Steve, a typical American, stays home on workdays. He plugs into his personal computer terminal (終端) in order to hook 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, Steve does not talk to any other human beings, and he does not see any people except the ones on television. Steve is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible. The inventions of modem technology seem to be cutting us off from contact with our fellow human beings.

　　The world of business is one area in which technology is isolating 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(保險公司), secretaries, and accountants(會計(jì))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 be credited (記入……名下) to their pay or cash their checks. Personal banking will change, too. Customers will deal with machines to deposit or withdraw money from their accounts. Bank loans (貸款) will be approved or rejected, not in an interview with a loan officer, but through a display on a computer screen.

　　Another area that technology is changing is entertainment. Music, for instance, was once a group experience. People listened to music at contact halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now, however, music is a solitary (孤獨(dú)的) experience. Walking along the street or sitting in their living rooms, 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 to watch at home. Instead of being involved with the laughter, applause, or hisses (尖叫聲) of the audience, viewers watch movie in the isolation of their living moms.

　　Our games and sports are also changing. Rather than play tag (捉人游戲) or baseball after school, children now rush to the local video arcade to stare at their individual electronic playing fields. They are no longer interested in competing or interacting with each other.

　　Technology, then, seems to be driving human beings apart. Soon, we may no longer need to communicate with other human beings in order to do our work, entertain ourselves, or play the games we enjoy. Machines will be the coworkers and companions of the future.

1．The first paragraph presents the reader with a description of Steve's ________.

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2．The phrase“With access to a large central computer”in paragraph 2 can be best paraphrased as ________.

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A．“Owing to a large central computer”

B．“With a visit to a large central computer”

C．“With the help of a large central computer”

D．“Knowing how to operate a large central computer”

3．Technology is changing the world of business in that ________.

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A．machines will take over the work usually done by human beings

B．labor and time will be saved

C．people will be able to work at home

D．people will be kept well-informed through a display on a computer screen

4．From this selection we can conclude that ________.

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A．the author welcomes modem technology with open arms

B．modern technology is faultless in the author's eyes

C．the author only looks the dark side of modem technology

D．the author is strongly against modern technology

5．Which of the following is Not true according to the passage?

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A．The changes modern techno logy is bringing to people's life may be many.

B．There are a lot of side effects of modem technology.

C．People are becoming more and more solitary with modem technology.

D．None of the above.