1 . Fancy spending your summer break improving your skills and preparing for your first jobs? We have gathered the best summer programs in Singapore in recent years. Now you will be able to narrow down your choices and make a decision.
Standout Global Summer Program
At Standout Summer School, one of your missions will be to work as an intern with leaders in the business world who have plenty of years of experience in the field. Through this program, you can boost your knowledge by interacting with experts in fields like digital marketing, entrepreneurship, investment, etc. Wherever you come from, the school will welcome you in their all-inclusive program.
NTU Summer School Program
Nanyang Technological University will take you on a unique experience in their summer camp. In NTU’s summer school, you will be able to enjoy your favorite business track out of five different options. Each track will lead you to an internship at a top-ranked company lasting from 3 weeks to two months.
NUS Summer School
The National University of Singapore offers one of the leading summer camps in Singapore. The program is designed for students who are from its partner universities located all around the world. With passion as one of the university’s core values, the NUS Summer School guarantees continuous development for its students.
SMU Global Summer Program
With its third Global Summer Program starting in July, Singapore Management University offers international students an unforgettable opportunity: 4 weeks of learning in Singapore, with a week spent overseas in another Asian city to merge in an unmatched experience.
Get in touch with us to get all your questions about global summer programs answered!
1. What can you do at Standout Summer School?| A．Enjoy your favorite business track. |
| B．Visit partner universities. |
| C．Learn for continuous development. |
| D．Work with experienced leaders as an intern. |
| A．1 month. | B．3 months. | C．10 weeks. | D．2 weeks. |
| A．Standout Global Summer Program. |
| B．NTU Summer School Program. |
| C．NUS Summer School. |
| D．SMU Global Summer Program. |
2 . A couple of years ago I graduated from art school. After graduation I was unsure of what to do with my degree. I had majored in illustration (插画专业) and loved it, but didn’t really feel interested in doing illustrations for any companies. This left me with few options other than freelance (自由职业的) jobs and taking care of kids for others.
I spent two years working as a baby-sitter, doing freelance illustrations on the side. It just wasn’t quite enough to pay rent, but I loved it, so I worked well over 50 hours a week, trying to keep up with both.
Just under a year ago I went to a friend’s wedding. I couldn’t think of a gift for them and really didn’t have a lot of money to spare, so I used my talents to create a portrait (肖像) for them. It wasn’t much, but I hoped it would be a good gift. When I handed the portrait to them and they unwrapped it, the looks on their faces were something I did not expect. There were joyful tears in their eyes as they cried, “That’s us! This is so beautiful!”
It’s funny because when I was in art school portraits were always my least favourite assignment. I hated drawing people and was always so much more interested in drawing little furry creatures. Once I saw the looks on my friends’ faces after giving them their portrait, it was all over. I suddenly loved portraits and wanted to do more.
I now take portraits to every wedding I go to and have given them as gifts to the families I baby-sit for. Every time the reaction makes all of the hard work and time I put into them so worth it. I’ve just started offering couple, family and pet portraits as an item on my Etsy shop.
1. What did the author choose to do after graduation?
| A．She worked for a long-term employer. |
| B．She married and looked after her baby. |
| C．She pursued further studies in her major. |
| D．She worked as an illustrator as a side job. |
| A．She was eager to show off her talent. |
| B．She couldn’t afford an expensive gift. |
| C．Her friends didn’t take wedding photos. |
| D．She wanted to satisfy her friends’ request. |
| A．Embarrassed. | B．Motivated. | C．Overjoyed. | D．Depressed. |
| A．She earned more money to support her talent. |
| B．She has begun to create her career as an illustrator. |
| C．She turned to illustrations for pets other than humans. |
| D．She no longer needs to go to the families she baby-sat for. |
3 . Are blacksmiths (铁匠) going extinct in America? Not according to Craig Kaviar, a famous practitioner of the craft (手艺) who is based in Louisville, Ky. If anything, he said, “there’s been a renewal.”
