2012职称英语综合A类阅读理解完全解析二

会计考友

Labor's concern over automation arises from uncertainty about the effects on employment．And fears of major changes in jobs．In the main，labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change is unfruitful. Eventually, the result of automation may well be an increase in employment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around manufacturing，maintaining，and repairing automation equipment．The interest of labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to the workers involved．Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages，more leisure，and improved living standards．
9 A1 z$ A8 o+ i( E1 ?7 @4 n* ITo protect the interests of their members in the era of automation．unions have adopted a number of new policies．One of these is the promotion of supplementary unemployment benefit plans．It is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct financial interest in preventing unemployment，he will have a strong drive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible problems in jobs and job assignments．Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements，requiring that permanently dismissed workers be paid a sum of money based on length of service．Another approach is the idea of the "improvement factor". which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity．It is possible，however，that 1abor will rely mainly on reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation．
The idea of the "improvement factor" (1ine 7，paragraph 2)implies roughly_____.
* f6 R& c* h# S4 ]6 }6 w6 n3 ~A wages should be paid on the basis of length of service
" A- h  d. r" |2 r. YB the benefit of the increased production and lower costs should be shared by workers
C supplementary unemployment benefit plans should be promoted
2 I& L, M( r( @4 Z6 RD the transition to automation should be brought about with the minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers
6 y9 v- {9 T1 @$ D8 _0 K本题要求应试者根据上下文理解improvement factor(增值因素)的含义。在文章的第二段第七行，提出"增值因素"是要求随着生产率的提高，工资也要相应地提高；而生产率的提高就是增加生产，降低成本(第一段最后一句)。因而选项B是正确答案。选项A，把解雇金协议(dismissal pay agreements)，即根据服务期长短给长期解雇者一笔钱(第二段第四句)，与"增值因素"的内容混淆起来，说明文章和题目有时并不难，但粗心大意会导致应试者答错题。选项C是讲另一种劳工利益保护措施的，即失业者补助金计划；而选项D是讲工人们对自动化所关切的问题(第一段第六行)。