In the last 12 years total employment in the United States grew faster than at any time in the peacetime history of any country from 82 to 110 million between 1973 and 1985 that is, by a full one third. The entire growth, however, was in manufacturing, and especially in no blue-collar jobs
This trend is the same in all developed countries, and is, indeed, even more pronounced in Japan. It is therefore highly probable that in 25 years developed countries such as the United States and Japan will employ no larger a proportion of the labor force I n manufacturing than developed countries now employ in farming at most, 10 percent. Today the United States employs around 18 million people in blue-collar jobs in manufacturing industries. By 2010, the number is likely to be no more than 12 million. In some major industries the drop will be even sharper. It is quite unrealistic, for instance, to expect that the American automobile industry will employ more than one third of its present blue-collar force 25 years hence, even though production might be 50 percent higher.
If a company, an industry or a country does not in the next quarter century sharply increase manufacturing production and at the same time sharply reduce the blue-collar work force, it cannot hope to remain competitive or even to remain developed. The attempt to preserve such blue collar jobs is actually a prescription for unemployment
This is not a conclusion that American politicians, labor leaders or indeed the general public can easily understand or accept. What confuses the issue even more it that the United States is experiencing several separate and different shifts in the manufacturing economy. One is the acceleration of the substitution of knowledge and capital for manual labor. Where we spoke of mechanization a few decades ago, we now speak of robotization or automation. This is actually more a change in terminology than a change in reality. When Henry Ford introduced the assembly line in 1909, he cut the number of man hours required to produce a motor car by some 80 percent in two or three years far more than anyone expects to result from even the most complete robotization. But there is no doubt that we are facing a new, sharp acceleration in the replacement of manual workers by machines that is, by the products of knowledge.
1.According to the author, the shrinkage in the manufacturing labor force demonstrates______.
A.the degree to which a countrys production is robotized
B.a reduction in a countrys manufacturing industries
C.a worsening relationship between labor and management
D.the difference between a developed country and a developing country
2.According to the author, in coming 25years, a developed country or industry, in order t remain competitive, ought to ______.
A.reduce the percentage of the blue-collar work force
B.preserve blue collar jobs for international competition
C.accelerate motor can manufacturing in Henry Fords style
D.solve the problem of unemployment
3.American politicians and labor leaders tend to dislike_____.
A.confusion in manufacturing economy
B.an increase in blue collar work force
C.internal competition in manufacturing production
D.a drop in the blue collar job opportunities
4.The word prescription in a prescription for unemployment may be the equivalent to ______
A.something recommended as medical treatment
B.a way suggested to overcome some difficulty
C.some measures taken in advance
D.a device to dire
5.This passage may have been excepted from ________
A.a magazine about capital investment
B.an article on automation
C.a motor-car magazine
D.an article on global economy
答案:AADCD
上一篇: 英语六级考试标准的阅读13
下一篇: 2013年大学英语六级考试阅读的训练题6
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业29
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业13
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业2
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业12
国内英语资讯:Chinese vice premier stresses community health care
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业25
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业6
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业5
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业15
国际英语资讯:Instant noodle maker says Chinese mainland business as usual
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业18
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业24
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业27
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业16
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业1
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业28
国内英语资讯:Chinas top leadership urges more efforts to ensure food safety
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业21
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业10
国际英语资讯:New UN chief calls for reform, collective efforts to achieve UN goals
国际英语资讯:Turkey to extend state of emergency for 3 more months
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业32
体坛英语资讯:Zidane admits he wants Pepe to sign new Madrid deal
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业31
全球领导人新年贺词都说了些啥?
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业14
一周热词榜(12.24-30)[1]-30)
体坛英语资讯:Chilean national soccer team eyes China Cup title
2016届北师大版高三一轮总复习英语课时作业17
2016高三英语总复习 Unit 24 Society课时作业 北师大版