1 . Ice cream season is here! Let’s hope you have enough money for your favorite flavors. But have you ever thought about getting paid to eat ice cream?
The idea isn’t pie in the sky. It’s how American Derek Spors, 32, makes his living. Although he simply calls himself a product developer at Ben and Jerry’s, an ice-cream company based in Vermont. His job is something delicious.
So how did he become an ice-cream expert in the first place? Spors received a degree in food science from the University of Wisconsin. However, some research and development staff in the company come from culinary (厨师的) backgrounds.
This makes for a good mix. People with a food science background and those with a culinary background both know a lot about food, but the things they know are different. “In studying food science, you learn about food functionality, but you don’t really learn how to make it taste good.” Spors said. “To the consumer, it’s all about the taste.”
Great tastes are exactly what Spors spends his days inventing and perfecting.
So how is a new product developed? According to Spors, the process has to begin with a new idea for a flavor. Next comes the formulation (配方) of “base” mixes. This lays the foundation (基础) for new flavors, which involves complex science. On top of all these chemical experiments, the mix has to taste good.
Being an ice-cream inventor does have its own rewards-who wouldn’t want a chance to create a new ice cream flavor? For Spors, it’s terrific to know his work makes others happy when he goes to the grocery store and sees someone buy ice cream he developed.
1. Which of the following is closest in meaning to “pie in the sky” in Paragraph 2?| A．Unlikely. |
| B．Simple. |
| C．Unusual. |
| D．Decent. |
| A．Developing new markets. |
| B．Inventing good tastes. |
| C．Making phone calls. |
| D．Eating delicious food. |
| A．How to make ice cream taste good. |
| B．What helps make a good mix. |
| C．What Spors learned at university. |
| D．How others’ work helps Spors. |
| A．It’s terrible. |
| B．It’s awesome. |
| C．It’s tiring. |
| D．It’s well-paid. |
2 . The US tech giant Microsoft Corp and the leadership consulting firm DDI worked together on a new project on Thursday, with the goal of helping more than 1 million women in China improve their digital skills and embrace the digital future.
The Women Digital Future project came as reports show that women have been more negatively impacted by the COVID-19 than men, and an improvement in digital skills is expected to help them better deal with the bad results from it.
Microsoft said it will partner with a number of companies and organizations to help women in multiple ways, as COVID-19 has accelerated digital transformation worldwide and women are faced with more challenges in both life and work.
Alain Crozier, chairman and CEO of Microsoft Greater China, said, “Microsoft has always placed a high value on the development of our female employees and strongly promoting the power of women to drive the world forward.”
Mindy Yeh, managing director of Greater China, said the company’s global survey shows that there are nearly double the number of female leaders at the top 20 percent of well-performing companies than in the bottom 20 percent. Moreover, they have clear advantages in terms of teamwork and interaction.
Cecilia Qi, general manager of GSK China, said, “Digital transformation is both an opportunity and a challenge for women. This is especially the case in the new era, which requires companies to provide women with more support to help them achieve better work-life balance and continue to gain success as they continue forward in their career. Success belongs to everyone, and I believe that, in the future, society will be more supportive of women and provide them with more equal career opportunities.”
1. What is the main purpose of the new project?| A．To help women fight against COVID-19. |
| B．To reduce the bad impacts from COVID-19 on women. |
| C．To help women better prepare for the digital future. |
| D．To promote the products of Microsoft Corp. |
| A．speeded up | B．lived up to | C．influenced | D．prevented |
| A．Women are more popular in good companies. | B．Women receive more support from society. |
| C．Women leaders have more advantages over men. | D．Women leaders perform better in some fields. |
| A．Women have no chance to succeed in the digital age. |
| B．Women are treated unfairly in pursuing a successful career. |
| C．Women need support to achieve a balance between work and life. |
| D．The world is too complex for women to achieve their dreams. |
3 . Have you ever gone to a museum or a show and been completely blown away by a piece? If you haven’t, go out and get cultured. I’m a student at the College of Visual and Performing Arts where we create all kinds of art every day.
