Passage Four
Each day, computers help millions of people do their jobs more effectively. For example, they can help managers decide on a future course of action, and they can then help with the follow-up checks on performance to see if planned goals are being achieved．By using accurate and timely facts supplied by data base management software, a manager can do a better job of identifying problems and opportunities. And managers may not need to spend as much time in controlling when a computer can respond with a triggered report if actual performance varies from what was planned．The time saved in controlling may allow managers to give more attention to employees' concerns, and this, in turn, may result in improved morale (士气).
But employment benefits certainly aren't restricted to managers. Healthcare researchers and other scientists also use computers to conduct research into complex problem areas that couldn't otherwise be studied．Lawyers use online legal data banks to locate precedent (先前的) cases in order to serve clients better. Salespeople can receive more timely information about products in stock, can promise customers that their sales orders will be handled promptly, and can thus improve their sales performance because of the computer system. And the job duties of some office and factory workers have changed from routine, repetitive operations to more varied and appealing tasks through computer usage. For example, office workers who understand text processing, computing, and data communication usually have vital roles and are given critical office functions to perform.
Which of the following examples shows the controlling function of a computer?
题干大意是：下列哪个例子表明了电脑的控制功能?根据第一段第一、二句“Each day,computers...they can help managers decide on a future course of action,and they can then help with thefollow-up checks on performance to see if planned goals are being achieved.”可知，选项A、B表明在电脑的帮助下提高了工作的效率。选项D在文中并未提及。根据第一段倒数第二句"And managers maynot need to spend as much time in controlling when a computer can respond with a triggered report…"可知，在电脑的帮助下可以自动以报告形式回复员工表现，节省了管理控制的时间。故选C。
Employees may have better morale if ______.
题干大意是：如果_________,员工将更有士气。根据第一段最后一句"The time saved incontrolling may allow managers to give more attention to employees' concerns, and this, in turn, may resultin improved morale.”可知，通过电脑控制节省下来的时间可以使管理者更加关注员工关心的事务，反过来，这也会鼓舞员工的士气。由此可推知，管理者对员工的关注可能会提供员工的士气。故选D。
Which of the following is the most essential to a successful businessman?
题干大意是：对于一个成功的商人来说，下列哪项是最基本的?根据第二段第四句"Salespeople can receive more timely information about products in stock, can promise customers that theirsales orders will be handled promptly, and can thus improve their sales performance because of the computersystem.”可知，通过电脑，销售人员可以获得更多有关库存产品的及时信息，可以向客户承诺他们的销售订单会得到及时处理，从而可以提高他们的销售业绩。由此可推知，“获取及时信息”对于一个成功的商人来说是最基本的。故选C。
The office duties used to be ______.
题干大意是：办公室的工作过去是_______。根据第二段倒数第二句“And the jobduties of some office and factory workers have changed from routine, repetitive operations to more varied andappealing tasks through computer usage.”可知，以前办公室的工作大多是日常重复的操作。由此可推知，过去的办公室工作是很无聊的。选项中只有B项boring(无聊的)符合题意。difficult:困难的；heavy:沉重的；appealing:吸引人的，均不符合题意。故选B。
Which of the following is the best suggested title?
题干大意是：下列哪项可以作为最佳建议标题?通读全文可知，第一段主要讲述了电脑帮助成千上万的人们提高了工作效率，并通过举例说明电脑是怎样帮助管理者提高了工作效率和鼓舞员工士气的。第二段则讲述了电脑不仅对管理者有帮助，对各行各业的人都有很大的帮助。故选D。