Quote:
Q1. According to the passage, traditional corporate leaders differ from leaders in learning organizations in that the former
Question requirement: How do traditional corporate leaders differ from leaders in learning organizations as per the passage?
Locator clues: traditional corporate leaders, learning organizations
What we need to reread to answer the question: Lines 16 - 21
Quote:
The traditional view that a single charismatic leader should set the corporation’s direction and make key decisions is rooted in an individualistic worldview. In an increasingly interdependent world, such a view is no longer viable. In learning organizations, thinking and acting are integrated at all job levels
SHADOW ANSWER: In the traditional view, a single charismatic leader sets the corporation’s direction and makes key decisions.
Options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated.
A. encourage employees to concentrate on developing a wide range of skills |
NOT A MATCH |
As per the passage, it is not the traditional corporate leaders but the leaders in learning organization that encourage employees to concentrate on developing a wide range of skills. Understandably, nothing in the reread portion validates what is stated in this option. |
ELIMINATEB. enable employees to recognize and confront dominant corporate models and to develop alternative models |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "recognize and confront dominant corporate models" is beyond the scope of the portion we reread. |
ELIMINATEC. make important policy decisions alone and then require employees in the corporation to abide by those decisions |
MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER |
If in the traditional view, a single charismatic leader sets the corporation’s direction and makes key decisions, we do not have any reason to eliminate this option. |
KEEP D. instill confidence in employees because of their willingness to make risky decisions and accept their consequences |
NOT A MATCH | |
The phrase "confidence in employees" is beyond the scope of the portion we reread.|
ELIMINATEE. are concerned with offering employees frequent advice and career guidance |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "frequent advice and career guidance" is not validated by the reread portion. |
ELIMINATEHence, (C) is the correct answer. Quote:
Q2. Which of the following best describes employee behavior encouraged within learning organizations, as such organizations are described in the passage?
Question requirement: Which answer option best describes employee behavior encouraged within learning organizations?
Locator clue: learning organizations
What we need to reread to answer the question: Lines 21 - 28
Quote:
In learning organizations, thinking and acting are integrated at all job levels. Corporate leadership is shared, and leaders become designers, teachers, and stewards, roles requiring new skills: the ability to build shared vision, to reveal and challenge prevailing mental models, and to foster broader, more integrated patterns of thinking.
SHADOW ANSWER: Employees are encouraged to think and act at all job levels.
Options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated.
A. Carefully defining one’s job description and taking care to avoid deviations from it |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "taking care to avoid deviations" is a reversal, opposite to what is stated. |
ELIMINATEB. Designing mentoring programs that train new employees to follow procedures that have been used for many years |
NOT A MATCH | T
he phrase "that have been used for many years" is out of scope. |
ELIMINATEC. Concentrating one’s efforts on mastering one aspect of a complicated task |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "complicated task" is not validated by the portion we reread. |
ELIMINATED. Studying an organizational problem, preparing a report, and submitting it to a corporate leader for approval |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "submitting it to a corporate leader for approval" means that cannot act at this level, and this goes against what we have in the shadow answer. |
ELIMINATEE. Analyzing a problem related to productivity, making a decision about a solution, and implementing that solution |
MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER |
If the employees are analyzing a problem, arriving at a decision about a solution, and implementing the solution, it means they are thinking and acting at all job levels. |
KEEPHence, (E) is the correct answer. Quote:
Q3. According to the author of the passage, corporate leaders of the future should do which of the following?
Question requirement: What should corporate leaders of the future do as per the author of the passage?
Locator clues: corporate leaders of the future
What we need to reread to answer the question: Lines 28 - 30
Quote:
In short, leaders in learning organizations are responsible for building organizations in which employees are continually learning new skills and expanding their capabilities to shape their future.
SHADOW ANSWER: They should build organizations in which employees are continually learning new skills and expanding their capabilities to shape their future.
Options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated.
A. They should encourage employees to put long-term goals ahead of short-term profits. |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "put long-term goals ahead of short-term profits" is not validated by the shadow answer. |
ELIMINATEB. They should exercise more control over employees in order to constrain production costs. |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "more control over employees" makes this option out of scope. |
ELIMINATEC. They should redefine incentives for employees’ performance improvement. |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "redefine incentives for employees’" performance improvement" is beyond the scope of the reread portion. |
ELIMINATED. They should provide employees with opportunities to gain new skills and expand their capabilities. |
MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER |
This option is 100 percent validated by the shadow answer we came up with. |
KEEPE. They should promote individual managers who are committed to established company policies. |
NOT A MATCH |
What is stated here runs counter to the author's viewpoint. |
ELIMINATEHence, (D) is the correct answer. Quote:
Q4. The primary purpose of the passage is to
Question requirement: Why has the passage primarily been written?
Locator clue: Passage
What we should have read to answer the question: The entire passage
SHADOW ANSWER: The passage has primarily been written to present an attitude that is alternative to the traditional corporate attitude towards employees.
Options that do not match the shadow answer can be eliminated.
A. endorse a traditional corporate structure |
NOT A MATCH |
The author is not endorsing a traditional corporate structure, but he is coming up with a different approach. |
ELIMINATEB. introduce a new approach to corporate leadership and evaluate criticisms of it |
NOT A MATCH |
The phrase "evaluate criticisms of it" makes this option wrong. |
ELIMINATEC. explain competing theories about management practices and reconcile them |
NOT A MATCH |
No reconciliation happens. |
ELIMINATED. contrast two typical corporate organizational structures |
NOT A MATCH |
No two "typical" corporate organizational structures are contrasted. |
ELIMINATEE. propose an alternative to a common corporate approach |
MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER |
Based on our shadow answer, this is our best bet. |
KEEPHence, (E) is the correct answer.