First of all, we need to be inspired. You may think that’s easy. In fact, anything can serve as a concept of a work of art.
The process can take weeks, months, and even years to be fully realized. Once completed, we need to share it and find an audience and provide an environment to display our work.
Creating art is an art in itself. It is really not as easy as many people think.
| A．Outsiders think our jobs easy. |
| B．We should be quiet and creative. |
| C．We might choose other fields as well. |
| D．Resources are also a huge factor in making art. |
| E．The hard part comes when we put our ideas into reality. |
| F．And the negative thoughts love to overpower our minds. |
| G．It takes time, patience and space when things don’t go as expected. |
4 . Top 4 Traditional Summer Jobs for College Students
With the summer break around the corner, students will be looking for seasonal and short-term jobs for extra cash, to stay busy or to make additions to their resume (简历). The following jobs have been longtime go-tos for many young adults.
Lifeguard
Because summer is the busiest season for pools and beaches, lots of summer jobs exist for strong swimmers. Lots of positions can be found at community and neighborhood pools, while those who live near the coastline can also find positions at public beaches. These jobs are a great opportunity to build your fitness, keep people safe and be outdoors to enjoy some fun in the sun. The average hourly wage for lifeguards is $9.50.
Camp Counselor (辅导员)
Students, who enjoy spending their time with children, being a leader and overseeing fun, outdoor activities are often the perfect fit for camp counselor positions. Students studying science, for example, can work at a science camp, while those with a creative talent can work at an arts-focused summer program. The average hourly wage for camp counselors is $9.28, but those with years of experience or specific academic backgrounds may earn more.
Sales Associate
Students with a skill for persuasion and helpfulness often enjoy sales associate jobs. Students interested in business, finance or sales/marketing often gravitate (被吸引) towards these roles, but they’re also a great fit for anyone seeking a low-pressure summer position or even just a discount at their favorite store. The average wage is $10.20 hourly.
Food Server
Although it may not seem like the greatest way to spend a summer, working as wait staff allows students to build their social skills, stay active, enjoy free meals while working and familiarize themselves with different cuisines. The average salary is $9.00 hourly, but tips can raise that number hugely.
1. Being a lifeguard means you can___________.| A．work indoors only | B．work near your home |
| C．have fun with your friends | D．work without certifications |
| A．It requires students to be good at outdoor activities. |
| B．A background in a specific area may provide an advantage. |
| C．It offers the highest average hourly wage among the four jobs. |
| D．The experience of babysitting can help you earn more money. |
| A．Enjoy free meals. | B．Enjoy lower purchase prices. |
| C．Develop a set of new skills. | D．Build a career for sales or marketing. |
| A．How to deal with people. | B．How to deal with pressure. |
| C．How to grow their patience. | D．How to make different cuisines. |
| A．Lifeguard. | B．Camp counselor. | C．Sales associate. | D．Food server. |
“Someone once asked me, ‘What’s the tool you would want to give any student’? And I said, ‘A mask and snorkel (潜水通气管) set,’’’ the ocean biologist Thys says in a video. And Thys explains, “Ninety-eight percent of the living space on this planet is the ocean. It’s worth a view.”
Thys has devoted her career to seeing the ocean, and to helping others watch the great diversity of the underwater world. A big part of what motivates her work is the chance to let people develop a sense of respect for the grandness of the ocean, and to get people to participate in efforts to protect endangered ocean ecosystems.
Since studying ocean biology, Thys has focused her research on how sea animals live. One animal she particularly studies is the ocean sunfish. “It’s so different from any other fish,” says Thys. “It looks like a mistake. Where does the tail go?” Thys adds. “The sunfish provides an entry point to understanding more about the behavior of creatures in the ocean, and about how environmental changes impact underwater ecosystems.”
