Question

【题目】Digital technology-email and smart phones especially-have vastly improved workers’ ability to be productive outside of a traditional office. Even so, most white-collar work still happens in an office. One reason is that, according to findings of a new survey of office workers conducted by Wakefield Research for the IT company Citrix, most bosses arc doubtful about remote working. Half of the workers say their boss doesn’t accept it, and only 35 percent say it’s tolerated.

Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced (加深) by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they’ve watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework, and 28 percent have cooked dinner.

It is true, however, that working at home makes people much more efficient (高效的), because it allows workers to take care of annoying housework while still getting their jobs done. It’s much faster, for example, to shop for groceries at a quarter to three than to stand in line during the after-work rush.

The fact that such practices remain officially unaccepted reflects how far we haven’t come as a society from the days when we expected every full-time worker to be supported by a full-time homemaker.

More broadly the Wakefield survey suggests that employers may be missing a low-cost way to give workers something of value. Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who haven’t worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home. Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough flexibility (灵活性) to manage their time efficiently.

【1】Why do some employers hesitate to allow remote working?

A. They have little trust in modem technology.

B. They want to stick to their routine practice.

C. They fear losing control of their workers.

D. They are used to face-to-face communication.

【2】What seems to be most workers’ attitude toward remote working?

A. Favorable. B. Doubtful.

C. Reserved. D. Disapproving.

【3】What does the author suggest smart firms do?

A. Shorten their office hours. B. Give employees a pay raise.

C. Reduce their staffs workload. D. Adopt flexible work patterns.

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】C

【2】A

【3】D

【解析】本文介绍数字技术——电子邮件和智能手机大大提高了工人们的工作能力，使的他们可以在家办公。但老板们害怕失去对公认的控制，并不太赞成在家办公。但作者建议高科技可以采取灵活的工作模式。

【1】C

推理判断题。根据第二段Skeptical bosses will likely have their doubts reinforced (加深) by the same survey, which shows that 43 percent of workers say they’ve watched TV or a movie while “working” remotely, while 35 percent have done housework, and 28 percent have cooked dinner.可知，他们害怕失去对工人的控制。故选C。

【2】A

推理判断题。根据最后一段中Sixty-four percent of those survey participants who haven’t worked remotely would rather give up some bonus in order to get even one day a week working from home.可知大多数工人是赞成的。故选A。

【3】D

推理判断题。根据最后一段Under such circumstances, smart firms need to find ways to let their employees have enough flexibility (灵活性) to manage their time efficiently.可知，作者建议聪明的公司采用灵活的工作模式。故选D。