The industrial revolution (革命) made a lot of traditional blacksmith work out of date. But blacksmiths like Mr. Kaviar, 69, have found success creating so-called functional art. Mr. Kaviar, for instance, is regionally known for making handrails with metal leaves and birds. He recently completed a three-part archway for the local Crab Orchard Animal Sanctuary with almost Tim Burtonesque details. Mr. Kaviar said he had taken “the criteria the owner had” and had then made the work his own, adding horses, trees, a giraffe and more.
Mr. Kaviar reached a national audience on the HGTV show “Modern Masters” before going global. But it’s in Louisville that his work is most famous. And, in his telling, the craft is only growing in the area. “When I came to Louisville, there was no one doing it,” he said. “Now there are several other people around doing it as well. It’s a fine craft.”
Mr. Kaviar also works with Guns to Gardens, a group that repurposes guns which are voluntarily given up into garden tools. His role is straightforward: “I take one part of the gun and make a hole in the center. And then on one end, I flatten it.”
Mr. Kaviar said he would continue to work so long as his body could handle it. He is typically in the shop from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. “I fear that if I give it up, I’ll sit around watching TV too much,” he said. “It helps keep me in shape.”
“I also love using the tools and the feel of the metal,” he added. “When you’re striking hot metal, the metal has a different feel, and different heat. You can really judge what you can do through it.”
1. What contributes to the decline of traditional blacksmith work?| A．Its complexity. | B．The industrial revolution. |
| C．Its high criteria. | D．The recovery in other crafts. |
| A．He helps renew blacksmithing. | B．Many young people learned from him. |
| C．He went global because of the HGTV show. | D．His craft is popular all over the world. |
| A．He repairs its guns. | B．He flattens gun parts. |
| C．He does some decoration work. | D．He helps advertise its products. |
| A．He doesn’t like TV programs. | B．It keeps his life peaceful. |
| C．It helps him acquire a good reputation. | D．The metal brings him much inspiration. |
4 . Unexpected Things About Archaeology (考古学)
Archaeology is an amazing career. We get to explore and debate how life has been and can be lived, and we get to share this knowledge with people in a way which benefits society. If you don’t know an archaeologist or haven’t worked with one before, you might not know what they actually do or you might think we do things that we don’t.
Not all archaeology is underground.
A lot of people think of archaeology as being buried in the ground, but any physical material can tell us about the past.
You might think archaeologists are only interested in the most precious items, like coins, valuable jewellery or well-preserved objects. But often the most common items, like pottery, clay tobacco pipes, glass bottles or bricks, can tell them the most information. They help build a picture of people’s lives. Sometimes, not finding an object we thought would be there tells us something about the people.
Archaeologists don’t use brushes very often.
Many people think archaeologists spend all day brushing dirt off the items they find. They do sometimes use brushes to clean surfaces for clear photographs. But they mainly use tools like trowels, shovels or mattocks. A normal day involves a lot of heavy digging.
Archaeologists can use technology to learn what is underground instead of digging.
Archaeology is a science, an art and a form of physical work. It’s varied and can appeal to people with different interests and skills. It may take you on a journey you don’t expect!
| A．Archaeology is for everybody. |
| B．Archaeologists aren’t only interested in gold. |
| C．Archaeologists don’t have to dig to learn about what is underground. |
| D．So we pulled together a list of things you might not know about archaeology. |
| E．This means above-ground remains, like buildings, are important forms of evidence. |
| F．They also must work quickly as they’re usually part of a wider construction project. |
| G．Archaeologists get more information about the history of an area with every site they dig. |
5 . I’ve chatted with many unhappy employees, finding one big reason is that they aren’t aware of what will truly matter to them when choosing a job. Salaries and promotions are important, but not enough. To identify a satisfying job, people should be thinking about office morale and doing work that is interesting and fun.
