JOINING THE WORKFORCE
A
The world of work has been undergoing dramatic changes [I]. Step by step, robots are taking over manual jobs that used to be done by semi-skilled workers [II]. AI assistants in the forms of holograms have been on trial at Changi Airport and Boston Airport [III]. Their performance as perfectly efficient check-in staff has amazed users [IV]. Certain restaurants in South Korea have introduced tablets for self-order and have even made use of maid robots in place of waiters and waitresses. Getting a secure job or a career can't have been more challenging.
B
On leaving school, 18-year-olds are faced with one of the toughest decisions of their life: career choice. Which to pursue requires sensible decisions based on their in-depth self-understanding. Guidance from school counselors and parents, together with insights into their potential from character tests, will empower them to make informed decisions. It is also worth noticing that, in this ever-advancing world, school leavers need to be well-prepared for changes and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.
C
However bewildering career choice may be, it is no more than the beginning of a person's career. To further it, they have no alternative but to become better day by day. In essence, career development is a continual and lifelong process in which they need to specify their goals, boost their own confidence, improve communication skills, and expand personal networking. Actually, university graduation simply celebrates the completion of adults' mainstream education, signifying their non-stop self-improvement.
D
Of all the qualities, a person's flexibility will work in this full-of-changes world. Flexibility manifests itself in professional agility, problem-solving skills, change management, and innovative thinking. As long as they are not set in their way of thinking, they can easily get a task done.
E
AI has been replacing certain blue-collar workers, but it can never establish a role in a field that has something to do with emotional intelligence (EQ). Automated learning machines can repeatedly lecture a subject, but they can never become an inspiring story for students. Robots in hospitals can accurately perform operations, but at no time can they comfort the lonely and suffering patients like a gentle nurse.
F
Technology has taken mankind to a world of constant change. School-leavers are expected to improve themselves and own the right skills to meet the social demands.
(Adapted from Friend Global 12)

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
A
[I] Wilson To was beginning his final year at school when he decided to get a school Facebook page started. Nothing unusual about that, you might think, but Wilson's motivation for setting up the page wasn't to discover the latest school gossip. [II] He believed that Facebook could help him take on a problem that was making life difficult for a few schoolmates: bullying.
Without mentioning his plans to his friends, Wilson launched 'A-tech compliments', a Facebook page which invited students to send in anonymous compliments about each other, their teachers and their school. [III] At first, Wilson wasn't expecting much of a response and he monitored messages closely in case unpleasant comments or racism appeared. However, Wilson needn't have worried. 'A-tech compliments' was an instant success and quickly had five hundred regular followers, all of them being positive. It seems that the students were just waiting for the opportunity to say nice things about each other and their school!
[IV] Although everybody wanted to know who had thought up this great idea, Wilson kept his identity secret until the end of the school year, when the school intercom asked the creator of the Facebook page to reveal himself. Wilson stepped forward to receive the applause and thanks of the whole school. He was also given one last job to do: train a new administrator so the page could continue after Wilson stepped down. Today, the idea has also spread to high schools across the country.
B
VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY
A teacher spotted Rene Silva's talent for writing when he was just eleven and encouraged him to set up a community newspaper. Rene accepted the challenge and took on publishing Voz da Comunidade (Voice of the Community), and he soon realised that the monthly newspaper could help his neighbourhood. Rene lives on the edge of Rio de Janeiro in a favela, a poor town that used to be controlled by armed drug gangs. Rene's newspaper quickly became a vehicle for protest about the poor conditions in the favela and gave a voice to local residents who were campaigning to make the community a safer and better place to live.
But one Saturday morning, Voz da Comunidade was transformed from a small local newspaper into Brazil's most popular source of information. The government had decided to force the drug dealers out of the favela and had sent soldiers onto the streets. Journalists from the mainstream media waited outside the favela for news, but Rene and his team of teenage reporters were in the middle of the action. Using their mobile phones to film and take photos, the Voz da Comunidade Twitter account suddenly had thousands more followers than usual and Rene's reporting was praised by the mainstream media. More importantly, it started a debate about how the government should help the inhabitants of Brazil's hundreds of favelas. Rene and the Voz da Comunidade brought positive change to the community.
(Adapted from Friend Global 12)

[A] My mom is an accountant. She keeps track of the money that her company makes and spends. It's a nine-to-five job, and she really likes it. However, some people prefer not to work a nine-to-five job. This kind of job has both advantages and disadvantages.
[B] My mom's job has some pretty good advantages. One advantage is that she gets a regular salary, which means she makes the same money each month. This helps her save money and plan for the future more easily. Moreover, the job comes with great perks, such as a company outing each year, dinners and parties, health insurance, and even a gym membership. In addition, the work-life balance of a nine-to-five job is not terrible because you have evenings off, and you don't usually work on the weekends.
[C] On the other hand, I think there are some disadvantages of working a nine-to-five job, too. If you want to make more money, it can be pretty difficult. Your salary is the same each month. You have to get promoted to a higher position or leave and find a job with a higher salary. In contrast to my mom's job, some nine-to-five jobs don't offer good benefits at all. Finally, some people don't like the work-life balance of nine-to-five jobs. My mom has to work about 40 hours each week, which is quite a lot, and the hours aren't usually flexible.
[D] In summary, there are some good benefits to my mom's nine-to-five office job, but not every job has them. It's great to have a regular salary and perks, but some people might prefer a better work-life balance.
( Adapted from I learn smart world 12)