Passage
Five Telecommuting—substituting the computer for the trip to the
job—has been hailed as a solution to all kinds of problems related to office
work. For workers it promises freedom from the office, less time wasted in
traffic, and help with performers on board, minimizes tardiness and absenteeism
by eliminating commutes, allows periods of solitude for high-concentration
tasks, and provides scheduling flexibility. In some areas, such as Southern
California and Seattle, Washington, local governments are encouraging companies
to start telecommuting programs in order to reduce rush-hour congestion and
improve air quality. But these benefits do not come easily. Making a
telecommuting program work requires careful planning and an understanding of the
differences between telecommuting realities and popular images. Many workers are
seduced by rosy illusions of life as a telecommuter. A computer programmer from
New York City moves to the tranquil Adirondack Mountains and stays in contact
with her office via computer. A manager comes into his office three days a week
and works at home the other two. An accountant stays home to care for her sick
child; she hooks up her telephone modem connections and does office work between
calls to the doctor. These are powerful images, but they are a limited
reflection of reality. Telecommuting workers soon learn that it is almost
impossible to concentrate on work and care for a young child at the same time.
Before a certain age, young children cannot recognize much less respect, the
necessary boundaries between work and family. Additional child support is
necessary if the parent is to get any work done. Management, too, must separate
the myth from the reality. Although the media has paid a great deal of attention
to telecommuting, in most cases it is the employee’s situation, not the
availability of technology, which precipitates a telecommuting arrangement. That
is partly why, despite the widespread press coverage, the number of companies
with work-at-home programs or policy guidelines remains small. Which of the following is an example of telecommuting as described in
the passage
A. A scientist in a laboratory developing plans for a space station
B. A technician sending via computer documents created at home
C. A computer technician repairing an office computer network
D. A teacher directing computer-assisted learning in a private
school