In most developed countries, men have higher salaries, on average,

Question

In most developed countries, men have higher salaries, on average, than women. Much of the salary differential results from the tendency of women to be in lower-paying occupations. The question of whether this occupational employment pattern can be attributed to sex discrimination is a complex one. In fact, wage differentials among occupations are the norm rather than the exception.  Successful athletes commonly earn more than Nobel Prize-winning academics ; gifted artists often cannot earn enough to survive, while mediocre investment bankers prosper. Given such differences, the question naturally arises: talent and ability being equal, why does anyone—man or woman—enter a low-paying occupation? One obvious answer is personal choice. An individual may prefer, for example, to teach math at a modest salary rather than to become a more highly paid electrical engineer.

Some people argue that personal choice also explains sex-related wage differentials. According to this explanation, many women, because they place a high priority on parenting and performing household services, choose certain careers in which they are free to enter and leave the work force with minimum penalty. They may choose to acquire skills, such as typing and sales clerking, that do not depreciate rapidly with temporary absences from the work force. They may avoid occupational specialties that require extensive training periods, long and unpredictable hours, and willingness to relocate, all of which make specialization in domestic activities problematic. By choosing to invest less in developing their career potential and to expend less effort outside the home, women must, according to this explanation, pay a price in the form of lower salaries. But women cannot be considered the victims of discrimination because they prefer the lower-paying occupations to higher-paying ones.

An  alternative explanation  for sex-related wage differentials is that women do not voluntarily choose lower-paying occupations but are forced into them by employers and social prejudices. According to proponents of this view, employers who discriminate may refuse to hire qualified women for relatively high-paying occupations. More generally, subtle society-wide prejudices may induce women to avoid certain occupations in favor of others that are considered more suitable. Indeed, the “choice” of women to specialize in parenting and performing household services may itself result from these subtle prejudices. Whether the discrimination is by employers in a particular occupation or by society as a whole is irrelevant; the effect will be the same. Further, if such discrimination does occur, women excluded from certain occupations will flood others, and this increase in supply will have a depressing effect on wages in occupations dominated by women.    1 
 1. Which one of the following is the best little for the passage?

(A) Wage Differentials Between Men and Women
(B) Women in Low-Paying Occupations: Do They Have a Choice?
(C) Sex Discrimination in the Workplace
(D) The Role of Social Prejudice in Women’s Careers
(E) Home vs. Office: how Does the Modern Woman Choose?

2 
 2. In stating that “Successful athletes commonly earn more than Nobel Prize-winning academics” ( Highlighted ), the author’s primary purpose is to

(A) demonstrate that education has little to do with making money
(B) suggest that people with talent and ability should not enter low-paying occupations
(C) show that highly paid occupations generally require long hours and extensive training
(D) imply that a person can be successful and still not make much money
(E) give an example of how certain occupations are better paid than others regardless of inherent worth or talent required

3 
 3. Which one of the following cases is least likely to involve sex discrimination, as it is described in the passage?

(A) An employer hires a man rather than an equally qualified woman.
(B) A woman chooses to enter a high-paying occupation that uses her talent and ability.
(C) A woman chooses an occupation that is already dominated by women.
(D) A woman chooses a low-paying job that allows her to devote more time to her family.
(E) A woman chooses to avoid the pressure of being in an occupation not considered “suitable” for women.

4 
 4. Proponents of the “alternative explanation” ( Highlighted ) argue that

(A) employers have difficulty persuading qualified women to enter relatively high-paying occupations
(B) women choose undemanding jobs because they wish to keep their career options open
(C) women will flood domestic occupations
(D) salaries in female-dominated occupations will decrease as more women are forced into those occupations by their exclusion from others
(E) women’s choice of occupation is irrelevant since they have always made less money than men and are likely to continue to do so

5 
 5. Which one of the following statements is the best completion of the last paragraph of the passage?

(A) Wage differentials will become more exaggerated and economic parity between men and women less and less possible.
(B) Finally, women will be automatically placed in the same salary range as unskilled laborers.
(C) The question is: how long will women allow themselves to be excluded from male-dominated occupations?
(D) In the last analysis, women may need to ask themselves if they can really afford to allow sex discrimination to continue.
(E) Unless society changes its views, women may never escape the confines of the few occupations designated “For Women Only.”

