Old Computers Make for Unhappy Workers --- Survey
LONDON (Reuters) ----- Dealing with the dissatisfaction of aging and unreliable office computers leads to workers' unhappiness and more sick leave, a survey showed on Wednesday.
A survey carried out by caro4free.net of over 2,700 European office workers from the UK, France and Germany found that workplace dissatisfaction increased greatly with the age of the computer equipment.
"We do know that job satisfaction is falling in Britain and most advanced nations," said Stephen White, a researcher from the Work Foundation. "The actual reasons for this are the subject of very heated discussion. It's certainly one interesting theory that technology may be the cause of this in some way," White added.
A quarter of these using outdated computers in Britain said they were "quite" or "very dissatisfied" with their everyday job compared to the percent of those who had enjoyed an advantage from up-to-date technology.
The survey also said that among workers dealing with outdated equipment, there was a 35 percent greater probability they would take six or more days of sick leave per year compared with the average worker. In France, where more workers use old computers, the probability jumped to 55 percent.
Results also showed that women in the three countries were more likely to be using outdated equipment. In the UK, where more workers have up-to-date computers than in the other countries surveyed, the number of women using old equipment doubled that of men.
White pointed out that there were two sides to this problem, saying that continuously having to deal with new technology and equipment can also be a source of worry. "Old and faulty equipment is a major cause of office dissatisfaction. There is no question about it; but you also have to say that the frequent change of equipment is also, or could be, a main cause of dissatisfaction."The underlined word "this" (paragraph 3) refers to ______.
| A．workplace dissatisfaction | B．computer use in most jobs |
| C．the aging off office computers | D．the survey by care4@ free. net |
How many office workers use old computers in Britain expressed their dissatisfaction?
| A．16% | B．25% | C． 35% | D．55% |
According to White, why were the women surveyed more likely to use old computers?
| A．Most office workers use old computers. |
| B．They do some of their work with computers. |
| C．Dealing with new equipment can cause anxiety. |
| D．They are easier to be satisfied with new technology. |
What is the subject of the news story?
| A．Poor working conditions in offices |
| B．Research work of the Work Foundation |
| C．Influence of technology in the workplace. |
| D．Different attitudes to old computers. |
A good way to pass an examination is to work hard every day in the year. You may fail in the examination if you are lazy for most of the year and then work hard only a few days before the examination. A few days before the examination you should start going to bed early. Do not stay up late at night learning things. Before you start the examination, read carefully over the question paper. Try to understand the exact meaning of each question before you pick up your pen to write. When you have at last finished your examinations, read over your answers. Correct any mistake which you see and make sure that you have not missed anything out. “Stay up late at night” here means .
| A．sleeping in bed |
| B．just sitting up without doing anything |
| C．walking about in the room |
| D．working far into the night |
The first thing to do after you get the question paper is to .
| A．start to answer questions |
| B．work the difficult problems |
| C．have a look at the titles |
| D．read it very carefully |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage？
| A．You must not hand in the examination paper before you check your answers. |
| B．You must wait till others point out mistakes in your paper. |
| C．You must first hand in your paper then correct the mistakes. |
| D．You must be the last to hand in your paper. |
Our village carpenter(木匠), John Hill, came one day and made a dining table for my wife. He made it just the right size to fill the space between the two windows. When I got home that evening, John was drinking a cup of tea and writing out his bill for the job.
My wife said to me quietly, “It’s his ninth cup of tea today.” But she said in a loud voice, “It is a beautiful table, dear, isn’t it?”
“I will decide about that when I see the bill, ” I read:
One dining table, 10 November, 1989.
Cost of wood: ＄17.00
Paint: ＄1.50
Work: 8 hours (＄1 an hour) ＄8.00
Total: ＄36.50
When I was looking at the bill, John said, “It’s been a fine day, hasn’t it? Quite sunny.” “Yes,” I said, “I’m glad it is only the 10th of November.”
“Me, too,” said John. “You wait. It’ll be a lot colder by the end of the month.”
“Yes, colder…. And more expensive! Dining tables will be ＄20 more expensive on November 30th, won’t they, John?” John looked hard at me for half a minute. Was there a little smile in his two blue eyes? I gave his bill back to him.
