Studying how workload affects productivity, Maryam Kouchaki and colleagues found that people who chose to do relatively easy tasks first...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Studying how workload affects productivity, Maryam Kouchaki and colleagues found that people who chose to do relatively easy tasks first were less _______ compared to those who did hard tasks first. Finishing easy tasks gave participants a sense of accomplishment, but those who tackled hard tasks first actually became more skilled and productive workers over time.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
secretive
efficient
outgoing
unsympathetic
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Studying how workload affects productivity, Maryam Kouchaki and colleagues found that people who chose to do relatively easy tasks first were less' |
|
| [MISSING WORD/PHRASE] |
|
| 'compared to those who did hard tasks first.' |
|
| 'Finishing easy tasks gave participants a sense of accomplishment, but those who tackled hard tasks first actually became more skilled and productive workers over time.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture
Main Point: Research shows starting with hard tasks leads to better long-term productivity outcomes than starting with easy tasks, despite easy tasks providing immediate satisfaction.
Argument Flow: The passage presents research comparing two task approaches, then explains why the counterintuitive approach produces superior results through skill development.
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
- The sentence structure shows: 'people who chose easy tasks first were less _______ compared to those who did hard tasks first.'
- The follow-up reveals easy tasks provide immediate satisfaction, but hard tasks first lead to better skills and productivity.
- So the missing word should describe a work-related quality that the easy-task group lacks compared to the hard-task group.
secretive
Secretive
- refers to keeping information hidden
- Nothing in the passage discusses information sharing or transparency
- No logical connection to task order or productivity
efficient
Efficient
- means accomplishing tasks with minimal waste of time and effort
- Directly relates to productivity theme
- Creates perfect logical flow: easy-task people were less efficient, while hard-task people became more skilled and productive workers
outgoing
Outgoing
- describes social personality traits
- The study focuses on task completion strategies, not social interaction
- No connection between task order and social behavior
unsympathetic
Unsympathetic
- relates to emotional responses toward others
- The passage discusses individual work performance, not interpersonal relationships
- Task order wouldn't affect emotional sensitivity