Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the claim in Text 1?

Question

Text 1: Remote work boosts productivity. Freed from commutes and office distractions, employees report finishing more in less time.

Text 2: Productivity gains from remote work are often overstated. Without in-person collaboration, teams lose the spontaneous exchanges that spark their best ideas, and long-term innovation suffers.

Accepted Answer

B. By arguing that short-term output gains may come at the cost of long-term innovation. Text 2 concedes there are gains but warns they're overstated and that innovation suffers over time — so it would counter Text 1 by weighing short-term output against long-term costs (B). The other options misstate Text 2's view.

Answer

A. By agreeing that remote work eliminates all workplace distractions — Text 1, not Text 2, mentions escaping office distractions — and it never says 'all' distractions disappear. Text 2's concern is lost collaboration, not distraction.

Answer

C. By insisting that commutes actually improve employee focus — Text 2 never defends commutes; it only argues the productivity gains are overstated because in-person exchanges drive innovation.

Answer

D. By concluding that productivity cannot be measured at all — Text 2 says gains are 'often overstated,' which accepts that productivity can be measured — it disputes the size and durability of the gains, not measurement itself.

Craft and Structure practice question

Answer: B. By arguing that short-term output gains may come at the cost of long-term innovation

Why the other answers are wrong

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