These days more and more people prefer to work at home. With recent advances in technology, including the Web, email, intranets, modems, cheaper fax machines and voice mail, working at home has become a popular choice. There are certain benefits that you would love. Please consider the following pros and cons before you decide to work at home.
If you work at home, you are free to do as you please. You are the boss. Besides, there is no commute. You won’t waste your time traveling from home to work. The only thing you do is walk 10 seconds. Another good thing about working at home is that you can work in shorts and a T-shirt. No one looks over your shoulder. If you are married or have children at home, this type of work situation could be especially convenient for you.
However, there are things that can be disadvantageous. Firstly, it takes a phenomenal amount of self-discipline to start work when you know you don’t have to be at the office by 8 a.m. You are the only person around all day, so there is no outside pressure to be busy. That means you must be entirely self-motivated. Secondly, working at home can be messy and can take up an entire spare room in your home.
Working at home can be a great solution for certain people. You need to ask yourself, “Does this work style fit in with what I want and how I am most effective?” If you do work at home, it is important to treat your study (or wherever you work) like a real office. Close the door at 6 p.m. and don’t open it until you are beginning work the next morning. You also need to be consistent with your hours. Act like you are at the office and not at home, and you stand a good chance of actually being productive.
Adapted from the original source: http://career-advice.monster.com/in-the-office/work-life-balance/pros-cons-of-working-from-home/article.aspx
1. The text discusses … .
A. advantages and disadvantages of working at home
B. pros and cons of being the boss for yourself
C. strengths and weaknesses of doing business at home
D. positive and negative sides of doing house work
E. advantages and disadvantages of self-discipline
2. Working at home has become popular because of … .
A. pressure
B. fax machines
C. self-motivation
D. technology advances
E. need for higher income
3. What does the word commute in paragraph 2 mean?
A. taking a bus ride to work
B. driving car to work
C. traveling from home to work
D. doing work in the office
E. working in the study
4. According to the text, one good thing about working at home is that you … .
A. can get up anytime
B. can work like a man
C. can walk 10 seconds
D. can wear casual clothes
E. can get outside pressure
5. Another good thing about working at home is that you can spend more time with … .
A. family
B. children
C. yourself
D. parents
E. co-workers
6. One disadvantage of working at home is that … .
A. you will be very busy all the time
B. you must work harder than anybody else
C. you have to be at office by 8.00
D. you should get pressure
E. you must be highly disciplined
7. The writer closes the text with … .
A. question mark
B. conclusion
C. recommendations
D. considerations
E. advice
