Getting on with colleagues is more important to workers than a big salary, a new study has revealed.
A detailed study of work attitudes found that many factors outweigh the pay cheque, such as relationships with colleagues, self-worth, and the nature of the job itself. Eight in ten of the 2,000 people polled said they would turn down a big salary increase if it meant working with people or in an environment they didn’t like. The results showed people are the most important factor in work-related happiness, along with enjoying the role and getting on with the boss.
And a manageable commute was also considered more important than good pay, according to the study by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).
Chief Executive Mark Farrar said: “The results show that, when it comes to working happiness, money is far from the driving factor for most of us.” “Of course, life dictates that we earn as much as we can to maintain or improve our circumstances, but most regarded working with good people or in a role they feel valued in as more important than the salary.” “Most of us will spend the biggest portion of our lives working and it’s important that any job we have enhances us both professionally and personally.”
“Many respondents had turned down higher paid jobs because it would have meant less time with the family and a poor work-life balance.”
The study also found a third had left a job despite it being well paid – mainly because they didn’t think it was worth the added pressure.
While others felt they weren’t given the right appreciation from senior staff or the role stopped challenging them. Three quarters would struggle to accept a job that gave them more money if they knew it would be a lot more stressful.
In fact, pay was only the sixth biggest factor for people staying in their current job, with Britons prioritizing good relationships with those around them, enjoying the role and the commuting time over thinking about the money.
Only 15 percent of the 2000 workers polled actively disliked their current job.
When asked why they were unhappy, respondents were more likely to feel the nature of the work was dull and unfulfilling or that their boss didn’t appreciate them than they were to say their pay was too low.
1.The article is mainly about_____________________.
A. why money is important in a job
B. what is important in a job
C. why people dislike their jobs
D. how people get satisfying jobs
2.What matters most for work happiness according to the poll?
A. A nice boss.
B. A handsome salary.
C. Good balance of work and life.
D. Good relationships with colleagues.
3.The underlined word “prioritizing” is closest in meaning to _________.
A. considering something more important
B. putting something aside
C. doubting
D. Weighing
For thousands of years, people thought of glass as something beautiful to look at. Only recently have they come to think of it as something to look through. Stores display their goods in large glass windows. Glass bottles and jars that hold food and drink allow us to see the contents. Glass is used to make eyeglasses, microscopes, telescopes, and many other extremely useful and necessary objects.
Until the Second World War, most of the glass used for optical instruments was imported from Europe. However, during the war Americans could not get European glass, and they were forced to make their own. As a result, new kinds of glasses were developed that had been previously unknown. These new effects were achieved by mixing other chemical elements with the sand. Some of these new glasses are very strong and can resist many kinds of shocks. Legend has it that a very hard glass was invented by a Roman who showed his discovery to the Emperor. When the Emperor saw the glass he feared that it would become more valuable than gold and sliver, making his treasure worthless. Therefore, he had the glassmaker killed, and the secret was not discovered again for hundreds of years.
In the present century, safety glass was invented for use in modern cars and planes. Safety glass is made by placing a layer of plastic between two layers of plate glass. When the outside layer of glass is broken, the pieces do not scatter and injure people. Some glass of the type is strong enough to resist bullets.
Although in recent years plastics have replaced glass under conditions where glass might be easily broken, there are new uses being developed , for the greatest advantage of glass is that its component parts are inexpensive and can be found all over the world.
1.With the passage of time, glass _________.
A. is regarded as transparent
B. is no longer seen as decoration
C. is used to make things look pleasant
D. is widely used to replace steel in making containers
2.Why did Americans make their own glass during the Second World War?
A. The war blocked the way of glass import.
B. They refused to use the European glass.
C. The glass made in Europe was out of date.
D. They were able to make a new kind of glass.
3. By telling the legend, the author wants to _________.
A. prove that the Roman was the first inventor of hard glass
B. support that the Americans were as clever as the Romans
C. give some interesting information about hard glass
D. provide a historical event concerned with hard glass
4.New uses of glass are being developed on the ground that _________.
A. glass is not as safe as plastics
B. glass is not as strong and durable as plastics
C. glass is easily obtainable and inexpensive
D. glass is more and more widely used
No one can deny China’s efforts to reach for the sky.
At one kilometer high, the two Phoenix Towers planned for Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in central China, will be the tallest in the world if completed on schedule in 2017.
The towers will also be pink, crazily futuristic and environmentally friendly.
Designed to sit on an island in a lake, the largest of the towers will stand 172 meters taller than Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
“We were asked to create an iconic building for Wuhan, which embodies a strong environmental and social content as well as reflecting Chinese tradition,” Laurie Chetwood of UK-based design firm Chetwoods Architects told CNN.
The design is inspired by dualism(二元论) in Chinese culture-the traditional Chinese phoenix symbol of the two birds, Feng and Huang, as well as the idea of yin and yang.
Feng and Huang, or phoenix, are a pair of mythical birds in Chinese culture traditionally used to denote royalty.
Three large spheres containing restaurants will be accessible via suspended “skywalks” between the two towers.
The spheres “represent planets orbiting the towers”, according to the designers.
