Telecommuting—substituting the computer for the trip to the job－has been hailed as a solution to all kinds of problems related to office work. For workers it promises freedom from the office, less t/me wasted in traffic, and help with child-care conflicts. For management, telecommuting helps keep high performers on board, 'minimizes lateness and absenteeism by eliminating commuters, allows periods of solitude for high-concentration tasks, and provides scheduling flexibility. In some areas, such as Southern California and Seattle, Washington, local governments are encouraging companies to start telecommuting programs in order to reduce rash-hour traffic and improve air quality.
But these benefits do not come easily. Making a telecommuting program work requires careful planning and an understanding of the differences between telecommuting realities and popular images. Many workers are seduced by rosy illusions of life as a telecommuter. A computer programmer from New York City moves to the quiet Adirondack Mountains and stays in contact with her office via computer. A manager comes in to his office three clays a week and works at home the other two. An accountant stays home to care for her sick child; she hooks up her telephone modem connections and does office work between calls to the doctor.
These are powerful images, but they are a limited reflection of reality. Telecommuting workers soon learn that it is almost impossible to concentrate on work and care for a young child at the same time. Before a certain age, young children cannot recognize much less respect, the necessary boundaries between work and family. Additional child support is necessary if the parent is to get any work done. Management, too, must separate the myth from the reality. Although the media has paid a great deal of attention to telecommuting, in most cases it is the employee's situation, not the availability of technology that precipitates a telecommuting arrangement.
That is partly why, despite the widespread press coverage, the number of companies with work-at-home programs of policy guidelines remains small.
1. What is the main subject of the passage?
A. Business management policies. B. Driving to work.
C. Extending the workplace by means of computers.
D. Computers for child-care purposes.
2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a problem for employers that is potentially solved by telecommuting?
A. Employees' lateness for work. B. Employees' absence from work.
C. Employees' need for time alone to work intensively.
D. Employees' conflicts with second jobs.
3. Which of the following does the author mention as a possible disadvantage of telecommuting?
A. Small children cannot understand the boundaries of work and play.
B. Computer technology is never advanced enough to accommodate the needs of every situation.
C. Electrical malfunctions can destroy a project.
D. The worker often does not have all the needed resources at home.
4. Which of the following is an example of telecommuting as described in the passage?
A. A scientist in a laboratory developing plans for a space station.
B. A technical writer sending via computer documents created at home.
