[我的筆記]GWD4-Q22~Q25

[illuna]

Many managers are influenced by dangerous [N] myths about pay that lead to (因果關係前面是因後面接果...that子句修飾pay...而且前面用負面屬性的字修飾myth...再加上在因果關係中因果屬性會相同...that子句中也出現負面屬性的字...因此在本文中pay的屬性確定為[N]) counterproductive [N] decisions about how their companies compensate employees. (pay [N] --> [N] 的決定) One such myth (舉例說明) is that labor rates, the rate per hour paid to workers, (兩個逗號間表definition手法...若知道labor rate可略過不讀) are identical (相同) with labor costs, the money spent on labor in relation to the productivity of the labor force. This myth leads to (因果關係前面是因後面是果...因果屬性相同) the assumption that a company can simply lower its labor costs by cutting wages. ( labor rates = wages --> cut wages --> labor costs下降) But (語氣轉折以後為主) labor costs and labor rates are not in fact the same: one company could pay its workers considerably more than another and yet have lower labor costs if that company’s productivity were higher due to the talent of its workforce, (1) the efficiency of its work processes, (2) or other factors. (這邊出現listing現象...表示提高wages並不一定會提高costs) The confusion of costs with rates persists partly because labor rates are a convenient target for managers who want to make an impact on their company’s budgets. (為什麼會有labor rate的迷思原因(1)) Because labor rates are highly visible, managers can easily compare their company’s rates with those of competitors. (為什麼會有labor rate的迷思原因(2)) Furthermore, (承接詞...說明主題相同但細節不同…必讀) labor rates often appear to be a company’s most malleable financial variable (為什麼會有labor rate的迷思原因(3)若讀懂冒號後面的說明可不讀) : cutting wages appears an easier way to control costs than such options as reconfiguring work processes or altering product design.


(承接1st的myth) The myth that labor rates and labor costs are equivalent (=identical) is supported by business journalists, who frequently confound [N=confuse] the two. For example, (舉例說明為什麼business journalists會搞混) prominent business journals often remark on the “high” cost of German labor, citing as evidence the average amount paid to German workers. The myth is also perpetuated by the compensation-consulting (=pay) industry, which has its own incentives to keep such myths alive. First, (listing動作...解釋為什麼pay-consulting company要把labor wages=costs(1)) although some of these consulting firms have recently broadened their practices beyond the area of compensation (=pay) , their mainstay continues to be advising companies on changing their compensation (=pay) practices. Suggesting that a company’s performance can be improved in some other way than by altering its pay system may be empirically correct but (轉折語氣重點在後) contrary to the consultants’interests. Furthermore, (承接詞...說明主題相同但細節不同...必讀...解釋(2)) changes to the compensation system may appear to be simpler to implement than changes to other aspects of an organization, so managers are more likely to find such advice from consultants palatable. Finally, (listing動作的最後一個解釋(3)) to the extant that changes in compensation create new problems, the consultants will continue to have work solving the problems that result from their advice.

文章結構：從頭到尾僅見到作者的意見....Analysis of Idea (attitude：Negative)

[汪汪北鼻]

Q22:

The author of the passage suggests which of the following about the advice that the consulting firms discussed in the passage customarily give to companies attempting to control costs?


A)It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.

B)It has highly influenced views that predominate in prominent business journals.

C)It tends to result in decreased labor rates but increased labor costs.

D)It leads to changes in companies’ compensation practices that are less visible than changes to work processes would be.

E)It might be different if the consulting firms were less narrowly specialized.

Ans:A

請問A是如何解出來的呢?

[cocaine]

請看最後一行:
Finally, (listing動作的最後一個解釋(3)) to the extant that changes in compensation create new problems, the consultants will continue to have work solving the problems that result from their advice.

說明compensation並無法完全達到公司所要的目標,只能稍微達到目的卻又會創造出新的問題,所以要顧問公司要持續去解決.

A.就是在說明上面嚕.
.

[micht]

myth

(5)One such myth is that
labor rates, the rate per hour paid to
workers, are identical with labor costs,
the money spent on labor in relation to
the productivity of the labor force


Furthermore,
labor rates often appear to be a
(30) company’s most malleable financial
variable: cutting wages appears an
easier way to control costs than such
options as reconfiguring work pro-
cesses or altering product design.
往往company為了要減低cost 而採用 cut in labour's salary
這是錯誤的方法也就是一般任為的迷思


文章要打破myth的迷思
[highlight=yellow]But[/highlight] labor
costs and labor rates are not in fact
the same: one company could pay
(15) its workers considerably more than
another and yet have lower labor
costs if that company’s productivity
were higher due to the talent of its
workforce, the efficiency of its work
(20) processes, or other factors


但是有人一直support myth的想法
The myth is also
perpetuated by the compensation-
consulting industry, which has its own
(45) incentives to keep such myths alive.



The author of the passage suggests which of the following about the advice that the consulting firms discussed in the passage customarily give to companies attempting to control costs?

A. It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.
B. It has highly influenced views that predominate in prominent business journals.
C. It tends to result in decreased labor rates but increased labor costs.
D. It leads to changes in companies’ compensation practices that are less visible than changes to work processes would be.
E. It might be different if the consulting firms were less narrowly specialized.

