Question

The new policy was intended to --- the company’s operations, but it ended up --- many of the existing processes. 
 

• A. streamline
• B. complicate
• C. simplify
• D. burden
• E. integrate

Hint:

Phrases like “intended to... but ended up...” usually signal an opposite outcome — look for one positive and one negative word to maintain logical contrast.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, B

Step 1: Understanding the sentence. 
The structure “intended to … but ended up …” signals contrast — the first action describes the intended positive goal, and the second describes the opposite or unintended negative result. 
Step 2: Evaluating the first blank. 
The new policy was intended to improve operations. Words like “streamline,” “simplify,” or “enhance” fit this intention because they convey efficiency or improvement. 
(A) streamline — means to make more efficient or effective; fits perfectly. 
(C) simplify — similar in meaning, but less formal than “streamline.” 
(F) enhance — means to improve, but doesn’t directly relate to operations flow as strongly as “streamline.” 
Step 3: Evaluating the second blank. 
The second clause describes an unintended negative outcome — the policy ended up making things worse. 
(B) complicate — means to make more difficult; fits the negative effect perfectly. 
(D) burden — means to overload, but doesn’t fit as precisely with “processes.” 
Step 4: Conclusion. 
The contrast between “streamline” (make smoother) and “complicate” (make more difficult) clearly expresses how the policy backfired. 

Final Answer: (A) streamline and (B) complicate