Showing posts with label verbal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label verbal. Show all posts
Saturday, January 10, 2015
An Ideal way to tackle Critical Reasoning Question:
Outsourcing is the practice of obtaining
from an independent supplier a product or service that a company has previously
provided for itself. Since a company’s chief objective is to realize the
highest possible year-end profits, any product or service that can be obtained
from an independent supplier for less than it would cost the company to provide
the product or service on its own should be outsourced.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) If a company decides to use independent suppliers for a product, it can generally exploit the vigorous competition arising among several firms that are interested in supplying that product.
(B) Successful outsourcing requires a company to provide its suppliers with information about its products and plans that can fall into the hands of its competitors and give them a business advantage.
(C) Certain tasks, such as processing a company’s payroll, are commonly outsourced, whereas others, such as handling the company’s core business, are not.
(D) For a company to provide a product or service for itself as efficiently as an independent supplier can provide it, the managers involved need to be as expert in the area of that product or service as the people in charge of that product or service at an independent supplier are.
(E) When a company decides to use an independent supplier for a product or service, the independent supplier sometimes hires members of the company’s staff who formerly made the product or provided the service that the independent supplier now supplies.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) If a company decides to use independent suppliers for a product, it can generally exploit the vigorous competition arising among several firms that are interested in supplying that product.
(B) Successful outsourcing requires a company to provide its suppliers with information about its products and plans that can fall into the hands of its competitors and give them a business advantage.
(C) Certain tasks, such as processing a company’s payroll, are commonly outsourced, whereas others, such as handling the company’s core business, are not.
(D) For a company to provide a product or service for itself as efficiently as an independent supplier can provide it, the managers involved need to be as expert in the area of that product or service as the people in charge of that product or service at an independent supplier are.
(E) When a company decides to use an independent supplier for a product or service, the independent supplier sometimes hires members of the company’s staff who formerly made the product or provided the service that the independent supplier now supplies.
An Ideal way to tackle critical reasoning Question:
1. First find the question type (time: 5-10
sec)
2. Read the argument critically finding
any logical gap, if any. Focus on the conclusion
3. Read the question
4. Pre-think about your answer
5. Eliminate the obvious wrong answers
6. Choose the best answer
Let’s apply the Strategy:
1.
First find the question type
(time: 5-10 sec) :
Weakening question: So,
we have to attack the conclusion or reasoning behind the conclusion.
2.
Read the argument critically
finding any logical gap, if any
First Sentence: Outsourcing is the practice of obtaining from an independent supplier a
product or service that a company has previously provided for itself.
My thought: Well, here is the definition
of outsourcing given. And my simplified thinking of this sentence is:
outsourcing is the practice of obtaining a product from a supplier.
Second Sentence: Since a company’s chief objective is to realize the highest possible
year-end profits, any product or service that can be obtained from an
independent supplier for less than it would cost the company to provide the
product or service on its own should be outsourced.
My thought: Here is the conclusion of the
argument that is a company should outsource a service if it costs the company
less than it would cost the company to make or provide the service. The
reasoning given behind this conclusion is that a company’s main object is to
ensure the highest possible profit.
3.
Read the question
The question asked to undermine the
argument. So, let’s attack the conclusion.
4. Pre-think
about your answer
What if the company does harm itself by
outsourcing?
5. Eliminate
the obvious wrong answers
(A) If a company decides to use
independent suppliers for a product, it can generally exploit the vigorous
competition arising among several firms that are interested in supplying that
product.
My thought: If there is any competition
among the suppliers, then it would lower the price of the service. So, it would
actually strengthen the argument than weaken the argument. So, Eliminate A.
(B) Successful outsourcing requires a company to provide its suppliers with information about its products and plans that can fall into the hands of
its competitors and give them a business advantage.
My thought: If outsourcing causes the
company some disadvantage by leaking some important information, then it surly
calls the conclusion into question. So, let’s keep it for now.
(C) Certain tasks, such as processing a company’s payroll, are commonly outsourced, whereas others, such as handling the company’s core business, are not.
My thought: This does not make any sense
to me because this option does not attack or support the argument. Eliminate C.
(D) For a company to provide a product or service for itself as efficiently as an independent supplier can provide it, the managers involved need to be as expert in the area of that product or service as the people in charge of that product or service at an independent supplier are.
My thought: This option says that the
manager of the company which seeks product or service should be similarly
expert as the manager of the supplier company. But, this information does not weaken
the conclusion. Mind it, out main purpose is to prove that the company will not
get profit or it will harm itself by outsourcing. So, eliminate D.
(E) When a company decides to use an independent supplier for a product or service, the independent supplier sometimes hires members of the company’s staff who formerly made the product
My thought: If the independent supplier
hires member’s from the company that has sought the product, then it does not
necessarily weaken the conclusion that a company should outsource because it
wants to get the maximum profit feasible. Eliminate
E.
So, we have eliminated every choice but B.
So, B is the answer because by taking the advantage of the outsourcing, the
company is harming itself by leaking important information. And, by using this
this information, the competitors are taking advantage of the product. Hence,
the company is not necessarily maximizing the profit by outsourcing. Rather,
outsourcing is putting the company into jeopardy.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Text Completion practice of the month
Difficulty: Easy
1. Both loquacious and shy, Mr. Smith was an obscure personality for the employees. While he was _____(i) ___in the public relationship seminar, organized by his company, he was so _____ (ii) ______when he had to detail the tax policy to the officers. This ___ (iii) ____personality ultimately led him to the downfall.
1. Both loquacious and shy, Mr. Smith was an obscure personality for the employees. While he was _____(i) ___in the public relationship seminar, organized by his company, he was so _____ (ii) ______when he had to detail the tax policy to the officers. This ___ (iii) ____personality ultimately led him to the downfall.
