"What does the middleman do but add to the price of goods in the shops " Such remarks are aimed at the intermediate operations between manufacturers and final customers. This practice usually attracts a lot of attention from the public and the press and the operation most talked about is what is often called wholesaling.
The wholesaler buys goods in large quantities from the manufacturers and sells them in smaller parcels to retailers, and for this service his selling price to the retailer is raised several percent higher. But his job is made more difficult by retail demand not necessarily running level with manufacturers’ production. Because he adjusts or regulates the flow of goods by holding stock Until required, he frees the manufacturer, to some extent, from the effect on production of changing demand and having to bear the whole risk.
The manufacturer can then keep up a steady production flow, and the retailer has no need to hold heavy stocks, who can call on the wholesaler for supplies any time. This wholesale function is like that of a valve in a water pipe. The middleman also bears part of the risk that would otherwise fall on the manufacturer and also the retailer.
The wholesaler provides a purely commercial service, for which he is too well rewarded. But the point that is missed by many people is that the wholesaler is not just someone adding to the cost of goods. It is true one could eliminate the wholesaler but one would still be left with his function: that of making sure that goods find their way to the people who want them.

"Middleman" in the passage almost equals to all the following in meaning EXCEPT ______.

A．go-between

B．intermediary

C．manufacturer

D．wholesaler

老姜是一家工厂的工人，近期工厂进行改革，精减人员，老姜下岗了。老姜的妻子在制药厂工作，就在老姜下岗后不久，妻子因为所在的制药厂破产也面临着失业。妻子的身体有残疾，很难再找到工作，女儿正在外地读大学，费用很高，家庭生活越来越困难。老姜也曾尝试去找过工作，但他的要求较高，希望能找一份自己喜欢的工作，收入还要高，而老姜又没什么专业技能，所以总是碰壁。找不到工作的老姜，情绪越来越坏，经常和妻子吵架，在外地读书的女儿知道家里的情况后，很担心，但又无能为力。老姜觉得自己的家庭情况符合享受城市低保的条件，于是到社区去申请低保，工作人员需要了解老姜家庭的具体情况，老姜对此非常不理解，觉得工作人员在有意为难他，对工作人员的态度非常恶劣。社会工作者李阳了解到老姜的家庭情况后，认为老姜符合申请低保的条件，帮助其申请了城市低保。同时，李阳多次与老姜进行沟通，帮助他一起分析自身条件和面临的就业压力及家庭生活情况，让他降低就业要求。经过李阳的努力，老姜对自己有了正确的认识，并且在李阳的帮助下在一家酒店做保洁工作，有了稳定的经济收入，老姜的家庭经济状况慢慢好转。同时，李阳还帮老姜的妻子联系了社区的康复机构，定期会有专业的工作人员上门为其指导康复。一年后，老姜退出了低保，还特意到居委会表示感谢。

结合本案例指出收集评估所需要的信息可以运用的技巧有哪些。