The glass ceilingthe barrier that once kept women from the top tiers

Question 1: My answer is (A)
The author is rather critical of the lockout. We do not read anything positive about it.
(A) and (D) are contenders. Yet (A) is a stronger word, which fits the author's tone better.
Or, simply because the author specifically says that the lockout is a more insidious form.

Question 2: My answer is (C).
While I remember reading all except (C) issuing reports, it actually took me over 1 minute to locate the location on "operations oversight". It is in the second paragraph.
Note to myself: Just pick the best answer and move on.

Question 3: My answer is (E).
The author likely agrees with (C) and (E). But for assumption, only (E) is the correct answer. Because if we negate it, "bloc voting does not diminish the role of interests represented by smaller blocs", the whole invective against hive structure rings hollow.

Question 4: My answer is (D).
In the last paragraph, the author fulminates against "the frequent trumpeting of women's gains from the highest levels of the
banking industry". It then cites a recent CEO report that "obscures the disparity between male and female management roles by focusing attention on women's numerical gains".

1. The author's opinion of lockouts is best expressed by which of the following words?

A. “insidious” (line 4) - used for glass ceiling
B. "palpable" (line &) - used for glass ceiling
C. "illusory" (line 15) - lockout referred to a higher position as an illusion
D. "disquieting" (line 40)
E. "elevating" (line 44) - one of the possible though not sure


2. According to the passage, major decisions concerning all of the following are decided by a majority vote EXCEPT

from POE
A. operations oversight
B. choosing investments
C. issuing reports
D. salary structure
E. employment policy


3. Which of the following is an assumption about management decision-making made by the author in the third paragraph of the passage?

A. In management circles, men and women vote according to similar criteria.
B. The hive structure is a natural product of the American ideal of meritocracy.
C. The imposition of a hive structure was a result of management's unwillingness to allow women influence in the banking industry.
D. Lockouts result from women's unwillingness to vote in blocs.
E. Bloc voting diminishes the role of interests represented by smaller blocs. - Line 28-32 - When all major votes were examined on the basis of sex, investigators found that men voted as a bloc ninety-one percent of the time, while women voted as a bloc only fifty-two percent of the time.


4. Which of the following best summarizes the final paragraph of the passage?

A. Corporate leaders manipulate corporate structure to roll back the gains made by women over the last two decades.
B. The banking industry lacks the structures to reward women for the significant contributions they make to management decisions.
C. Current corporate structure deters female executives from seeking jobs in the highest management circles of the banking industry.
D. Corporate leaders obscure the disparity between male and female management roles by focusing attention on women's numerical gains. - promoting women to senior positions to cover the disparity but demeaning the position as lesser power in decision making
E. The banking industry will not recover from recent setbacks without abandoning the lockout system of corporate decision-making.

1. The author's opinion of lockouts is best expressed by which of the following words?

A. “insidious” (line 4)- Correct opinion
B. "palpable" (line &)- It is for glass ceiling
C. "illusory" (line 15)- Convey about illusionary gain of power with respect to increase in number
D. "disquieting" (line 40)-Not any opinion for lockout telling the situation
E. "elevating" (line 44)-Increasing the number again not telling about the lockout


2-According to the passage, major decisions concerning all of the following are decided by a majority vote EXCEPT

A. operations oversight-line 20
B. choosing investments-line 21
C. issuing reports
D. salary structure-line 33
E. employment policy-line 37

3-Which of the following is an assumption about management decision-making made by the author in the third paragraph of the passage?

A. In management circles, men and women vote according to similar criteria.
B. The hive structure is a natural product of the American ideal of meritocracy.
C. The imposition of a hive structure was a result of management's unwillingness to allow women influence in the banking industry.
D. Lockouts result from women's unwillingness to vote in blocs.- infer from line 24-28
E. Bloc voting diminishes the role of interests represented by smaller blocs.

4-Which of the following best summarizes the final paragraph of the passage?

A. Corporate leaders manipulate corporate structure to roll back the gains made by women over the last two decades.
B. The banking industry lacks the structures to reward women for the significant contributions they make to management decisions.
C. Current corporate structure deters female executives from seeking jobs in the highest management circles of the banking industry.
D. Corporate leaders obscure the disparity between male and female management roles by focusing attention on women's numerical gains.-Infer from line 44-50 they are trying to focus on power gained by women with increasing noon senior level on contrary to responsibilities given to them .
E. The banking industry will not recover from recent setbacks without abandoning the lockout system of corporate decision-making.

Competition mode is off now for this passage so everyone can see others' replies.

