Some observers have attributed the dramatic growth in temporary employ

Hello, warrior1991. I am pleased that you asked about option (A) specifically, since I think GMATNinjaTwo has done an excellent job explaining the pitfalls of (E). How about we look at that opening line again?


That who clause is easy to miss, but it lies at the crux of question 5. Ask yourself the following series of questions, and you will see the justification for (A):

1) Q: According to the observers, what led to the growth mentioned in temporary employment?
A: Increased participation in the workforce by certain groups.

2) Q: According to the observers, why did those groups increase their participation in temporary working arrangements?
A: Because they prefer such arrangements.

3) Q: Does option (A) follow the same thought process, only with negations?


It is not an easy answer choice to qualify on first glance, but you can disprove each of the others and spend more time with this one to see that all the pieces align. This is GMAT™ trickery at its best.

I hope that helps. If you have further questions, feel free to ask. Thank you for thinking to bring me into the dialogue on a different question from the one I had answered before.

- Andrew

AndrewN. Thanks for chipping in.

My point is that if fewer workers who prefer such arrangements entered the workforce, the existing positions would remain empty. Therefore, since the existing positions would remain empty, no NEW positions will be created. Is my understanding correct ??

I think you are getting into associative reasoning, and that may be causing confusion. The real issue here is that the observers mentioned in the opening line apparently believe that a supply/demand relationship in temporary positions hinges upon the demand, the preferences, of the people entering the workforce, not that the supply, the number of temporary jobs available, will further dictate the same. By this logic, if people suddenly shifted their preferences to different (non-temporary) work arrangements, the market for temporary positions would collapse. (The author of the passage seems not to agree, but that is not what the question is asking.)

Does that make sense?

- Andrew

Hi,

I don't understand how we can draw this conclusion. If temporary workers stop entering the market then new positions will stop increasing ie stagnant. I would only conclude that temporary employment decreases if workers exit the labour market not stop entering right?

Thank you

Got 3 wrong

Total time = 10 min. I guess I rushed it to drop my accuracy. The detail questions were hard to spot for me as i think i read it too quickly.

Q3: Can somebody please explain why B is not correct for Q3? In the first par, it is stated that some observers attributed the dramatic groeth in temp employment to increased population in the workforce by certain groups.

Q4: Can someone please explain where I can find a reference in the passage indicating that temp workers did not prefer permanent employment to temp employment?

please , can anyone explain in Q7 why option A is incorrect ?
i selected option a because "certain groups of people "is not mentioned in last para.

thanks

Hi tkorzhan18,


Though it is mentioned in the first para, author presents a counter argument in the second para as: "However, statistical analyses reveal that demographic changes in the workforce did not correlate with variations in the total number of temporary workers. Instead, these analyses suggest that factors affecting employers account for the rise in temporary employment.". Thus B is incorrect.




E for Question 4 can be inferred from the lines: "Given the analyses, which reveal that growth in temporary employment now far exceeds the level explainable by recent workforce entry rates of groups said to prefer temporary jobs, firms should be discouraged from creating excessive numbers of temporary positions."


Hope This Helps.
Thanks.

Hi kadamhari825,




A is present in the passage and can be inferred from the lines:
"Government policymakers should consider mandating benefit coverage for temporary employees, promoting pay equity between temporary and permanent workers, assisting labor unions in organizing temporary workers, and encouraging firms to assign temporary jobs primarily to employees who explicitly indicate that preference."

"certain groups of people "mentioned in the option refers to only those people who explicitly indicate the preference towards temporary jobs.



Hope This Helps.
Thanks.

4. The passage suggests which of the following about the workers who took temporary jobs during the 1980s?
(the passage as a whole is about this)

(A) Their jobs frequently led to permanent positions within firms.
Not supported – all we know about the relationship between permanent and temporary positions is that the passage suggests that gov’t policymakers promote pay equity between the two.

(B) They constituted a less demographically diverse group than has been suggested.
Not supported - All we know is that there isn’t necessarily an INCREASED participation in the workforce of demographics (that correlates w/ variations in total number of temp workers). This is too strong.

