Q4

[esultana]

Hello,

When working through this I chose the right answer, (B), but looking back on the question - "which one would the author most likely say is the most troublesome barrier ... " I feel uneasy about it. How would you recommend going through the passage to find what the author feels is most important? I just went with my gut, which told me that the author talks about the inflexibility of work schedules for a long time in the beginning of the passage. But I would love to know if there is a better way to go about it.

Thanks!

[tommywallach]

Hey E,

It's not actually as subtle as the question might make it sound. Let's look at the wrong answers:

(A) This is not a problem for people with primary child-care responsibility. Full-time jobs aren't any good for them.

(C) This is the only tricky answer. This is indeed mentioned (lines 26-30), but it only affects one-third of women, whereas inflexible work schedules affect every working parent.

(D) Nonprofessional employees? The passage complains about limited advancement for parents, not nonprofessional employees.

(E) This would only affect women, not all working parents with primary child-care responsibility.

Hope that helps!

-t

[vstoever]

Hey E,

It's not actually as subtle as the question might make it sound. Let's look at the wrong answers:

(A) This is not a problem for people with primary child-care responsibility. Full-time jobs aren't any good for them.

(C) This is the only tricky answer. This is indeed mentioned (lines 26-30), but it only affects one-third of women, whereas inflexible work schedules affect every working parent.

(D) Nonprofessional employees? The passage complains about limited advancement for parents, not nonprofessional employees.

(E) This would only affect women, not all working parents with primary child-care responsibility.

Hope that helps!

-t

I would add that for C, the low wages are not most troublesome because if work schedules were more flexible women could probably take full time jobs that matched their children's schedules (so they wouldn't need low paying part time jobs anyways).