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Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the
following passage:
The Japanese are fascinated by automata and
new inventions. Japanese children are used to friendly robots in their comics,
in toys, and in TV animated cartoons. When as adults they join the
workforce,robots mean that there is no need to import cheap foreign labor, as
happens in many other parts of the world. There is no need for humans to put up
with dirty, minddeadening mechanical work
the robot does it all without complaint, around the clock. Robots don't go on
strike over tea breaks they don't have tea, or any other kind of breaks:they
work, day and night, without having to be paid overtime, without making mistakes.
Human tasks are subject to human error: robot error seldom or never occurs
except as a result of human error!\;
In Japan, robots are almost respected for
their virtues. When a new robot is introduced to a small suburban factory, a
Shinto priest is invited to inaugurate it. He inaugurates the robot with words
along the lines of "Welcome to our coworker, we hope you'll help him settle in." No
one laughs.\;
FANUC demonstrates the Japanese tendency to
conform particularly strikingly. The founder of FANUC, Dr. Inaba, has created
an army that makes no distinction between bluecollar, whitecollar and steelcollar worker: everyone, including the warlord
himself, is dressed in yellow clothing issued free by the company. Perh
aps to make up for the boring nature of the
work, there are a number of other company perks. Company benefits, including
pay, are much higher than in similar companies in Japan. Travel to and from
work is provided free in the company's yellow buses. However, workers are
expected to put in demanding unpaid "overtime." There is a clock in
the product development laboratory set to run at ten times the normal speed,
the remind everyone that the company is on a war footing.\;
As we watched Dr. Inaba's yellow helicopter
soar away to Narita airport, we couldn't help thinking that his dream of world
domination in robotics and allied applications might be more elegantly achieved
if he had also thought to program his robots to whistle while they work.
36.According to the author, which of the
following is not true to the Japanese?
A) Robots mean there is no need to import
cheap foreign labor.
B) Robots mean that humans needn't do dirty
and noisy work.
C) Robots mean there are no strikes nor
overtimes.
D) Robots mean there is no mistake in any
form.
37.What can be inferred form the words
"He inaugurates the robot with words along the lines of 'Welcome to our coworker, we hope you'll help him settle
in.'No one laughs."?
A) The Japanese has no sense of humor while
at work.
B) The Japanese does not understand the
words of the Shinto priest.
C) The Japanese shows a true respect for
robots.
D) The Japanese goes too far in their
respect for robots.
38.Which of the following is not true about
FANUC?
A) Workers receive higher pay for working
overtime.
B) Workers enjoy free travel to and from
work.
C) Workers are doing boring, sometimes
demanding work.
D) Workers are reminded of being on a war
footing.
39.What is not implied in the following
works "we couldn't help thinking that his dream of world domination in
robotics and allied applications might be more elegantly achieved if he had
also thought to program his robots to whistle while they work."?
A) Our technology is not yet up to the
needs of Dr. Inaba's dream.
B) Dr. Inaba's dream of world domination in
robotics lacks humanity.
C) Dr. Inaba's dream of allied applications
is too practical.
D) The author is in favor of Dr. Inaba's
dream.
40.What does "our coworker" refer to in the sentence
"Welcome to our coworker,
we hope you'll help him settle in?"
A) Japanese workers who attend the
inauguration.
B) The introduced robot.
C) The people who have invented the robot.
D) Japanese workers in general.
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