(C) They were occasionally involved in actions organized by labor unions.
Not supported – all we know about the relationship between actions organized by labor unions and temporary positions is that the passage suggests that gov’t policymakers assist labor unions in organizing temporary workers (not that they were necessarily involved already)

(D) Their pay declined during the decade in comparison with the pay of permanent employees.
Not supported/too strong – all we know about the relationship between permanent and temporary positions is that the passage suggests that gov’t policymakers promote pay equity between the two. This alludes to the fact that they were necessarily equal, but that does not mean it declined. What if temporary employees’ income stayed constant and the permanent employees’ income increased.

(E) They did not necessarily prefer temporary employment to permanent employment.
This answer choice states “not necessarily.” This is a key qualifier. “Given the analyses, which reveal that growth in temporary employment now far exceeds the level explainable by recent workforce entry rates of groups said to prefer temporary jobs…” so a lot more than they anticipated with the original thoughts about the growth in temp employment. It far exceed a certain level, so it’s possible that SOME workers still prefer the temp employment, but overall they don’t necessarily prefer temporary employment to permanent employment.

How can the observers predict that the number of temp positions would decline just based on the premise that only a certain group of people preferred Temp jobs?

Hi parthgohel,

Let me know if this helps.

Consider the lines: "Some observers have attributed the dramatic growth in temporary employment that occurred in the United States during the 1980s to increased participation in the workforce by certain groups, such as first-time or reentering workers, who supposedly prefer such arrangements".
This would mean, that if this certain group of people is not looking for temporary work anymore, the temporary jobs would decline, as the number of such temporary jobs was high only because of the certain group of people who needed it.
Thus A is correct.

Thanks.

Hello Experts,

Can anyone help me understand the reasons and the proper answers for the question from 3 to 7 please. All the option in these questions are very close and I am not able to figure out the exact reason for the correct choices.

Thanks

Hi ankur2510,

Please refer the below links for the answers to the questions from Questions 3-7.

Let me know if you still have doubts.

Question 3:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312.html#p1541783
Question 4:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312-20.html#p2686138
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312.html#p1541786
Question 5:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312-20.html#p2681218
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312-20.html#p2540030
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312.html#p1835551
Question 6:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/some-observers-have-attributed-the-dramatic-growth-in-temporary-employ-87312.html#p2502383


Thanks.

Question 1

The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) present the results of statistical analyses and propose further studies Further studies have not been recommended.

(B) explain a recent development and predict its eventual consequences No predictions have been made.

(C) identify the reasons for a trend and recommend measures to address it The author identifies the reason for the rise in temporary employment and recommends that “firms should be discouraged from creating excessive numbers of temporary positions”

(D) outline several theories about a phenomenon and advocate one of them The author has only advocated one theory that dramatic growth in temporary employment that occurred in the United States during the 1980s.

(E) describe the potential consequences of implementing a new policy and argue in favor of that policy He has not done this.


Question 2

According to the passage, which of the following is true of the “factors affecting employers” that are mentioned in lines 10–19?

(A) Most experts cite them as having initiated the growth in temporary employment that occurred during the 1980s. No reference to indicate that these factors initiated the growth in temporary employment

(B) They may account for the increase in the total number of temporary workers during the 1980s. The passage clearly states that analyses suggest that factors affecting employers account for the rise in temporary employment

(C) They were less important than demographic change in accounting for the increase of temporary employment during the 1980s. No reference to indicate that these factors were less important than demographic change

(D) They included a sharp increase in the cost of labor during the 1980s. No reference to indicate that these factors included a sharp increase in the cost of labor

(E) They are more difficult to account for than are other factors involved in the growth of temporary employment during the 1980s. No reference to indicate that these factors are more difficult to account for than are other factors


Question 3

The passage suggests which of the following about the use of temporary employment by firms during the 1980s?

(A) It enabled firms to deal with fluctuating product demand far more efficiently than they did before the 1980s. We cannot infer if it enabled firms to efficiently deal with fluctuating product demand

(B) It increased as a result of increased participation in the workforce by certain demographic groups. It increased as a result of increased participation in the workforce by certain groups that preferred temporary employment

(C) It was discouraged by government-mandated policies. This cannot be inferred.

(D) It was a response to preferences indicated by certain employees for more flexible working arrangements. It may have dramatically increased due to the preference of certain employees in the workforce. But we can’t infer that it was a response to such preferences.

(E) It increased partly as a result of workers’ reduced ability to control the terms of their employment. The phrase “labor’s reduced bargaining strength” implies that temporary employment gave the workers more control the terms of their employment


Question 4

The passage suggests which of the following about the workers who took temporary jobs during the 1980s?

