As Americans live longer and the job market s...

As Americans live longer and the job market stays competitive, fast-food chains are increasingly hiring from senior centers, churches and aging advocacy groups like AARP, Bloomberg reports. And it's not just death rates and economic trends driving the change. Seniors have more polished social skills, but teens are stopped from growing up online with fewer real-world connections.

“I spend a lot of time with young kids. They can he very disrespectful,” 63-year-old Church's Chicken manager Stevenson Williams tells Bloomberg of his teen coworkers. “You have to coach them and tell them this is your job, not the street,” Williams says. Having “soft skills” such as politeness often comes more easily to the seniors, who have had a lifetime of experience in the workforce to learn how to treat customers compared with young people.

Employers thus get a more mature worker at no additional cost but the reasons for seniors outpacing teen hires are many. The US Census Bureau reported this year that, by 2035, there will be more Americans over age 65 than there are children under age 18. Plus, fewer people in their prime (盛年)are working—thanks to the unaffordable childcare that forces many parents to stay at home, according to a study by Princeton University.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts the number of American workers aged between 65 and 74 will swell 4.5 percent by 2024, while the 16-to-24s will shrink 1.4 percent. By 2024, the BLS projects the labor force will grow to about 164 million people. That number includes about 41 million people aged 55 and older about 13 million of whom are expected to be aged 65 and up.

So don’t be surprised to see even more service with a smile and silver hair in that drive-through lane.

1.What does the underlined part “the change” in Paragraph 1 refer to?

A.The job market gets competitive.

B.Americans live longer.

C.Senior centers are becoming more popular.

D.Fast-food chains hire more senior people.

2.Why are seniors the hot new fast-food employees according to Williams?

A.They demand less pay.

B.Teens are easy to quit.

C.Teens are hard to control and manage.

D.They are good at socializing.

3.Which of the following can be regarded as a “soft skill”?

A.Knowing customers’ needs.

B.Having high education.

C.Having lots of connections with the real world.

D.Being skillful at computer.

4.Why do many parents stay at home?

A.They prefer to look after children.

B.They find it hard to find a job.

C.They find it hard to pay for childcare.

D.They are unwilling to work with senior citizens.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

As China ________ into a market economy, the government no longer assigned jobs, food or free housing to urban residents.

A. transplanted　　　 B. transferred

C. translated　　　　　　 D. transformed

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The job market has changed and our _______ to finding work must change as well.

A. approach 　 B. solution

C. assumption　 D. situation

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

All across the nation，in Americans’backyards and garages and living rooms，wild animals kept as pets live side by side with their human owners．It’s believed that more exotic animals live in American homes than are cared for in American zoos．The exotic-pet business has drawn criticism from animal welfare advocates and wildlife conservationists alike，who say it’s not only dangerous to bring wildlife into households but it’s cruel and criminal．Yet the issue is far from black or white．

The term exotic pet has no firm definition．It can refer to any wildlife kept in human households or simply to a pet that’s more unusual than the common dog or cat．Privately owning exotic animals is currently permitted in a handful of states with no restrictions in America．Adam Roberts of Born Free USA keeps a running database of deaths and injuries caused by exotic-pet ownership：In Connecticut a 55-year-old woman’s face was permanently disfigured by her friend’s lifelong pet monkey；in Ohio an 80-year-old man was attacked by a 200-pound kangaroo；in Nebraska a 34-year-old man was strangled(勒)to death by his pet snake．And that list does not include the number of people who become sick from coming into contact with zoonotic(动物传染的) diseases．

Some people see wild animals as pets as a way to connect with the natural world．Other exotic-pet owners say they are motivated by a desire to preserve threatened species．They believe climate change and human population growth could wipe out a species in record time，so having a backup population is a good idea．　

But some groups like Born Free USA and the World Wildlife Fund gay that captive breeding(圈养)of endangered species by private owners—whether for commercial，conservation，or educational reasons—serves only to continue a booming market for exotic animals．That，in turn，results in a greater risk to animals still living in their natural habitat．

1.Which word can replace the phrase“far from black or white”in Paragraph 1?

