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Skimming for Main Ideas

Read these paragraphs quickly. Do not use a dictionary and do not worry about the details. Write the topic and topic sentence for each paragraph.

Telecommuting


1		A As cities become more expensive and crowded, workers often have to move farther away from their offices in order to find affordable housing in desirable neighborhoods. Sometimes they have to travel an hour or more to work and back and endure a lot of traffic. One popular alternative to the frustrating morning commute is telecommuting. Telecommuting involves working from home and communicating with an employer by phone, fax, or computer. Changing technology makes telecommuting increasingly easy and popular. Some telecommuters work at home full time, while others go into the office one or two days and work at home the rest of the week. It is estimated that between 18 and 23 million people telecommute in the United States, and between 1.6 and 2 million people telecommute in both the U.K. and Germany. And the numbers are growing. Why are so many people telecommuting? What are the advantages, and do they outweigh the disadvantages? Topic: _______ Topic sentence:______



2		B Telecommuting has many advantages. In addition to saving people from the stressful morning commute, it also allows for more flexibility in the workplace. Telecommuters can plan their own schedules; they can customize their work environments; and they can work from anywhere. Often, people with children like to telecommute because it means building a work schedule around family demands and commitments. Additionally, home-offices can provide good tax benefits for telecommuters. Finally, for those who don't like the office atmosphere, office politics, or those long, never-ending meetings, telecommuting can provide a release. Telecommuting not only provides advantages to the worker, it benefits the environment as well. It contributes to cleaner air (less pollution emitted from cars), decreased traffic, and job growth in rural areas that might not otherwise offer employment options. Topic: ______ Topic sentence: ______



3		C Telecommuting has disadvantages as well. For instance, some workers may telecommute not out of choice but because the employer doesn't wish to provide office space, a work station, or the benefits that on-site employees receive. Another drawback is that not everyone can telecommute. Certain jobs, such as media and publishing, consulting, sales, and telemarketing lend themselves better to telecommuting than others. Some people find it very difficult to work at home. The TV, the refrigerator, the bed, e-mail, and the telephone can be big distractions for telecommuters. On the other hand, some telecommuters can't separate work from home and have a tendency to overwork. Other disadvantages of telecommuting include the difficulty of office relationships. Sometimes if a worker splits his or her time between home and the office, co-workers who don't have the opportunity to work at home might feel resentful. Managers might feel powerless to control employees who aren't on site. Finally, if working from home makes you feel isolated or lonely, then telecommuting is probably not for you. Topic: ______ Topic sentence: ______



4		D Jeff and Nancy found a way to use telecommuting to change their lives. "Not only do we have a better lifestyle, we have a better life," says Nancy. Three years ago, the couple sold their Manhattan apartment and bought a mobile home. When they are not traveling around the United States, they live in their adobe bungalow in Santa Fe, New Mexico. "When we saw Santa Fe, we fell in love with the place immediately. But before selling our New York apartment, we spent the year making connections and researching our options for work that we could do." Nancy does work for a publisher, and Jeff works as an independent consultant. Both invested in laptops and say that technology such as wireless Web access and cell phones help them when they're on the road. Recently, Nancy wrote a cookbook for campers that she has started selling through specialty catalogs and Websites. "Through telecommuting we are able to make enough money to survive without dipping into our nest egg, and we haven't given up any of the things we enjoy. Telecommuting is our livelihood." Topic: ______ Topic sentence: ______



5		E According to statistics, the number of telecommuters in the United States rose by 3 million between 1999 and 2000. Will the numbers continue to rise as quickly? Will telecommuting continue to grow? If technology continues to improve, perhaps everyone will be working in "virtual offices" and the traditional office will disappear. No one knows for sure, but we can be certain that telecommuting is not a fad. It is a practical alternative to the traditional office job, an alternative which is here to stay. Topic: ______ Topic sentence: ______

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