Labor's concern over automation arises from uncertainty about the effects on employment．And fears of major changes in jobs．In the main，labor has taken the view that resistance to technical change is unfruitful. Eventually, 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．The interest of labor lies in bringing about the transition with a minimum of inconvenience and distress to the 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 benefit plans．It is emphasized that since the employer involved in such a plan has a direct financial interest in preventing unemployment，he will have a strong drive for planning new installations so as to cause the least possible problems in jobs and job assignments．Some unions are working for dismissal pay agreements，requiring that permanently dismissed 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 possible，however，that 1abor will rely mainly on reduction in working hours in order to gain a full share in the fruits of automation．
The idea of the "improvement factor" (1ine 7，paragraph 2)implies roughly_____.
A wages should be paid on the basis of length of service
B the benefit of the increased production and lower costs should be shared by workers
C supplementary unemployment benefit plans should be promoted
D the transition to automation should be brought about with the minimum of inconvenience and distress to workers
本題要求應(yīng)試者根據(jù)上下文理解improvement factor(增值因素)的含義。在文章的第二段第七行，提出"增值因素"是要求隨著生產(chǎn)率的提高，工資也要相應(yīng)地提高；而生產(chǎn)率的提高就是增加生產(chǎn)，降低成本(第一段最后一句)。因而選項(xiàng)B是正確答案。選項(xiàng)A，把解雇金協(xié)議(dismissal pay agreements)，即根據(jù)服務(wù)期長(zhǎng)短給長(zhǎng)期解雇者一筆錢(qián)(第二段第四句)，與"增值因素"的內(nèi)容混淆起來(lái)，說(shuō)明文章和題目有時(shí)并不難，但粗心大意會(huì)導(dǎo)致應(yīng)試者答錯(cuò)題。選項(xiàng)C是講另一種勞工利益保護(hù)措施的，即失業(yè)者補(bǔ)助金計(jì)劃；而選項(xiàng)D是講工人們對(duì)自動(dòng)化所關(guān)切的問(wèn)題(第一段第六行)。