59. The main purpose of the passage is to
________.
A. tell a story
B. provide facts
C. give advice
D. compare opinions
B
David, a typical American,
stays home on workdays. He just plugs into his personal computer terminal(终端)to link up with his office. After work, he watches a movie on his
home video recorder, or challenges himself to a game of electronic baseball. On
many days, David does not talk to any other human beings, and he doesn’t see
any people except the ones on television. David is imaginary, but his lifestyle
is very possible. The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting off
from contact with our fellow beings.
The world of business is one
area in which technology is isolating(隔离) us. Experts predict, for example, that many people will soon be
able to work at home. With access to a large central computer, employees such
as insurance agents, secretaries, and accountants(会计) could do their jobs at display terminals in their own homes. They
would never have to actually see the people they are dealing with. In addition,
the way employees are paid will change. Workers’ salaries will automatically(自动地) be credited(计入…名下) to their bank accounts. No workers will stand in line to receive
their pay or cash their checks. Personal banking will change too. Customers(客户) will deal with machines to save or draw money from their accounts.
Bank loans(贷款)will be approved or
refused, not in an interview with a loan officer, but through a display screen.
Another area that technology
is changing is entertainment. Music, for example, was once a group experience. People
listened to music at halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now,
however, music is a solitary(孤独的) experience.
Walking along the street or sitting in their living room, they wear headphones
to build a wall of music around them. Many more are choosing to wait for a film
to appear on television or are renting videocassettes(录像带) to watch at home.
Instead of being involved with the
laughter, applause, or hisses(尖叫声) of the
audience, viewers watch movie in the isolation of their living rooms.
Our games and sports are so changing. Rather than play hide-seek games
or baseball after school, children now rush to the local video arcade(有拱顶的楼) to stare at their individual(个人的) electronic playing fields. They are no longer interested in
competing or interacting with each other.
Technology, then, seem to be driving human beings apart. Soon, we may no
longer need to communicate with other human beings to do our work, entertain
ourselves, or play the games we enjoy. Machines will be the co-workers and
partners of the future.