Thys’s work also takes her above ground, where she’s looking at ways to create new connections between human populations and natural environments to help address social and environmental challenges. For instance, she’s working on nature’s effects on mental well-being.
Thys’s passion for her work is evident in every lecture, video, and public appearance she makes. Using the media, Thys encourages people to learn about the ocean and love it. Due to many ocean research projects and activities from the media, Thys is up to her neck in work every day. She could hardly spare plenty of time for a good rest. Thys’s devotion to her work as an ocean scientist and ecological warrior is infectious. She’s a role model and an inspiring guide to ocean life.
1. Why would Thys like to send students a mask and snorkel set? (no more than 8 words)2. What greatly motivates Thys’s work according to Paragraph 2? (no more than 10 words)
3. What does Thys think of the ocean sunfish? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined part in the last paragraph mean? (no more than 5 words)
5. What’s your attitude towards Thys and her work? (no more than 20 words)
6 . It feels like every time my mother and I start to have a conversation, it turns into an argument. We talk about something as simple as dinner plans and suddenly my mother will push the conversation into the Third World War. She’ll talk about my lack of (缺乏) bright future because I don’t plan to be a doctor. And much to her disappointment, I don’t want to do any job related to science, either. In fact, when I was pushed to say that I planned to major (主修) in English, she nearly had a heart attack.
“Why can’t you be like my co-worker’s son?” she shouts all the time. Her co-worker’s son received a four-year scholarship and is now earning 70,000 dollars a year as an engineer. I don’t know what to say except that I simply can’t be like Mr. Perfect as I’ve called the unnamed co-worker’s son. I can’t be like him. I am the type of the person who loves to help out in the community, write until the sun goes down, and most of all, wants to achieve something because of loving it, not because of fame or salary.
I understand why my mother is worried about my future major. I’ve seen my mother struggle to raise me on her small salary and work long hours. She leaves the house around 6:30 am and usually comes back home around 5:00 pm or even 6:00 pm.
However, I want her to know that by becoming a doctor, it doesn’t mean I’ll be successful. I’d rather follow my dreams and create my own future.
1. What does the underlined word “push” in Paragraph 1 mean?| A．to increase or decrease an amount, value, or number |
| B．to encourage or force someone to do something or to work hard |
| C．to make someone or something move by pressing them with arms |
| D．to press a button to make a piece of equipment start or stop working |
| A．To persuade the author to become a doctor. |
| B．To tell the author to learn as hard as he can. |
| C．To encourage the author to receive a scholarship. |
| D．To ask the author to earn much more money. |
| A．Her plans for future. | B．Her need to control. |
| C．Her poor knowledge. | D．Her struggle with life. |
| A．The author will become an engineer as his mother wishes. |
| B．Being a scientist is sure to earn high fame and salary. |
| C．The author may choose major according to his interest. |
| D．The author shows little interest in learning English. |
7 . The growing ice cream franchise(特许经营权) is the brainchild of Tom Landis, a restauranteur(餐馆老板), who wanted to create a safe space for people with special needs to work in the food industry, plus the flavors are great
At the Dallas-based restaurant, employees serve large scoops of ice cream handed over with love. Tom Landis has hired people with special needs for many years. But he couldn't always provide a job for everyone who came to his fast-paced sandwich shops and pizza joints looking for work. Determined to create a business where friendliness mattered and kitchens were safe, he landed on ice cream.
In 2015, he opened the first ice cream shop; there are now seven franchises in cities including Asheville, El Paso, Indianapolis and Denver. Each shop creates 15 jobs in a safe environment for people with special needs. He said two more franchises were opening soon. “Our relentless mission is to employ all,” he said while interviewed by the local media.
Employees are behind some of the best ideas at the ice cream shops, which boast(有) fun flavors like top-selling Dr Pepper Chocolate Chip, and other favorites like Cold Brew &Cookies and Strawberry Milkshake. In-store sampling events are leading to deal with some grocery stores in the coming months.
