[请教] GWD 4－22

tempture

GWD-4-Q22 to GWD-4-Q25:

      Many managers are influenced by

       dangerous myths about pay that lead

       to counterproductive decisions about

Line how their companies compensate

  (5)       employees.  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.

(10)       This myth leads to the assumption that

a company can simply lower its labor

costs by cutting wages.  But 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.  The

       confusion of costs with rates per-

       sists partly because labor rates are

a convenient target for managers who

want to make an impact on their com-

(25)       pany’s budgets.  Because labor rates

are highly visible, managers can easily

compare their company’s rates with

those of competitors.  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.

(35)           The myth that labor rates and labor

costs are equivalent is supported by

business journalists, who frequently

confound the two.  For example, prom-

inent business journals often remark on

(40)      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 industry, which has its own

(45)       incentives to keep such myths alive.

First, although some of these con-

sulting firms have recently broadened

their practices beyond the area of

compensation, their mainstay con-

(50)       tinues to be advising companies on

changing their compensation prac-

tices.  Suggesting that a company’s

performance can be improved in

some other way than by altering its

(55)       pay system may be empirically cor-

rect but contrary to the consultants’

interests.  Furthermore, changes

to the compensation system may

appear to be simpler to implement

(60)       than changes to other aspects of an

organization, so managers are more

likely to find such advice from con-

sultants palatable.  Finally, to the

extant that changes in compensation

(65)       create new problems, the consultants

will continue to have work solving the

problems that result from their advice.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GWD-4-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?

              

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

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

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

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

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

前面讨论的答案五花八门，有A，D，E。

A我觉得是最为离谱的，因为太隐讳，不能直接推出。

D很像，但是那个less visible看起来很诡异阿~

E倒是可以推出，但是但是，我还是不确定阿

亲爱的NN们，你们都露个头说句话吧！

tempture

当当当当，我的答案新出炉——我决定选C！且看我一一道来：

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

Becasue the passage does not point out what is the intended changes in compensation systems, A can not be B

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

Although the auther indicates that the business journalists and compensation-consult industry perpetuated the danger myths, we cannot conclude that the advice suggested by consulted has highly influenced the views of prominent business journals. Furthermore，even though the jounrals often confound the two terms, we cannot conclude that the views predominte in such journals!

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

According to Line 26，the passage indicate labor rates( which is dinfied as the rate per hur paid to works) are highly visiable, therefore the compensation practices are highly visable（I hope there is no dissent).  No infromation suggests that the changes to work process would be more visible, so D is incorrect.

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

The auther suggests that "although some of these consulting firms have recently broadened （meaning "less narrawly speciallized") their practices beyond the area of compensation, their mainstay continues to be advising companies on changing their compensation practices"(Line 46-52), so E is correct.

What is advice given to company to control cost？Decreasing labor rate！

Why the myths perpetuated by the consulting firm is dangerous？It lead to conterproductive decision, and has potential to increase labor cost! (should it not be, why the myths is dangers?)

So C is correct.

bettyamen

首先，看问题定位在

about the advice that the consulting firms discussed in the passage customarily give to companies attempting to control costs

故我们回到原文看只有FIRST提到咨询公司给这些公司的建议，这些建议也许比其它改善PAY SYSTEM的建议要好或正确，但并没有引起这些公司的兴趣。

First, although some of these con-

sulting firms have recently broadened

their practices beyond the area of

compensation, their mainstay con-

(50)       tinues to be advising companies on

changing their compensation prac-

tices.  Suggesting that a company’s

performance can be improved in

some other way than by altering its

(55)       pay system may be empirically cor-

rect but contrary to the consultants’

interests.

wangyu73cn

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

Becasue the passage does not point out what is the intended changes in compensation systems, A can not be B

同意不选，但我认为错误类型不是无，而是反。因为文章说，changes to the compensation system may appear to be simpler to implement。也是说这种补偿体系的表面既定目的是可以达到的，所以反。

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

The auther suggests that "although some of these consulting firms have recently broadened （meaning "less narrawly speciallized") their practices beyond the area of compensation, their mainstay continues to be advising companies on changing their compensation practices"(Line 46-52), so E is correct.

