By conducting surveys and monitoring the brainwave patterns of a group

Question

By conducting surveys and monitoring the brainwave patterns of a group of employees who work from 9 am until 5 pm daily in a variety of fields, scientists determined that after the midday break, energy levels dropped although average decreases in activity only measured at 1%. To deal with this phenomenon in an efficient way, many companies began to provide sleeping facilities for sleepy workers who could rest for short periods of time and then return to work refreshed. Although this strategy revealed that a nap of only 25 minutes did seem to be effective at restoring energy and attentiveness, since the actual decrease in measured activity is fairly minor, a number of companies now intend to do away with this technique.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the logic of the companies' current intentions?

(A) The employees whose brainwave scans indicated an activity decrease of more than 1% after midday were also those who reported that the meals they ate during their breaks sometimes consisted of a meat item.

(B) Brain activity tests of employees who had not napped but who had performed the same number of tasks as those who had, showed these employees made logical connections that were primarily involved in the creation of basic and, in many cases, nonviable solutions.

(C) Through advancements in technology, current brainwave monitors have the potential to measure frequency differences that are very small whereas in the past only major changes in activity were detectable by researchers.

(D) Brainwaves measured before an hour of sleep has been completed are far more similar to those emitted while in an awakened state than to those emitted during sleep associated with significant rest.

(E) Employees who are presented with the option of sleeping at their places of employment are likely to take less heed in being responsible for the amount of sleep they get before arriving to perform a day's work.

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Angad2553 · Answer

This question seems tricky as question stem says that....undermines the logic of the companies' CURRENT INTENSIONS?

a number of companies now intend to do away with this technique !!!
 
Question is that what are the current intentions of the companies

Current intentions of the companies are to do away with the technique...

I have chosen D as answer

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Shubhradeep · Answer

B seems correct.

The companies' current intention Is to do away with the technique of providing sleeping facility to sleepy employees. We want an option which will undermine the logic of this intention. So the options should state that sleep Will induce effectiveness and Boost in the cognitive function of the employees.

Option A  talks about meals - Completely out of context the moment we see the word mean we will eliminate it

Options C  talks about Advancement in technology - Again out of context.

Option D  has information which may be interesting in understanding brainwave patterns during sleep, doesn't directly address the effectiveness of a nap.

Option E  suggests that employees who have the option to sleep at their workplaces might be less concerned about ensuring they get an adequate amount of sleep before coming to work. This may cause less effectiveness even in the first half of work before taking a nap. This supports the companies' intention.

Option B on the other hand  suggests that employees who didn't nap, but performed the same tasks, produced less effective solutions. This means a nap could be effective. This should be the choice.

Hence, option B should be correct.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

By conducting surveys and monitoring the brainwave patterns of a group of employees who work from 9 am until 5 pm daily in a variety of fields, scientists determined that after the midday break, energy levels dropped although average decreases in activity only measured at 1%. To deal with this phenomenon in an efficient way, many companies began to provide sleeping facilities for sleepy workers who could rest for short periods of time and then return to work refreshed. Although this strategy revealed that a nap of only 25 minutes did seem to be effective at restoring energy and attentiveness, since the actual decrease in measured activity is fairly minor, a number of companies now intend to do away with this technique.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously undermines the logic of the companies' current intentions?

(A) The employees whose brainwave scans indicated an activity decrease of more than 1% after midday were also those who reported that the meals they ate during their breaks sometimes consisted of a meat item.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. Sentences 1 and 2 are premises, citing facts about events that have occurred. The last sentence relays the companies' current intentions, their conclusion:

Premise A: scientists found that employees' activity levels dropped by 1% after midday
+
Premise B: companies urged employees to rest after their breaks
+
Premise C: a nap of 25 minutes did seem to be effective in helping employees wake themselves up
=
Current Plan/Intention of the companies: to stop allowing employees to sleep after their break

Possible assumption: a 1% drop does not justify the sleeping facilities

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the companies' current plan or supports their previous plan to allow employees a nap. The correct answer could be one that exposes the argument's assumption.

This answer choice neither weakens not strengthens the conclusion because the reasons for sleepiness are not discussed in the argument. Whether the energy drop is caused by meat or by exertion or by any other cause is irrelevant; the companies think a 1% is not worth the fuss.

(B) Brain activity tests of employees who had not napped but who had performed the same number of tasks as those who had, showed these employees made logical connections that were primarily involved in the creation of basic and, in many cases, nonviable solutions.

This answer choice weakens the companies' intentions by showing that even though the activity of employees that did not rest hardly dropped (1%), the quality of their activity deteriorated significantly since they could only come up with basic and often incorrect (nonviable) solutions.

(C) Through advancements in technology, current brainwave monitors have the potential to measure frequency differences that are very small whereas in the past only major changes in activity were detectable by researchers.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Weakening question, first break down the argument. Sentences 1 and 2 are premises, citing facts about events that have occurred. The last sentence relays the companies' current intentions, their conclusion:

Premise A: scientists found that employees' activity levels dropped by 1% after midday
+
Premise B: companies urged employees to rest after their breaks
+
Premise C: a nap of 25 minutes did seem to be effective in helping employees wake themselves up
=
Current Plan/Intention of the companies: to stop allowing employees to sleep after their break

Possible assumption: a 1% drop does not justify the sleeping facilities

Weakening Data: ?

You are required to find data that weakens the companies' current plan or supports their previous plan to allow employees a nap. The correct answer could be one that exposes the argument's assumption.

This answer choice neither weakens not strengthens the conclusion; it validates the premises by showing that today's brainwave monitors are more accurate than those of the past. However, this does not help us undermine the decision made based on this data.

(D) Brainwaves measured before an hour of sleep has been completed are far more similar to those emitted while in an awakened state than to those emitted during sleep associated with significant rest.

Incorrect.

This answer choice supports the intentions of the companies whereas you are required to weaken the logic of these intentions. If by sleeping less than an hour we don't enter a state of very restful sleep, then the idea that a nap of 25 minutes can be helpful to sleepy employees becomes questionable.

(E) Employees who are presented with the option of sleeping at their places of employment are likely to take less heed in being responsible for the amount of sleep they get before arriving to perform a day's work.

Incorrect.

This answer choice strengthens the logic behind the intentions of the companies while you are required to weaken this logic. If allowing employees to nap at work only makes then sleep less at home then the sleepiness problem is not solved, which means companies should not allow naps.

Fish181 · Answer

I got it correct. It was between B or D for me. This problem may be hard for nonnative english speakers because the correct answer basically says, "Employees that didn't take a nap did the same amount of tasks as employees who did take a nap, but they completed their tasks incorrectly."

non·vi·a·ble
 
adjective
not practical or workable

So yes, there is only a 1% decrease in productivity between those who take naps and those who don't. But the people who don't take naps are far more likely to screw up their tasks. That's a pretty strong weakener.

Option B.

By conducting surveys and monitoring the brainwave patterns of a group

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By conducting surveys and monitoring the brainwave patterns of a group

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