6 
 6. The author’s attitude toward sex discrimination as an explanation for wage differentials can best be characterized as

(A) critical of society’s acceptance of discrimination
(B) skeptical that discrimination is a factor
(C) convinced that the problem will get worse
(D) neutral with respect to its validity
(E) frustrated by the intractability of the problem

RC Butler 2021  -  Practice Two RC Questions Everyday.   
Passage # 193 Date: 17-May-2021
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2021 .  Click here for Details

ManyataM · Answer

b
e
b
d
a
e

IMO these are the answers

omkarkhanvilkar · Answer

B
E
B
D
A
C
 
Took around 5.5 mins for the entire thing. Need to improve on timings

sumitkrocks · Answer

1. Which one of the following is the best little for the passage?

(A) Wage Differentials Between Men and Women 
 Relevant potential correct choice as Author did discuss about wage disparity – keep  
 (B) Women in Low-Paying Occupations: Do They Have a Choice? 
 Relevant potential correct choice as entire passage is focused on identifying why women are preferring low paying jobs, creating disparity in wage distributions  
 (C) Sex Discrimination in the Workplace 
 Discussed but not the main point for the title  
 (D) The Role of Social Prejudice in Women’s Careers 
 Discussed but not the main point for the title 
 (E) Home vs. Office: how Does the Modern Woman Choose? 
 Irrelevant  
 
B is the best Answer IMO

2. In stating that “Successful athletes commonly earn more than Nobel Prize-winning academics” (Highlighted), the author’s primary purpose is to

(A) demonstrate that education has little to do with making money
(B) suggest that people with talent and ability should not enter low-paying occupations
(C) show that highly paid occupations generally require long hours and extensive training
(D) imply that a person can be successful and still not make much money
(E) give an example of how certain occupations are better paid than others regardless of inherent worth or talent required
 While defending that wage disparity can’t be directly termed as sex discrimination Author presents highlighted instance

E is the right answer

3. Which one of the following cases is least likely to involve sex discrimination, as it is described in the passage?

(A) An employer hires a man rather than an equally qualified woman. 
(B) A woman chooses to enter a high-paying occupation that uses her talent and ability.
(C) A woman chooses an occupation that is already dominated by women.
(D) A woman chooses a low-paying job that allows her to devote more time to her family.
(E) A woman chooses to avoid the pressure of being in an occupation not considered 
“suitable” for women.

B is the right answer

4. Proponents of the “alternative explanation” (Highlighted) argue that

Refer:  if such discrimination does occur, women excluded from certain occupations will flood others, and this increase in supply will have a depressing effect on wages in occupations dominated by women.

(A) employers have difficulty persuading qualified women to enter relatively high-paying occupations
(B) women choose undemanding jobs because they wish to keep their career options open
(C) women will flood domestic occupations
(D) salaries in female-dominated occupations will decrease as more women are forced into those occupations by their exclusion from others
(E) women’s choice of occupation is irrelevant since they have always made less money than men and are likely to continue to do so
 D is the right answer

5. Which one of the following statements is the best completion of the last paragraph of the passage?

(A) Wage differentials will become more exaggerated and economic parity between men and women less and less possible.
(B) Finally, women will be automatically placed in the same salary range as unskilled laborers.
(C) The question is: how long will women allow themselves to be excluded from male-dominated occupations?
(D) In the last analysis, women may need to ask themselves if they can really afford to allow sex discrimination to continue.
(E) Unless society changes its views, women may never escape the confines of the few occupations designated “For Women Only.”

In the last sentences of the last passage author mentions that wages of women would continue to fall as more women enter in such limited professions, flooding the supply for limited demand.

A is the best content to fit the bill in continuation of the flow

6. The author’s attitude toward sex discrimination as an explanation for wage differentials can best be characterized as

(A) critical of society’s acceptance of discrimination
(B) skeptical that discrimination is a factor
(C) convinced that the problem will get worse
(D) neutral with respect to its validity
(E) frustrated by the intractability of the problem
 Author is neutral on such claims; Author has presented cases when some people falsely labelled disparity a result of sex discrimination; however, author is willing to measure such claims by looking into details.

