work

Work

S2: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Power and money is the symbol of success.

I disagree with this. Of course, it can be very nice to have power and money. Some people out there have the whole package: power, money, family, good health, and so on. They could definitely be called successful in their life. But to aim for only power and money seems kind of shortsighted. I’ve known too many cold, shallow people who have a good job and are quite wealthy, but shut out others and don’t even seem to enjoy themselves. They become selfish and strange and still oddly unsatisfied. Meanwhile, there are many people who may not be rich, but they make the best out of everything. They find joy in their loved ones and hobbies. When they do have money to spare, they appreciate it. They’re happy, and I think that’s what true success is.

S2: Some people prefer to do one job or project at one time. Other people prefer to do several jobs or projects at the same time. Which do you prefer and why?

I think it's better to focus on doing one thing at a time, rather than handling multiple tasks at the same time. The human brain is not a computer after all; it really can't think of that many things in parallel. If you are hungry and thinking about donuts, then you probably will not be able to focus on solving a math problem. So if you dedicate all your thoughts to only one task, you will get it done

more quickly and accurately, whereas if you split your time and effort between different tasks, you run the risk of not completing any one of them with good quality. This is why at the end of each term I would cancel another activities and focus on preparing for the exams only.

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S1: What do you think is the most important quality of a working environment: good leaders, good colleagues, or flexible time?

Friendly colleagues, a good leader and a flexible time schedule are all essential elements for an enjoyable and productive work environment, but if I had to choose between them, being able to work flexibly would be my first consideration because it gives me a sense that I am in control of my own life. I hate having to get up so early every day at the same time or squeezing myself into crowded public transportation. By working flexible hours, I can travel to and from work in non-peak hours, which will reduce not only travel time but also costs. Also, it enables me to rearrange my holiday /workdays so it might be possible for me to have a much longer vocation, like two or three months, when I can travel extensively and non-stop.

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S1: Among the following three types of professions, which do you think makes the most important contribution to society? Primary school teacher, nurse, artist.

It is my considered opinion that of the three professions listed, primary school teachers contributed most to society and are therefore the most important. First of all, it is likely that a person may not attend college or even secondary school; however, most people attend primary school to receive basic education, so primary school teachers influence most people’s lives. What’s more, primary school teachers play an important role in developing a child’s intellect and work habits. Primary school is the first time most children are in a strictly educational environment. While pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes do teach children some basic skills and knowledge, such as shapes and colors, primary school immerses children in the educational environment they will be experiencing until graduation from high school.

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S1: Among the following three types of work, which would you enjoy doing the most? Helping children with communication problems, doing community work, growing plants in the garden.

Actually, I am not really good at handling children or growing plants, so I'd rather choose to do some community work. I once volunteered to take good care of some elderly people in the nursing house. We went there early in the morning because we had a lot of work to do. We cleaned the room, did the bed, after that we sat with them listening to their interesting life stories. I quite like this kind of activity because it enhanced my personal skills, I learnt how to communicate with other people, how to listen to other people.

S2: Some students prefer to study for only one long time during a week. Other students prefer to study for several short periods of time during a week, which do you prefer?

I definitely prefer breaking down a long study session into several short chunks because there is research that shows that after an hour of intense focus, the brain needs a break. it needs to shift gears a while. The brain’s ability to absorb information starts to decline after about the first hour, so for example, you are dealing with a lot of new concepts and vocabulary, if you just reviewed your notes, even 20 minutes a day, it would be much better than studying for 5 consecutive hours during the week before the exam.

S2：What kind of job will you choose? A job through which you can get a lot of money or a job through which you can get great personal satisfaction

I will definitely choose the second one-a job through which I can obtain great personal satisfaction. I have two reasons for this choice. To begin with, a job takes up at least eight hours per day, which is one third of our lives in total. If I am assigned to boring tasks or things I don’t like to do, I feel unhappy all day and that is the last thing I want. Moreover, money plays only a minor role in my life, compared with personal satisfaction and leisure. So basically I will try my best to find my “labor of love”, because once I do so, my job will become my leisure and I

feel happy and contented all day long.

S2：Some people prefer to wash dishes by a dish washer. Others prefer to wash dishes by hands. Which do you prefer and why?

Long before automatic dishwashers were invented, families washed dishes the old-fashioned way, using water, soap, towels, and their hands. My family traditionally hand washed dishes after eating their meals. Dishwashing was a family responsibility, and everyone, including children who reached a certain age, was expected to learn the proper way to wash dishes. For example, I can remember having to re-do dishwashing because I did not get them cle.an enough the first time. After that, I learned to wash more carefully. I prefer hand washing dishes to the dishwasher, because sometimes there are not enough dishes to cycle through the dishwasher. Also, sometimes, it's necessary to pre-wash or soak some dishes, pots, and pans, because the dishwasher does not clean them as well as hand washing. Finally, washing dishes by hand can be therapeutic, and can be a pleasure to do after one's family has enjoyed a great meal.

S2: Should employees be required to wear suits in the workplace, or should they wear casual clothes?

In my opinion, I feel that most casual clothes are nice enough for the workplace, because many jobs require a lot of hands-on tasks, or you may be working behind the scenes and never really be seen by anyone except those who are doing the same work as you. So, for these reasons, employees do not need formal suits. For example, why would retail workers need a suit, when all that they are doing is cleaning up behind customers, and re-shelving items that are out of

place or may be thrown all over the place. Also, you don’t need a suit if you are cooking food, bringing out the meals to diners or serving drinks. We don’t usually pay bills to people with suits on. As long as someone is clean and dressed appropriately, I believe that causal clothes are all that’s required.

low salary but does not require you to take business trips.

I would prefer a job with a high salary and lots of business trips! Some people might find business trips to be an annoyance, but they actually sound fun to me. I love plane rides and hotels and traveling to new places. What a

great way to see other parts of the world! I think that would be preferable to just staying in the same office every single work day. There would always be a new, exciting trip just around the corner. And to not only get paid to travel, but to receive a high salary for it? That’s a dream come true! Also, if somehow the business trips do get old after a while or I feel like I’m not home enough, I could always switch jobs. With all the money I’d made and saved from the high salary, I’d still be pretty satisfied.

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S1: Which is the most challenging place to work? Museum, hospital, business office.

I think a hospital must be the most challenging place to work. Even though

doctors and nurses are completely trained and competent, it doesn’t change the fact that there are lives at stake every single day! What unbelievable pressure! Things can go wrong so quickly and everyone not only needs to know the correct procedure to carry out or medicine to give, but they need to do it fast. Then there is the whole personal aspect of calming down relatives of patients, breaking bad news, giving diagnoses, and so on. Even the receptionists must encounter some intense situations at least once a week. I imagine emotions are running high pretty much constantly. It takes a definite inner strength to work in a hospital!

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It's easier to teach children in primary schools than students in universities. Include reasons and details in your explanation.

答案：I don’t agree with this opinion. I think it is more difficult to teach children in primary schools mainly because the discipline is harder to maintain. There may be many distractions for children that will keep them from learning, and they have a much shorter attention span. On the other hand, students in universities are better at self-motivation and discipline. They are also more aware of the importance of utilizing their time productively. There is a sense of urgency because it is all about their future. There are, of course, many distractions for university students as well, but as adults they are expected to know how to handle them.