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1、Part II Reading Comprehension (Skimming and Scanning) (15 minutes)Directions: In this part, you will have 15 minutes to go over the passage quickly. For questions 1-7, choose the best answer from the four choices marked A), B), C) and D). For questions 8-10, complete the sentences with the informati
2、on given in the passage. Work-life balance: Ways to restore harmony and reduce stress Finding work-life balance in todays frenetically (疯狂) paced world is no simple task.Spend more time at work than at home, and you miss out on a rewarding personal life. Then again, when you face challenges in your
3、personal life, such as caring for an aging parent or coping with marital problems, concentrating on your job can be difficult.Whether the problem is too much focus on work or too little, when your work life and your personal life feel out of balance, stress along with its harmful effects is the resu
4、lt.The good news is that you can take control of your work-life balance and give yourself the time to do the things that are most important to you. The first step is to recognize how the world of work has changed. Then you can evaluate your relationship to work and apply some specific strategies for
5、 striking a healthier balance.How work invades your personal lifeThere was a time when employees showed up for work Monday through Friday and worked eight- to- nine-hour days. The boundaries between work and home were fairly clear then. But the world has changed and, unfortunately, the boundaries ha
6、ve blurred for many workers. Heres why:Global economy. As more skilled workers enter the global labor market and companies outsource or move more jobs to reduce labor costs, people feel pressured to work longer and produce more just to protect their jobs.International business. Work continues around
7、 the world 24 hours a day for some people. If you work in an international organization, you might be on call around the clock for troubleshooting or consulting.Advanced communication technology. Many people now have the ability to work anywhere from their home, from their car and even on vacation.
8、And some managers expect this.Longer hours. Employers commonly ask employees to work longer hours than theyre scheduled. Often, overtime is mandatory (强制性的). If you hope to move up the career ladder, you may find yourself regularly working more than 40 hours a week to achieve and exceed expectations
9、.Changes in family roles. Todays married worker is typically part of a dual-career couple, which makes it difficult to find time to meet commitments to family, friends and community.Married to your workIt can be tempting to rack up the hours at work especially if youre trying to earn a promotion or
10、some extra money for a childs education or a dream vacation. For others, working more hours feels necessary in order to manage the workload.But if youre spending most of your time at work, your home life will likely pay the price. Consider the pros and cons of working extra hours on your work-life b
11、alance:Fatigue. Your ability to think and your eye-hand coordination decrease when youre tired. This means youre less productive and may make more mistakes. These mistakes can lead to injury or rework and negatively impact your professional reputation.Family. You may miss out on important events, su
12、ch as your childs first bike ride, your fathers 60th birthday or your high-school reunion. Missing out on important milestones may harm relationships with your loved ones.Friends. Trusted friends are a key part of your support system. But if youre spending time at the office instead of with them, yo
13、ull find it difficult to nurture those friendships.Expectations. If you regularly work extra hours, you may be given more responsibility. This could create a never-ending and increasing cycle, causing more concerns and challenges.Sometimes working overtime is important. If you work for a company tha
14、t requires mandatory overtime, you wont be able to avoid it, but you can learn to manage it. Most importantly, say no when youre too tired, when its affecting your health or when you have crucial family obligations.Striking the best work-life balanceFor most people, juggling (巧妙处理) the demands of ca
15、reer and personal life is an ongoing challenge. With so many demands on your time from overtime to family obligations it can feel difficult to strike this balance. The goal is to make time for the activities that are the most important to you.Here are some ideas to help you find the balance thats best for you:Learn to say no. Whether its a co-worker asking you to spearhead (充当先锋) an extra project or your childs teacher asking you to manage the class play, remember that its OK to respectfully say no. When you quit doing the things you only do out of guilt or a false sense of obligatio
