Passage Two

Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.

After earning a bachelor's degree, I was determined to do what I love. I headed straight to graduate school to investigate the social problems that fascinated me. For almost a decade, I told everyone I encountered that they should do the same. "Follow your passion," I counseled. "You can figure out the employment stuff later." It wasn't until I began to research this widely accepted career advice that I understood how problematic it really was.

As a sociologist, I interviewed college students and professional workers to learn what it really meant to pursue their dreams, which I will refer to here as the passion principle. I was stunned by what I found out about this principle in the research for my new book.

Surveys show the American public has long held the passion principle in high regard as a career decision-making priority. And its popularity is even stronger among those facing job instability. Advocates of the passion principle found it compelling because they believed that following one's passion can provide workers with both the motivation necessary to work hard and a place to find fulfillment. Yet, what I found is that following one's passion does not necessarily lead to fulfillment, but is one of the most powerful cultural forces perpetuating overwork. I also found that promoting the pursuit of one's passion helps perpetuate social inequalities due to the fact that not everyone has the same economic resources to allow them to pursue their passion with ease.

While the passion principle is broadly popular, not everyone has the necessary resources to turn their passion into a stable, good-paying job. Passion-seekers from wealthy families are better able to wait until a job they are passionate about comes along without worrying about student loans in the meantime. They are also better situated to take unpaid internships to get their foot in the door while their parents pay their rent. And they often have access to parents' social networks to help them find jobs. Surveys revealed that working-class and first-generation college graduates, regardless of their career field, are more likely than their wealthier peers to end up in low-paying unskilled jobs when they pursue their passion. Colleges, workplaces and career counselors who promote the "follow your passion" path for everyone, without leveling the playing field, help perpetuate socioeconomic inequalities among career aspirants.

It's not just well-off passion-seekers who benefit from the passion principle. Employers of passionate workers do, too. potential employers showed greater interest in passionate applicants in part because they believed the applicants would work hard at their jobs without expecting an increase in pay. They even sacrifice a good salary, job stability and leisure time to work in a job they love.

51. What did the author advise people do for almost a decade?

A) Figure out what is the most fascinating job.

B) Follow widely accepted career counsel.

C) Pursue their careers with passion.

D) Do whatever they are zealous for.

52. How did the author feel about the passion principle through his research?

A) He was astonished by its consequences.

B) He was further convinced of its soundness.

C) He was actually right to follow it through.

D) He was struck by its broad popularity.

53. What is important to turning one's passion into a stable, good-paying job?

A) Willingness to take unpaid internships and low-paying jobs.

B) Full academic preparedness and sound career counseling.

C) Hard work and sacrifice of leisure time.

D) financial backing and social connections.

54. What happens when everyone is encouraged to follow their passion?

A) Many more career aspirants end up unemployed.

B) People are less concerned with socioeconomic inequality

C) Socioeconomic inequality is likely to persist.

D) Career counselors are going to lose credibility.

55. What does the author say about employers of passionate workers?

A) They provide these workers with job stability and a good salary.

B) They exploit these workers' passion to benefit themselves.

C) They level the playing field for these workers to reach their goals.

D) They encourage these workers to realize their aspirations.

答案解析：

由题干中的关键词 "for almost a decade" 定位到 第一段。该段提到 "For almost a decade, I told everyone I encountered that they should do the same. 'Follow your passion,' I counseled."。D选项中的 "zealous for" 是 "passion" 的同义替换，所以选D。

由题干中的关键词“feel about the passion principle”和“through his research”定位到第二段最后一句和第三段第三句。第二段最后一句提到作者在为新书做研究时发现了关于这一原则的惊人事实，第三段第三句提到“Yet, what I found is that following one's passion does not necessarily lead to fulfillment...”，即作者通过研究发现追随热情并不一定带来满足感，还带来了其他问题，作者对其后果感到惊讶，所以选A。

由题干中的关键词“turning one's passion into a stable, good-paying job”定位到第四段。该段提到富裕家庭的热情追求者能更好地等待理想工作，能承担无薪实习，还能利用父母的社会网络找工作，而工薪阶层和第一代大学毕业生更可能从事低薪无技能工作，说明经济支持和社会关系对将热情转化为稳定高薪工作很重要，所以选D。

由题干中的关键词“everyone is encouraged to follow their passion”定位到第四段最后一句。该句提到“Colleges, workplaces and career counselors who promote the 'follow your passion' path for everyone, without leveling the playing field, help perpetuate socioeconomic inequalities among career aspirants.”，即鼓励每个人追随热情而不创造公平竞争环境，会导致社会经济不平等持续存在，所以选C。更多真题请微信搜索英语巴士小程序。

由题干中的关键词“employers of passionate workers”定位到最后一段。该段提到雇主对热情的求职者更感兴趣，因为他们认为这些求职者会努力工作而不要求加薪，甚至会牺牲高薪、工作稳定性和闲暇时间，说明雇主利用了这些工人的热情来为自己谋利，所以选B。