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555-605 Level|   Non-Math Related|                  
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Official Explanation

In the second paragraph, the word "fortunately" suggests that the expert is recommending the special software as a way to solve the problems described in the first paragraph. The expert says the software is available at no cost, so no money need be sacrificed to use it. And the passage does not say or suggest anywhere that using the software would require sacrificing computing speed, security, or the user's number of online accounts. However, the passage does say it would take time to install the software and enter all the required information. Thus, by recommending the software, the expert is effectively suggesting that users sacrifice some time in order to set it up.

The correct answer is Time.

The passage does not say or suggest anywhere that using the software would cause users to gain money, computing speed, or online accounts, nor that it would save them time. But the software does make it much easier for users to use a different strong password on every account even if they would not do so otherwise. The first paragraph says that this practice improves security. Thus, the expert is recommending the software as a way for users who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account to gain security.

The correct answer is Security.
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Thanks for the post Genopath! :)

As the OA mentions, the answers would be 'Sacrifice of Time' and a 'Gain of Security'. An argument can be made for the Sacrifice of Money as well, but the second paragraph gives more emphasis on the time factor than the cost of the software, and as mentioned the software can be procured for little or no cost at all.

Regards,
Arpan
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SubashRajesh
Hi experts,
I got confused with the fundamental part of the question. When the question reads "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains.", I interpreted it the part "for a user with multiple accounts who would not use a different strong password" as "a user who wouldn't actually install a software but continue to have several accounts with the same difficult password". I have difficulty in breaking down this part and eventually selected the exact opposite of the correct answer i.e security as sacrifice and time as gain. Kindly help me.

Hi SubashRajesh,

Not 100% about your confusion point. I'll give it a quick try anyways.

"For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains."

In this case, we are talking about a computer user who has multiple accounts, and for all we know these accounts could all have the same password, strong or weak, or all have different but weak passwords, or a mix of all this. For this type of user, we are asked to identify what would be gained and what would need to be sacrificed to follow the expert's recommendation.

As per paragraph 1, the expert's advice is to have a different AND strong password for every single account. The expert then makes a suggestion on how to achieve this without having to remember multiple difficult passwords, which most users can't do.

Hope this helps!
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Hi, I thought the same as SubashRajesh did. However, if we are asked to identify "sacrifice" or "gain" of people who don't have a different strong password for every single account (having the same password, strong or weak, or all have different but weak passwords, or a mix of all this as Hadrienlbb said), why these people gain security and lost time?
So, "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account" is about user who doesn't have the same password? Words "different" and "otherwise" here make me so confused.

Anyone please help.
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Sacrifice security or time
Gain security or time

It can be argued either way as it is based on just one single same action/observation (someone uses one single easy password), so it all depends on what your focus is which dictates your perspective.

One could think sacrifice security - to gain time. which is a layman's or my answer.
However this article is about promoting security (ie, it is from a security expert), so he will be arguing for security.
Therefore he will be saying: one want to sacrifice time - to gain security.

If you ask me, this is a rubbish question.
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SubashRajesh
Hi experts,
I got confused with the fundamental part of the question. When the question reads "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains.", I interpreted it the part "for a user with multiple accounts who would not use a different strong password" as "a user who wouldn't actually install a software but continue to have several accounts with the same difficult password". I have difficulty in breaking down this part and eventually selected the exact opposite of the correct answer i.e security as sacrifice and time as gain. Kindly help me.


I've got the same problem. I thought on a person who does not use a strong password and neither use the software. So he would sacrifice security, but gain time, because he would use the same password for every account or because he would not need to spend the time filling the software with information :|
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SubashRajesh
Hi experts,
I got confused with the fundamental part of the question. When the question reads "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains.", I interpreted it the part "for a user with multiple accounts who would not use a different strong password" as "a user who wouldn't actually install a software but continue to have several accounts with the same difficult password". I have difficulty in breaking down this part and eventually selected the exact opposite of the correct answer i.e security as sacrifice and time as gain. Kindly help me.

I think you missed the word 'otherwise'.

The text says, "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains."

The 'otherwise' here indicates that this user wouldn't use a different strong password on every account WITHOUT THE SOFTWARE.

Thus, the question pertains to this user who wouldn't adhere to the expert's advice without the software.
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KarishmaB GMATNinja ChiranjeevSingh


The 'otherwise' here indicates that this user wouldn't use a different strong password on every account WITHOUT THE SOFTWARE. Thus, the question pertains to this user who wouldn't adhere to the expert's advice without the software.

Can you please help me understand the meaning of "Otherwise"?

I am not able to comprehend "without the software" part in the meaning explained. How to break down the sentence to understand the exact meaning in this case.

I thought expert was talking about user who don't use a diff strong pwd. How can I infer "user who wouldnt use strong pwd without software".

Thanks for your help!



ChiranjeevSingh
SubashRajesh
Hi experts,
I got confused with the fundamental part of the question. When the question reads "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains.", I interpreted it the part "for a user with multiple accounts who would not use a different strong password" as "a user who wouldn't actually install a software but continue to have several accounts with the same difficult password". I have difficulty in breaking down this part and eventually selected the exact opposite of the correct answer i.e security as sacrifice and time as gain. Kindly help me.

I think you missed the word 'otherwise'.

The text says, "For a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account, the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains."

The 'otherwise' here indicates that this user wouldn't use a different strong password on every account WITHOUT THE SOFTWARE.

Thus, the question pertains to this user who wouldn't adhere to the expert's advice without the software.
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I initially had the same problem that SubashRajesh had, but this is how I understand the correct answer.

While the question does ask us about this group of users: "a computer user with multiple accounts who would not otherwise use a different strong password on every account," we have to look at the next portion of the question "the expert's advice amounts to suggesting that users make certain sacrifices in order to make certain gains". So this goes back to what the expert was saying initially about those that don't already have a different strong password on every account. These people should sacrifice their time (to download the software) to gain security (that will allow them to use a different strong password on every account"
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