单选题
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Directions : Read the following four passages. Answer the questions blow each passage by choosing A, B, C and D.
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Office jobs are among the positions hardest hit by computation(计算机自动化). Word processors and typists will lose about 93,000 jobs over the next few years, while 57,000 secretarial jobs will vanish. Blame the PC: Today, many executives type their own memos and carry their "secretaries" in the palms of their hands. Time is also hard for stock clerks, whose ranks are expected to decrease by 68, 000. And employees in manufacturing firms and wholesalers are being replaced with computerized systems.
But not everyone who loses a job will end up in the unemployment line. Many will shift to growing positions within their own companies. When new technologies shook up the telecomm business, telephone operator Judy Dougherty pursued retraining. She is now a communications technician, earning about $64, 000 per year. Of course, if you've been a tollbooth collector for the past 30 years, and you find yourself replaced by an E-ZPass machine, it may be of little consolation(安慰) to know that the telecomm field is booming.
And that's just it : The service economy is fading ; welcome to the expertise (专门知识) economy. To succeed in the new job market, you must be able to handle complex problems. Indeed, all but one of the 50 highest-paying occupations-air-traffic controller-demand at least a bachelor's degree.
For those with just a high school diploma(毕业证书), it's going to get tougher to find a well-paying job. Since fewer factory and clerical jobs will be available, what's left will be the jobs that computation can't kill: Computers can't clean offices, or care for Alzheimer's patients (老年痴呆病人). But, since most people have the skills to fill those positions, the wages stay painfully low, meaning computation could drive an even deeper wedge(楔子) between the rich and poor. The best advice now: Never stop learning, and keep up with new technology.
For busy adults, of course, that can be tough. The good news is that the very technology that's reducing so many jobs is also making it easier to go back to school-without having to sit in a classroom. So-called Internet distance learning is hot, with more than three million students currently enrolled, and it's gaining credibility with employers.
Are you at risk of losing your job to a computer? Check the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook, which is available online at bls. gov.
单选题 From the first paragraph we can infer that all of the following persons are easily thrown into unemployment EXCEPT______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】推论题。(Para.1)Office jobs are among the positions hardest hit by computation.Word processors and typists will lose about 93,000 jobs over the next few years,while 57,000 secretarial jobs will vanish.Blame the PC:Today,many executives type their own memos and early their "secretaries" in the palms of their hands.Time is also hard for stock clerks,whose ranks are expected to decrease by 68,000.And employees in manufacturing firms and wholesalers are being replaced with computerized systems.办公室的工作职位最受计算机自动化的打击。文字处理人员和打字员将在最近几年失去93000个就业职位,而57000个秘书的职位也将消失,这都怪个人电脑。今天,许多经理主管人员都能够自己用键盘打备忘录,并且随手携带自己的"掌上秘书"。仓库管理员的日子也不好过,其职位可能会减少68000个。同时,制造业的雇员和批发商也正在被计算机化系统所替代。根据上下文,经理们没有提到失业的危险。
单选题 In the second paragraph the author mentions the tollbooth collector to______.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】推论题。(Para.2)But not everyone who loses a job will end up in the unemployment line.Many will shift to growing positions within their own companies.When new technologies shook up the telecomm business,telephone operator Judy Dougherty pursued retraining.She is now a communications technician,earning about$64,000 per year.Of course,if you've been a tollbooth collector for the past 30 years,and you find yourself replaced by an E-ZPass machine,it may be of little consolation to know that the telecomm field is booming.并非每个人丢掉工作就意味着失业,很多人将在自己公司的范围内转换为其他职务,譬如电话话务员Judy Dougherty现在成了通信技术员,每年挣64000美元。当然,如果你是在公路收费亭工作了30年的收款员,你会发现自己被电子收款机所替代,那么电信领域的欣欣向荣可能就不会令人感到舒服了。由此可见,作者想通过收费亭的收款员来说明他年龄太大而不能转换到新的职位。
单选题 By saying "...computation could drive an even deeper wedge between the rich and poor" (Line 5, Para. 4) the author means______.
【正确答案】 C
【答案解析】语义题。(Lines 5-6,Para.4)…computation could drive an even deeper wedge between the rich and poor.计算机自动化可能会在贫富之间打入一个更深的楔子。这也就是暗示说,计算机自动化可能会造成贫富之间的差距越来越大。
单选题 What is the author's attitude towards computers?
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】推论题。(Line 6,Para.4)The best advice now:Never stop learning,and keep up with new technology.目前最好的建议是:学无止境,跟上新技术不落伍。上文作者分析了计算机自动化所造成或将要造成的失业问题,本段中提出了这样的忠告。由此可见作者对计算机持肯定的态度。
单选题 Which of the following might serve as the best title of the passage?
【正确答案】 D
【答案解析】主旨题。(Line 6,Para.4)The best advice now:Never stop learning,and keep up with new technology.目前最好的建议是:学无止境,跟上新技术不落伍。接下来的两段中,作者对于如何跟上计算机自动化步伐提出了建议,即重新返回学校学习。