Logical reasoning PrepTest 140 · Section 2 · Question 18

Incorrect. The stimulus notes that the lack of effect on managers "may" be because they already have scheduling autonomy, not that it is because of their ability to set their own schedules. As such, this answer isn't supported because the real reason that managers don't see improvements in satisfaction and efficiency may lie elsewhere.

Incorrect. There's no discussion of the effects on the workforce as a whole, so this answer is unsupported.

Incorrect. The stimulus notes that the effects dissipate over time, especially with a lot of flexibility, so it's hard to say that the impact on morale will be substantial over the long run.

Incorrect. The stimulus only discusses a lack of improvement in manager job satisfaction, so we can't tell how high (or low it is), or how it's related to their ability to set their own schedules.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True

Stimulus Summary:
Flextime doesn't improve managers' job satisfaction or efficiency, but it does for non-managers, though the benefits decrease over time and with increased "elasticity" of schedule.

Answer Anticipation:
Must Be True questions tend to rely on the same types of statements to lead to correct answers—conditionals, causal relationships, comparisons, and strong statements. Here, there are a few of these that could be used to lead to the correct answer.

The first is the causal relationship between flextime and satisfaction and efficiency. It's established that for non-managers, there's at least a short-term positive effect on both of these.

The second type of relationship is the comparative relationships between managers and non-managers, and between the short-term and long-term effects. The causal relationship noted in the first point only holds for non-managers; for managers, the effects are absent. And for the non-managers that see a boost to job satisfaction and productivity, the effects are decreased over time and as the amount of flexibility increases.

Any of these elements could support an answer, so we should look for any answers that deal with them.

Answer Explanation:
The stimulus notes that the effect of flextime on managers isn't the same as it is on other employees—they don't see the benefits that the others do. So it is supported to say that looking at the impact on managers won't reliably show you the benefits of such a program.

Key Takeaway:
Must Be True questions tend to use the same types of statements to lead to the correct answers—conditionals, causal relationships, comparisons, and strong statements are at the top of that list. Look for them and see if you can anticipate an answer based on them while reading through a stimulus in this question type.