Automation refers to the introduction of electronic control and automatic operation of productive machinery. It reduces the huma

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问题     Automation refers to the introduction of electronic control and automatic operation of productive machinery. It reduces the human factors, mental and physical, in production, and is designed to make possible the manufacture of more goods with fewer workers. The development of automation in American industry has been called the "Second Industrial Revolution".
    Labor’s concern over automation arises from uncertainty about its effects on employment, and fears of major changes in jobs.  In the main, labor has taken the view that resistance to technological change is futile. In the long run, the result of automation may well be an increase in employment, since it is expected that vast industries will grow up around manufacturing, maintaining and repairing automation equipment. Unquestionably, however, there will be major shifts in jobs within plants, and displacement of labor from one industry to another. The interest of labor lies in bringing about this transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers involved. Also, union spokesmen emphasize that the benefit of the increased production and lower costs made possible by automation should be shared by workers in the form of higher wages, more leisure, and improved living standards.
    To protect the interests of their members in the era of automation, unions have adopted a number of new policies. One of these is the promotion of supplementary unemployment benefits plans. It is emphasized that since the employer involved in a SUB plan has a direct financial stake in preventing unemployment, he will have a strong incentive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible disruption in jobs and job assignments. Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements, requiring that permanently laid off workers be paid a sum of money based on length of service. Another approach is the idea of the "improvement factor", which calls for wage increases based on increases in productivity. It is probable, however, that labor will rely mainly on reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation.
In order to get full benefits of automation, labor will depend mostly on______.

选项 A、dismissal pay agreements
B、the reduction of working hours
C、the increase of wages in proportion to the increase in productivity
D、strong incentives for planning new installations

答案D

解析 文章最后一段最后一句话指出“劳工们将主要依靠减少工作时间来享受自动化的果实。”因此为了获得自动化带来的最大效益,劳工们应主要依靠减少工作时间。故选B)。
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