Corporate mergers usually result in significant workforce reductions as companies eliminate redundant positions. Industry analysts typically predict l...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Corporate mergers usually result in significant workforce reductions as companies eliminate redundant positions. Industry analysts typically predict layoffs of 15-20% following major acquisitions. The recent merger between TechFlow and DataSync surprised observers, _____ both companies expanded hiring and created new departments.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
for example,
in addition,
however,
specifically,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Corporate mergers usually result in significant workforce reductions as companies eliminate redundant positions." |
|
| "Industry analysts typically predict layoffs of 15-20% following major acquisitions." |
|
| "The recent merger between TechFlow and DataSync surprised observers," |
|
| "both companies expanded hiring and created new departments." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: While corporate mergers typically lead to significant job cuts, the TechFlow-DataSync merger bucked this trend by expanding their workforce instead.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a clear industry pattern of job reductions following mergers, provides expert predictions to reinforce this expectation, then presents a specific merger that defied these expectations by doing the opposite.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Based on our analysis, everything before the blank talks about the normal pattern—mergers lead to job cuts, and analysts expect 15-20% layoffs
- After the blank, we learn that this specific merger actually expanded hiring and created new departments
- This is a direct contrast between expectation and reality
- The missing word needs to signal that what happened was the opposite of what we would expect based on the general pattern
for example,
- "For example" introduces a specific case that illustrates the general pattern
- This would suggest TechFlow-DataSync is a typical example of the job-cutting pattern, but the passage shows this merger did the opposite
in addition,
- "In addition" adds more information that supports or continues the same line of thinking
- This would suggest the merger details support the idea of job cuts, but the merger actually contradicts the job-cutting expectation
however,
- "However" signals a contrast or contradiction to what came before
- This perfectly shows that this merger did the opposite of the expected pattern and creates the logical bridge between "analysts expect layoffs" and "companies actually expanded hiring"
specifically,
- "Specifically" provides more detailed information about the same topic
- This would suggest we are getting specific details about the predicted layoffs, but we are actually getting information that contradicts the layoff predictions