我认为这正是原文句子的改写和简单推论，因为选项中的语气是“可能的”，而这种可能性确实存在，而且文中已表达。所以同意选择E

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

What is advice given to company to control cost？Decreasing labor rate！

Why the myths perpetuated by the consulting firm is dangerous？It lead to conterproductive decision, and has potential to increase labor cost! (should it not be, why the myths is dangers?)

文中并没有明示这些建议造成labor costs.的增加，你想，这些重金聘用的顾问不给企业带来好处也就罢了，还增加劳务成本，经理们即便追求表面文章，但也断然不敢聘这样的顾问的，会把自己的饭碗也砸了。

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-12-6 13:36:14编辑过]

babypace

A不同意。理由类似wangyu的。

我选C。

忘了写理由了，补上。

咨询公司的作法是比较简单的，而且很多manager喜欢，因为容易看见工人工资下调这个事实和执行的结果，就是说比较simple and visible。 但是咨询公司的做法是会造成新的问题产生的。 新问题是什么呢？就是藏在背后的，不容易看见的工人成本的上升。那么新问题产生了，怎么办呢？咨询公司继续咨询，这样他们就一直有生意做喽。

这就是最后一段开始说的，咨询公司为什么也采取这种简单的降低工人工资的方法来解决问题，因为和咨询公司的本身利益有关。这个利益就是要一直有生意做，而且客户也满意。

其他选项都不明白和问题有多大的联系，所以不选。

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-12-6 13:43:38编辑过]

whitesand

刚看完,我也同意C

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?               

1. It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.
   与文中正好相反:
   
   
   

   First, although some of these con-
   sulting firms have recently broadened
   their practices beyond the area of
   compensation, their mainstay con-
   (50)     tinues to be advising companies on
   changing their compensation practices.
   
   



2. It has highly influenced views that predominate in prominent business journals. 无关
   
   


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

   (10)      This myth leads to the assumption that
   a company can simply lower its labor
   costs by cutting wages.  But 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.

   
   

   这段话说明labor rate 和labor cost的关系，有可能labor rate高而其他各种原因带来的高productivity导致labor cost却低
   
   The myth is also
   perpetuated by the compensation-
   consulting industry, which has its own
   (45)            incentives to keep such myths alive.            

   
   

   Furthermore, changes
   to the compensation system may
   appear to be simpler to implement
   (60)     than changes to other aspects of an
   organization, so managers are more
   likely to find such advice from con-
   sultants palatable.  

   以上几段都是说consultant firm只会提改变compensation system的意见而不是changes to other aspects of an organization, 所以productivity不会提高反而会因为labor rate的降低而降低，productivity降低labor cost就会提高
   
   


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

   Because labor rates
   are highly visible, managers can easily
   compare their company’s rates with
   those of competitors.  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.
   
   
   

   
   



5. It might be different if the consulting firms were less narrowly specialized. 相反
   
   
   

   First, although some of these con-
   sulting firms have recently broadened
   their practices beyond the area of
   compensation, their mainstay con-
   (50)     tinues to be advising companies on
   changing their compensation practices.
   
   让步表示虽然broadened了,但是mainstay仍然一样。

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-12-6 14:26:22编辑过]

爱维的天

我的答案选﹙A﹚
不过我没太多的细节分析，我觉得应该由文章的真正要表达的内容大意来看，或者说由”套路”来看﹙抱歉，不知道用的好不好，因为在台湾我们很少用这个名词﹚

题目
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?

