单项选择题

A new direction, resulting from changing values and life styles, is the increase in part-time or job-shared work. (26) numbers of people are reducing their (27) and job responsibilities in order to (28) time for other pursuits--sharing child-caring responsibilities or developing fuller lives for themselves. They may want to learn new skills, (29) or conduct research, take part in sports, (30) simply live with less pressure. Some aim to avoid entry into higher tax brackets. Many (31) are old enough to retire prefer (32) in the mainstream of life by working a few hours a day or (33) a week. Twenty-one percent of the (34) force is now working on a pan-time (35) , according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many jobs have been (36) --or totally restructured--so that two people can work (37) what was formerly one full-time job. In other (38) , people create a new way of working together, (39) different aspects of the responsibility. Sometimes (40) work fulltime during peak periods but then merely cover for each other in less busy times.