Question

Will Robots Put Us All on the Unemployment Line?

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is blamed for saying he’s “not worried at all” about robots displacing American workers. Yet he’s spot on: Robots will soon launch a productivity boom, leading to improved economic growth, higher wages and a higher standard of living. Just what America needs after a decade dragging along at 2 percent growth.

Scaremongers (危言耸听者) who warn that robots steal jobs are failing to predict the jobs of the future. A hotel worker who makes room-service deliveries today may instead be monitoring or repairing delivery robots. Not to mention the new jobs in every field that will come with a booming economy, predict PricewaterhouseCoopers consultants. Robots are our friends.

And there’s no going back^ contrary to the view of Bill Gates. The tech billionaire wants to put the brakes on the next innovation boom. He’s suggesting a heavy tax to punish robots in the workplace. Complete foolishness.

Economists have been complaining about the poor world economy, declaring what’s needed is a technological breakthrough. Well, here it is — assuming politicians don’t try to kill it.

Robotics has already taken hold in manufacturing, especially the auto industry. These machines are so efficient (高效的) that US factories are producing more with fewer workers on the assembly (装配) line. That gain in productivity translates into higher wages for the remaining factory workers and lower prices for consumers.

If President Trump succeeds in bringing auto jobs back to the United States, they won’t be the same routine, repeated tasks that assembly line workers had in the past. These new jobs will require knowledge of computer-aided design and other complex engineering issues.

The same goes for the service field, like supermarket and warehousing. A surprising 94 percent of CEOs using robots say they’ve increased productivity. The end result: fewer jobs for unskilled workers, though in all possibility more jobs overall as the economy grows, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Message to politicians: Focus on workplace readiness. It beats trying to block technological progress—a vain attempt to protect yesterday’s jobs.

The economy booms when businesses, not politicians, call the shots on technology. Welcoming robots will create more goods and services, a bigger pie for all to share. Skills training will help everyone get a piece of the pie.

1.Who may agree that robots won’t put us all on the unemployment line?

A. Steven Mnuchin.    B. Scaremongers.

C. Bill Gates.    D. Politicians.

2.Why are robots widely used in manufacturing?

A. They are productive.    B. They are our friends.

C. Workers will earn more money.    D. Workers can’t do skilled tasks.

3.What does PricewaterhouseCooper indicate?

A. More workers will lose their jobs.

B. Everybody should be retrained to gain new skills.

C. More jobs will be created due to the growth of economy.

D. High productivity leads to higher wages for all people.

4.What’s the author’s attitude towards the application of robots?

A. Supportive.    B. Respectful.

C. Doubtful.    D. Negative.

Answer

1.A

2.A

3.C

4.A

【解析】文章讨论了机器人的应用是否会导致人们失业，最终研究结果表明非熟练工人的就业机会减少了，尽管根据经济增长情况，总体而言就业机会总体上增加了。

1.细节理解题。根据第一段“Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is blamed for saying he’s “not worried at all” about robots displacing American workers.” 美国财政部长Steven Mnuchin指责说他“一点都不担心“机器人取代美国工人。故选A。

2.细节理解题。根据第五段“These machines are so efficient (高效的) that US factories are producing more with fewer workers on the assembly (装配) line.”这些机器效率如此之高，使美国工厂流水线上较少的工人生产更多的产品。故选A。

3.推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“The end result: fewer jobs for unskilled workers, though in all possibility more jobs overall as the economy grows” 最终结果：非熟练工人的就业机会减少了，尽管根据经济增长情况，总体而言就业机会总体上增加了。可推知就业机会增加，故选C。

4.作者意图题。根据最后一段“Welcoming robots will create more goods and services, a bigger pie for all to share.” 欢迎机器人将创造更多的商品和服务。可知作者对机器人的应用持支持的态度。故选A。