Reading Comprehension TOEFL Exams 37

TOEFL Exams: Reading Comprehension - Lesson 37 (Đọc hiểu - TOEFL - Bài 37) 

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The loss of jobs and persistent unemployment in the industrial countries is due mainly to changes in technology. It is thought to be misleading to blame job losses on the shift of corporations from the industrial countries to the Third World.

5 The present technological developments have been compared to a Third Industrial Revolution. The first, coming in the 19th century, was characterized by the steam engine and the use of coal. In the 1920s the second emerged with the use of oil and the electrodynamo. The 10 third, and present one, is driven by computers, biotechnology and information technology.

However, there can be seen weaknesses in the newest of industrial revolutions. The technology is advancing so fast and productivity 15 is rising so fast that we are left with a big problem. Because of the loss in jobs, caused largely by this new technology, there will not be enough people with money to buy all these products.

Technology has definitely enhanced our standard of living, even our 20 quality of life. But as the capacity to produce expands and the lack of purchasing power and consequent demand diminish, there can be overproduction and recession, and what happens to our standard of living?

1. What is the main point the author is making?
(A) That technology is the main cause of unemployment.
(B) That the industrial countries have more unemployment than the Third World.
(C) That corporations have shifted to the Third World.
(D) That the present situation is like in the Industrial Revolution.
2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of one of the industrial revolutions?
(A) The use of oil.
(B) The use of the computer.
(C) The use of coal.
(D) The use of electricity.
3. What is stated as being the main weakness of the Third Industrial Revolution?
(A) There will not be enough money around.
(B) There won't be enough products for everyone to buy.
(C) There will be too few people who can afford to buy things.
(D) There will be too many machines in the factories.
4. Why does the author think that there won't be enough people to buy the products?
(A) People will not be able to keep up with technology.
(B) Many people will be unemployed.
(C) There will be too many products.
(D) Productivity will not be high enough.
5. What do we infer is the author's attitude to technology?
(A) It has improved our quality of life.
(B) It has improved our purchasing power.
(C) It has created more jobs.
(D) It is not responsible for the recession.