Some jobs are so demanding that there is not a free moment to do something else than to recover and rest. Most physicians have great difficulty starting or even maintaining a hobby. But there are exceptions.
Take Menno Baars for instance. He works full time as a cardiologist(心脏病专家)in a hospital in Holland. "Full time" might still be an understatement-as a cardiologist he spends about 60 hours a week in the hospital. However，after a long day of work，he likes to come home and spend hours doing what is his great passion: painting.
How can he find the time and energy to live a life that few others can pursue?" "Actually it is quite simple. If you like what you do, you will find a way to do it. Don't get me wrong. I love cardiology, but it is not a very creative profession," says Baars."It is a specialty that is based on strict treatment guidelines, without much room for your own ideas and creativity. That is why painting as a hobby is so wonderful. There are no rules and I can do whatever I want."
Although there are no rules in painting, for Baars it is still some sort of a custom. The only thing that reminds the painter Baars of the cardiologist Baars is his white coat and his surgical gloves which he wears every time he is painting." I sometimes start at 10 at night and can continue working until 4:30 in the morning and still make it to work on time that same day," says Baars."That is the advantage of my training as a medical specialist. I get used to making crazy hours and long nights."
You would think that someone who is so driven by his passion for painting was already fascinated by art as a little kid." Not at all," says Baars unexpectedly." I never dreamed of becoming a painter. My parents expected me to finish college and pursue a professional career. I only realized my passion for painting after having completed medical school. Once I was attracted by a painting of Miro, but could not afford it. So I decided to paint myself. I just started painting lines, but within minutes a beautiful dove was on the canvas. I suddenly realized this is what I want to do."
A successful doctor. A successful painter. It seems unfair to have the two identities in one person. What do his fellow cardiologists think of his passion for painting？“They accept it and actually appreciate it as well. You see，if I was a cardiologist who provided suboptimal(未达最佳标准的)care for his patients，they would not agree. My chairman told me a few years ago in the hospital that he would rather see me reading cardiology books at night than see me holding a paint brush.”
“I used to pack a lot of ideas into each painting-different shapes，colors and so on. I still have tons of ideas，which is not the problem. But I do strive for more simplicity. To depict a simple idea clearly is my goal. Also my technique has improved over time. When I started out，the paint would sometimes flake(剥落)if the basis was not good，but that doesn't happen anymore these days.”
Menno Baars never has any doubts when he is painting. However，he does like the response he gets from the most important woman in his life. His wife is the first to see each newly-finished painting." Sometimes when I finish a new painting in the middle of the night, I wake her up to see if she likes it. She doesn't always like to be woken up, but she always gives an honest answer.
Even if she doesn't like it, for me the painting is finished. I won't change it afterwards. It is more of the feeling that once my wife has seen it, it is ready to be presented to the rest of the world."
【小题1】Why does Menno Baars like painting?| A．Because he dislikes rules very much. |
| B．Because he feels bored with his work. |
| C．Because he wants to pursue a career as a painter. |
| D．Because he finds painting a creative process. |
| A．help him work late into the night | B．make himself feel easy and comfortable |
| C．remember his identity as cardiologist | D．remind himself to work on time next morning |
| A．when he completed a beautiful painting | B．when he was a very young child |
| C．to live up to his parents' expectations | D．to spend his leisure time at home |
| A．They can't hide their envy at his success. |
| B．They don't expect too much of his paintings. |
| C．They think he should put his job as a doctor first. |
| D．They don't think he should spend time painting. |
| A．full of different colors | B．clearly convey a simple idea | C．special with creative ideas |
| D．improve with modern techniques | ||
| A．will probably feel very disappointed | B．will still keep the painting and have it presented |
| C．will accept her advice and change the painting | D．will never ask for her opinion any more |
For many teenagers, the weekend is a time to relax and socialize.
Saturday jobs have been a way for young people to earn money and get some work experience for years.
In 1999, almost half of all 16 and 17-year-olds in the UK were doing some kind of paid work. By 2019, this number had almost been reduced by half. This has left some people wondering whether the Saturday job is dying out. Some adults say that this means young people are missing out on valuable life skills and experiences.
