PASSAGE 14
An Observation and Explanation
It is worth looking at one or two aspects of the way a mother behaves towards her baby. The usual fondling， cuddling and cleaning requite1 little comment， but the position in which she holds the baby against her body when resting is rather revealing. Careful studies have shown the fact that 80 per cent of mothers hold their infants in their left arms， holding them against the left side of their bodies. If asked to explain the significance of this preference most people reply that it is obviously the result of the predominance of right-handedness in the population. By holding the babies in their left arms， the mothers keep their dominant2 arm free for manipulations. But a detailed3 analysis shows that this is not the case. True， there is a slight difference between right-handed and left-handed females； but not enough to provide an adequate explanation. It emerges that 83 per cent of right-handed mothers hold the baby on the left side， but so do 78 per cent of left-handed mothers. In other words， only 22 per cent of the left-handed mothers have their dominant hands free for actions. Clearly there must be some other， less obvious explanation.
The only other clue comes from the fact that the heart is on the left side of the mother's body. Could it be that the sound of her heart-beat is the vital factor？ And in what way？ Thinking along these lines it was argued that perhaps during its existence inside the body of the mother the unborn baby gets used to the sound of the heart beat. If this is so， then the re-discovery of this familiar sound after birth might have a calming effect on the infant， especially as it has just been born into a strange and frighteningly new world. If this is so then the mother would， somehow， soon arrive at the discovery that her baby is more at peace if held on the left against her heart， than on the right.
1. We can learn a lot by observing the position in which a mother holds her baby against her body
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
2. Most left-handed women feel comfortable by holding their baby in their left arm and keep the right arm free
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
3. The number of right-handed mothers who hold the baby on the left side exceeds that of left-handed ones by 22%
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
4. The fact that most left-handed mothers hol
d the baby on their left side renders the first explanation unsustainable
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
5. The fact that the heart is on the left side of the mother's body provides the most convincing explanation of all
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
6. A baby held in the right arm of its mother can be easily frightened
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
7. The writer's explanation of the phenomenon is supported by the fact that babies tend to be more peaceful if held in their mothers' left arms than in the right arms
A. Right B. Wrong C. Not mentioned
KEY： ACBABCA
PASSAGE 15
The Worker's Role in Management
Traditionally， it has been the worker's role to worker and management's role to mange. Managers have planned and directed the firm's operation with little thought consulting the labor4 force. Managers have rarely felt compelled to obtain the worker's opinions or to explain their decisions to their employees. At most， companies have provided suggestion boxes in which workers could place ideas for improving procedures. In recent years， however， many management specialists have been arguing that workers are more than sellers of labor-they have a vital stake in the company and many be able to make significant contributions to its management. Furthermore， major company decisions profoundly affect workers and their dependents. This is particularly true of plant closings， which may put thousands on the unemployment lines. Should workers， then， play a stronger role in management？
Workers should have a role in management. At the very least， the labor force should be informed of major policy decisions. （A common complaint among rank-and-file workers is the lack of information about company policies and actions.） Between 1980 and 1985 about five million workers were the victims of plant closings and permanent layoffs5， often with no warning. At least 90 day's notice ought to be given in such instances so that workers have time to adjust. Management should consult workers before closing a plant， because the workers might be able to suggest ways of improving productivity and reducing cosplayts and might be willing to make concessions6 that will keep the plant operating.
It should become a general practice to include workers in some managerial decision making. There ought to be representatives of the workers on the firm's board of directors or other major policymaking groups. If rank-and-file workers are given a voice in the planning and management of the work flow， they will help to make improvement， their morale7 will rise， and their productivity will increase. As a further incentive8， they must be given a share in the company's profits. This can be done through employee stockownership plans， bonuses， or rewards for efficiency and productivity. Finally， when a plant can no longer operate at a profit， the workers should be given the opportunity to purchase the plant and run it themselves.
1. Traditional workers showed no interest in management.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
2. In recent years many management specialists have been arguing for the worker's role in management with two major reasons.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
3. Since policy decisions are business secrets of a firm， workers should not be informed of them.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
4. Before closing， a plant should put up a notice and keep it for 90 days.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
5. The workers' participation9 in management might save a plant from closing down.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
6. One of the advantages of involving workers in making a decision is that the interpersonal relationship between workers and managers can be improved.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
7. An efficient and productive worker should be rewarded with anything but shares of his plant.
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. No mentioned
Key： CABBACB
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