Question 110·Medium·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
The sudden rise of remote work threatens workplace creativity. In traditional offices, impromptu hallway chats frequently spark new ideas; these informal exchanges simply cannot be scheduled or replicated online. Video calls are rigid, pre-planned events, and messaging platforms encourage brief, utilitarian updates rather than open-ended brainstorming. As a result, companies that keep employees at home will see a steady decline in creative breakthroughs.
Text 2
The assumption that innovation depends on chance hallway encounters underestimates the flexibility of remote collaboration tools. Group chat channels devoted to specific topics allow coworkers to share half-formed thoughts the moment they occur, and virtual whiteboards let teams sketch and revise ideas in real time. Because these discussions are archived, teammates in different time zones can contribute later, expanding rather than limiting the pool of perspectives. Properly managed, remote environments can be more fertile ground for creativity than conventional offices.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the claim in Text 1 that companies with remote workers will experience a decline in creativity?
For cross-text questions, first isolate the key claim or concern in Text 1 (here, that remote work causes a decline in creativity). Then, read Text 2 with that claim in mind and ask: does Text 2 agree, partially agree, or disagree, and what reasoning does it give? Summarize Text 2’s stance in your own words before looking at the choices, then pick the answer that best paraphrases that stance and directly addresses Text 1’s claim, eliminating any choice that introduces new ideas (like company size or talent) not supported by Text 2.
Hints
Clarify each author’s position
First, summarize in your own words what Text 1 believes about remote work and creativity, and then what Text 2 believes about that same issue.
Focus on how Text 2 responds to hallway encounters
Look for how Text 2 addresses the idea that creativity depends on chance in-person hallway conversations. Does Text 2 accept that idea or challenge it?
Pay attention to Text 2’s conclusion
Reread the final sentence of Text 2. Is the author pessimistic, neutral, or optimistic about creativity in remote environments compared to traditional offices?
Eliminate choices that add new limits or change the focus
Cross out any answer that talks about things Text 2 never mentions, such as company size or individual talent being the main cause of creativity.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate Text 1’s main claim
Text 1 says that remote work hurts creativity. It argues that:
- In-person hallway chats in offices create new ideas.
- These informal, unscheduled chats "cannot be scheduled or replicated online."
- Video calls are rigid and pre-planned.
- Messaging is brief and practical, not open-ended.
So Text 1 concludes that companies with remote workers will have fewer creative breakthroughs.
Identify Text 2’s main claim
Text 2 pushes back against Text 1’s assumption.
- It says the belief that innovation depends on hallway encounters underestimates remote tools.
- It gives examples: topic-based group chats, virtual whiteboards, and archived discussions.
- It explains that archiving lets people in different time zones join in later and expands perspectives.
- Its conclusion: "Properly managed, remote environments can be more fertile ground for creativity than conventional offices."
So Text 2 believes remote work, when done well, can increase, not decrease, creativity.
Translate Text 2’s view into a likely response
The question asks: How would the author of Text 2 respond to Text 1’s claim that remote companies will see a decline in creativity?
Based on Text 2, that author would:
- Disagree with the prediction of a decline.
- Emphasize that remote tools allow ongoing idea sharing and involvement from more people, across times and locations.
- Argue that remote settings can actually support creativity more than traditional offices.
Now look for the choice that matches this disagreement and emphasis on the creative advantages of remote tools.
Match each answer choice to Text 2 and select the best one
Check each option against Text 2:
- A) Only small start-ups, not large companies, can maintain creativity: Text 2 never limits its claim to small start-ups. It speaks broadly about remote environments, so this adds an idea not in the text.
- B) Creativity is mainly about individual talent, not location: Text 2 focuses on tools, collaboration, and environment (group chats, whiteboards, archives), not on individual talent as the main factor.
- C) Video calls limit creativity, but the effect is negligible: Text 2 doesn’t say the effect is small; instead, it insists that remote environments can be more creative than offices when managed well.
- D) Remote collaboration tools can foster even more spontaneous and inclusive idea sharing than hallway conversations: This matches Text 2’s examples of instant sharing of half-formed thoughts, real-time sketching, and archived discussions that let more people in different time zones participate, and its conclusion that remote environments can be more fertile for creativity.
Therefore, the correct answer is D) By asserting that remote collaboration tools can foster even more spontaneous and inclusive idea sharing than hallway conversations.