Bunuel wrote:
Workers may complain about many things at work, but stress is not high on the list. In fact, in a recent survey a majority placed boredom at the top of their list of complaints. The assumption that job-related stress is the most serious problem for workers in the corporate world is thus simply not warranted.
Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Those workers who are responsible for the planning and supervision of long-term projects are less likely to complain of either boredom or stress.
(B) Workers who complain of boredom exhibit more stress-related symptoms than do those who claim their work is interesting.
(C) Workers responding to opinion surveys tend to emphasize those experiences that have happened most recently.
(D) Workers who feel that their salaries are commensurate with the amount of work they do are less likely to complain of boredom.
(E) Workers are less likely to complain about work if they feel that their jobs are secure.
In a survey people complained about boredom the most.
Conclusion: Stress is not the most serious problem.
We need to weaken it. How? By saying that people's claim may not be accurate and stress may still be the key issue.
(A) Those workers who are responsible for the planning and supervision of long-term projects are less likely to complain of either boredom or stress.
Anything about some specific workers will not affect our conclusion. We are talking about all workers in general.
(B) Workers who complain of boredom exhibit more stress-related symptoms than do those who claim their work is interesting.
What workers claim to be boredom seems to be linked to stress. So it is possible that stress is inducing boredom and hence, stress is still the key issue. This weakens our conclusion.
(C) Workers responding to opinion surveys tend to emphasize those experiences that have happened most recently.
Yes, I took a step back to evaluate it. Note that if what is happening most recently is boredom then we cannot say that stress is the key factor. Perhaps in recent times, boredom is the key factor. What was true some time back is irrelevant. We are concerned with whether at this point stress is the key factor. Nothing says that the recent experience is temporary. Hence, this does not weaken our conclusion.
(D) Workers who feel that their salaries are commensurate with the amount of work they do are less likely to complain of boredom.
Irrelevant
(E) Workers are less likely to complain about work if they feel that their jobs are secure.
Irrelevant
Answer (B)