My colleague Kaitlin Woolley and I asked a large group of employees what made them like their present jobs, and what factors would cause them to like future jobs.
Unsurprisingly, we found promotions and raises were important for people both in their current job and in applying for future jobs. What was interesting, though, was that the majority cared a lot about present benefits (such as doing something with the people you like) in their current job, but they expected not to care very much about those things in their future jobs.
A basic insight from behavioral science is that people care about the present mainly in the present, but don’t really care about it in advance. This natural human tendency has important consequences. They often choose the wrong job or project and end up regretting it. But keep in mind that if there is one thing that is certain about the future, it is that it will one day be the present.
How can we use insights from behavioral science to increase job satisfaction? We have developed a three-step approach. First, make sure you choose a career that you enjoy pursuing, one that offers present benefits to you. Second, add present benefits to your working hours. Third, bring to mind those present benefits that do exist at your work. You can motivate yourself to engage in your work by directing attention to the positive aspects of your tasks.
The bottom line is that job satisfaction is too rare, and the lack of it is hurting us emotionally and financially. Many years of research have taught us that people feel energized when the process of doing something becomes the goal of doing it. We can apply this principle to increase satisfaction at work by selecting satisfying jobs.
1. What’s the function of Paragraph 1?| A．Giving an example. | B．Making a comparison. |
| C．Proposing a definition. | D．Presenting an argument. |
| A．There is something surprising. | B．There is something expected. |
| C．There is something disappointing. | D．There is something satisfying. |
| A．It is impossible to find job satisfaction at work. |
| B．An unpleasant boss might make you feel upset. |
| C．People unsatisfied with their work may get into debt. |
| D．Selecting a satisfying job can increase job satisfaction. |
| A．Telling how to choose a satisfying job. |
| B．Describing the present situations of working. |
| C．Introducing the knowledge of behavioral science. |
| D．Explaining the differences between the current and future jobs. |
6 . Being Positive Is A Choice
As we all know, no job is always ideal and we often face obstacles that can impact our mood at work.
However, sitting back and waiting for positive change to happen will only lead to greater disappointment. You have to start somewhere when looking for a potential new opportunity. Where do you stand with these four critical steps?
When was your resume (简历) last updated?
I have heard, “Oh, I know I need to do that soon”, more times than I care to say. No one enjoys this task,
Are you networking?
We may all shrink at this since we think of having to meet with 20 strangers.
Are you current with new skills and technology?
The world is changing so fast and you have to stay up to speed with keeping your skills and new technology fresh. Take a class, read a book, and take a new course etc. These investments pay back with enormous profit.
Is your negativity at work now crossing into your personal life? Have you reviewed your hours doing business compared with personal time? This is so important and needs to be evaluated and discussed with your partner or friends on a regular basis. If you find that the negatives of work or personal life becoming too much, seeking professional assistance is a wise decision.
| A．Focus on one person at a time |
| B．but you always need to keep it fresh |
| C．Have you discussed with your family |
| D．We can’t be expected to be positive all of the time |
| E．There is nothing wrong with asking for that help |
| F．Have you truly evaluated your work-life balance |
| G．but you have accomplished more important things |
7 . Workers are quitting their jobs. A lot of them. In fact, there are so many people that it seems that we’re still in the middle of the so-called Great Resignation (辞职). In the US, the Labor Department reported that 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August 2021, making up about 2.9% of the national workforce — the highest number on record. In the UK, the number of open jobs was more than 1 million for the first time ever in August. There are several reasons why workers are walking away — poor working conditions, fears of getting infected with COVID-19 and a better understanding of life during COVID-19.
