Selection Test: The Automation Paradox

Which is the author’s central claim in “The Automation Paradox”?

• Computer automation will likely be responsible for the loss of most jobs.

• Computer automation should allow workers to avoid the need for advanced training.

• Computer automation will likely increase the number of jobs in certain fields rather than decreasing them.

• Computer automation should be welcomed like other technological advances in the past have been.

Which quotation from 'The Automation Paradox' best supports the answer to Part A?

• It turns out that workers will have greater employment opportunities if their occupation undergoes some degree of computer automation. (paragraph 2)

• Take the legal industry as an example. Computers are taking over some of the work of lawyers and paralegals, and they’re doing a better job of it. (paragraph 3)

• Automation reduces the cost of a product or service, and lower prices tend to attract more customers. (paragraph 6)

• Some trade groups are promoting skill-certification programs, which allow employers to recognize skills acquired through experience. (paragraph 11)

The word automation comes from the Greek prefix auto-, meaning “self.” Based on this information, what is the best definition of the word automation as it is used in 'The Automation Paradox'?

• Technology primarily used within the workforce

• Technology that involves the use of advanced computers

• Technology that operates on its own without human support

• Technology mostly used in factories in place of human workers

What is the effect of the author’s use of graphs in 'The Automation Paradox'?

• It provides a visual representation of data.

• It confuses the readers.

• It has no effect on the text.

• It makes the text longer.

Read this sentence from paragraph 2 of "Heads up, Humans."

If you're tempted to shrug off concern about this phenomenon because you assume that the wonders of technology will somehow create new and better jobs, you should be aware that research tells another story.

What is the effect of this direct address?

• It feels as if the author is speaking to employers.

• If feels as if the author is speaking personally to the reader.

• It creates a sense of distance between the author and the reader.

• It appears that the author doesn't care about the reader's opinion.

Which two reasons best explain why the author included paragraph 5 in "Heads Up, Humans"?

• According to a new report by a multi-national accounting and consulting firm based in London, 38% of U.S. jobs are at high risk of being replaced by robots and artificial intelligence over the next 15 years. (paragraph 3)

• Shipping companies have made headlines with self-driving trucks carrying cargo across the country. (paragraph 4)

• In the U.S., roughly 180,000 taxi drivers, 600,000 ride share drivers, and 3.5 million truck drivers could end up displaced. (paragraph 4)

• "The last 200 years, we’ve had an incredible amount of automation," argues MIT economist David Autor. (paragraph 6)

• Jerry Kaplan, an artificial intelligence expert who’s founded multiple technology startups, has written a book called Humans Need Not Apply. (paragraph 8)

Which quotation from "Heads Up, Humans" expresses an opposing viewpoint to the author’s argument?

• They say that people who are displaced from jobs will find new and better occupations that will be created by the economic shift. (paragraph 5)

• Today, the new industries are unlikely to need many human bodies or minds because technology can do the work for less cost. (paragraph 7)

• There is no evidence that recent advances in technology have so far offered the majority of workers better pay or positions. (paragraph 9)

• It’s tempting to avoid thinking about it, especially because solutions aren’t obvious. (paragraph 11)

Which sentence effectively uses the active voice?

• A) It is feared that our reliance on computers and other forms of technology will increase unemployment levels.

• B) Many people fear that our reliance on computers and other forms of technology will increase unemployment levels.

• C) Our reliance on computers and other forms of technology will increase unemployment levels is a fear of many people.

What do the endnotes on page 56 in “Heads Up, Humans” suggest about the author’s research for her argument?

• A) She relied on internet publications.

• B) She strictly used statistical sources.

• C) She primarily focused on opinion pieces.

• D) She consulted a variety of sources.