四、閱讀測驗
Many of us who have grown up in the digital age are quite confident in our multitasking abilities. After all, today’s generation has been raised on using text messaging, instant messaging, cell phones, iPods, and PDAs all in conjunction with one another. However, new research suggests that multitasking actually hurts productivity in the workplace; what’s more, it can even be fatal in the wrong situation.
Studies have shown that when people are given two different tasks to do at the same time, the response to the second task is delayed. In one study, this delay was only about a second, which doesn’t seem like a big deal. Nevertheless, when put in the context of driving while talking on a cell phone, it becomes a great problem. When a person is driving at 100 kilometers per hour, a one-second delay in judgment could be the difference between life and death.
In the workplace, multitasking results in declining productivity. When expressed as dollars and cents, this lost productivity costs the American economy an estimated $650 billion per year! Here are some tips to avoid the negative aspects of multitasking. Only check email messages once per hour and avoid distractions such as music with lyrics and instant messaging.
【題組】48. According to the passage, which of the following is true?
(A) Multitasking in the workplace helps to increase productivity.
(B) People who are used to multitasking are more likely to get more job offers.
(C) People who drive at 100 kilometers per hour often show delay in judgment while driving.
(D) Multitasking in the workplace results in a great deal of cost in American economy every year.