(i)
boaster
garrulous
punctilious
|
(ii)
laconic
neat picky
cantankerous
|
(iii)
amiable
ambiguous
dogged
|
Friday, July 11, 2014
Long Reading Comprehension Main Idea Practice
Following the strategy posted in previous blog , find the main idea of the following passage.
What is the main idea of the passage?
Monday, July 7, 2014
Note-taking and Reading Strategy on Long Reading Comprehension : First Reading
Question: What is the main point of the passage?
a. Democracy is the most powerful tool for the betterment of the world.
b. Democratic rift is evident in Muslim-majority and low-income countries.
c. Democracy in many countries is in jeopardy and special concern is needed to remedy this problem
d. Though democracy in many countries is in crackdown, it is actually re-surging very fast.
e. United Nations is the soul responsible for maintaining the peace around the world.
- Read the first paragraph with special care. Typically first few lines are where the authors express their points.
- For the rest of the passages, read the first lines of each paragraphs.
- Lastly read the last few lines of the passage, where the authors sometimes give there points or crucial points.
- After finishing the initial reading, stop and think about what the author is saying.
- Take mental note or short writing note on your paper for each paragraphs.
- Put all the notes side by side and paraphrase the main idea in your brain( or in the paper very shortly).
Here is sample what I will read from long reading comprehension section. I will read the colored part and skim the rest of the part to locate anything surprising or big points.
P1: democracy diminishing
P2: democracy down in some countries and descriptions
P3: some folk's belief about democracy
P4: reform necessary to improve democracy
Prediction for Main point: democracy diminishing and reform needed to improve democracy
So, we got our main point from the initial reading ,and now we will match our paraphrased main idea with the answer choices. Next, eliminate the wrong choices.
So only answer choice C matches our prediction.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Mixed text completion drill and practice
1. The book of Isaiah was so familiar to King that he had already begun ad-libbing when he quoted the prophet in looking to a future when every valley shall be _____(i)_______, every hill and mountain shall be made ______(ii)_______, the rough places will be made plain, and the ____(iii)_______ places will be made straight.
2. Leaning heavily on the Bible was not without risks to King Martin as that same Bible had been used to justify ____(i)_______. Yet even the ancient Israelites, God's own chosen people, were sinners, yet _______(ii)______ ones.
3.In drawing on the bedrock principles of Americans' secular scriptures, religious heritage and even the land itself, he stressed the ties that bound Americans, made equality obvious—even _______________.
A. Uncondign
B. Imperceptivable
C. Inevitable
D. Aocalyptic
E. Conspicuous
4.If the seemingly benevolent strategy was simply ______(I)________ to alloy for bigger government and more government intrusion into all of our lives as critic Jason is suggesting, then it was _____(II)_______.
Answers and explanation:
1. A,B,C
The clue for this question is 'the rough places will be made plain'. So, contrasting is the thing we need here. For the first blank, we need a word opposite of valley. Valley is normally low area. So, valley should be heightened.Exalted matches that one!!
For the second one, we need a word that should mean low. Ebb works!
For the last one, Crooked works!!
2.C,C
As using solely bible could be risky, there must be something bad things too that makes it risky. Inequality works for the first blank.
Yet is the pivot word for the next blank. Some positive word will work here. Only Redeemable suits(equitable does not work in context)!!
3.C
'Even' is the clue here. So more obvious is our prediction. Inevitable works which means unavoidable.
4. B,A
this is an example of causal relationship. "Seemingly" is pivot word here. It is used normally to contrast something. As benevolent is good thing, so something bad thing will work in this blank. Ruse means trick normally used for deceiving. So it looks like it is working.
Second blank should be deceptive.
(I)
|
(II)
|
(III)
|
exalted
|
beautified
|
plain
|
vanished
|
ebb
|
even
|
filled up
|
aerial
|
crooked
|
2. Leaning heavily on the Bible was not without risks to King Martin as that same Bible had been used to justify ____(i)_______. Yet even the ancient Israelites, God's own chosen people, were sinners, yet _______(ii)______ ones.
(I)
|
(II)
|
fairness
|
unanimous
|
jeopardy
|
equitable
|
inequality
|
redeemable
|
3.In drawing on the bedrock principles of Americans' secular scriptures, religious heritage and even the land itself, he stressed the ties that bound Americans, made equality obvious—even _______________.
A. Uncondign
B. Imperceptivable
C. Inevitable
D. Aocalyptic
E. Conspicuous
4.If the seemingly benevolent strategy was simply ______(I)________ to alloy for bigger government and more government intrusion into all of our lives as critic Jason is suggesting, then it was _____(II)_______.
(I)
|
(II)
|
an intention
|
deceptive
|
a ruse
|
estimable
|
a plot
|
odious
|
Answers and explanation:
1. A,B,C
The clue for this question is 'the rough places will be made plain'. So, contrasting is the thing we need here. For the first blank, we need a word opposite of valley. Valley is normally low area. So, valley should be heightened.Exalted matches that one!!
For the second one, we need a word that should mean low. Ebb works!
For the last one, Crooked works!!
2.C,C
As using solely bible could be risky, there must be something bad things too that makes it risky. Inequality works for the first blank.
Yet is the pivot word for the next blank. Some positive word will work here. Only Redeemable suits(equitable does not work in context)!!
3.C
'Even' is the clue here. So more obvious is our prediction. Inevitable works which means unavoidable.
4. B,A
this is an example of causal relationship. "Seemingly" is pivot word here. It is used normally to contrast something. As benevolent is good thing, so something bad thing will work in this blank. Ruse means trick normally used for deceiving. So it looks like it is working.
Second blank should be deceptive.
