The economy is in a dismal state, universities are suffering from cutb

Question

The economy is in a dismal state, universities are suffering from cutbacks, and many students must turn to any source of funds available if they are to make ends meet. Faced with this situation, the university has terminated the employment of some of its more productive departmental workers. Why? University regulations prohibit a student’s receiving financial aid and then working for an auxiliary income that exceeds a specified limit. Employees whose incomes had reached that limit were terminated. Now, the university must find other employees. Unfortunately, though, the university’s choice of students to fill the positions will not be based upon their abilities to perform, or even upon their financial need, but upon how much money they have made.

Which one of the following is the best statement or the primary point of the passage?

(A) Good student-employees should be able to obtain financial aid and, at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes without limits.
(B) In the face of a declining economy, universities need to be more lenient in their financial aid policies.
(C) University departments must adhere to the university’s regulations.
(D) Decisions about student employment should be based entirely upon each student’s financial need.
(E) Due to the problems created by a dismal economy, some student-workers have lost their jobs.

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

Primary point of a passage is the author's opinion. That comes across from the transition word he uses - "unfortunately"
"Unfortunately, though, the university’s choice of students to fill the positions will not be based upon their abilities to perform, or even upon their financial need, but upon how much money they have made."

So he is against this policy of the university. That is the reason he wrote this passage. Option (A) is certainly something that seems to be the author's opinion.

Let's look at the other options.
(B) In the face of a declining economy, universities need to be more lenient in their financial aid policies.
The argument focusses not on the financial aid aspect but on the student working as employees aspect and the limits set on that.

(C) University departments must adhere to the university’s regulations.
We don't know what the author thinks about this.

(D) Decisions about student employment should be based entirely upon each student’s financial need.
The author doesn't say this. The student's ability to perform is also important to the author.

(E) Due to the problems created by a dismal economy, some student-workers have lost their jobs.
This is a fact, not the author's opinion.

Answer (A)

nusmavrik · Answer

Interesting topic.

E is a premise. D contradicts the premise. C out of scope. B is Irrelevant

But A is hard to digest on the face value -
(A) Good student-employees should be able to obtain financial aid and, at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes without limits. ???

should be able to obtain financial aid ---> AFFIRMATIVE
at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes  without limits.  ---> How??? Employees whose incomes had reached that limit were terminated. So are they going to go against regulation?

dwivedys · Answer

I would have chosen A, but it says students can earn auxiliary income without limits where as the passage states that students who are on financial aid cannot earn more than a specified amount. So how is A possible? any OE for this question? Source?

honkergirl · Answer

Hi Nusmavrik,

I had eliminated answers ddown to A and B, but then I chose A, because of 3 things: 
1. Simply because the university currently places a limit on auxiliary income, it does not mean the author agrees with it. The author could be suggesting that the limit be removed. 
2. When I'm reading a RC passage, I find the most accurate answer is the one that refers to something more specific in the paragraph. In this case, "universities should be more lenient" is not as specific as "good student employees should be able to obtain financial aid and at the same time earn auxiliary incomes without limits".
3. The author's tone places emphasis on the ability of student-employees, above and beyond financial aid restrictions. So this answer reflects the author's tone more accurately than B.

Hope it helps?

noboru · Answer

I think that the key word is Unfortunately.

amp0201 · Answer

(A) Good student-employees should be able to obtain financial aid and, at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes without limits.
  -- This is the main point of passage. Word 'unfortunately' is a clear indicator of it. Hence A is a correct answer choice.

(B) In the face of a declining economy, universities need to be more lenient in their financial aid policies.
  -- This is irrelevant information. Hence B cannot be a correct answer choice.

(C) University departments must adhere to the university’s regulations.
  -- Argument is no where related to adhering to the regulations. Hence C is not a correct answer choice.

(D) Decisions about student employment should be based entirely upon each student’s financial need.
  -- This is an opposite answer. Hence D is not a correct answer choice.

(E) Due to the problems created by a dismal economy, some student-workers have lost their jobs. 
 -- This is true, but not the main point of the argument. Hence E cannot be a correct answer choice. 
Thank You.

Thanks,
Akhil M.Parekh

mc · Answer

I agree. It makes it clear that the author disagrees with the auxiliary income restrictions. "A" seems obvious in this case.

nusmavrik · Answer

The author disagrees or the University?

