Question

Without most people realizing it, there has been revolution in office work over the last ten years. Before that time, large computers were only used by large rich companies that could afford the investment. With the advancement of technology, small computers have come onto the market which are capable of doing the work which used to be done by much larger and expensive computers, so now most smaller companies can use them.

The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processor system, or WPS as they are often called. 40% of British offices are now estimated to have a word processor and this percentage is growing fast.

There are many advantages in using a word processor for both secretary and manager. The secretary is freed from a lot of daily work, such as retyping letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager's point of view, secretarial time is being made better use of and money can be saved by doing daily jobs automatically outside office hours.

But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems related to work with visual display units (顯示器). The unease of a slow loss of sight among people using word processors seems to have risen greatly. It is also feared that if a woman works at a VDU for long hours, the unborn child in her body might be killed. Safety screens to put over a VDU have been invented but few companies in England bother to buy them.

Whatever the arguments for and against word processors, they are a key feature of this revolution in office practice.

1.Ten years ago, large computers were only used by large companies because _________.

A. small companies did not have enough money to buy such expensive computers

B. large computers could not do the work that small companies can do today

C. large computers did not come onto the market

D. small companies did not need to use this new technology

2.According to the writer, the main progress made in office work over the last ten years is ________.

A. the saving of time and money

B. the use of computers in big companies

C. the wide use of word processors

D. the decreasing number of secretaries

3.We can infer from the passage that with the use of word processors, _________.

A. some secretaries will lose their jobs

B. all jobs can be done automatically outside office hours

C. medical problems related to work with a VDU must have increased

D. the British companies will make less money

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. There are both advantages and disadvantages in using a word processor.

B. The British companies care much for the health of the people using word processors.

C. The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over the last ten years.

D. Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more interesting work for their bosses.

 

Answer 1

1.A

2.C

3.A

4.B

【解析】

試題分析: 本文講述了辦公室運用文字處理器等電腦設(shè)備的優(yōu)勢和缺點

1.A推理題。根據(jù)第一段2，3行Before that time, large computers were only used by large, rich companies that could afford the investment說明大公司才可以用這樣的大型的計算機，是因為他們買得起，而那些小公司沒有辦法是因為錢的問題，故A正確。

2.C細節(jié)題。根據(jù)第二段1,2行The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processors, or WPS as they are often called.說明文字處理器的使用是最大的發(fā)展，故C正確

3.A推理題。根據(jù)第4段1,2行But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed說明隨著技術(shù)的進步，對于文秘工作的人的需要會變少，那么就會有很多人失業(yè)了，故A正確。

4.B細節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章最后兩段說明這樣的進步也有一些不利之處。故A項正確。文章中并沒有提及英國的公司關(guān)注員工的身體健康，故第一段內(nèi)容中提及的過去十年公司的變化，說明C正確。根據(jù)第三段第3行He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss.說明D項也是正確的，B項符合文章的要求。

考點：科技類閱讀。