B
“Will I be able to work until I’m 70?” Those were my first words when I learned in 2014, at the age of 50, that I had Parkinson’s disease. I had not planned for that question to pop out of my mouth, but it did. Perhaps I was worried about my money. The size of my retirement account makes early retirement seem impossible. But mainly I think I asked that question because work, for better or worse, has become central to my identity. The idea that my career as a historian would end soon felt truly disturbing.
As professors, we often complain about our jobs: we teach too much, we are paid too little, and the library needs more books. But I can’t imagine a better career. We teach young people, and we find the time to read and write about topics we love. We receive a degree of respect. Even my doctor calls me “Professor”.
And, most importantly, we have relative job security. When I received my diagnosis, my question about keeping my job was not ridiculous. In a market-based social system, the threat of job loss is terrifying. Imagine the pressure faced by a Parkinson’s sufferer with no job security. It could be disastrous for someone who needs manual dexterity at work, such as a construction worker.
In contrast, I am lucky: I have tenure(终身职位), which gives me a feeling of security that even popular entertainers may lack. Tenure does not guarantee me a job as long as I can perform y duties.
Will I be able to work until I’m 70? I think so. I know that my family and I will face new challenges, but I don’t expect a decline in my job performance. My students may find my appearance a bit odd, but if they do, then that will be a “teachable moment”.What did the author worry about first when he learned he was ill?
| A．He didn’t have enough money for an operation. |
| B．The disease would ruin his career. |
| C．He wouldn’t live until the age of 70. |
| D．He would be forced to retire early. |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Professors always complain about their jobs. |
| B．Professors have no time to do anything else but teach. |
| C．The author doesn’t know what he would do if he were not a professor. |
| D．The author thinks he is respected by others because of his work. |
The underlined phrase in the third paragraph, “manual dexterity” probably means _____________.
| A．the ability to use one’s hands |
| B．the ability to see clearly |
| C．the ability to use one’s mind |
| D．the ability to solve problems |
The best title for this passage is _________________________.
| A．Losing My Career to Illness |
| B．The Threat of Job Loss |
| C．Keep Away from Disease |
| D．The Pressure of Parkinson’s |
A is for always getting to work on time.
B is for being extremely busy.
C is for the conscientious(勤勤恳恳的) way you do your job.
You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ahead, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in office politics.
Dale Carnegie suggested as much more than 50 years ago: Hard work alone doesn’t ensure career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious rewards of engaging in office politics—a better job, a raise, praise—many people are still unable or unwilling—to “play the game”.
“People assume that office politics involves some manipulative(工于心计的) behavior,” says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University. “But politics derives from the word ‘polite’. It can mean lobbying(游说) and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying, to please your superior, and then expecting something in return.”
In fact, today, experts define office politics as proper behavior used to pursue one’s own self-interest in the workplace. In many cases, this involves some form of socializing within the office environment—not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.
“The first thing people are usually judged on is their ability to perform well on a consistent basis,” says Neil P. Lewis, a management psychologist. “But if two or three candidates are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably similar ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It’s simple human nature.”
Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. Some people, they say, have an idealistic vision of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others associate politics with flattery(奉承), fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may appear to be flattering their boss for favors.
Experts suggest altering this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion.“Office politics” is used in the passage to refer to________.
| A．the political views and beliefs of office workers |
| B．the interpersonal relationships within a company |
| C．the various qualities required for a successful career |
| D． the code of behavior for company staff |
To get promoted, one must not only be competent but________.
| A．avoid being too outstanding |
| B．get along well with his colleagues |
| C．honest and loyal to his company |
| D．give his boss a good impression |
The author considers office politics to be________.
| A．unwelcome at the workplace |
| B．bad for interpersonal relationships |
| C．an important factor for personal advancement |
| D．indispensable to the development of company culture |
It is the author’s view that________.
| A．self-promotion does not necessarily mean flattery |
| B．hard work contributes very little to one’s promotion |
| C．many employees fail to recognize the need of flattery |
| D．speaking up for oneself is part of human nature |
Most of us are used to seasons. Each year, spring follows winter, which follows autumn, which follows summer, which follows spring. And winter is colder than summer. But the earth goes through temperature cycles over much longer periods than those that we experience. Between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, the planet was much colder than it is now. During that time the temperature also changed a lot, with periods of warming and cooling. Ice melted during the warm periods, which made sea levels rise. Water froze again during the cold periods.
