makes your job easier one day, it might make it unnecessary the next. Many of those affected by automation will need to switch occupations, or even industries.
It is time to revisit older ideas. The UK once had an energetic culture of night schools, for adults to attend after their day jobs. These institutions have been disappearing due to funding cuts. But a revival of night schools could be exactly what the 21st century needs.
It is still not clear whether the impact of new technology on the labour market will come in a trickle or aflood. But in an already unequal world, continuing to reserve all the lifeboats for the better-off would be a dangerous mistake.
| A．Employers also invest more in better educated workers by launching employer-sponsored cmployee education programs. |
| B．According to an Oxford University study, nowadays employers are more likely to hire the first-year apprentices. |
| C．Rather than just “upskilling” in a narrow way, people could choose to learn an entirely new skill or trade. |
| D．But the truth is, the people who are being “upskilled” in today’s economy are the ones who need it the least. |
| E．People can effectively train or upskill themselves to meet their specific professional needs. |
| F．But a retailer or warehouse company is not going to retrain its staff to help them move to a different sector. |
2 . 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.
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.
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.
Remember gaining transferable knowledge is only one piece of the puzzle.
Of course, you can build your network to some degree without changing jobs.
| 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 . Jobs that use both technical and creative thinking are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying ones, according to a new report from Burning Glass Technologies, a job market analytics (分析) company in Boston.
It studied millions of job postings to better understand the skills companies require. What they discovered was that many want workers with experience in such new abilities as big-data (数据) gathering and analytics, or design using digital technology.
Burning Glass came up with the term “hybrid jobs” to describe these kinds of positions, which require skills not normally found together. For example, these hybrid jobs might require people with skills in data science and advertising, or engineering and sales. “The jobs of the future don’t involve just one skill,” says Matt Sigelman, chief manager of Burning Glass.
The company expects general job growth of about 10% between 2018 and 2028, but the hybrid jobs by 21%. What’s more, hybrid jobs pay more than positions that call for a traditional set of skills. For example, a marketing manager mastering a database program gets paid 41% more than a traditional one, with an average yearly salary of $100, 000. Moreover, an engineer who improves her sales skills and becomes a consulting engineer for a software company can more than double her pay from $180, 000 to $400, 000.
While data shows that workers who fail to update their skills will be able to find fewer jobs, people in hybrid jobs are less likely to become out of date, with only 12% possibility of being replaced by machine, compared with 42% for general jobs, says Burning Glass. Hybrid jobs are mostly not beginner roles, so they mainly go to workers with years of experience and, most importantly, more training after leaving college. That means workers, bosses and educators will have to think about how to better prepare people for these roles.
1. Why did the company research into job advertisements?| A．To understand the growth of best paid workers. |
| B．To compare workers’ experience with new abilities. |
| C．To find out companies’ requirements about skills. |
| D．To tell the possible changes in future job market. |
| A．Data engineer. |
| B．Machine operator. |
| C．Marketing manager. |
| D．Medical consultant. |
| A．$180, 000. | B．$71, 000. | C．$41, 000. | D．$10, 000. |
| A．How to Get Trained for Jobs |
| B．The Skills for “Hybrid” Jobs |
| C．Future Jobs Requiring “Hybrid” Skills |
| D．Tips on Finding Fastest-Growing Jobs |
Why Should You Be an Intrapreneur at work?
Wikipedia defines intrapreneurship as “the act of behaving like an entrepreneur while working within a large organization.” In my view, intrapreneurs are people who have a strong interest in thinking outside the box, pushing new ideas forward in their companies and speaking their mind.
Taking this road isn’t usually a popular choice. It’s easier to go with the flow, collect your paycheck and call it a day. However, the benefits of being an empowered, vocal (直言不讳的) employee are huge. Becoming an intrapreneur at work can help your career and even the careers of people around you in a variety of ways.
Speaking up when something isn’t going as you think it should - even if it’s just the way a project is being approached - demonstrates confidence and forward thinking. If you’ve never viewed yourself as a leader, this might seem very daunting (使人畏缩的) at first. And many people, women especially, might even feel as though they need permission to make their voice heard. The following quote opened my eyes and shifted my perspective on this many years ago:
“The thing women have yet to learn is nobody gives you power. You just take it.”
-Roseanne Barr
Even if they disagree with you, your colleagues are more likely to respect you as a professional if you demonstrate assertiveness (自信) and independent thinking. Respect yourself and your own ideas, and others will respect you in turn.
Intrapreneurs understand that their careers are in their own hands. If they’re unhappy at work or don’t like something about their workplace or responsibilities, they don’t complain about it; they take steps to change it. Being active instead of passive about your goals and personal vision will make you happier - with your job and yourself - in the long run.
Vocal employees are more likely to produce a culture where everyone believes they can contribute to a larger conversation about the company and its future. This is the key to producing a truly collaborative (协作的) culture that fosters loyalty.
