【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】[听力原文] In cities all over the United States, workers spend several hours a day in cars crawling along in traffic to get to offices many miles from home. They experience stress, waste time, and pay a lot for gas, car maintenance, and parking. Nancy Alley, a human resources manager doesn't. She stays at home in her pajamas with a pile of résumés, talking with managers over the phone and faxing in paperwork. Instead of walking down the hall to chat with coworkers, she e-mails them. Nancy is a telecommuter, someone who works some or all of the time at home, and she is part of a trend. Since 1990, the number of U.S. telecommuters has grown from 4.2 million to 9.2 million, and by the turn of the century, 55 million people worldwide have been telecommuting. Highway congestion, the high cost of office space, reduced work forces, and lifestyle needs—all these factors contribute to the growth of telecommuting. What makes it possible is technology. Desktop and laptop personal computers, networking, video-conferencing, fax machines, e-mail, and multiple phone lines provide the fast and efficient communication required for telecommuting. Telecommuting can increase workplace flexibility and enhance productivity. At Georgia Power Company, for example, a pilot telecommuting project was so successful that the company decided to triple its number of telecommuters. The company reduced the cost of leased office space by $100,000 a year, increased productivity among the telecommuting employees of its customer service center, and saved the workers a combined 750 commuter miles a day. However, telecommuting is not universally applicable. Jobs and individuals must be suitable, and staff must be capable of managing telecommuters. In addition, technological improvements, such as high-speed modems, are crucial. Few people expect to conduct business regularly from a tropical island or mountain resort any time soon.