A. contradictory　　 B. ridiculous

C. controversial　　 D. universal

2.Why does the writer list some deaths and injuries in the text?

A. To give us a clear and firm definition of exotic pets．

B. To show keeping exotic animals can be very dangerous．

C. To prove humans can not be infected by animal diseases．

D. To tell us it’s illegal to have exotic-pet ownership in USA．

3.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?

A. The reasons for keeping exotic animals as pets．

B. Worries about the endangered wild animals．

C. The differences between people who keep exotic pets．

D. The disadvantages of privately owning exotic animals．

4.The last paragraph of the text is intended to_______．

A. introduce some animal protection groups

B. argue against keeping exotic animals in captivity

C. warn people of the danger of animals being caught

D. prove captive breeding can encourage exotic-pet business

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think. That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job staff-turnover(人员流动)data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations(辞职), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.)In both good times and bad, staff-turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2014, when the economy was still booming along, job growth was only 132，000, while staff-turn over was 4.7 million!

And as it turns out, even today—with job growth near zero—over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.

I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher. It would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from(and compete for). And it's true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.

But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look；learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t hunted for it within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.

So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up．Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.

1.The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate____.

A. takes job opportunities from people

B. prevents many people from changing careers

C. does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening

D. should not stop people from looking for a job

2.What does the author say about overall job growth?

A. It increases people’s confidence in the economy.

B. It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers.

C. It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.

D. It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed.

3.What is the key to finding a job according to the author?

A. Education　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. Intelligence

C. Experience　　　　　　　　　　　 D. Persistence

4.What do we learn about The Bureau of Labor Statistics unemployment data?

A．They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.

B．They don’t include those who have stopped looking for a job.

C．They provide the public with the latest information.

D．They warn of the structural problems in the economy.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think.

That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover(人员更替) data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations(解雇), and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still moving ahead, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!

And as it turns out, even today — with job growth near zero — over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.

I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it’s true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.

But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.

So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.

1.The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate ______.

A．discourages many people from landing jobs

B．prevents many people from changing careers

C．should not stop people from looking for a job

D．does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening

2.Where do most job openings come from?

A．Job growth.                            B．Job turnover.

C．Improved economy.                     D．Business expansion.

3.What does the author say about overall job growth?

A．It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers.

B．It increases people’s confidence in the economy.

C．It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.

D．It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed.

4.What is the key to landing a job according to the author?

A．Education.         B．Intelligence.        C．Persistence.       D．Experience.

5.What do we learn from the passage about the unemployment figures in the US?

A．They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.

B．They provide the public with the latest information.

C．They warn of the structural problems in the economy.

D．They don’t include those who have stopped looking for a job.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

As you are probably aware, the latest job markets news isn’t good: Unemployment is still more than 9 percent, and new job growth has fallen close to zero. That’s bad for the economy, of course. And it may be especially discouraging if you happen to be looking for a job or hoping to change careers right now. But it actually shouldn’t matter to you nearly as much as you think.

　That’s because job growth numbers don’t matter to job hunters as much as job turnover data. After all, existing jobs open up every day due to promotions, resignations, terminations, and retirements. (Yes, people are retiring even in this economy.) In both good times and bad, turnover creates more openings than economic growth does. Even in June of 2007, when the economy was still humming along, job growth was only 132,000, while turnover was 4.7 million!

　And as it turns out, even today — with job growth near zero — over 4 million job hunters are being hired every month.

　I don’t mean to imply that overall job growth doesn’t have an impact on one’s ability to land a job. It’s true that if total employment were higher, it would mean more jobs for all of us to choose from (and compete for). And it’s true that there are currently more people applying for each available job opening, regardless of whether it’s a new one or not.

　But what often distinguishes those who land jobs from those who don’t is their ability to stay motivated. They’re willing to do the hard work of identifying their valuable skills; be creative about where and how to look; learn how to present themselves to potential employers; and keep going, even after repeated rejections. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that 2.7 million people who wanted and were available for work hadn’t looked within the last four weeks and were no longer even classified as unemployed.