“If it isn’t too much trouble, John,” I said, “Please add it up again and you can forget the date.”
I paid him ＄26.50and he was happy to get it.Why did John talk about the weather when the writer was looking at the bill?_______
| A．Because he didn’t want the writer to go through the bill carefully. |
| B．Because it was really a fine day. |
| C．Because he wanted the writer to check the bill carefully. |
| D．Because he wanted to tell the writer what the weather was like. |
Why did the writer say that dining table would be＄ 20 more expensive on November 30th ?__________
| A．Because it was difficult to make dining tables in cold weather. |
| B．Because paint would be more expensive. |
| C．Because the cost of wood would be more expensive. |
| D．Because he thought John would certainly add to the cost of the dining table. |
From the story we know that _____________
| A．John made a mistake in the bill. |
| B．John tried to fool the writer in order to get more money for his work |
| C．John had written out the bill before the writer got home. |
| D．John still wanted to get ＄36.50 for his work in the end. |
| GARDEN RESTAURANT Tel: 2706630 Add: 9020 Bridgeport Road Open: Mon. to Fri. 7:00a.m—2:30p.m. 5:00p.m.—9:00p.m. Sat. 7:00a.m—11:00a.m. 5:00p.m.—9:30p.m. Sun. 11:00a.m.—2:00p.m. 5:00p.m.—9:30p.m. |
SKYLINE HOTEL Tel: 2785161 Add: 3031 No.3 Road ( at Sea Island Way) The Hangar Den: Wed. to Sun. Lunch from 10:30a.m. Coffee Shop: Mon.—Fri. 6:00a.m. Sat. 6:00a.m. Sun. 7:00a.m. Mon.—Wed. to 10:00p.m. Thurs—Sun. to 11:00p.m. |
| LANSDOWNE PARK SHOPPING CENTER Tel: 3562367 Add: 5300 No.3 Road Open: Mon. Tues. Sat. 9:30a.m.—5:30p.m. Wed. Thurs. Fri. 9:30a.m.—9:30p.m. Sun. 11:00a.m.—5:00p.m. |
NEW YORK MUSEUM Tel: 364431 Add: Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St. Open: Mon.to Fri. 9:00a.m.—5:00p.m. Sat. 9:00a.m.—1:00p.m. (Monday free) |
If you want to go out for lunch on Tuesday you can call up the number.
| A．2706630 | B．7364431 | C．3562367 | D．2785161 |
You do not have to pay on Monday if you go to.
| A．Skyline Hotel |
| B．Lansdowne Park Shopping Center |
| C．New York Museum |
| D．Garden Restaurant |
Suppose you want to enjoy yourself on Sunday mornings, you can go to.
| A．5300 No.3 Road |
| B．Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St. |
| C．9020 Bridgeport Road |
| D．3031 No.3 Road |
What can you do after 9:30p.m. on Sunday?
| A．Visit New York Museum. |
| B．Do some shopping in Lansdowne Park shopping Center |
| C．Go to Garden Restaurant |
| D．Go to the Coffee Shop of Skyline Hotel |
According to the ad, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．At 6:00 am every day coffee is served at SKYLINE HOTEL. |
| B．You can have supper every day at GARDEN RESTAURANT |
| C．Tel 2785161 can give you some information about shopping. |
| D．NEW YORK MUSEUM is open from Monday to Sunday. |
Mom and Dad are two of the most important people in your life. You probably see at least one of them every day. If your dad worships(崇拜) the Pittsburgh Stealers, you are likely to grow up being a big fun of that football team. And if your mom loves to read you just might grow up carrying everywhere you go, just like she does.
Here are four ways you can stay close and build a strong relationship with your parents.
1.Spent time together. How much time do you spend just enjoying each other’s company? Instead of playing a computer game or watching TV, maybe you can ask your mom and dad to play with you. Go outside together, try a board game, or read a book out.
2.Share your feelings and ask for help. Your mom or dad may not know that you are having a problem. Tell a parent if you are sad or struggling with something.
