Question 95·Medium·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
Remote work may be convenient, but it inevitably weakens collaboration and lowers overall productivity. When employees are scattered, spontaneous conversations disappear, ideas are lost, and projects slow down. No video-conference can replicate the creative energy of people sharing the same room. For companies that value innovation, keeping everyone in the office is the only sensible policy.
Text 2
Surveys of software firms that adopted remote-first policies show the opposite of what skeptics predict: productivity rose and product cycles shortened. Team chat platforms now allow developers to exchange code snippets and feedback instantly, while scheduled video meetings protect time for deep work between calls. Far from stifling creativity, a thoughtfully designed remote environment can actually amplify it by giving employees uninterrupted stretches to think before they share ideas.
Based on the two texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the concerns raised in Text 1 about remote work?
For cross-text questions, first summarize each text’s main claim in a few words (for example, "remote work bad for productivity" vs. "remote work boosts productivity with tools"). Then decide whether the second text agrees, disagrees, or qualifies the first. Finally, go through the answer choices and quickly eliminate any that contradict the second text’s evidence or tone (such as choices that say "reduces" when the passage clearly says productivity "rose"). Focus on strong words like "inevitably," "only," or "opposite"—they often signal the key contrast that the correct answer must reflect.
Hints
Focus on Text 1’s main claim
Ask yourself: What is the author of Text 1 most worried about when it comes to remote work—does the author think it helps or hurts collaboration and productivity?
Check whether Text 2 agrees or disagrees
Look for phrases in Text 2 like "show the opposite" and notice what happens to productivity and product cycles in the surveys. Does this support or contradict Text 1’s prediction?
Use key words to eliminate choices
As you read the answer choices, pay attention to words like "reduces," "only," and "limit" and ask: Do these match the evidence and examples given in Text 2, or do they repeat Text 1’s negative view?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand Text 1’s main concern
Read Text 1 and summarize its main point in your own words. Text 1 says that remote work inevitably weakens collaboration and lowers productivity because employees are scattered, spontaneous conversations disappear, and no video-conference can match in-person creative energy. It concludes that companies that value innovation should keep everyone in the office.
Determine Text 2’s overall response
Now read Text 2 and see how it lines up with Text 1’s claims. Text 2 says surveys of software firms that adopted remote-first policies show the opposite of what skeptics predict: productivity rose and product cycles shortened. It explains that team chat platforms and scheduled video meetings help developers share work quickly and protect time for deep thinking, and that a well-designed remote environment can even amplify creativity.
Identify the relationship between the texts
Compare the two positions: Text 1 is strongly negative about remote work (it "inevitably" weakens collaboration and lowers productivity), while Text 2 is clearly positive, using data and examples to argue that remote work can improve productivity and support collaboration and creativity. So the author of Text 2 would disagree with the concerns in Text 1, not partially agree or accept them as trade-offs.
Match that relationship to the best answer choice
Now test each answer against what Text 2 actually says. Eliminate choices that (1) say remote work lowers productivity, (2) only allow for equal productivity, or (3) limit remote work to a narrow set of industries. The only choice that reflects Text 2’s claim that remote work can increase productivity and support collaboration through modern communication tools is B) By asserting that employees can be more productive and collaborate effectively when equipped with the right digital tools.