单选题 What is a knowledge worker? Knowledge workers are people who routinely use a computer in their work to enhance their productivity. She or he is the critical component in a computer system. A computer system is made up of people, using data and procedures to work with software and hardware components. It takes all five working together to produce results. Knowledge workers are white-collar professionals from many walks of life who have the following characteristics:
They understand how to use a personal computer.
They know how to work with computer-based information.
They understand how the computer benefits their work and the business.
They regard the computer as a productivity tool.
Knowledge workers may be employed in a company of any size, large or small, at a wide range of tasks. They may be self-employed, working in their own office or at home. They may be sales representatives or managers who travel with a portable computer. Students are knowledge workers as well. Many of you may be preparing for a career in knowledge work in office automation, public relations, account supervision, social work, management, or a number of other occupations.
Today, there are over 70 million knowledge workers in the United States, who generate nearly 2 trillion pieces of paper each year. These knowledge workers work 10 hours per week more than they did 10 years ago, and create over 15 billion new pieces of paper a year. According to a survey conducted by Industry Week magazine in 1990, 39 percent of U.S. management-level knowledge workers say paperwork is a problem. Further, USA Today reported in 1991 that the average knowledge worker has 36 hours of work stacked up on the desk. Clearly, the computer as a productivity tool must play an ever more important role in knowledge work and knowledge work itself is steadily assuming larger proportions. According to several worldwide studies, urban centers in Canada, the United States, Europe, and other developed areas are increasingly using computer technology and thus evolving knowledge-based cities. These knowledge-based cities are characterized by: (1) a concentration of scientists and engineers, (2) business, university, and governmental research activities, (3) a high degree of interaction between individuals and the various institutions, and (4) a positive image that attracts college graduates to knowledge work. Clearly, the decade of the 1990s and the new millennium that follows are an exciting time for knowledge work.
单选题 The five components of a computer systems are ______.
  • A. knowledge worker, computer, date, software, results
  • B. knowledge worker, data, procedures, software, hardware
  • C. people, computer, information, work, results
  • D. not mentioned
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】细节题。第一段提到，一个电脑系统包括人，即知识型工人，他们使用数据和程序，通过硬件和软件工作。因此，它的五个要素便很明确了，故B是正确答案。
单选题 What is NOT true about a knowledge worker?
  • A. Computer is indispensable to his/her work.
  • B. Computer is used to improve his/her work efficiency.
  • C. He/She can use computer-based information.
  • D. He/She depend on a computer to do all tasks.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】是非题。知识型工人的特点是：知道如何使用电脑，知道如何使用电脑化的信息，明白电脑对工作及企业有益，把电脑当作提高生产率的工具。由此可知，他们并不是依靠电脑来做所有工作，而只是把它当作提高生产率的工具。因此，只有D与这些意思不符。
单选题 Which of the following can be called a knowledge worker?
  • A. A bank teller.
  • B. A sales representative.
  • C. A student.
  • D. All of the above.
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】综合题。文章前半部分讲，知识型工人是各行各业的职业白领，电脑是他们工作中必需的工具。学生也可以是知识型工人。因此，D是正确答案。
单选题 Which of the following is true according to the passage?
  • A. Knowledge workers using computers are creating less paper every year.
  • B. Knowledge workers using computers are creating more paper every year.
  • C. Knowledge workers using computers are creating the same amount of paper every year.
  • D. Knowledge workers using computers are creating new kind of paper every year.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】是非题+句子理解。最后一段第二句，美国的知识型工人每周工作时间比10年前多10个小时，每年创造出超过150亿页的新纸头文件(15 billion new pieces of paper)。此处的new不是说“新型的，品种新的”，而是说比上一年新多出来的。所以，B是正确答案。
单选题 In the knowledge-based cities in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, there is a concentration of ______.
  • A. teachers and doctors
  • B. technicians and businessmen
  • C. scientists and philosophers
  • D. scientists and engineers
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】细节题。根据文章结尾处知识型城市的四个特点可知，在知识型城市科学家和工程师高度集中。因此，D是正确答案。