When Landis talked about the varieties of ice cream in his shops, he said, “It just works. We sell out every time.” In the sunny and brightly colored shops, employees spread kindness and happiness to their customers as they dish out extra ice cream and free sprinkles.
“That's what ice cream is,” said Landis with joy. His employees are heroes. “They lead me,” he added.
1. What does Landis intend to provide for people with special needs?| A．A kind boss. | B．Huge salaries. |
| C．A room to live. | D．Safe working places. |
| A．They didn't suit all job hunters. |
| B．The customers there had special needs. |
| C．The food there was made in factories. |
| D．They had a novel space for customers. |
| A．The diversity of ice cream. |
| B．The employees’ creativity. |
| C．The popularity of ice cream. |
| D．The friendship between employees. |
| A．Mean but energetic. |
| B．Successful and determined. |
| C．Modest and responsible. |
| D．Conservative but practical. |
8 . This summer, you are offered a perfect opportunity to upgrade the resume (简历) for your future, but which summer jobs should you go after? From traditional to out-of-the-box summer job opportunities, you are bound to find a good fit with one of these ideas:
Travel Blogger
Those who have a taste for adventure can share their travel experiences down to the minute on social platforms. Typically, the hourly wage is $24; however, this number varies depending on the blogger’s ability to make extra earnings from advertising.
Lifeguard
Community and neighborhood pools are usually in need of lifeguards in summer, so ask around to, see what is available. Not only will you be keeping people safe, but you will also be enjoying the sun and maintaining your fitness at the same time. The average pay is $12 an hour.
Tutor
For academically-minded ones, tutoring services are available online. This means you are no longer limited by your location. If you have the patience, skills, and ability to teach others, this position offers an average hourly wage of $19.
Freelance (自由职业的) Designer
If you have a good understanding of computers, web design, and/or enjoy coding, then becoming a freelance designer over the summer may be ideal. Rather than working regular 9-5 hours at a company, you have the flexibility of working from home. $26.99 is the average hourly rate for this position.
For more summer job ideas, check out INDEED to see what opportunities are best suited for you! And don’t forget the fun doesn’t stop when summer is over, check out our post about the Best Jobs on Campus.
1. Which of the summer jobs offers a more flexible pay?| A．Travel blogger. | B．Lifeguard. |
| C．Tutor. | D．Freelance designer. |
| A．One can work online. | B．One should be patient. |
| C．One can benefit physically. | D．One should be adventurous. |
| A．Teachers. | B．Graduates. |
| C．Parents. | D．Students. |
9 . If your boss yells, blames you, and then takes the credit for your work—even it is a rare incident—it can have a bad effect on your well-being and performance at the workplace.
“Thankfully, abusive leadership isn’t too common, but when it happens it leaves employees far less likely to take the initiative and work to improve business practices,” said Howie Xu, an author of a new study carried out by an international group of researchers. “We wanted to understand the cogmitive factors behind that effect—and find out how companies can protect their employees from the negative impact of bad bosses.”
Xu’s team surveyed employees and supervisors from 42 different South Korean companies, along with hundreds of US students, to explore the ways in which abusive supervision impacts“taking charge”behavior by employees. Subjects were then ranked according to whether they actively seek positive opportunities for promotion and advancement or take a more preventative approach that prioritizes safety and job security.
“We theorized that both the drive to obtain rewards (promotion, bonuses) and the drive to avoid punishments (maintain job security) would shape the way employees respond to abusive bosses,” Xu explained. But that’ s not what Xu and his team found. Rather, they found that employees who prioritized career advancement were strongly affected by abusive leadership while employees who prioritized job security remained just as likely to take charge after experiencing abusive leadership.
One possible explanation, Xu said, is that ambitious employees may think an abusive boss has direct control over whether they will receive bonuses or opportunities for promotion. By contrast, bad bosses may be seen as having less direct control over fring decisions, which often require ratification (批准) by HR teams or more senior managers.
