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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) present the major steps of a process
(B) clarify an ambiguity
(C) chronicle a dispute
(D) correct misconceptions (Correct, it was a misconception that Japanese car makers are better because of the cultural advantage. Author proved it wrong)
(E) defend an accepted approach

2. The author suggests that if the observers of Japan
mentioned in line 3 were correct, which of the following
would be the case?
(A) The equipment used in Japanese automobile plants
would be different from the equipment used in
United States plants.
(B) Japanese workers would be trained to do several
different production jobs.
(C) Culture would not have an influence on the
productivity levels of workers.
(D) The workers in Japanese-run plants would have
higher productivity levels regardless of where they
were located. (Correct,"Some observers of Japan have assumed that
Japanese firms use the same manufacturing equipment
and techniques as United States firms but have bene-
fited from the unique characteristics of Japanese
employees and the Japanese culture"---so it they were right then D would be right)

(E) The production levels of Japanese-run plants located
in the United States would be equal to those of
plants run by United States companies.

3. Which of the following statements concerning the
productivity levels of automakers can be inferred from
the passage?
(A) Prior to the 1960’s, the productivity levels of the top
Japanese automakers were exceeded by those of
United States automakers. (Correct, "When the two top Japanese automobile makers matched and then doubled United States productivity
(20) levels in the mid-sixties"----- that means Japanese were lower in productivity in 60 than US Car maker)

(B) The culture of a country has a large effect on the
productivity levels of its automakers.
(C) During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s,
productivity levels were comparable in Japan and
the United States.
(D) The greater the number of cars that are produced in
a single lot, the higher a plant’s productivity level.
(E) The amount of capital investment made by
automobile manufacturers in their factories
determines the level of productivity.

4. According to the passage, which of the following
statements is true of Japanese automobile workers?
(A) Their productivity levels did not equal those of
United States automobile workers until the late
seventies.
(B) Their high efficiency levels are a direct result of
cultural influences.
(C) They operate component-specific machinery.
(D) They are trained to do more than one job. (Correct," Japanese automakers chose to make small-lot production feasible by introducing several departures from United States practices, including the use of flexible equipment that could be (40) altered easily to do several different production tasks and the training of workers in multiple jobs."-----Means worker are able to do several jobs)
(E) They produce larger lots of cars than do workers in
United States factories.

5. Which of the following best describes the organization
of the first paragraph?
(A) A thesis is presented and supporting examples are
provided.
(B) Opposing views are presented, classified, and then
reconciled. I will go with this
(C) A fact is stated, and an explanation is advanced and
then refuted.
(D) A theory is proposed, considered, and then
amended.
(E) An opinion is presented, qualified, and then
reaffirmed.



Please post the OA
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) present the major steps of a process
(B) clarify an ambiguity
(C) Chronicle a dispute
(D) correct misconceptions
(E) defend an accepted approach

2. The author suggests that if the observers of Japan mentioned in line 3 were correct, which of the following would be the case?
(A) The equipment used in Japanese automobile plants would be different from the equipment used in United States plants.
(B) Japanese workers would be trained to do several different production jobs.
(C) Culture would not have an influence on the productivity levels of workers.
(D) The workers in Japanese-run plants would have higher productivity levels regardless of where they were located.
(E) The production levels of Japanese-run plants located in the United States would be equal to those of plants run by United States companies.

3. Which of the following statements concerning the productivity levels of automakers can be inferred from the passage?
(A) Prior to the 1960’s, the productivity levels of the top Japanese automakers were exceeded by those of United States automakers.
(B) The culture of a country has a large effect on the productivity levels of its automakers.
(C) During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, productivity levels were comparable in Japan and the United States.
(D) The greater the number of cars that are produced in a single lot, the higher a plant’s productivity level.
(E) The amount of capital investment made by automobile manufacturers in their factories determines the level of productivity.

4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true of Japanese automobile workers?
(A) Their productivity levels did not equal those of United States automobile workers until the late seventies.
(B) Their high efficiency levels are a direct result of cultural influences.
(C) They operate component-specific machinery.
(D) They are trained to do more than one job.
(E) They produce larger lots of cars than do workers in United States factories.

5. Which of the following best describes the organization of the first paragraph?
(A) A thesis is presented and supporting examples are provided.
(B) Opposing views are presented, classified, and then reconciled.
(C) A fact is stated, and an explanation is advanced and then refuted.
(D) A theory is proposed, considered, and then amended.
(E) An opinion is presented, qualified, and then reaffirmed.

6. It can be inferred from the passage that one problem associated with the production of huge lots of cars is which of the following?
(A) The need to manufacture flexible machinery and equipment
(B) The need to store extra components not required for immediate use
(C) The need for expensive training programs for workers, which emphasize the development of facility in several production jobs
(D) The need to alter conventional mass-production processes
(E) The need to increase the investment per vehicle in order to achieve high productivity levels

7. Which of the following statements is supported by information stated in the passage?
(A) Japanese and United States automakers differ in their approach to production processes.
(B) Japanese automakers have perfected the use of single-function equipment.
(C) Japanese automakers invest more capital per employee than do United States automakers.
(D) United States-owned factories abroad have higher production levels than do Japanese owned plants in the United States.
(E) Japanese automakers have benefited from the cultural heritage of their workers.

8. With which of the following predictive statement regarding Japanese automakers would the author most likely agree?
(A) The efficiency levels of the Japanese automakers will decline if they become less flexible in their approach to production.
(B) Japanese automakers productivity levels double during the late 1990’s.
(C) United States automakers will originate new production processes before Japanese automakers do.
(D) Japanese automakers will hire fewer workers than will United States automakers because each worker is required to perform several jobs.
(E) Japanese automakers will spend less on equipment repairs than will United States automakers because Japanese equipment can be easily altered
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
Reformatted questions, added OAs
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
broall wrote:
Reformatted questions, added OAs


hi Broall,
can u kindly explain the answer to question no-3. We know that in the mid sixties, the production level of japanese farms doubled. But, prior to 1960's we have no information whether the production level of japanese farms exceed or was equal to american farms. Kindly help
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
1
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sunny91 wrote:
broall wrote:
Reformatted questions, added OAs


hi Broall,
can u kindly explain the answer to question no-3. We know that in the mid sixties, the production level of japanese farms doubled. But, prior to 1960's we have no information whether the production level of japanese farms exceed or was equal to american farms. Kindly help


That's the trick of this question. The information is in here

Quote:
When the two top Japanese automobile makers matched and then doubled United States productivity levels in the mid-sixties, capital investment per employee was comparable to that of United States firms.


The sentence means that in the mid-sixties, the two top Japanese companies matched the United States companies in productivity levels. After that, the two top Japanese companies doubled the United States companies in productivity levels. This is a continuous trend.

Thus, we cound infer that before the mid-sixties, or early sixties, the productivity level in Japanese companies were lower than that in United States companies.
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
Question 3. The passage only talks about mid-60s. Does the productivity level move monotonously in one direction?
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
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Re: Japanese firms have achieved the highest levels of manufacturing effic [#permalink]
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