The larger building will also have the unlikely boast of housing the world’s tallest kaleidoscope(万花筒) driven by a wind turbine(涡轮机).
A commercial square at the towers’ base will meet China’s growing demand for cultural tourism.
“You’ll have a French street, a Japanese street, a Turkish street, and so forth… to allow people to see the world without necessarily having to leave China,” Chetwood told the Guardian.
The towers are designed to have green features such as pollution-absorbing surfaces to filter the city’s air as well as technology to filter the water.
The towers are designed to be able to produce enough power to fulfill their own needs and those of neighboring areas.
“If you work in the UK, if you come up with anything that’s off the wall ( 有点出格的) or slightly out there, you sort of get kicked back,” Chetwood said. “ In China it goes the other way- they ask for a bit more. That’s a stimulating experience for a designer.”
1.Which of the following about the two Phoenix Towers is TRUE?
A. Their inspiration comes from Chinese culture.
B. At present they are the tallest in the world.
C. They will be surrounded by three ground-level spheres.
D. People will have a taste of foreign flavors inside the spheres.
2.According to Laurie Chetwood in the last paragraph, China’s response to new ideas is _________.
A. doubtful B. negative
C. cautious D. enthusiastic
3.This article focuses on the _________ of the two Phoenix Towers.
A. appearances B. construction
C. features D. height
4. Which would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Phoenix Towers: Pink and controversial.
B. The Phoenix Towers: Super tall and green.
C. The Phoenix Towers: Work of a Great Architect.
D. The Phoenix Towers: Work of China-UK cooperation.
If you like tasting food from different countries, here are some events you shouldn’t miss in New York City this year.
Chinatown Restaurant Week---March 14-30
Various meals will be offered for $18.88 per person at participating Chinatown restaurants such as Golden Unicorn, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, HK Wonton Garden, Pho Grand, Red Egg and Shanghai Gourmet. Peking Duck House will offer a special at lunch only.
More Info: www.chinatownrestaurantweek.com
Martini Week---March 15-30
Martini Week is a two-week-long celebration of America’s proudest invention. It will be held at 23 bars and restaurants across the town. They’ll be offering their own unique specialities at low prices. Choose from places including Ava Lounge, Beaumarchais, Catch, Abe & Arthur’s. Sons of Essex, Bounce Sporting Club, Aspen Social, Revel, Rayuela, and more.
More Info: www.sociallysuperlative.com
Malaysian Restaurant Week---June 18-24
Malaysian restaurants will offer various $20.12 meals, while Asian-influenced restaurants will feature a special limited-time-only menu inspired by the country’s special flavors. Participating restaurants include Fatty Crab, Michelin-starred Laut, Penang and Spice Market.
More Info: www.malaysiakitchennyc.com
Italian Restaurant Week ---June 26-July 6
Celebrate New York City’s fifth Italian Restaurant Week---the Italian Dine Out. The 11-day event will offer special discounted lunch and dinner prices of $23 at New York City’s most authentic Italian restaurants. Sponsored(赞助) by the Italian Trade Commission, the Italian Dine Out offers diners special 3-course menus for lunch and dinner.
More Info: www.italianmade.com
Belgian Restaurant Week---July 21-28
This is your chance to enjoy tasty multi-course meals and some of the world’s finest beers. The Belgian restaurants in NY bring you amazing cuisines and great beers during a week-long celebration of Belgian food.
More Info: www.belgianrestaurantweeknyc.com
I’m sure you’ll have a great time during the events. Remember: don’t eat too much for the sake of you health.
1.To enjoy an $18.88 supper during Chinatown Restaurant Week, you probably should avoid going to _________.
A. HK Wonton Garden B. Nom Wah Tea Parlor
C. Golden Unicorn D. Peking Duck House
2.Which website should you visit to find more about the event to take place on March 15-30?
A. www.italianmade.com
B. www.sociallysuperlative.com
C. www.malaysiankitchennyc.com
D. www.chinatownrestaurantweek.com
3.If you love eating at Michelin-starred Laut, you’d most probably expect _________.
A. Martini Week
B. Italian Restaurant Week
C. Malaysian Restaurant Week
D. Chinatown Restaurant Week
4.Which of the following is a feature of the Belgian Restaurant Week?
A. Bringing you free Chinese food.
B. Providing authentic Italian food.
C. Having a special limited-time-only menu.
D. Offering some of the world’s finest beers
书面表达
假设你是李华，拟邀请美国朋友Mike七月份到你的家乡福建泉州参观游览。请你写一封邀请函，要点如下：
1．享受免费住宿；
2．游览名胜古迹；
3．品尝特色小吃（snack）
4．感受当地历史文化和风土人情。
注意：
1．词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头语已为你写好。
Dear Mike,
How is everything going? ____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线( \ )划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意： 1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Hi, Lee,
How are you? When I visited you at last time, I read part of a history book in your school library. Now I wanted to order a copy so that I can finish read it. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title, I remember that it had the word “Tang Dynasty” in it. I remember very much that the price was on the back cover but I could only read a 8. I think it is a very recent book---write after 2000. Its author is a famous professor, but I have complete forgotten the name. Could you please find the book and let him know its ISBN?
Joe