Intrapreneurs don’t think of an idea and then shelve (搁置) it because “the boss will never go for it.” They push forward and ensure their ideas have a voice. They also think creatively about finding a way to make the idea fit within an existing initiative or program. Without people who’re willing to go to bat for their ideas, nothing new and innovative is likely to happen.
Wouldn’t you rather be that person?
Why Should You Be an Intrapreneur at work? | ||
| Concept of an intrapreneur | Someone who tends to think | |
| It demonstrates leadership. | ◆ To say what you think if you find anything ◆ Hard as it is to make one’s voice heard, | |
| You’ll be more respected. | ◆ If you think | |
| You will be happier. | ◆ Facing something not ◆ Being active will bring more happiness to you. | |
| Your company will become a better place for everyone to work in. | An intrapreneur | |
| Pioneering new ideas is how innovation happens | ◆ An intrapreneur won’t come up with a new idea and then give it up. ◆ An intrapreneur will use his or her brain to ◆ It is because of the new ideas brought up by an intrapreneur that innovation appears in the company. | |
5 . 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. |
| A．The participants of the experiment |
| B．The importance of the experiment |
| C．The process of the experiment |
| D．The result of the experiment. |
| A．a manager |
| B．a project director |
| C．a warehouse worker |
| D．an IT elite |
| 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. |
| 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. |
6 . When trying to make a successful career, which is better: being a generalist or a specialist? Inother words, should you generalize and know a little about a lot of things?
Natasha Olinger, a human resource expert, talks about the benefits of both. She said Generally speaking, the common wisdom is that it's always better to specialize and then you can demand a higher salary.
To explain her idea, linger uses a fairly commons situation-choosing a restaurant
If you go to a restaurant that only serves sushi, you can expect high quality products, and you also should expect to pay more. If you go to a place that serves sushi, tacos and pizza, the quality of the sushi may not be so great, but the prices will probably be lower.
Olinger suggests thinking about the size and type of business you would like to work for.
Also, companies that are just getting started often need people who are able to perform many different tasks. For example, your job description may be that of a graphic designer, but you may also have to do some writing, Larger companies can be just the opposite. They often need specialists-experts in a given field But perhaps the best solution is a mix of generalization and specialization.
| A．Or should we combine these two with each other? |
| B．Some career planners call this a "t-shaped" career |
| C．Say you want to eat a favorite Japanese meal: sushi. |
| D．Olinger says the world of work is not all that different |
| E．Small businesses often need people who can do many things |
| F．Olinger also warns that the world of work is more complex than this |
| G．Or should you specialize and have a deep understanding of only one area |
注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
Social workers are those who work for the welfare of people who face certain problems in life. They not only struggle for the betterment of individuals, but also for society as a whole. Earlier, social work was considered to be a service done for society by retired people or the rich. It was purely voluntary work done in their spare time, and also just for the purpose of helping others and to get a sense of satisfaction. However, with the appearance of various courses offered by professional social organizations, young people have started looking at it as a serious career choice.
Why is it beneficial to pursue a career in social work? Well, there is a lot more to be expected from it. For example, it is good for your personal growth. When you work in an environment where you get to see the not-so-pleasant aspects of life, you get a reality check and come to appreciate (感激) all that you have in your own life, and then learn to be thankful. What’s more, social work exposes (使接触) you to a lot of cases that require time and crisis (危机) management and almost all social work organizations provide professional training for candidates (人选) who want to join them. Such kind of training prepares you to stay calm and conduct yourself professionally when facing disaster and crisis.
When you read or watch TV, you must have come across stories about animals taking care of each other! Well, if animals can show such great compassion (同情心), we humans definitely can put our fellow creatures before ourselves more often! And what is a better way to feel more human than to make a positive difference to the lives of others? Making life better for others just proves how human you are!
In order to enter this field, one needs to have excellent organizational and communication skills. It is likely that one will have to work with many people, including children, senior citizens, etc., and will have to learn to deal with them in a patient way. It seems that while working, the individual will meet with a variety of emotional problems that make these people feel sad. Thus, it is important that an individual who desires to follow this career should not only be enthusiastic about helping others, but also be mentally strong.
| To be a social worker | |
| General information about social work | ●Social work is intended to ●In the past, it was mainly the retired or rich people who ●With various courses about social work, young people have started to make it their |
| ●It does good to one’s personal growth by teaching him to appreciate what he has. ●It can teach social workers how to ●It is a good way to make a(n) | |
| ●He has to be good at organizing events and ●He has to be able to deal with people’s problems ●He has to have | |
8 . Perhaps at one point in time, it was acceptable to start any letter or e-mail with “To Whom It May Concern.”
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,
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.
| 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. |
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 |
| 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. |
| 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. |
