E
A different sort of generation gap is developing in the workplace.Someone-specifically the fatherdaughter team of Larry and Meagan Johnson-has figured out that on some American job sites，five generations are working side by side.
In their new book about generations in the workplace the pair argue that while such an age difference adds a lot of texture and a variety of life experiences，it can also bring tensions and conflicts.
The Johnsons are humanresource trainers and public speakers.Dad Larry is a former healthcare executive;daughter Meagan is a onetime highlevel sales manager.
Here are the oldest and youngest of the five generations they identify：
They call the oldest group Traditionals，born before 1945.They were heavily influenced by the lessons of the Great Depression and World War Ⅱ.They respect authority, set a high standard of workmanship，and communicate easily and confidently.But they're also stubbornly independent.They want their opinions heard.
At the other extreme are what the Johnsons call Linksters，born after 1995 into today's more complicated，multimedia world.They live and breathe technology and are often social activists.
You won't find many 15year olds in the offices of large companies，except as volunteers，of course，but quite old and quite young workers do come together in sales environments like bike shops and ice cream stores.
The Johnsons，Larry and Meagan，represent a generation gap themselves in their work with jobsite issues.The Johnsons' point is that as the average lifespan continues to rise and retirement dates get delayed because of the tight economy，people of different generations are working side by side，more often bringing with them very different ideas about company loyalty and work values.
The five generations are heavily influenced by quite different events，social trends，and the cultural phenomena of their times.Their experiences shape their behavior and make it difficult，sometimes，for managers to achieve a strong and efficient workplace.
Larry and Meagan Johnson discuss all this in greater detail in a new book，“Generations，Inc.：From Boomers to Linksters-Managing the Friction Between Generations at Work.”published by Amacom Press，which is available in all good bookstores from this Friday.
【语篇解读】 本文通过介绍一对父女出版的新书向我们解释了现代社会出现的一种新现象：不同的几代人可能在同一个公司上班，而他们之间的这种“代沟”导致了他们在工作时观点不一……
51.The type of generation gap in Paragraph 1 refers to the difference in beliefs________.
A.between managers and workers
B.among family members
C.among employees
D.between older and newer companies
解析 推理判断题。根据文章第一段第一句话中的in the workplace和该段最后一句话中的five generations are working side by side，可知文章中讨论的generation gap是有关在同一公司上班的员工之间的不同观念。因此C项正确。
答案 C
52.Which of the following statements is NOT true about Traditionals?
A.They've learned much from war and economic disaster.
B.They're difficult to work with as they are stubborn.
C.They respect their boss and hope to be respected.
D.They're independent workers with great confidence.
解析 细节理解题。根据文章第五段内容可知，所谓的Traditionals是指1945年以前出生的人。根据这一段有关这类人的描述可知，A、C、D三项都是正确的，只有B项与原文内容不符。
答案 B
53.According to the passage，the Linksters are usually________.
A.found working in the offices of large companies
B.influenced by multimedia and technology
C.enthusiastic multimedia activists
D.ice cream sellers
解析 细节理解题。根据第六段内容可知B项正确。
答案 B
54.According to the passage，modern workforces are more diverse because________.
A.people want to increase their average lifespan
B.many young people are entering the workforce
C.employees with different values can benefit their companies
D.retirement dates are being delayed for economic reasons
解析 细节理解题。根据文章倒数第三段最后一句话可知D项正确，即由于经济的原因，退休年龄推迟，进而导致不同时代的人在一起上班。
答案 D
55.What's the main purpose of the passage?
A.To promote a new book by Larry and Meagan Johnson.
B.To describe the five different workplace generations.
C.To introduce the Johnsons' research about diverse workforces.
D.To identify a major problem in modern workforces.
解析 推理判断题。文章最后一段的大意是：Larry和Meagan Johnson在他们的新书里仔细讨论了这个问题，由Amacom出版社出版，从本周五在所有书店里都能买到。由这段的内容可知，本文的写作目的是介绍一本新书。另外，第二段中的In their new book about generations也是答案提示。由此可知，A项正确。
答案 A