C. A computer technician repairing an office computer network.
D. A teacher directing computer-assisted learning in a private school.
核心词汇注释
telecommute vi．(在家里通 过使用与工作单位连接的计算机终端)远 距离工作
hail n．冰雹：致敬；招呼：一阵
vt．向……欢呼；致敬；招呼；猛发
vi．招呼；下冰雹 int．万岁，欢迎
conflict n．斗争，冲突 记抵触，冲突
minimize vt．将．．．．减到最少 v．最小化
absenteeism n．几旷课， 旷工
solitude n．孤独
seduce v．诱使
hook n．钩，吊钩 v．钩住，沉迷，上瘾
precipitate n．几沉淀物 vt．猛抛；使陷入；促成；使沉淀
vi．猛地落下 adj．突如其来的，陡然下降(或下落)的，贸然轻率的
长难句剖析
Telecommuting—substituting the computer for the trip to the job—has been hailed as a solution to all kinds of problems related to office work．
[结构分析]本句主干是Telecommuting．．．has been hailed as a solution，破折号之间的部分substituting the computer for the trip to the job是动名词结构，作telecommuting的同位语.to all kinds of problems是介宾短语，修饰solution。related to office work是problems的后置定语。
[参考译文]远程办公—用计算机代替上班—已经被誉为一种能解决所有办公室相关问题的方法。
1n some areas，such as Southern California and Seattle，Washington，local governments are encouraging companies to start telecommuting programs in order to reduce rush-hour traffic and improve air quality．
[结构分析]本句主干是local governments are encouraging companies to，in some areas， such as…Washington作地点状语，to start telecommuting programs作companies的补足语。in order to…quality是主句的目的状语。
[参考译文]在有些地区，像南加州、西雅图、华盛顿，为了缓和高峰期的交通，改善空气质量，地方政府正在鼓励公司开展远程办公项目。
Although the media has paid a great deal of attention to telecommuting in most cases it is the employee's situation not the availability of technology ,that precipitates(加速……来临)a telecommuting arrangement．
[结构分析]本句是一个主从复合句，主句是is the employee's situation，用not the availability…arrangement来强调主语situation，由although引导的是让步状语从句。
[参考译文]虽然媒体非常关注远程办公，但大多数情况下是员工们的处境，而不是技术的可用性加速远程办公安排的来临。
全文参考译文
远程办公—用计算机代替上班—已经被誉为一种能解决所有办公室相关问题的措施。对于工作者来说，它可以将他们从办公室的束缚中解脱出来，减少在交通上浪费的时间，而且有助于解决工作和照顾孩子不能兼顾的矛盾。对于管理者来说，远程办公有助于保持高出勤率，通过取消通勤把迟到和旷工减到最少，它允许你有单独的时间处理需要注意力高度集中的任务，而且提供灵活的日程安排。在有些地区，像南加州、西雅图、华盛顿，为了缓和高峰期的交通，改善空气质量，地方政府正在鼓励公司开展远程办公项目。
但以上所述的好处并不是轻而易举的。要使远程办公项目真正能运作起来，必须有周密的计划并理解远程办公的现状和公众的印象之间存在距离。很多员工因幻想当一个远程办公人员的美好生活而着迷。一位从纽约搬到安静的Adirondack山脉的计算机程序员通过计算机与公司保持联系。一位经理一周内只有三天去办公室，其他两天在家办公。
一位会计师在家里照顾生病的孩子，她用电话线连通网络，在同医生通话之余完成办公室的工作。
这些是很突出的例子，但并不足以反映现实情况。远程办公人员很快就知道投入工作和照顾孩子几乎不可能同时进行。不到一定年纪的小孩不会意识到，更不会尊重工作和家庭之间必要的界线。如果父母要完成工作，孩子们额外的支持是必要的。
管理者也必须把神话和现实区分开来。尽管媒体很关注远程办公，可在大多数情况下正是员工们的实际情况，而不是技术的可能性加速远程办公安排的到来。这就是尽管媒体的报道铺天盖地，而实行在家办公计划的公司却很少的部分原因。
题目答案与解析
1．本篇文章的主题是什么? [答案]C
A．企业管理制度。 B．开车去上班。
C．通过计算机扩展工作地点。 D．计算机用来照看孩子。
[解析]综观全文，本文主要讲的是利用计算机在家里工作的利和弊。因此C项为正确答案。
2．作为远程办公可能解决的问题，下面哪一项没有涉及到? [答案]D
A．员工对工作的惰性。 B．员工旷工。
C．员工对独自办公的强烈需求。 D．员工与第二个工作的冲突。
[解析]本题可参照文章的第1段。从中可知，只有D项未被提及，因此D项为正确答案。
3．作者在远程办公可能的不利之处中提到了下列哪一项? [答案]A
A．小孩子们不能理解工作与玩耍的区别。
B．计算机技术还没有发展到足够适应各种场合的需要。
C．电力故障可能会破坏整个工程。 D．员工家里可能没有所需的全部资源。
[解析]本题的依据句是文章第3段的Before a certain age，young children cannot recognize，much less respect，the necessary boundaries between work and family．从中可知小孩子分不清工作和家庭的界限。因此A项为正确答案。
4．以下各项中，_________ 是文章中提到的远程办公的例子。[答案]B
A．科学家在实验室里开发新的空间站计划
B．技术作者通过计算机发送在家里写好的稿件
C．计算机技术员修理办公室网络 D．教师在私人学校指导计算机辅助学习
[解析]本题的依据句是文章第2段中间的A computer programmer from new York city moves to the quiet Adirondack Mountains and stays in contact with her office via computer．因此B项为正确答案。
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