Thousands of databases exist today, and their numbers are growing. Many companies have their in-house database, which is 18 to employees through computer terminals or microcomputers. In addition, several hundred commercial databases are now available to the 19 , with literally millions of items of information readily obtainable. These databases 20 specific fields, such as law and financial forecasting, or general information, such as sports and weather data.

　　A. exchange

　　B. public

　　C. instantly

　　D. cover

　　E. enables

　　F. consuming

　　G. remained

　　H. materials

　　I. hide

　　J. intensively

　　K. vast

　　L. communications

　　M. exhausting

　　N. accessible

　　0. maintained

　　II. F 12. O 13. E 14. C 15. K 16. A 17. H 18. N 19. B 20. D

　　In order to give you as much help as possible, I have drawn up a list of questions that you ought to ask yourself.

　　"Have I given thought to what I would like to be doing in 15 to 20 years from now?" Bear in mind that the career you choose will affect the future course

　　of your life. It will partially determine your range of friends, your choice of husband or wife, where you live, your recreational activities, and other important aspects of your life.

　　"Have I a clear knowledge of my abilities and aptitudes, as well as my interests and aims?" Be honest about your weak points as well as your strong ones. Take a really good look at yourself and give real thought to the kind of person you are, what you are good at, and what kind of person you want to be.

　　"Do I know the kind of occupation in which people like myself tend to find success and satisfaction?" Once you have examined and found out about yourself, your next question is what you can really do with yourself. You can gain some idea of what other people, with similar abilities and interests, consider to be important and challenging in the careers that interest you. Watch these people at work.

　　"Have I weighed carefully the immediate advantages against the long-term prospects offered by the jobs I am considering?" Will the occupation you select give you satisfaction, not just when you start, but in the years to come? Realize now the importance of education in all fields, technical and professional. Remember that when promotion occurs, preference is usually given to educated persons—other things being equal.

　　"Have I talked about my job preference with my careers master, my parents, teachers and my headmaster?" Remember they have a tremendous fund of experience from which you should benefit. They can stimulate you to give careful thought to what you really want to do, and offer useful suggestions as to how you might take full advantage of your personal qualities and qualifications.

　　21. The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that a person choosing a career should_______.

　　A. choose his career very carefully

　　B. make up his mind but be prepared to change it later

　　C. choose a career that fits the kind of life he leads

　　D. try to foresee how a career will affect his life

　　22. Which of these words is nearest in meaning to "aptitudes"? A. Talents. B. Preferences. C. Standards. D. Attitudes.

　　23. The fifth paragraph is mainly concerned with_______.

　　A. the present B. education

　　C. long-term prospects D. immediate advantages

　　24. When we say that a career has "challenge", we mean that it is_______.

　　A. demanding B. easy

　　C. well-paid D. satisfying

　　25. This passage focuses on_______.

　　A. how you can choose the right career

　　B. whether you know your abilities and aptitudes

　　C. whether you have weighed the immediate advantages against the long-term prospects offered by the job

　　D. whether you have talked about your job preferences with your careers master, your parents, teachers and headmaster

　　21. A 22. A 23. C 24. A 25. A