You may have heard the story that in the golden age of American labor, 20th-century workers stayed in one job for 40 years and retired with a gold watch. But that’s a total myth. The truth is that people in the 1960s and 1970s quit their jobs more often than they have in the past 20 years, and the economy was better off for it. Since the 1980s Americans have quit less, and many held on to valueless jobs for fear that the safety net wouldn’t support them while they looked for a new one. But Americans seem to have put an end to their persistence (坚持). And they’re being rewarded for their lack of patience: Wages for low-income workers are rising at their fastest rate since the Great Recession (大萧条). In fact, the number of the Great Resignation is really great.
Nearly 7 percent of employees in the “accommodations and food services” area left their jobs in August. That means one in 14 hotel clerks, restaurant servers, and barbacks said goodbye in a single month. Thanks to several pandemic-relief checks, a rent moratorium (缓交), and student-loan forgiveness, everybody, particularly if they are young and have a low income, has more freedom to quit the jobs they hate and hope for something else.
1. Which is one of the reasons why lots of workers are quitting their jobs in the US?| A．They find their life meaningless. |
| B．They want to get more freedom. |
| C．They are afraid of picking up COVID-19. |
| D．Their living conditions are very terrible. |
| A．Workers quit their jobs more frequently in the 1980s than in the 1960s. |
| B．Workers working for 40 years were awarded a gold watch in the 19th century. |
| C．All the workers’ wages are rising sharply since the Great Recession in the US. |
| D．Workers’ quitting their jobs more often contributed to the economic growth in the 1970s. |
| A．Legend. | B．Fact. | C．Secret. | D．Experiment. |
| A．The golden age of American labor has gone. |
| B．Americans are leaving their jobs in groups. |
| C．Young workers are fighting for freedom. |
| D．America’s economy is getting worse due to COVID-19. |
8 . The Summer Volun Teen Program
This program at Brevard Zoo is a 10-week seasonal position that runs from May 31 through early August. Once selected into the program, Volun Teens will receive 2 days of training on the first weekend of May, 2021. Upon the competition of training, Volun Teens will be given their official assignments ( 10 days minimum, or 2 weeks of full day camp). Schedules vary, but most assignments run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Volun Teens may sign up for additional days as they choose.
Important requirements
The program is for teens between the ages of 13 to 17 who are interested in working with the public. Applicants must be 13 years old by April 1, 2021. And they are supposed to know well about various animals and their living habits. Once accepted, Volun Teens must pay dues of $ 25.00. This covers the costs of a teen manual (手册), a T-shirt and various supplies. Volun Teens are also required to participate in a conservation event.
Volun Teen positions are temporary, however, interested teens are encouraged to apply for the full Zoo Teen Program in the fall. Volun Teen participants are allowed to miss two of their assigned volunteer days to account for summer vacations. On the third miss, Volun Teens may be dismissed from the program. Besides, the program doesn’t provide make-up days and it does not allow switching volunteer days with another Volun Teen.
Benefits
Many students are able to use their volunteer experience to meet the community service requirement for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Depending on their school, students may receive credits for their volunteer hours. Volunteers also have the opportunity to work with Education Department staff members and the public, gaining valuable skills for a variety of careers. Making new friends, earning potential employment references, gaining lots of experience and a sense of accomplishment are just a few more reasons to apply!
1. How many days will Volun Teens be trained?| A．2 days. | B．10 weeks. | C．10 days. | D．2 weeks. |
| A．To offer teenagers how to apply for the program. |
| B．To tell what is required of applicants for the program. |
| C．To explain what the program is. |
| D．To stress how important the program is. |
| A．Negative. | B．Supportive. | C．Critical. | D．Passive |
9 . Inside а tiny shop in Manchester, Adam Birce carefully carves at а woodblock. He looks carefully at each piece to ensure they fit and match before gently setting them together. Adam Birce, the owner of Four Strings, restores stringed instruments like violins, and his passion is restoring and appreciating what has already been crafted and loved.