3.Show your care. Some families are always kissing, hugging, and saying “I love you”. It’s important to show that you care for each other. In addition to kisses and hugs, kids and parents show their love by respecting each other, being caring, polite, and thoughtful.
4.Whatever you do, do your best! You don’t have to be perfect, but when you do your best, you make your parents proud. It makes them happy to see how you are turning into such a great kid. Why? Because it lets them know they’re doing a good job.The first paragraph mainly tells us___________.
| A．the Pittsburgh Stealers is a famous football team |
| B．the kid will like reading if his or her mother likes |
| C．parents influence(影响) their kids greatly. |
| D．we should follow our parents’ hobbies. |
In the third paragraph, the author suggests that ____________.
| A．you keep your parents company all the time |
| B．you stay at home with your parents |
| C．you do something together with your parents. |
| D．you enjoy games when your parents watch TV |
The underlined part “they’re doing a good job” means_____________.
| A．they have very good jobs |
| B．their jobs can bring the family much money |
| C．they make you become a great kid |
| D．they make you find a good job. |
The text intends to（旨在）tell us______________.
| A．parents are important to everyone |
| B．how we get along with our parents |
| C．to respect our parents |
| D．to share feelings with our parents |
If your recurring(经常性的)dreams are worrying you，you can rest assured and needn’t worry．Psychologists say in the vast majority of these cases，this is just the mind’s way of dealing with stress and conflicts，problems and concerns．It’s a good thing．
They call be surprisingly vivid and real，or fragmented and weird．They can be comforting or frightening．Our dreams can tell us a lot about what we are really thinking．Dreams give us an x-ray of our unconsciousness(潜意识)．They tell us，particularly when we are at life’s passages or turning points．
Lisa Oppenheim had the same dream whenever she was about to move to a new home or a new city．It’s always just a feeling of needing to stay safe．Experts say disturbing dreams often occur around major life events．For Lisa，it was moving．For others，it can be marriage or divorce，the death of a loved one or pressure at work．
Doctor Siegel has studied the meaning of dream for nearly 30 years．He believes stressful or upsetting dreams can be a sign of what’s buried deep inside our minds．
He said．“Dreams are important to survival．They are crucial to the balance of our psyche(心灵)．They help us work out problems that we’re having every single day．They go to the cutting edge of what’s stressful，what’s bothering us and what we’re working out in our lives．Dreams can guide us and in order to find that guidance，to find that deep source of wisdom that’s in our dreams every night，we need to pay attention to our dreams．”
But many dreams are scary and horrible．How can we understand these nightmares? Doctor Siegel says they are reflecting especially intense emotion or unresolved conflict．The stronger the emotion in the dream，whether it’s pleasure or fear，the likelier the dream is to be important．
Knowing what your recurring dreams or nightmares mean can be liberating．Some nightmares can be a sign of serious psychological problems，such as post-dramatic stress disorder．If they are extremely disturbing or violent or the cause of severe anxiety，you should see a professional therapist(治疗专家)．By saying “Dreams give US an x-ray of our unconsciousness,” the author means that dreams
| A．do harm to our mind | B．show us our real mind |
| C．solve our stress in mind | D．give us a turning point in mind |
People will have recurring dreams when they_______________．
| A．1ive with great pressure or have great events |
| B．do the same things all their lives |
| C．move to a new home or a new city |
| D．are comforted or frightened |
Which of the following is true according to Doctor Siegel?
| A．Dreams play a very important role in the world’s balance． |
| B．Dreams help us find out the problems we need to solve． |
| C．We should pay attention to every dream we have． |
| D．Only the dreams with pleasure are important to us． |
How should we deal with the recurring nightmares?
| A．We should remember them because they are important to us． |
| B．We can ignore them since they are just reflecting our emotions． |
| C．We need to take some sleeping pills to stop this serious problem． |
| D．We should see a psychological doctor if they are seriously disturbing |
The purpose of the passage is_________________．
| A．to introduce a variety of dreams |
| B．to offer some advice on avoiding nightmares |
| C．to compare recurring dreams with nightmares |
| D．to ease our anxiety on recurring dreams |