D is the best to suit Author’s take

mSKR · Answer

around 10 minutes 5/6 correct

1. B 
The passage talks about women in low paying jobs. Is it because of their choice or discrimination? If not for discrimination then they are pushed into such jobs due to society and employers.

2.  wage differentials among occupations are the norm rather than the exception 
Something about wage differntials
 E matches exactly

3.somethign that doesn’t involve any society or employers influence
A is because of employer discrimination
C, D and E are due to society prejudice . 
Hence B is the correct answer

4. propents favour employer and society discrimination
 Further, if such discrimination does occur, women excluded from certain occupations will flood others,  
A: is not against employer discrimination
B: nothing about society or employer part
C. not mentioned
E. out of scope not mentioned in the context
 D matches

5. The passage talks about some causes and effects. The previous statements talks about discrimination.
 I chose A because it matches the author reasoning behind writing these last statements. 
B doesn’t match with claim in the last statements
C and D doesn’t fit into the context
E is too extreme. No such thought is present.

Ranasaymon · Answer

VeritasKarishma   Sajjad1994

'Whether the discrimination is by employers in a particular occupation or by society as a whole is irrelevant; the effect will be the same. Further, if such discrimination does occur, women excluded from certain occupations will flood others, and this increase in supply will have a depressing effect on wages in occupations dominated by women.

-> I was convinced throughout the passage till I find those lines that author is neutral. But after reading those lines, It may seem that author's attitude is expressed. Help me to eliminate the contenders A and E, and justify the correct answer D.

The author’s attitude toward sex discrimination as an explanation for wage differentials can best be characterized as

(A) critical of society’s acceptance of discrimination
(B) skeptical that discrimination is a factor
(C) convinced that the problem will get worse
(D) neutral with respect to its validity
(E) frustrated by the intractability of the problem

KarishmaB · Answer

These are the author's comments:

"The question of whether this occupational employment pattern can be attributed to sex discrimination is a complex one."

Much of the salary differential results from the tendency of women to be in lower-paying occupations. In fact, wage differentials among occupations are the norm rather than the exception.

Some people argue that personal choice also explains sex-related wage differentials. According to this explanation, many women, because they place a high priority on parenting and performing household services, choose certain careers in which they are free to enter and leave the work force with minimum penalty.

An alternative explanation for sex-related wage differentials is that women do not voluntarily choose lower-paying occupations but are forced into them by employers and social prejudices.

He is objectively giving the various viewpoints of people, the various explanations for why there exists sex-related wage differentials. He doesn't say that these people are wrong or this idea is correct. He just objectively gives the various ideas. 
Hence, he is neutral with respect to its validity.

(D) is correct.

(A) critical of society’s acceptance of discrimination

For this to be true, the author needs to criticise the society's acceptance. e.g.
The society has come to accept that discrimination exists and that is deplorable. 
But the author does not give his opinion on whether it is good or bad.

(E) frustrated by the intractability of the problem

He also does not show any frustration. All he does is objectively keep forward various view points.

nikitamaheshwari · Answer

Can you explain why B answer choice is incorrect? The author says assigning discrimination to the wage differential is a complex one...Does that mean the author was skeptical about it?

mSKR · Answer

earlier in passage, author says women choose low paying jobs because of their own reasons
last para gives an alternative view that it happens because of society prejudices.

pay attention to this line:  Whether the discrimination is by employers in a particular occupation or by society as a whole is irrelevant; the effect will be the same

6. The author’s attitude toward sex discrimination as an explanation for wage differentials can best be characterized as

(A) critical of society’s acceptance of discrimination --> he didn't criticize society , he just showed facts what is happening. he didnt say society is resposble for all these discrimiantion. he focus more on end result that women have to suffer
(B)  skeptical  that  discrimination  is a factor -->he knows that wage differences happens because of choice or unintentionally but he cares more of end result. 
(C) convinced that the problem will get worse --> he just predicted that situation could be worse/
 (D) neutral with respect to its validity --> he don't care wage diffeentials happens because of what factors but it effects women. thats the key point.
(E) frustrated by the intractability of the problem --> he was not shown frustrated in the passage

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In most developed countries, men have higher salaries, on average,

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In most developed countries, men have higher salaries, on average,

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