Since the 1980s, experts have been claiming that the skill demands of

Question

Since the 1980s,  experts  have been claiming that the skill demands of today’s jobs have outstripped the skills workers possess. Moss and Tilly counter that worker defciencies lie less in job-specifc skills than in such attributes as motivation, interpersonal skills, and appropriate work demeanor. However, Handel suggests that these perceived def ciencies are merely an age effect, arguing that workers pass through a phase of early adulthood characterized by weak attachment to their jobs. As they mature, workers grow out of casual work attitudes and adjust to the workplace norms of jobs that they are more interested in retaining. Signifcantly, complaints regarding younger workers have persisted for over two decades, but similar complaints regarding older workers have not grown as the earlier cohorts aged.    1 
 1. The passage suggests that Moss and Tilly are most likely to disagree with the “experts” ( Highlighted ) about which of the following?

A. Whether the skills demanded by jobs in the labor market have changed since the 1980s
B. Whether employers think that job-specifc skills are as important as such attributes as motivation and appropriate work demeanor
C. Whether workers in today’s labor market generally live up to the standards and expectations of employers
D. Whether adequate numbers of workers in the labor market possess the particular skills demanded by various different jobs
E. Whether most workers are motivated to acquire new skills that are demanded by the labor market

2 
 2. The last sentence serves primarily to

A. suggest that worker defciencies are likely to become more pronounced in the future
B. introduce facts that Handel may have failed to take into account
C. cite evidence supporting Handel’s argument about workers
D. show that the worker defciencies cited by Handel are more than an age effect
E. distinguish certain skills more commonly possessed by young workers from skills more commonly found among mature workers

sunitapandey · Answer

1. The passage suggests that Moss and Tilly are most likely to disagree with the “experts” (Highlighted) about which of the following?

A. Whether the skills demanded by jobs in the labor market have changed since the 1980s - not mentioned
B. Whether employers think that job-specifc skills are as important as such attributes as motivation and appropriate work demeanor - no comparison was made
C. Whether workers in today’s labor market generally live up to the standards and expectations of employers - no mention of employers' expectation
D. Whether adequate numbers of workers in the labor market possess the particular skills demanded by various diﬀerent jobs
 E. Whether most workers are motivated to acquire new skills that are demanded by the labor market - correct. As their opinion differs from that of experts' on this line. They believe that the workers lack the motivation and atitude required by the job and not the specific skill

sunitapandey · Answer

2. The last sentence serves primarily to

A. suggest that worker defciencies are likely to become more pronounced in the future- we are not told what will happen in future
B. introduce facts that Handel may have failed to take into account- no new fact was stated
 C. cite evidence supporting Handel’s argument about workers- This is an example that supports of Handel said, that job related gap is a matter of age factor. 
D. show that the worker defciencies cited by Handel are more than an age eﬀect - it supports that the age factor is the only reason.
E. distinguish certain skills more commonly possessed by young workers from skills more commonly found among mature workers - we are not comparing tehir skills.

UtkarshAnand · Answer

Can someone explain the answer to Q1?

Posted from my mobile device

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. The passage suggests that Moss and Tilly are most likely to disagree with the “experts” (Highlighted) about which of the following?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

According to the passage, the  “experts”  on the one hand, and Moss and Tilly on the other, disagree about the specific kinds of deficiencies possessed by today’s workers: the  “experts”  claim that workers are deficient because of the lack of job skills, while Moss and Tilly believe that the deficiencies stem from the lack of motivation and poor attitude. This means that the two sides would disagree about whether the skills of today’s workers are adequate for their jobs; thus Choice D is correct.

Answer: D

UtkarshAnand · Answer

Thanks for the prompt explanation. I agree with your explanation. It is exactly on the lines of what I thought and indeed that is why my doubt still persists as option d which states, "Whether adequate numbers of workers in the labor market possess the particular skills demanded by various diﬀerent jobs" talks about adequate "number of workers" possessing those skills and not about adequate "number of skills".

Some more clarity would help.

Posted from my mobile device

EshaFatim · Answer

The more I read the answer to option D of question 1, the more it cannot but seems that they will rather both agree on it.

They both should agree on the  inadequate number of workers possessing necessarily skill . Am I not emphasizing the right part of the question? I'm confused.

If it's talking about skill types that they'd disagree on, the sentence establishment seems a little misleading somehow to me. It seems that it emphasizes on them both disagreeing on the workers' inadequacy. But they both do agree on the inadequacy though - just in different skill types. I just can't see how the correct answer is option D.

Feb2024 · Answer

Bunuel   KarishmaB   GMATNinja   CrackverbalGMAT   MartyMurray   Sajjad1994

Hello Experts,

Can you please break down options A & E for Question 1? I find them to be equally appropriate answers.

Thanks in advance!

KarishmaB · Answer

1. The passage suggests that Moss and Tilly are most likely to disagree with the “experts” ( Highlighted ) about which of the following? A. Whether the skills demanded by jobs in the labor market have changed since the 1980s B. Whether employers think that job-specifc skills are as important as such attributes as motivation and appropriate work demeanor C. Whether workers in today’s labor market generally live up to the standards and expectations of employers D. Whether adequate numbers of workers in the labor market possess the particular skills demanded by various different jobs E. Whether most workers are motivated to acquire new skills that are demanded by the labor market Given in the passage: Since the 1980s, experts have been claiming that the skill demands of today’s jobs have outstripped the skills workers possess. Moss and Tilly counter that worker defciencies lie less in job-specifc skills than in such attributes as motivation, interpersonal skills, and appropriate work demeanor. What is it that the experts and Moss and Tilly would disagree on? Experts say that workers today don't have the skills the jobs require. Moss and Tilly say that it isn't about skills (they do have job specific skills) but more about appropriate attitude in which they are lacking. A. Whether the skills demanded by jobs in the labor market have changed since the 1980s We are not given whether skills required have changed or not. All we know is that experts believe that people do not have whatever skills are required whereas Moss and Tilly think that it has more to do with their bad attitude, not skills. Whether the skills required themselves have changed over these years is out of scope. B. Whether employers think that job-specifc skills are as important as such attributes as motivation and appropriate work demeanor What employers consider important is out of scope. C. Whether workers in today’s labor market generally live up to the standards and expectations of employers Both think that they do not - because of different reasons, but both believe that workers do not live up to expectations. D. Whether adequate numbers of workers in the labor market possess the particular skills demanded by various different jobs Correct. Experts believe that people do not have the skills required by the jobs. Moss and Tilly believe that they do. Hence they would likely disagree on this point. Experts would say that enough people do not have the skills required. Moss and Tilly would say that they do. It is an attitude problem. E. Whether most workers are motivated to acquire new skills that are demanded by the labor market We don't know what they think about 'motivation to acquire new skills' but most likely both, experts and Moss and Tilly, believe that workers are not motivated to acquire new skills. Experts believe that they don't have the new skills required (so likely don't have motivation to acquire them too) and Moss and Tilly believe that they don't have motivation (might have acquired necessary skills as part of education etc). In any case, they are likely to agree on this point. Answer (D) This is an extrapolatory kind of RC Question. Here is a discussion on various RC Question Types: https://youtu.be/L-C8urqQP6k

Since the 1980s, experts have been claiming that the skill demands of

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Since the 1980s, experts have been claiming that the skill demands of

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