(A) Their jobs frequently led to permanent positions within firms. This cannot be inferred.

(B) They constituted a less demographically diverse group than has been suggested. The demographic diversity of the group can’t be inferred.

(C) They were occasionally involved in actions organized by labor unions. Labor unions have only been mentioned when referring to government policymakers

(D) Their pay declined during the decade in comparison with the pay of permanent employees. This cannot be inferred.

(E) They did not necessarily prefer temporary employment to permanent employment. The line "Given the analyses, which reveal that growth in temporary employment now far exceeds the level explainable by recent workforce entry rates of groups said to prefer temporary jobs, firms should be discouraged from creating excessive numbers of temporary positions" implies that not all the people who had temporary employment preferred it.


Question 5

The first sentence in the passage suggests that the “observers” mentioned in line 1 would be most likely to predict which of the following?

(A) That the number of new temporary positions would decline as fewer workers who preferred temporary employment entered the workforce The first line implies that the temporary positions increased because more people who preferred temporary employment entered the work force. This implies that if fewer people who preferred temporary employment entered the work force then the number of new temporary positions would reduce since here would not be as many takers.

(B) That the total number of temporary positions would increase as fewer workers were able to find permanent positions The first line implies that the temporary positions increased because more people who preferred temporary employment entered the work force. It is not suggesting anything about workers who are not able to find permanent positions

(C) That employers would have less control over the terms of workers’ employment as workers increased their bargaining strength The passage talks of the fact that temporary employment would lead the employers to have less control over the terms of workers’ employment. It this has not been suggested by the first line

(D) That more workers would be hired for temporary positions as product demand increased The first line implies that the temporary positions increased because more people who preferred temporary employment entered the work force. That product demand increase will lead to more workers being hired as not been implied by the first line

(E) That the number of workers taking temporary positions would increase as more workers in any given demographic group entered the workforce The first line is not talking of the increase in the number of workers taking temporary positions but about the increase in temporary positions.


Question 6

In the context of the passage, the word “excessive” (line 23) most closely corresponds to which of the following phrases?

(A) Far more than can be justified by worker preferences The line “Given the analyses, which reveal that growth in temporary employment now far exceeds the level explainable by recent workforce entry rates of groups said to prefer temporary jobs, firms should be discouraged from creating excessive numbers of temporary positions” indicates that “excessive” refers to more jobs is needed based on the preference

(B) Far more than can be explained by fluctuations in product demand “Excessive” has not been used to refer to fluctuations in product demand

(C) Far more than can be beneficial to the success of the firms themselves “Excessive” has not been used to refer to success of the firms

(D) Far more than can be accounted for by an expanding national economy “Excessive” has not been used to refer to the expanding national economy

(E) Far more than can be attributed to increases in the total number of people in the workforce “Excessive” has not been used to refer to the increases in the total number of people in the workforce


Question 7

The passage mentions each of the following as an appropriate kind of governmental action EXCEPT

(A) getting firms to offer temporary employment primarily to a certain group of people This option has been stated

(B) encouraging equitable pay for temporary and permanent employees This option has been stated

(C) facilitating the organization of temporary workers by labor unions This option has been stated

(D) establishing guidelines on the proportion of temporary workers that firms should employ This is the only option that has not been stated in the last line.

(E) ensuring that temporary workers obtain benefits from their employers This option has been stated

-Nitha Jay

AjiteshArun
However, statistical analyses reveal that demographic changes in the workforce did not correlate with variations in the total number of temporary workers.

sir can u explain this line and also how this line connects with previous lines.

Hi saby1410,

The passage starts by introducing the opinion of "some observers":
1. Some observers say that X (increased participation in the workforce by certain groups, such as first-time or reentering workers, who supposedly prefer such arrangements) caused Z (the dramatic growth in temporary employment that occurred in the United States during the 1980s).

Then the author introduces information that undermines (1):
2. Statistical analyses reveal that ~X (demographic* changes in the workforce) did not correlate with ~Z (variations in the total number of temporary workers).

* Demographic is just a way to refer to the structure or composition of a population, so "demographic changes in the workforce" includes "increased participation in the workforce by certain groups".

The author then introduces the "real" reason, the one he or she considers correct:
3. Instead, these analyses suggest that Y (factors affecting employers) account for Z (the rise in temporary employment).