Testluv · Answer

yep! So is "though". In main point questions, be very partial to contrast keywords such as "though". Use the keywords to think about the author's  intent  in arguing.

The author starts out be explaining the economic conditions that provoked certain university regulations. But the author disagrees with these university regulations. He doesn't like them. He thinks they lead to an "unfortunat " situation. Thus, his whole reason for arguing--his  intent  in arguing--is to argue against those regulations.

And the regulations " prohibit  a student’s receiving financial aid and then working for an auxiliary income that exceeds a specified limit".

Thus, the author's main point is:

"Good student-employees should be able to obtain financial aid and, at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes without limits."

daagh · Answer

This passage looks like a rhetoric that normally authors want to cite to bolster their advices to the world at large. Their worry is the retrenchment of able hands because of financial constraints might lead to the university's suffering. To avoid such an eventual pitfall, they should be rather pragmatic and be flexible in their approach. I therefore feel A is the core point of the author's position.

ARIEN3228 · Answer

Time taken- 02:54.
Took a lot of time to understand the argument. Hopefully I can improve upon that.

I will explain how I got this correct. The key to answering this question correctly lies in the question stem.
 Which one of the following is the best statement or the primary point of the passage?

The question asks us to find the primary point of the passage and that lies in the statement made by the author at the end.

The only two strong contenders are A and E. B,C and D are irrelevant / out of scope.

(A) Good student-employees should be able to obtain financial aid and, at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes without limits. 
(B) In the face of a declining economy, universities need to be more lenient in their financial aid policies. - OUT OFCOPE
(C) University departments must adhere to the university’s regulations. - OUT OF SCOPE
(D) Decisions about student employment should be based entirely upon each student’s financial need. - OUT OF SCOPE
(E) Due to the problems created by a dismal economy, some student-workers have lost their jobs. - Ask yourself this question- Is this really what author is trying to convey or advocate? This is a plain fact.

by P.O.E the correct ans is A.

Raman109 · Answer

Understanding the argument - 
The economy is in a dismal state, universities are suffering from cutbacks, and many students must turn to any source of funds available if they are to make ends meet. - Background information.

Faced with this situation, the university has terminated the employment of some of its more productive departmental workers. - Observation.

Why? University regulations prohibit a student’s receiving financial aid and then working for an auxiliary income that exceeds a specified limit. - Explains the logic behind termination.

Employees whose incomes had reached that limit were terminated. - Fact.

Now, the university must find other employees. - Obvious effect of the termination.

Unfortunately, though, the university’s choice of students to fill the positions will not be based upon their abilities to perform, or even upon their financial need, but upon how much money they have made. - This is the rebuke of this strategy. Even if they are productive or have financial needs, their services are terminated if they reach a certain predefined limit.

Which one of the following is the best statement or the primary point of the passage? - The primary purpose here is the author's conclusion, given the facts in the argument.

(A) Good student-employees should be able to obtain financial aid and, at the same time, earn auxiliary incomes without limits. - Yes. This is what the author intends to do.

(B) In the face of a declining economy, universities need to be more lenient in their financial aid policies. - It's more general and doesn't specifically focus on the scope of the argument, which is student-employees.

(C) University departments must adhere to the university’s regulations. - "adherence" is out of scope.

(D) Decisions about student employment should be based entirely upon each student’s financial need. - ability is also important. No.

(E) Due to the problems created by a dismal economy, some student-workers have lost their jobs. - Fact and not a conclusion.

voluptatemaliquam · Answer

when you say in point 1 the author could be suggesting, " this itself is an assumption and if we are to assume than most options could be justified. 
'honkergirl

Hi Nusmavrik,

I had eliminated answers ddown to A and B, but then I chose A, because of 3 things: 
1. Simply because the university currently places a limit on auxiliary income, it does not mean the author agrees with it. The author could be suggesting that the limit be removed. 
2. When I'm reading a RC passage, I find the most accurate answer is the one that refers to something more specific in the paragraph. In this case, "universities should be more lenient" is not as specific as "good student employees should be able to obtain financial aid and at the same time earn auxiliary incomes without limits".
3. The author's tone places emphasis on the ability of student-employees, above and beyond financial aid restrictions. So this answer reflects the author's tone more accurately than B.

Hope it helps?

The economy is in a dismal state, universities are suffering from cutb

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The economy is in a dismal state, universities are suffering from cutb

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