A recent study shows that more and more Americans are choosing to work at home. There are several reasons for the change. One reason is many parents want more time to be with their children at home. Another is that people want the freedom to decide for them- selves how and when to do their job. The chance to work at home lets people live wherever they wish—out in the country, perhaps. It also makes it possible for many others—disabled and other persons, new mothers-to do useful work and earn money. About half the people who work at home operate their own business. They sell products or services. The other half works for companies. They may make things, such as clothes. Or they may do office work, such as copying letters. A smaller number work at highly skilled jobs as designers or engineers. The revolution(革命) in computer technology is one of the main reasons for the change to working at home. Computers are now used in almost every American workplace in offices, in factories, even on farms. Computers make it much easier and quicker to do any task that involves information: writing, counting, designing, planning, keeping records. With computers, there is less need for people to come together to work. Computers can he linked by telephone lines with other computers far away. A worker can write a report or add information to company records on a computer at home and then send the finished work to a computer in another city. Americans already are using computers to do many different kinds of jobs at home. Many highly skilled workers, for example, ask their companies for the chance to work at least part of the time at home. They say they can think more clearly and be more creative in the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of their home. Many engineers, writers and computer scientists are among those who now do at least part of their work at home, using a computer. Most of such professional workers, however, spend at least a day or two each week in the company office to discuss their work with oth- ers. Working at home is a good idea for some people in some industries. However, it does not work for everyone. Some home workers have said their personal lives and work lives became too close. Some have said they needed to be with other people to develop new ideas. And others have said it is more difficult to get a better job with the company when you are not working in the company's office. Lots of people hope to work at home so as to______.