Hello Everyone

OAs to this passage are also posted: ACED

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Words: 365
Read Time: 4 mins 30 sec
Correct: 4/4
Paragraph Structure:
Business phenomenon related to women,
Women's present situation in numbers,
Women's minority voting impact on company and improvement required
Paraphrasing:
Para 1: Growth barrier for women in banking industry replaced by unpleasant restrictions, which are complicated to tackle.
Para 2: Despite improved statistics in women’s growth in banking segment, still falls short in poll (voting) for major decision
Para 3: Supporting to para 2, as women numbers falls into minority, which fails their contribution in major decision, dilutes women’s potential, ability, and accepted benefits. This effects the meritocracy.
Para 4: Banking upper management blindflod efforts to improve broadening women’s roles in upper management.

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1. The author's opinion of lockouts is best expressed by which of the following words?
As mentioned in the passage, 1st Para, author defines two words
1. The glass ceiling: the barrier that once kept women from the top tiers of management in the banking industry
2. Lockout: a more insidious form of restriction
A. “insidious” (line 4) – correct; as mentioned above
B. "palpable" (line &) – wrong; as like “glass ceiling”
C. "illusory" (line 15) – wrong; highlights growth of women in banking sector
D. "disquieting" (line 40) – wrong; highlights “frequent trumpeting of women's gains”
E. "elevating" (line 44) – wrong; highlights incremental growth of women in banking segment.

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2. According to the passage, major decisions concerning all of the following are decided by a majority vote EXCEPT
on the basis of two statements mentioned in the passage,
Statement 1: “while each senior vice president used to preside omnipotently over
a single area of operations,
all managers now oversee all operations, and
all major decisions on such matters as
new areas of investment and
acceptable credit risks are decided by a majority vote.”
Statement 2: “These votes determine
hiring criteria,
salary structure,
promotions, and
stock-option plans—in substance, the entire culture, direction, and focus of the company.”

A. operations oversight - yes
B. choosing investments - yes
C. issuing reports - No
D. salary structure - yes
E. employment policy - yes

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3. Which of the following is an assumption about
management decision-making made by the author
in the third paragraph of the passage?
as mentioned in the passage,
"When all were examined on the basis of sex, investigators found
that men voted as a bloc ninety-one percent of the time (majority),
while women voted as a bloc only fifty-two percent of the time (minority)

A. In management circles, men and women vote according to similar criteria
– wrong; as per above statement, Men votes are under majority and women votes are under minority.
B. The hive structure is a natural product of the American ideal of meritocracy – wrong – out of scope
C. The imposition of a hive structure was a result of management's unwillingness to allow women influence in the banking industry
– wrong; its not about hive structure, but about expression of vote for better in banking segment by women’s,
while taking important decision,
which fails to influence women in this segment.
D. Lockouts result from women's unwillingness to vote in blocs
– wrong; women are willing to and were allowed to vote,
but due to minority in numbers while voting, they were lockout in many situations.
E. Bloc voting diminishes the role of interests represented by smaller blocs – correct as mentioned above.

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4. Which of the following best summarizes the final paragraph of the passage?
Para 3: (intended meaning)
Just as disquieting is the frequent trumpeting of women's gains from the highest levels of the
banking industry.
(Women less in number in upper management - Worry situation, but taking credit to show women’s gain)
In a recent report to stockholders, one CEO announced that “by elevating women to five of seven recently created vice presidential posts, we have increased the number of female vice presidents by thirty percent."
(Example from CEO statement, past 3 women and 25 men in upper management, now with 30% increase in women number from 3 to 4 still the numbers are less compared to men)
Such hypocritical efforts to take credit for broadening women's roles in upper management while circumscribing their effective power in the same circles merely demean the women seeking such responsibilities
([u]hypocritical efforts – increasing the women presence number from 3 to 4 – 30%, circumscribing management efforts, demeans women’s talent or ability to take responsibility, as their impact of voting plays no major role, due to women’s minority in numbers[/u])
Correct option: D. Corporate leaders obscure the disparity between male and female management roles by focusing attention on women's numerical gains

Wrong Options:
A. Corporate leaders manipulate corporate structure to roll back the gains made by women over the last two decades
– out of scope, not mentioned in the passage
B. The banking industry lacks the structures to reward women for the significant contributions they make to management decisions
– passage does not discuss about rewards and recognitions.
C. Current corporate structure deters female executives from seeking jobs in the highest management circles of the banking industry
– as per Para III, women were and are present in upper management but can be inferred that they are less in numbers.
E. The banking industry will not recover from recent setbacks without abandoning the lockout system of corporate decision-making
– out of scope, not mentioned in the passage