Question

The belief that new technologies are causing the death of work is the idea that never goes away. Despite evidence to the contrary, we still view technological change today as being more rapid and dramatic in its consequences for work than ever before. But this is nothing new. People have always viewed the technological changes that take place during their lives the most dramatic and dangerous that ever happened in history.

In the 1930s, the British economist（经济学家）John Maynard Keynes predicted the widespread use of electricity would produce a world where people spend most of their time doing nothing. In the United States during the 1960s, the government repeatedly investigates fears that automatic machines would permanently reduce the amount of work available, In 1988, one Australian historian claimed that at least a quarter of the workforce would be without jobs within 10 years because of computers.

Of course, none of these disasters came to pass in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, or anywhere else.

Yet today, we are seeing the return of these predictions, with some experts claiming the world of work once more undergoing radical and unprecedented change. They argue that robots and other workplace technologies are causing a reduction in the total amount of work available, or are bringing a more rapid pace substitution of machines for humans has been seen previously.

But there is a little evidence to support such beliefs, Statistics show that the percentage of people in work, the number of hours they work, and how frequently they change jobs have remained remarkably constant over the past 20 years.

This stability should not come as a surprise, There are good reasons why we should not expect new technologies to cause the death of work. New technologies always cause job losses, but that is only part of the story. What also needs to be understood is how they increase the amount of work available.

One way this happens is through the increases in incomes that accompany the use of new technologies. With the introduction of these technologies, good and services can be produced faster, which results in higher real incomes for workers. Higher incomes then increase demand for other products and consequently more workers are needed to make them. Additionally, while new technologies are likely to substitute for some types of workers, they will also increase demand for other types of workers, especially those with higher level skills and expertise.

So, the end of work is no closer today than at any time in the past. But there is still a need to keep disproving the prediction, to reduce people’s fears.

1.What is the function of the second paragraph?

A. To explain the importance of developing new technology.

B. To give historical examples of unnecessary fear about new technology.

C. To argue that technological dangers are becoming more serious.

D. To show how technology affected employment in the past.

2.How can employment statistics over the past 20 years best be described?

A. Confusing    B. Reliable

C. Stable    D. Variable

3.According to paragraph 7, why does demand for products often increase after new technology is introduced?

A. Productivity improvements help raise workers’ salaries.

B. There is more demand for new skills in the economy.

C. There are more goods for people to choose from.

D. Higher quality goods at lower prices encourage consumption.

4.What is the author's opinion about the introduction of new technology?

A. It does not have an effect on most people’s jobs.

B. Its danger to peoples employment possibilities is overstated.

C. It usually leads to a significant increase in employment.

D. Its benefits are usually not worth the introduction.

Answer

1.B

2.C

3.A

4.B

【解析】经常出现新技术对将来人们工作和生活不良影响的预测，但事实证明结果并不是那样，我们有必要不断否定预测，以减少人们的恐惧。

1.B

推理判断题。第二段主要举了几个发生在过去的预测，预测人们在新科技下会失去工作，会无所事事。通过下文内容可知这些并没有发生，这几个只是对新科技不必要恐惧的例子，故选B.

2.C

细节推理题。根据第五段Statistics show that the percentage of people in work, the number of hours they work, and how frequently they change jobs have remained remarkably constant over the past 20 years.可知数据表明在过去的20年里，工作人员的比例、工作时间的长短以及换工作的频率一直保持着惊人的稳定。即数据表明就业是稳定的，故选C.

3.A

细节推理题。根据第七段With the introduction of these technologies, good and services can be produced faster, which results in higher real incomes for workers. Higher incomes then increase demand for other products and consequently more workers are needed to make them.可知新技术引进后提高了工人工资，高收入会增加对其他产品的需求。故选A.

4.B

推理判断题。根据第三段none of these disasters came to pass in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, or anywhere else.第六段New technologies always cause job losses, but that is only part of the story.和最后一段But there is still a need to keep disproving the prediction, to reduce people’s fears.可知人们预测的新技术的严重后果并没有发生，新技术导致的失业只是一部分，人们夸大了其对失业的影响，有必要不断否定预测，以减少人们的恐惧。故选B.

【名师点睛】

细节理解题属直接解答性问题，是阅读理解题中最简单的一种，多数属中低难度的题。但高考所占的比例大，应特别引起注意。事实和细节题的命题特点是：对文章或某一段落中的一些特定细节或文章重要事实的理解，一般包括直接理解题和语义转化题。直接理解题能在原文直接找到答案，而语义转化题则需要将题目信息与原文信息加工或整理后才能得出结论。

做细节理解题具体方法与步骤如下：

1.略读材料，大概了解原文，掌握中心或主旨。经常有新技术对将来人们工作和生活不良影响的预测，但事实证明结果并不是那样，我们有必要否定预测，以减少人们的恐惧。

2.按文章的体裁，作者写作的组织模式及有关的信息词。如for example, first, second…等预测应该到何处寻找自己所需要的事实。

3.将精力放在寻找你所需要的细节上。快速通篇跳读，全文扫视，找到细节出处，待找到含细节句子时，放慢速度，仔细核对比较内容，直至找到答案。如小题2考查20年的数据的特征，根据第五段Statistics show that the percentage of people in work, the number of hours they work, and how frequently they change jobs have remained remarkably constant over the past 20 years.可知数据表明在过去的20年里，工作人员的比例、工作时间的长短以及换工作的频率一直保持着惊人的稳定。即数据表明就业是稳定的。小题3考查新科技和产品需求的关系，根据第七段With the introduction of these technologies, good and services can be produced faster, which results in higher real incomes for workers. Higher incomes then increase demand for other products and consequently more workers are needed to make them.可知新技术引进后提高了工人工资，高收入会增加对其他产品的需求。