Each of these questions has a text portion followed by four alternative summaries. best captures the essence of the text.
Some decisions will be fairly obvious "no brainers". Your bank account is low, but you have a two-week vacation coming up and you want to get away to someplace warm to relax with your family. Will you accept your in-laws' offer of free use of their Florida beachfront condo? Sure. You like your employer and feel ready to move forward in your career. Will you step in for your boss for three weeks while she attends a professional development course? Of course.
Some decisions will be fairly obvious "no brainers". Your bank account is low, but you have a two-week vacation coming up and you want to get away to someplace warm to relax with your family. Will you accept your in-laws' offer of free use of their Florida beachfront condo? Sure. You like your employer and feel ready to move forward in your career. Will you step in for your boss for three weeks while she attends a professional development course? Of course.
Show Hint
- Some decisions are obvious under certain circumstances. You may, for example, readily accept a relative's offer of free holiday accommodation or step in for your boss when she is away
- Easy decisions are called "no-brainers" because they do not require any cerebral activity Examples such as accepting free holiday accommodation abound in our lives
- Some decisions are no-brainers. You need not think when making them. Examples are condo offers from in-laws and job offers from bosses when your bank account is low or your boss is away
- Accepting an offer from in-laws when you are short on funds and want a holiday is a no-brainer. Another no-brainer is taking the boss's job when she is away
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
The goal is to select the summary that best captures the main idea and the overall message of the provided text. The text introduces the concept of "no-brainers" and provides two detailed examples.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the text's core message. The main point is that some decisions are very easy or obvious, which the author calls "no-brainers." The text supports this by giving two specific scenarios: accepting a free vacation spot when you need a vacation but are low on funds, and taking on a temporary higher responsibility at work to advance your career. The best summary should reflect this general principle along with the illustrative nature of the examples.
- Option (A): This option starts with the general principle ("Some decisions are obvious under certain circumstances") which perfectly matches the opening sentence of the text. It then correctly and accurately summarizes the two examples provided without adding new information or misinterpreting them. This is a very strong candidate.
- Option (B): This option focuses on defining the term "no-brainer" ("do not require any cerebral activity"). While true, the main thrust of the text is to provide examples of such decisions rather than to give a dictionary definition. The phrase "abound in our lives" is also an exaggeration not stated in the original text.
- Option (C): This option is close, but it misinterprets the second example. The text says "step in for your boss," which is a temporary assignment. This option calls it a "job offer from bosses," which is incorrect and changes the meaning.
- Option (D): This option is too specific. It merely restates the examples without capturing the broader, introductory statement that "Some decisions will be fairly obvious 'no brainers'." A good summary captures the general idea, not just the specific examples. It also misinterprets the second example as "taking the boss's job."
Step 3: Final Answer:
Option (A) is the most accurate and comprehensive summary. It correctly identifies the main idea and faithfully represents the supporting examples given in the text.
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