Yes — it prepares teenagers for life. Having a weekend job means that teenagers can start earning their own money.
| A．No—there are other things to do. |
| B．For others, it is time to go to work. |
| C．So should teenagers work at weekends? |
| D．They include timekeeping and teamwork. |
| E．No—it can do a lot of harm to teenagers. |
| F．So what do you think of teenagers working on weekends? |
| G．This will make them more independent from their parents for money. |
A full-time nanny is employed by the parents to provide high quality childcare for their children and to undertake all tasks related to the providing of that care. Nannies provide childcare in the family's private home.
Full-time nannies with parents meet the physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs of the children. They typically do the children's laundry, keep the children's areas neat and clean, and prepare meals and snacks for the children. Depending on the age of the child and the family's needs, the nanny may be responsible for bathing the child, transporting the child to activities and assisting the child with homework.
Since nannies work in the private home and serve as caretakers, and educators, nannies must be trustworthy. Nannies are often hired so that parents can fulfill their personal and professional tasks. For this reason, nannies must be dependable and reliable.
Full-time nannies work on average 40 to 60 hours per week and may live with the family as live-in nannies. For parents who hire a live-in nanny, at minimum they should provide a separate bedroom and bathroom and all meals and snacks. One of the benefits of nanny care is that the parents set the nannies weekly schedule. Nannies are typically required to have some scheduling flexibility.
Nanny employers must pay what is commonly referred to as the nanny tax, which includes social security taxes and medicare taxes, total about 7.65% of the nanny's wages. The other federal tax is referred to as FUTA. It is the Federal Unemployment Tax. State unemployment taxes may also apply and vary from state to state.
In addition to nanny employer taxes the nanny is responsible for her share of the FICA taxes. Nannies are responsible for paying their own income tax payments, however many employers agree to manage the payments for them.
【小题1】What does a full-time nanny usually do?| A．She must avoid dealing with her private secrets. |
| B．She should provide excellent care for the family. |
| C．She must be able to communicate well with parents. |
| D．She should do all the tasks connected with childcare. |
| A．The nanny should stop the kid from eating snacks. |
| B．The parents must prepare every meal for the nanny. |
| C．The nanny should be a person with education. |
| D．The parents must take responsibility for the nanny. |
| A．Work at most 8 hours a day. | B．Get your private space. |
| C．Work seven days a week. | D．Have no time of your own. |
| A．The nanny must pay such a tax according to her wages. |
| B．The tax almost covers one-fifth of the nanny's wages. |
| C．The employers should pay the nanny tax for nannies. |
| D．The tax is said to be the highest of all walks of life. |
Caroll Spinney started working with puppets when he was eight years old. In 1969 he started working on Sesame Street, an American television series for children. Today, the series is shown on television in more than eighty countries and Spinney is still the man inside the eight-foot yellow chicken called Big Bird.
Spinney loves his work and knows that he has a responsibility for children watching the programme. He doesn’t want children to know that Big Bird is really a man, so he tries to notice every detail.
Caitlin Moran
When Caitlin Moran was eleven, her parents asked her if she wanted to leave school and study at home. She refused at first, but changed her mind and left school two years later. Her experiences provided the story for her first book, The Chronicles of Narmo.
It is a wonderful story about a year in the life of a family who educate their children at home. She started writing it at thirteen and finished it soon after her sixteenth birthday. Now she enjoys writing and is writing a play and her second book.
Rick Allen
Rick Allen, the well-known drummer of the Irish rock band Def Leppard, joined the band on his fifteenth birthday. A year later, in 1979, the band became famous. Then, in 1984, Rick had a very bad car accident and lost his left arm. A friend developed an electronic drum kit so that he could play the drums with an arm and two feet. He returned to the band with great happiness and he still performs with them now. The first time he played in a big concert everybody was so kind that he cried.
Now Rick is married and has a home life. Life with one arm is still a problem, but if he can 't chop vegetables with one hand he simply uses his feet.
【小题1】Which of the following can describe Caroll Spinney?| A．Creative and hopeful. |
| B．Brave but proud. |
| C．Responsible and careful. |
| D．Hopeful but lazy. |
| A．Her school life. |
| B．Her birthday party. |
| C．Her parents’ career. |
| D．Her home-study experience. |
| A．They enjoy their jobs. |
| B．They are highly talented. |
| C．They are good at performing. |
| D．They became famous late in life. |
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