Here’s everything you need to know about writing cover letters (说明信) to stand out from the competition and catch employers’ attention.

Writing a great letter can feel like a daunting task to a lot of job seekers. In fact, usually, when I start to talk with clients about this topic, the first thing people ask is, “Do I really have to write a cover letter?” When I say yes, the next question people normally ask is, “Why?”

If you’re going to spend your time working on a challenging task, it’s wise to know exactly why you’re doing it. It is true that some employers never read cover letters. Instead, they look directly at a candidate’s resume (简历). However, plenty of employers find a lot of value in a cover letter. They see it as a way of getting to know more about you, your personality and your ability to communicate outside of the structural limitations of a resume. Some employers will only read your resume if they are impressed with your cover letter.

Other employers will not read a resume if it is not accompanied by a cover letter. They feel that it is a part of a complete job application package. If you have only sent a resume, these employers believe that you have only done half of the job in the application process. They view that as a negative reflection on the way you would do the job at their company. You don’t know the employer’s preference each time you submit (提交) a resume, so you must submit a cover letter with your resume every time you apply for a job.

People sometimes ask whether writing cover letters is necessary when they respond to job ads that say “Submit your resume to…”. The answer is yes, absolutely. Even if the letter is not specifically requested in the ad, it is assumed that you will submit one along with your resume.

【小题1】What is the purpose of writing a cover letter according to the text?

A．To learn how to communicate.	B．To improve your writing skills.
C．To attract employers’ attention.	D．To discover your desired career.

【小题2】Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “daunting” in the second paragraph?

A．Thrilling for excitement.	B．Enjoyable for interest.
C．Discouraging for fear.	D．Disappointing for failure.

【小题3】What do Paragraph 3 and 4 mainly talk about?

A．The reason why you need to write great cover letters.

B．The value of your resume and cover letter.

C．The types of cover letters.

D．The process you should know when writing your cover letter.

【小题4】What can NOT be learned based on the text?

A．A cover letter usually goes with a resume.

B．A cover letter is likely to reflect your personality.

C．An impressive cover letter is a must for some employers.

D．All employers are going to read cover letters.

假如你是李华，现在是一名刚毕业的大学生，很想当一名中学教师。你在一个网站上看到一则一所双语中学的招聘信息：本校招聘语文、数学、英语、体育、心理老师。要求：热爱教育工作，关爱学生，有良好的专业知识和沟通能力；能够认真负责地完成工作，做学生的良师益友。请据此写一封英文申请信给Mr. Lee说明你的各项能力和求职意愿。
注意：词数100左右。
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   What should you think about when trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others.  These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work.  So it is important to know the subjects you do well in at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. A knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.

Your school may have taught you skils, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metalwork or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills. If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else，you may have learned how to get to work on time，to follow rules and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop，for example. Just as important，you may become interested in a particular career you see from the inside in a part-time job.

Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools；perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a number of figures. It is better to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record，for instance，may not be too good，yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic（道歉的）about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.

【小题1】What is the passage mainly about？

A．The importance of working hard at school.

B．Choosing a career according to one's strengths.

C．How to face one's weaknesses.

D．The value of schoolwork.

【小题2】The writer thinks that for a student，to have a part-time job is probably __________.

A．a good way to find out his weak points

B．one of the best ways of earning extra money

C．of great use to his work in the future

D．a waste of time he could have spent on study

【小题3】From the passage we learn that if a student's school performance is not good，he __________.

A．should pay more attention to learning skills

B．will be regretful about his bad results

C．may also do well in his future work

D．should restart his study in school

【小题4】What does the underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 probably mean？

A．Be not good at doing things.

B．Be skillful in doing things.

C．Be not interested in certain things.

D．Be easily bored with doing things.

   54-year- old Abdul has a special job. He has been working as a living statue (活雕像) for over three decades, standing perfectly still for six hours a day and resisting people’s attempts to make him move or smile, anything that proves he is a living person.

Abdul, known as “India’s Statue Man”, has been performing his daily routine ever since 1985, soon after getting a job as a security guard. His boss had ever traveled to the UK, where he was so impressed by the statue-like members of the Royal Guard outside Buckingham Palace that he wanted to do something similar back home. So he had his guards receive three months of training, where they would sit perfectly still for around four hours. They weren’t allowed to talk, smile, eat, drink, or even shoo away a fly if it sat on their faces. In the end, Abdul proved the best of the group, so he got the strange job.

Abdul isn’t the only person in the world acting as a living statue, but what makes him special is the fact that he can do it for as long as six hours without even blinking his eyes. Once, a $155 prize was put up for anyone who can make him move a muscle. But try as they might, no one had ever succeeded. Actually, Abdul tries to move about as much as he can in his spare time, and only eats healthy home-cooked food to keep his body in shape. But he claims yoga has been the biggest help. In the 12 years, Abdul has become a celebrity in India and other Asian countries. Many Bollywood celebrities have come to witness this living statue and try to make him move, but none have succeeded finally.

Abdul earns about 10,000 rupees ($156) a month, which is enough to support his family, but definitely not enough to encourage his children to follow in his footsteps. It’s just too stressful and taxing (费力的) on the body. “Despite all the hardship and health problems, I love my job and I am thankful to people for the love and respect they have showered on me,” he says. “When the time comes, I want to die playing a statue.”

【小题1】What is Abdul’s daily routine?

A．Performing as a living statue.	B．Proving to be a living person.
C．Smiling at his customers.	D．Keeping his body in shape.

【小题2】Why could Abdul get the strange job given by his boss?

A．He had his special ambition.	B．He was quite familiar with the job.
C．He stood out among the guards.	D．He knew the boss more than others.

【小题3】What does Abdul do in his spare time?

A．He eats a lot of snacks.	B．He gives some performances.
C．He cooks for his family.	D．He always moves a lot.

【小题4】How does Abdul feel about his job according to the passage?

A．It’s overpaid.	B．It’s satisfying.
C．It’s boring.	D．It’s instructive.

短文改错

My dream was to become a school teacher in the future. In fact，I have had the dream since my childhood. In my opinion，with teachers，no society could make progresses. There is no doubt whether teachers play an importantly role in children's growth. Not only do teachers pass on knowledge to children，but we also teach children how to behave themselves. Comparing with other jobs，teaching is hard and the pay is low. And to me，what a great fun it is to be with children！They make me feel young forever so I'll study hard and try my best realize my dream.