我觉得﹙C﹚犯了很明显的”混”的错误
C. It tends to result in decreased labor rates but increased labor costs.
原因：
﹙C﹚选项的内容都是在第一段才能看到的，没有错，若经由适当的”推论”﹙如babypace所提到的﹚，可以推得隐藏在背后的问题可能是﹙C﹚的内容所说的；
但我记得RC是不能有读者个人的合理推论，基于此理由，我不选﹙C﹚

我选﹙A﹚
A. It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.
原因：
文章第二段先提到另一个让myth存在的单位﹙compensation-consulting industry﹚，并列出二个原因，但最后以负评价收尾。
所有的条件中，只有﹙A﹚对consulting firm有负评价，因此我选﹙A﹚

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-12-6 18:55:50编辑过]

philikittist

C没有根据的，文章没有提过降低labor rate会同时升高labor cost。文章只是说不要以为降低labor rate就是降低cost了。同意选E

philikittist

以下是引用爱维的天在2004-12-6 18:21:00的发言：

我的答案选﹙A﹚
不过我没太多的细节分析，我觉得应该由文章的真正要表达的内容大意来看，或者说由”套路”来看﹙抱歉，不知道用的好不好，因为在台湾我们很少用这个名词﹚

题目
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?

我觉得﹙C﹚犯了很明显的”混”的错误
C. It tends to result in decreased labor rates but increased labor costs.
原因：
﹙C﹚选项的内容都是在第一段才能看到的，没有错，若经由适当的”推论”﹙如babypace所提到的﹚，可以推得隐藏在背后的问题可能是﹙C﹚的内容所说的；
但我记得RC是不能有读者个人的合理推论，基于此理由，我不选﹙C﹚

我选﹙A﹚
A. It often fails to bring about the intended changes in companies’ compensation systems.
原因：
文章第二段先提到另一个让myth存在的单位﹙compensation-consulting industry﹚，并列出二个原因，但最后以负评价收尾。
所有的条件中，只有﹙A﹚对consulting firm有负评价，因此我选﹙A﹚

A的错误是在compensation system上。

compensation system上的改变是指labor rate的改变。而要想真正得到labor cost的减少就要在compensation system 之外改变了。咨询公司由于种种原因只在labor  rate上做文章，也就是只在compensation system上做文章。

所以compensation system的change，也就是labor rate的change是可以达到的。如果A说fail to bring out the intended changes in labor cost就是对的。

btw1：你说的不要读者个人推理是很对的。

btw2：这类suggest的题，一般是有细节对应的，不能只从大意下手。

whitesand

我专门针对E选项好好看了看文章的这部分:

The myth is also
perpetuated by the compensation-
consulting industry, which has its own
(45)            incentives to keep such myths alive.
First, although some of these con-
sulting firms have recently broadened
their practices beyond the area of
compensation, their mainstay con-
(50)     tinues to be advising companies on
changing their compensation prac-
tices.  Suggesting that a company’s
performance can be improved in
some other way than by altering its
(55)     pay system may be empirically cor-
rect but contrary to the consultants’
interests.  Furthermore, changes
to the compensation system may
appear to be simpler to implement
(60)     than changes to other aspects of an
organization, so managers are more
likely to find such advice from con-
sultants palatable.  Finally, to the
extant that changes in compensation
(65)     create new problems, the consultants
will continue to have work solving the
problems that result from their advice.

作者从三个方面论述了consult firm推崇这个myth的理由:
1. 虽然consult firm的practice broaden了, 但是从自身利益来看consult firm还是会提出compansation  system 的建议。
2.改变compansation system 的建议比其他建议更加容易实行,且更对manager的胃口。
3.compansation system 的建议造成的新问题,使得consult firm会有工作做。

这三个理由都说明compansation system的建议对consult firm有好处，而broaden practice只是在理由1中提到了，而且还是以让步的方式提到的。所以，即使consulting firms were less narrowly specialized，它也不会改变这种对它有很多好处的建议。

E选项跟作者的意思是相反的。

[此贴子已经被作者于2004-12-6 21:14:47编辑过]