Question

    British people work some of the longest hours in Europe, but are among the least productive. Now some companies are shortening the working week to increase efficiency, health and happiness.

Rich Leigh has introduced a four-day week at his PR company. In fact, his entire company has Friday off, because his firm has adopted a four-day week. It is one of a handful of UK businesses that now operate like this: staff still get paid their previous five-day salary, but they work a day less. The company found that they achieved just as much—and there were even sighs of growth. “The key to the scheme’s success,” Leigh says, “is how happy our employees now are.”

The average British worker takes only a 34 minute lunch break and works 10 hours overtime each week (more often than not this is unpaid). Yet UK productivity falls seriously behind their European neighbors, who tend to work fewer hours.

British working practices have caused loss and damage to the nation’s health and happiness. More than half a million workers in the UK were signed off with work-related stress or anxiety last year. Moreover, the work landscape itself is changing. Automation and AI will have a significant impact on the labor market, where unsteady work becomes more common.

Britain is the only EU member that allows workers to ignore the EU working time limit and work longer hours. For campaigners, now is the time for a change. O’Grady, an advocate, argues that where businesses have increased their profits as a result of automation, success should be shared with workers in the form of reduced hours. “It’s time to share the benefits from new technology, not allowing those at the top to grab them for themselves.” she says.

1.We can learn from the passage that ________.

A. British people are the least productive in the world

B. Most companies in Britain have conducted a four-day week

C. PR company has witnessed a rise in employees’ happiness

D. British people work longer and get more payment than other countries

2.Which is the proper description of British working practices?

A. The working time of British workers is within the EU limit.

B. In terms of productivity, Britain is beaten by the United States.

C. Profits gained from new technology are on the decrease.

D. Automation and AI are likely to cause an instable work market.

3.Which can be inferred from O’Grady’ s words in the last paragraph?

A. It’s time for employers to share the increased profits created by automation.

B. Workers should benefit from automation in the form of less working hours.

C. New technology should belong to both businesses and workers.

D. Businesses can’t make more profits without new technology.

4.What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?

A. To introduce some British firms’ switch to a four-day working week.

B. To explain the reasons why British workers suffer stress and anxiety.

C. To appeal for more reasonable working conditions.

D. To present the current productivity problem in Britain.

Answer

1.C

2.D

3.B

4.A

【解析】

这是一篇议论文。文章主要介绍了一些英国公司的四天工作制度。

1.推理判断题。答案定位在第二段The company found that they achieved just as much—and there were even sighs of growth. “The key to the scheme’s success,” Leigh says, “is how happy our employees now are.”（ 该公司发现他们也取得了同样的成绩——甚至还有增长的迹象。“该计划成功的关键，” Leigh说，“是我们的员工现在有多快乐。”）由此推断出PR公司见证了员工幸福感的提升，故选C。

2.细节理解题。答案定位在第四段Automation and AI will have a significant impact on the labor market, where unsteady work becomes more common.（自动化和人工智能将对劳动力市场产生重大影响，不稳定的工作变得更加普遍。）由此可知，对英国工作实践的恰当描述是自动化和人工智能很可能导致不稳定的工作市场，故选D。

3.推理判断题。答案定位在最后一段O’Grady, an advocate, argues that where businesses have increased their profits as a result of automation, success should be shared with workers in the form of reduced hours.（拥护者O’Grady认为，在自动化提高了企业利润的地方，成功应该以减少工时的形式与工人分享。）由此推断出O’Grady的话意思是工人应该从减少工作时间的自动化中获益，故选B。

4.写作意图题。第二段Rich Leigh has introduced a four-day week at his PR company.是全文的主题句，结合全文内容，可知这篇文章主要介绍了一些英国公司的四天工作制度，故选A。