dirty and there was anger in my face. My father laughed again and said, “Don’t
buy a used car unless you are a mechanic or own an automobile parts store.”
I knew he was right and got a tune-up the next day.
My car wasn’t perfect after that, but it got me to work and home again.
And I learned a lesson: if you’re going to buy a used car, you had better check
it out carefully. As for me, I hope to get rich and never have to drive a piece
of junk again.Exercise 4.14Sample answers are provided.
Computers Can Be Dumb
I was always afraid of computers. They were very mysterious to meand
made me feel like I was just a dumb human. Of course, they are just machines
and can’t think like a human. But I always felt that they were trying to make
me look foolish.
When I got a job in a warehouse, I had to learn to enter data in a computer.
It’s not what I wanted to do, but it was part of the job. So I reluctantly got the
training and began working with the computer. In time, I thought I had mas-
tered the skills for using the machine, but the truth was that the computer
really had a mind of its own. As I gained more experience, the computer
seemed to make more mistakes. I’d type in one number, and the computer
would put in something completely different. I complained to my boss that
the computer I was using was changing my inputs. He laughed and told me to
remember that a computer is only as smart as the person running it.
Then for a few weeks everything went fine. I gave my inputs, and the com-
puter recorded them properly in a file. But then it began. I’d come to work and
turn on the computer, and the screen would be filled with crazy words and
numbers. I couldn’t believe my eyes. How could something so incrediblehap-
pen? Where did all the strange datacome from? I didn’t type in those things.
I knew it was the computer trying to make me look bad.
Finally my boss came to me with some complaints from management. He
asked, “Why are you putting so many wrong numbers into the files?” I said
it wasn’t my fault, and once again he laughed and said, “Don’t try to blame your
mistakes on the computer.” No one believed me. Why would anyone believe
that a machine was out to destroy me? It was too incredible.
Then I got the news. The manager sent word to my boss that my work was
unacceptable. The next day I got my final paycheck. My boss said my work had
too many mistakes and I had to be let go. He told me to pick up my last check
and leave. I went home and felt like a complete fool.230 Answer Key