　So don’t let the headlines fool you into giving up. Four million people get hired every month in the U.S. You can be one of them.

1.The author tends to believe that high unemployment rate ______?

A.deprives many people of job opportunities.

B.prevents many people from changing careers.

C.should not stop people from looking for a job.

D.does not mean the U.S. economy is worsening.

2.Where do most job openings come from?

A.Job growth

B.Job turnover

C.Improved economy

D.Business expansion

3.What does the author say about overall job growth?

A.It doesn’t have much effect on individual job seekers.

B.It increases people’s confidence in the economy.

C.It gives a ray of hope to the unemployed.

D.It doesn’t mean greater job security for the employed.

4.What is the key to landing a job according to the author?

A.Education

B.Intelligence

C.Persistence

D.Experience

5.What do we learn from the passage about the unemployment figures in the US?

A.They clearly indicate how healthy the economy is.

B.They provide the public with the latest information.

C.They warn of the structural problems in the economy.

D.They exclude those who have stopped looking for a job.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

More Americans are turning to charm school to gain an advantage over competitors in a job market stricken by the longest economic slowdown since the Great Depression.

Etiquette (礼节) trainers report business growing from clients who believe that good manners could be the key selling point that helps them get hired or keeps them off the unemployment line.

“People are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep their job”, said Gloria Starr, an adviser on image, etiquette and communications in North Carolina. Starr, who says business is up 40 percent in the past year at her school, said people were “realizing that it takes more than just ability and knowledge” to keep or win a job.

Peggy Newfield, who has been teaching etiquette for 30 years and runs a charm school, said business was “booming.” “When the economy is down etiquette training will always be up. They’re focusing on ‘What I can do to survive, I really have to keep up my game because the competition is keen.’”

Proper business manners, however, extend far beyond greeting or thanking a would-be employer. Etiquette classes deal with the basics of presentation in an interview, including what to say and how to dress.

“It’s so much more than writing the thank-you note at the end,” Newfield said. “It’s about walking in for the job interview, every hair is in place, your clothes are perfectly pressed, your shoes are polished, you’re groomed to the nines, you speak the part, and your English is correct.”

It’s great that we have seen this renewal in etiquette and manners and self respect.

Studies have shown that 85 percent of the reason a person gets a job, keeps a job and moves up is related to their personal skills. There are very few jobs out there where your manners, where your socials skills, are not a big piece of being successful. If you have manners you can walk into any business or social situation.

Teaching etiquette has become a tougher task. Some people point to bad public behavior by athletes and celebrities (名人) as a factor in ruining good manners in U.S. society. Hotel owner Paris Hilton, actress Lindsay Lohan and singer Britney Spears are among those who have been charged with setting a poor example, especially for children and adolescents. Hilton is infamous （声名狼藉的）for a sex tape that became an Internet hit, Lohan has long been gossip stuff due to her quarrels with the law and Spears was photographed partying without underwear.

1.The writer wants to tell the readers___________.

A. the etiquette training in America           B. the ways to avoid failure

C. good manners count in keeping a job        D. how to keep business up

2.From the passage we learn that the charm school____________.

A. helps those who are unemployed          B. deals with moral problems

C. becomes more popular with people        D. does good to the economy

3.The underlined sentence “you’re groomed to the nines” probably means “you’re_________.”

A. dressed in the best way                  B. fully understood

C. greeted with good manners               D. very concerned

4.We can infer from the last paragraph that__________.

A. Good examples contribute to etiquette teaching

B. good public behavior doesn’t exist any more

C. teaching etiquette has become a tougher task

D. some famous people don’t have good manners

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

People ______ better access to health care than they used to, and they’re living longer as a result.

A. will have            B. have                C. had                D. had had

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The job market and the social expectations of students, 　　

with the education system, form a big challenge for society.

A. combine 　　　 　 B. to combine

C. combining　　　　 D. combined

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析