Listening In
Passage 1
Speaker 1: So how’s it all going?
Speaker 2: Well, second year exams are in two weeks, so it’s all go at the moment.
Speaker 1: It’s not going to ease up [(烦恼的事)缓和，减弱]! So what can I do for you?
Speaker 2: Well, next year’s my final year and I need to think seriously about my career.
Speaker 1: I would agree with you there. Let’s have a look at your file. You’re reading English [英语专业，读什么专业用动词read], you’re getting good grades, you got a merit[优] in your first year exams and you’re on track[有可能成功] for a 2:1 [(two-one) 英国大学二等学位中较高的一级，二等一级] according to your tutor. Have you any idea what you’d like to do?
Speaker 2: I’m very drawn to publishing[出版行业]. I read a lot of novels and I’m quite a good critic.
Speaker 1: That’s a good start. I’m guessing you’d like to be a literary editor?
Speaker 2: That’s right.
Speaker 1: Well, I should tell you that literary editing is a hard profession to get into and it doesn’t pay very well, unless you’re at the top. You could think a bit more broadly than just literature. For example, there’s educational publishing, professional publishing and there’s also specialist publishing, such as sports.
Speaker 2: I’m not very sporty.
Speaker 1: Well, I understand sport may not be your thing but ... you get the idea.
Speaker 2: Yes, I do. So how do I start?
Speaker 1: First of all, you need a good degree but even before that I would contact publishers and see if they’ll offer you work experience. You won’t get paid, of course, but it’s good for your CV and you’ll learn something about the business.
Speaker 2: Right. How do I find out who to write to?
Speaker 1: All the publishers are listed in the Publisher’s Yearbook[出版商年鉴]. There’s a copy in the library in the careers section, so you can use that for a start. Check the job adverts[广告, 宣传] in the newspapers and maybe look at the specialist publishing trade journal, the Bookseller. That has job ads as well.
Speaker 2: Thank you.
Speaker 1: The other thing you might do is check the Internet – sometimes, the publishers’ websites offer internships or job experience opportunities for new graduates.
Speaker 2: I’ll do that.
Speaker 1: One other thing. Graduates studying English always want to be an editor, they’re quite romantic about it, but there are other departments – marketing, sales, and the production side. Don’t dismiss[不予理会, 不予考虑] those.
Speaker 2: Thanks for the advice, it’s very helpful. But it’s literary editing that I want to do.
Speaker 1: Well, I wish you the best. Let me know how you get on. And good luck with your exams.
Answers:
Passage 1
2. Answer:
The five pieces of advice the careers adviser gives the student are 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8.
3. Answers:
1 The woman is about to take her second year exams.
2 She wants to do literary editing.
3 She is very drawn to publishing, reads a lot of novels and is quite a good critic.
4 He tells her it is a hard profession to get into and doesn’t pay very well.
5 It is good for her CV and the woman will learn something about the business.
6 She can find it in the careers section of the library.
7 She should consider marketing, sales and production.
8 She maintains that she wants to do literary editing.
4. Example Answers:
1 It can be argued to be a bad thing to lead people away from their dreams. The woman might end up hating her work as a sports editor. But one needs to be realistic and not too narrow in one’s interests.
2 • Young people tend to be fairly idealistic and believe they can make a difference to the world. This can often lead to disappointment when they find they are juniors who must follow the instructions of their seniors and adapt to the real world.
• Yes, I think young people nowadays tend to be very realistic. They have usually struggled hard and paid a lot of money for their education. They understand that the world is a tough place and that work will often be onerous and unrewarding.
3 I’d advise them to consider what other marketable skills they have and then to focus on retraining for a career that makes use of those skills.
