In computer science, high-level programming languages are generally described as being closer to human problem solving. Which statement best characterizes high-level languages in traditional textbooks and exams?

Introduction / Context:
High-level programming languages abstract away low-level machine details so that developers can focus on problem solving. Historically, many foundational high-level languages (FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, Pascal, C) were described in textbooks as “procedure-oriented” or “procedural” because programmers expressed solutions as a sequence of procedures or functions that manipulate data. Understanding this characterization helps distinguish high-level languages from assembly/machine language and from later paradigms such as object-oriented or functional programming in their pure forms.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question uses the traditional pedagogy that contrasts high-level “procedure-oriented” languages with machine-oriented languages.
• We are choosing the best characterization among options that include clearly incorrect statements.
• “Automatic systems” here refers broadly to automated or control applications, which do use high-level languages in practice.

Concept / Approach:
High-level languages provide structured constructs (procedures, functions, loops, conditionals) that are independent of specific CPU instruction sets. Compilers translate these constructs into machine code. This abstraction accelerates development and aids portability. While modern ecosystems include object-oriented and functional features, the canonical exam answer emphasizes the historical “procedure-oriented” view.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify which option aligns with standard textbook descriptions of high-level languages.Eliminate options that claim difficulty of use, hardware design dependence, or inability to support automation—these are contrary to experience.Select the characterization “are 'procedure-oriented'.”

Verification / Alternative check:
Introductory curricula often group languages into machine, assembly, and high-level categories, with high-level further described as procedural in origin. Subsequent paradigms build on or extend this base but do not invalidate the traditional characterization used in many MCQs.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Very difficult to use” is the opposite of the goal of high-level languages. “Cannot be used with automatic systems” is false; automation frequently uses C/C++, Python, etc. “Require knowledge of hardware design” better fits assembly-level work. “None of the above” is unnecessary because a correct statement exists.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing modern paradigms (object-oriented, functional) with the historical procedural framing; exam questions often expect the canonical, not the nuanced, answer.

Final Answer:
are 'procedure-oriented'