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  3. The subject of automation and its role in our economy has taken hold in American public discourse. Technology broadly and automa

The subject of automation and its role in our economy has taken hold in American public discourse. Technology broadly and automa

admin2022-03-24  55
问题     The subject of automation and its role in our economy has taken hold in American public discourse. Technology broadly and automation specifically are dramatically reshaping the way we work. And we need to have a plan for what’s still to come.
    We don’t have to look further than our own communities to see the devastating impact of automation. From automated warehouses to cashierless grocery stores to neighborhood libraries that offer self-checkout lanes instead of employing real people—automation is increasingly replacing jobs and leaving too few good new jobs behind.
    The statistics in manufacturing are staggering. Despite the widespread fears about trade, a recent report showed that just 13 percent of jobs lost in manufacturing are due to trade—the rest of the losses have been due to advances in technology.
    That is why more people are criticizing the ever-increasing role of technology in our economy. Our country is manufacturing more than ever before, but we are doing it with fewer workers. However, it’s not just factories that are seeing losses—software and information technology are also having a dramatic impact on jobs most people think are secure from the forces of a rapidly-changing economy. Something transformative is happening in America that is having an adverse effect on American families. Whether policymakers and politicians admit it or not, workers have made clear their feelings about their economic insecurity and desire to keep good jobs in America.
    So why are people so insistent on ignoring the perils of automation? They are failing to look ahead at a time when planning for the future is more important than ever. Resisting automation is futile: it is as inevitable as industrialization was before it. I sincerely hope that those who assert that automation will make us more effective and pave the way for new occupations are right, but the reality of automation’s detrimental effects on workers makes me skeptical. No one can currently say where the new jobs are coming from or when, and any sensible company or country should prepare for all alternatives.
    I’m not overstating the danger: look at what’s happened to the labor force. According to economic research, one in six working-age men, 25-54, doesn’t have a job. Fifty years ago, nearly 100 percent of men that age were working. Women’s labor force participation, meanwhile, has slipped back to the level it was at in the late 1980s.
    American families and prominent business leaders are aware that there’s a big problem with automation. The value of a college degree is diminishing, and our upward mobility is declining. If we want an economy that allows everyone to be economically secure, we need to start thinking about how we can rightfully address automation.
What does the author think of automation?
选项 A、It will have the same impact as industrialization.
B、It provides sensible companies with alternatives.
C、Its alleged positive effects are doubtful.
D、Its detrimental effects are unavoidable.
答案C
解析 根据题干中的信息词author和think of automation，答案线索可以定位至第五段，该段第四句是作者对自动化的主观评价。第五段第四句中作者讲到，我真诚地希望那些断言自动化将使我们效率更高并为新职业铺平道路的人是正确的。但自动化对工人造成了不利影响，这一现实让我对此持怀疑态度。选项C是对这句话的概括总结，即有人宣称自动化可以提高工作效率，并创造新岗位，但目前事实并非如此，doubtful是对原文skeptical的同义替换，故本题选C。第五段第三句提到，抵制自动化是徒劳的：它就像之前的工业化一样不可避免。选项A复现了原文单词，但曲解了文意，故排除。原文提出，明智的公司或国家应做好准备，而不是自动化为明智的企业提供备选方案，故排除选项B。作者只提到自动化对工人造成了不利影响，但并未提及其不利影响不可避免，故排除选项D。
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