medium · SAT Reading & Writing

Economist David Autor has examined the 'polarization' of the labor market, noting that while demand for high-skill professional jobs and low-skill service jobs has increased, middle-skill manufacturing and clerical roles have declined.

Autor attributes this trend to automation, which easily replaces routine tasks but struggles with non-routine cognitive and manual work. To illustrate this, he points out that a computer can calculate a complex spreadsheet in seconds but cannot yet navigate a crowded room or interpret a subtle social cue with the same ease. Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence as a whole?

  1. It lists the specific programming languages used to develop modern spreadsheet software.
  2. It provides concrete examples to clarify the distinction between routine and non-routine tasks.
  3. It argues that computers will eventually be able to perform all human social interactions perfectly.
  4. It predicts that all low-skill service jobs will be entirely automated within the next decade.

Sign up free to see the explanation and track your rank →

More SAT Reading & Writing practice

KomFi: Test Prep Made Easy

KomFi: Test Prep Made Easy — free adaptive practice for GMAT, GRE, SAT, ACT, National Real Estate Exam, Investment Banking, and finance with full explanations.

KomFi Academy is free GMAT prep and personalized GMAT help built as a training platform: 89,613+ practice questions, 30,000+ flashcards, on-demand video lectures, podcasts, and 4K slide decks. Flagship tracks: Free GMAT Prep, Free GMAT Resources, National Real Estate Exam Prep, Investment Banking Prep, Finance Prep, GRE, SAT, ACT, LSAT, MCAT, Financial Accounting, Private Equity, Private Credit, and Quantitative Finance.

Free GMAT Prep & Personalized GMAT Help

What's inside

Topics

View pricing · Read testimonials