A new study from Switzerland, sheds light on where ice sheets melted during the ice age. It now seems that the ice melted at both ends of the earth, rather than just in either northern or southern regions.
This surprised the researchers from the University of Bern. Scientists have long assumed that most of the ice that melted was in the Northern hemisphere(半球) during the 30,000-year long ice age. That belief was held because the North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. It is easier for ice sheets to grow on land. If surrounded by sea the ice can easily just slip into the ocean instead of building up.
The researchers used a computer model to look at ways the ice could melt and how it might affect sea levels. They compared these results to evidence of how temperatures and currents actually changed during that time. The model showed that if it was only in the Northern hemisphere that ice melted, there would have been a bigger impact(影响) on ocean currents(洋流) and sea temperatures than what actually happened. Studies suggest that melting just in the Southern hemisphere would have been impossible, too. The only reasonable conclusion, the scientists could make, was that ice melted equally in the North and the South.
It is still a mystery as to what caused the temperature changes that caused the ice to melt.The North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. So scientists thought that ________.
| A．most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere |
| B．most of the ice melted in the Southern hemisphere |
| C．The North Pole is colder than South Pole |
| D．The South Pole is colder than North Pole |
We can infer from the passage ________.
| A．the ice can easily just slip into the ocean |
| B．volcanoes caused the ice to melt |
| C．melting just in the Northern hemisphere would have been impossible |
| D．researchers often use the computer models help their research work. |
The scientists are not sure ________.
| A．how long the ice age lasted |
| B．where ice sheets melted during the ice age |
| C．what caused the temperature changes |
| D．what the earth is made up of |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A computer model |
| B．Studies show ice melted equally in the North and the South during the ice age |
| C．Most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere during the 30,000-year long ice age. |
| D．A survey result |
“Seven out of ten people have tried to learn a language at some point in their life and most wish they could speak one more fluently,” a survey found. “And nine out of ten people want their children to learn foreign languages at primary school,” said the poll for the OCR Examing Board (牛津剑桥皇家考试委员会).Languages are no longer compulsory(义务的)for pupils aged 14 and over. But the government wants all primary school pupils in England to learn a language by the end of the decade.
A survey of 1000 people was carried out, which is organised by the National Centre of Language .The study suggested people in London were the most likely(78%) to have studied another language, Scots were next at 74%, followed by the northeast of England (71%).In the west of England, more than six in ten have knowledge of another language.
Barrie Hunt from OCR said, “People are often very negative about Britain，s grasp of foreign languages but in reality the number of people who can speak a second language is impressive. The great joke is that many of these people will have no formal qualification to show their family, friends and employers what they can do. Whether they are fluent or just able to hold a short conversation in another language is unknown.”
He said OCR had set a new language scheme called Asset Languages to encourage people of all ages to learn languages in bite-sized amounts and get a qualification.
The scheme also provides assessment for community languages spoken at home, such as Chinese, Urdu and Punjabi.
Isabella Moore from the National Centre of Languages said, “Employers want evidence of good communication skills, confidence and outward-looking attitudes, so a language qualification is an important addition to anyone，s resume.”It can be inferred that___________________________ .
| A．foreign language study is popular in UK |
| B．foreign language study is a must for people of all ages |
| C．it is especially easy for British people to study foreign languages |
| D．students of over 14 no longer study foreign languages |
Which of the following has the most to have studied a foreign language?
| A．People from Scotland. | B．People from the northeast of England. |
| C．People in London. | D．People from the west of England. |
Which statement is true according to the text?
| A．A language qualification is the only evidence of a high-quality employee. |
| B．Speaking foreign languages is the most important skill required in employment among all. |
| C．A language qualification is very difficult to get in UK. |
| D．Many people in UK don，t have a qualification although they can speak foreign languages. |
What’s the best title for the text?
| A．An Interesting Survey | B．UK Loves After All |
| C．Language Teaching in UK | D．Better to Get a Language Qualification |
When your pet meets your infant(婴儿)，it might not be love at first sniff. When Jennifer brought her baby home from the hospital, her cherished dogs had very different reactions. Her Boxer, Sonya, was immediately gentle and protective. But Tiger, the Pomeranian, was less welcoming. “If any diapers(尿布)or toys were on the floor, he peed on them,” says the Greenbrier, mom. In the eyes of a pet, there’s a new star in home who’s stealing his spotlight. Even the gentlest animal will probably act up if he doesn’t get his usual attention. These simple steps will help your pet adjust and keep your baby safe.