選(A)

[汪汪北鼻]

謝謝cocaine,micht

cocaine是由Finally, (listing動作的最後一個解釋(3)) to the extant that changes in compensation create new problems, the consultants will continue to have work solving the problems that result from their advice.
這幾行推出答案

而micht 則是綜觀全文，感受文脈，才推出答案

你們都很棒

[Clara]

Q24
It can be inferred from the passenge that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about compensation

B. High labor rates are not necessarily inconsistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs


關於b選項的解讀
記得徐老師說;遇到兩個"not" ->負負得正
所以是:high labor rates are necessarily consistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs

是嗎?
老師說的準則可以通用在所有文章上面嗎???
請指點

這題我選錯原因在於時間壓力與我對雙重否定的不熟悉

[Behemoth]

是的
沒錯
負負得正適用於所有英語文章

[汪汪北鼻]

:smile

Q24
It can be inferred from the passenge that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about compensation

B. High labor rates are not necessarily inconsistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs


關於b選項的解讀
記得徐老師說;遇到兩個"not" ->負負得正
所以是:high labor rates are necessarily consistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs

是嗎?
老師說的準則可以通用在所有文章上面嗎???
請指點

這題我選錯原因在於時間壓力與我對雙重否定的不熟悉

這句High labor rates are not necessarily inconsistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs
從何得知呢?

[coruscant]

請問,文章裡面不是提到顧問公司故意要解決改變比較明顯看得出來的compensation systems嗎? 那為何A選項的 "fails to bring about the intended changes in companies' compensation systems" 是對的呢? 是不是因為intended changes這個詞彙隱含應該改變的labor cost方向? 謝謝!

[chloemoney]

這個問題，cocaine 和micht前面有解釋囉！！！

[chloemoney]

:smile

Q24
It can be inferred from the passenge that the author would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about compensation

B. High labor rates are not necessarily inconsistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs


關於b選項的解讀
記得徐老師說;遇到兩個"not" ->負負得正
所以是:high labor rates are necessarily consistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs

是嗎?
老師說的準則可以通用在所有文章上面嗎???
請指點

這題我選錯原因在於時間壓力與我對雙重否定的不熟悉

這也是我覺得奇怪的地方了，因為如果句字改成 high labor rates are necessairly consistent with the goals of companies that want to reduce costs, 不就和作者所提相反了嗎？

文章 12行開始有提到
But labor costs and labor rates are not in fact the same: one company could pay its workers considerably more than another and yet have lower labor costs if that company’s productivity were higher due to the talent of its workforce,


文章在解讀上好像常有這樣的問題，所以我在文章中如果有遇到 這 樣的句子-->即中間還有 像這個句子 are not necessarily inconsistent...多了一個necessarily，我通常就不直接理解成 are necessarily consistent了。
這樣一來這題就不會有問題，
中文就可以譯為「高的labot rates 不一定和想要降低成本的公司之目標相左」

再討論囉！！！！

好像在CR也有很多這樣的句子
如果句子是
are not inconsistent with ---> are consistent
但是
are not necessarily inconsistent with 就不適合改了！
個人想法啦........................

[haijung]

Q22:
The author of the passage suggests which of the following about the advice that the consulting firms discussed in the passage customarily give to companies attempting to control costs?

A. It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.
B. It has highly influenced views that predominate in prominent business journals.
C. It tends to result in decreased labor rates but increased labor costs.
D. It leads to changes in companies’ compensation practices that are less visible than changes to work processes would be.
E. It might be different if the consulting firms were less narrowly specialized.

想請教一下(D)錯在哪裡呢? 我知道A是最好的答案, 但是感覺起來D似乎也沒錯ㄚ(consulting firm建議公司更改compensation system, 但是這樣不會比實質去更改work process對公司還來的有效)...請高人指點~~ 謝謝~

[CUGGYER]

22題我寫了兩次 答案一次A(GWD) 一次D(天山剛發生) 不過我仔細看了之後 我發現是因為我題目解讀不同的關係 請問這個題目到底是要問作者的意見 還是這個consultant company所提出建議的影響

[maronchen1103]

D. It leads to changes in companies’ compensation practices that are less visible than changes to work processes would be.

應該是more

[林小馬]

Q22:

The author of the passage suggests which of the following about the advice that the consulting firms discussed in the passage customarily give to companies attempting to control costs?


A)It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.
E)It might be different if the consulting firms were less narrowly specialized.

第一次做都覺得毫無問題的題目
第二次看的時候都變得很吹毛求疵 會開始有點想太多
可以請大家幫我指點一下嗎

我想問一下文章中以下這句話有沒有支持E的意思啊
有沒有按指如果它不是主要以compensation consulting為主的話
可能就不會這樣
First, although some of these consulting firms have recently broadened their practices beyond the area of compensation, their mainstay continues to be advising companies on changing their compensation practices. Suggesting that a company’s performance can be improved in some other way than by altering its pay system may be empirically correct but contrary to the consultants’interests.

我第一次也覺得這提非常簡單毫無疑問就是A
第二次就開始想
文章中有講到 often fails這麼嚴重嗎
雖然對consulting firm態度負面
但好像也沒有提到fail的頻率或是比例

是不是想太多啦
請大家幫忙指正一下喔