Birce started playing the violin in grade school and grew to truly appreciate it. He played semiprofessionally out of high school and later got his degree in music at Virginia Commonwealth University as a violinist. After graduating, he landed a job selling violins. “As fate would have it, I was asked by my employer to learn to fix violins 15 years ago,” he says. “I soon moved off on my own to do restoration.” Since 2014, he has been on a mission with Four Strings to offer excellent fine-instrument restoration services to the community.
Violin restoration isn’t a self-taught skill. Each summer for the past decade, Birce has traveled to the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts for up to two weeks to study under famous violin restoration expert Hans J. Nebel. Here, students learn everything from delicate edging repair to violin identification. “A lot of the work itself is learning as you go,” Birce says. “It’s a lot of problem-solving and critical thinking, like coming up with a woodworking plan.
“How long а job takes varies. Most are about 3-6 months for major work, unless a full top-to-bottom restoration is needed, which can take even longer,” Birce explains. “I leave that up to the client if they want to commit to that.” One of his longest jobs was working on a Scottish violin from the early 1800s that had been water-damaged. “I had to use every skill in my toolbox to fix it,” Birce laughingly recalls. “It was a very onerous job.”
If there’s one thing to be learned from Birce’s passion, it’s that each violin is unique in its own right. He compares the fine instruments market to the fine arts market. “A lot of these instruments are fine art,” he says. “I kind of say this is a Picasso I’m playing or a Degas. I’ve worked on a few, which is always a joy.”
1. What does paragraph 2 mainly talk about?| A．The special features of Four Strings. | B．The procedures of violin restoration. |
| C．Birce’s life experience with the violin. | D．Birce’s influence in the music industry. |
| A．It’s effortless. | B．It’s self-taught. | C．It’s extremely dull. | D．It’s highly professional. |
| A．Creative. | B．Well-paid. | C．Dangerous. | D．Demanding. |
| A．Birce prefers art to music. | B．Birce has a deep love for his job. |
| C．Birce wants to be as famous as Picasso. | D．Birce has become a master of violin restoration. |
10 . As a kid, Pamela Akuku spent her weekends exploring the National Museums of Kenya, following along with her mom who worked there. Akuku became fascinated with the researchers. She saw them using various equipment and researching the fossils carefully. “But I didn’t know what they were doing at the time,” she says. “I kept asking my mom about it.”
Akuku’s mom saw her daughter’s curiosity and signed her up for the museum’s Young Researchers Club. Akuku soon took part in mock excavations (模拟挖掘) and reconstructed bones. “I enjoyed reading and puzzles,” says Akuku. “And this was a mixture of the two.”
The museum experiences helped inspire her career as an archeologist. After her four years in university, she was sure that she wanted to study archaeology. She did her master’s in South Africa and majored in zooarchaeology (动物考古学). She is now at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution in Tarragona, Spain. There, she studies how ancient humans modified (改良) animal bones. Her research is helping to reveal more about where early humans lived. She’s currently studying the remains from Tanzania’s Olduvai Gorge, where researchers previously discovered stone tools and evidence of early human ancestors going back as far as 2 million years.
Akuku gives some advice to people who want to do her job. “Be prepared to come across hard conditions. Working in this field is challenging. You have to work twice as hard just to be recognized,” Akuku said. But she has learned to deal with it. Now she always tells everyone the efforts are worthy.
1. Why did Akuku’s mother let her join in the Young Researchers Club?| A．Akuku showed interest in the club. | B．Akuku’s mom was curious about the club. |
| C．Akuku’s mom wanted Akuku to help with her job. | D．Akuku hoped to be an archaeologist. |
| A．Why zooarchaeology is popular. | B．When the relics of Tarragona appeared. |
| C．What can be found from ancient fossils. | D．How ancient people modified animal bones. |
| A．Many stone tools remain to be found there. | B．Ancient human may live there 2 million years ago. |
| C．There are few relics left at present. | D．Few researchers show interest in it. |
| A．deal with challenges with colleagues | B．learn to be very smart |
| C．do the job harder than other people | D．believe what you do is important |