Introduce Them with Care
Your newborn and per’s first encounter can set the tone for their relationship. To make it as smooth as possible, try this trick from Caryn Ruiz：“Before we left the hospital, my husband took blankets home to our dog, Daisy, so she’d know our newborn Devon’s smell.” When you get home, have your husband carry the baby so you can greet your pet without worrying about her jumping on you. A cat will likely walk away at first, while a dog probably wants to investigate right away.
To introduce your baby, get down on your pet’s level and let her have a hello sniff. Don’t panic and pull your baby away unless your pet is barking or hissing, because it’ll send the message that the baby is a threat.
Learn the Safety Basics
No matter how smoothly the introduction goes, there are certain safety rules you should follow. Never leave your baby alone with the pet. Even the gentlest animal can react unpredictably. Your baby’s crying could frighten your cat, or your dog could suddenly become territorial. Consider setting up baby gates to limit your pet’s access. To keep your cat from jumping into the bassinet(有篷盖的摇篮), try putting mosquito netting over the top. Cats hate sticky paws, so keep the crib(有栏杆的婴儿床)and changing table off-limits by lining the edges with sticky strips made for furniture. You can also train your dog to sleep in a crate(大木箱).At the beginning of the passage, the author uses the stories to_____.
| A．illustrate possible reactions when pets meet a newborn baby |
| B．show that pets don’t like a newborn baby |
| C．prove how friendly a pet is when it meets a newborn baby |
| D．introduce how terrible the pets are when a mother gets a baby home |
Who is Sonya mentioned in the 1 st paragraph?
| A．Jennifer’s dog. | B．Jennifer’s baby. |
| C．Jennifer’s husband. | D．A pet expert. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Cats are more welcoming than dogs when they meet a newborn baby. |
| B．You must show your baby to your pet dog when it is barking. |
| C．You should never keep a baby together with your pet. |
| D．The first introduction of your newborn baby to your pet is important. |
According to the passage, to keep your baby safe, you should do the following things EXCEPT_____.
| A．introducing your baby to your pet with care |
| B．leaving your baby alone with your pet at the first day when they meet |
| C．setting up baby gates to limit your baby |
| D．keeping your pet away from your baby |
When we think of leadership ,we often think of strength and power .But what are these really ,and how do they operate?
Leadership today is not about forcing others to do things .If this is even possible .it is short-term ,and tends to backfire. If you order someone to do something against their will, they may do it because they feel they must , but the anger they feel will do more harm in the long-term ,They will also experience fear.
Fear causes the thinking brain to shut down , making the person unable to function at his or her best .If they associate you with this emotion of fear. They will become less functional around you ,and you will have succeeded in not only shooting yourself in the foot .but possibly making a very good employee or partner unable to perform effectively .Fear has no place in leadership.
The way we influence people in a lasting way is by our own character, and our understanding and use of emotion .We can order someone to do something ,which may be part of the work day; or we can employ them at the emotional level ,so they became fully devoted to the projects and provide some of their own motivation(积极性)。Today’s work place is all about relationships as a human being as well as a worker .Everyone produces just a bit more for someone they like .Leaders understand the way things work .They know the pay check is not the single most motivating factor (因素) in the work life of most people.
The true strength of leadership is an inner strength that comes from the confidence of emotional intelligence---knowing your own emotions, and how to handle them, and those of others . Developing your emotional intelligence is the single best thing you can do if you want to develop your relationships with people around you , which is the key to the leadership skills . An employee may have a feeling of fear in the work place when___.
A. he is forced to do things
B. be cannot work at his best
C. he feels his brain shut down
D he thinks of his work as too heavy Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A People tend to associate leadership with fear
B Working conditions affect people’s physical health
C Good relationship is the key to business success
D Smart people are more functional in the work place. To positively influence employees a leader should first of all __
A provide better suggestions
B develop his own personality
C five his employees a pay raise
D hide his own emotion of fear Good leadership is mainly seen in a leader’s ability to___
| A．provide a variety of project for employees |
| B．help raise employee’s living standards |
| C．give employees specific instructions |
| D．deal wisely with employees’ emotions |
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