That’s an important finding, because it suggests that organizations seeking to lessen the impact of bad leadership should focus on giving power to employees and making them feel valued and appreciated, rather than simply apologizing and making them feel sure that their jobs are safe.
1. What do Howio Xu’s words in paragraph 2 suggest?| A．It’s urgent for companies to replace their bad bosses. |
| B．Companies should perfect their staff evaluation system. |
| C．Becoming a victim of abusive leadership is very normal. |
| D．Abusive leadership lowers employees’ work enthusiasm. |
| A．The finding had a solid theory foundation. |
| B．The finding was beyond the study team’s expectations. |
| C．Employees tend to put potential rewards before everything else. |
| D．Employees generally hold an unfriendly attitude toward abusive bosses. |
| A．Give them suitable recognition. | B．Guarantee them job security. |
| C．Seek help from professionals. | D．Make a sincere apology to them. |
| A．It’s Possible to Keep a Bad Boss at Bay |
| B．It’ s Important to Avoid Becoming a Bad Boss |
| C．Having a Bad Boss May Make You a Worse Employee |
| D．Having Bad HR Teams Keeps You Away from Job Satisfaction |
10 . Trust me — I am expedition doctor
Ever since I was a young child, I’ve had a taste for adventure, but I never imagined I’d be able to satisfy this passion at regular intervals because of my chosen career.
My work as an expedition (探险队) doctor has taken me all over the world. However, my favourite trips, and the ones in which I now specialise, are those involving mountains. Never do I feel more inspired by nature than when I look up at their towering peaks and begin to prepare myself mentally for the challenges ahead.
I trained as a doctor in the UK, but there was little in that training to prepare me for binding up a broken leg during a storm on the side of a mountain! In fact, I’d say that medical skills come some way down the list of job requirements, after endurance, flexibility, problem-solving and communication.
This kind of medicine is a million miles away from the controlled, germ-free environment of a hospital, and your medical kit basically consists of whatever you can carry, so you sometimes have to be prepared to improvise (即兴做). For example, I’ve learned that some drugs can be used for several conditions, and I’ve even had to resort to cutting branches off a small tree to make a stick to support a broken arm.
That isn’t to say that you can’t train to be an expedition doctor; on the contrary, there are some excellent courses available. Not only do they teach medical techniques, but also practical skills such as carrying out risk assessments, crossing rivers safely and using satellite phones. The first course I did included a session on expedition dentistry, though I must admit I still don’t like the idea of pulling out someone’s tooth!
I do most of my work for adventure holiday companies, travelling to remote places. When I started out, these holidays were quite rare, but they have become much more mainstream now that we’ve all seen celebrities climbing Kilimanjaro or watched reality shows about people surviving in jungles.
I do have mixed feelings about all these people with large amounts of disposable income coming to poor areas just for their own enjoyment, so I try to make sure that the companies I work for have high ethical standards and benefit the local communities. And of course, tourism provides employment, and also opens the eyes of rich visitors to the hardship that many people are forced to endure.
I realise that this kind of life isn’t for everyone, but I’d recommend that all doctors try it at least once, if only to make them appreciate the comforts of their usual working environment!
1. The author feels that he has been________.| A．obliged to choose his career | B．lucky with his job |
| C．obsessed with his adventure | D．inspired by his patients |
| A．They are less important than practical skills. |
| B．They are strictly required as the most important. |
| C．They are adequately attained in medical schools. |
| D．They are an underlying part of practical skills. |
| A．They keep their equipment in a backpack. |
| B．Things can happen that they don’t expect. |
| C．They don’t have the resources of a hospital. |
| D．They are required by the patients on the trip. |
| A．they organise expeditions in the remote areas he enjoys visiting |
| B．they appreciate the comforts of the unusual working environments |
| C．he wants to make sure that his clients are safe at all times during the expedition |
| D．he feels uncomfortable about the difference between rich tourists and poor local people |
