Reading Passage Question
The main burden of assuring that the resources of the federal government are well managed falls on relatively few of the five million men and women whom it employs. Under the department and agency heads there are 8,600 political, career, military, and foreign service executives—the top managers and professionals —who exert major influence on the manner in which the rest are directed and utilized. Below their level there are other thousands with assignments of some managerial significance, but we believe that the line of demarcation selected is the best available for our purposes in this attainment.
There is no complete inventory of positions or people in federal service at this level. The lack may be explained by separate agency statutes and personnel systems, diffusion among so many special services, and absence of any central point (short of the President himself) with jurisdiction over all upper-level personnel of the government.
Top Presidential appointees, about 500 of them, bear the brunt of translating the philosophy and aims of the current administration into practical programs. This group includes the secretaries and assistant secretaries of cabinet departments, agency heads and their deputies, heads and members of boards and commissions with fixed terms, and chiefs and directors of major bureaus, divisions, and services. Appointments to many of these politically sensitive positions are made on recommendation by department or agency heads, but all are presumably responsible to Presidential leadership.
One qualification for office at this level is that there be no basic disagreement with Presidential political philosophy, at least so far as administrative judgments and actions are concerned. Apart from the bi-partisan boards and commissions, these men are normally identified with the political party of the President, or are sympathetic to it, although there are exceptions.
There are four distinguishable kinds of top Presidential appointees, including 1. Those whom the President selects at the outset to establish immediate and effective control over the government (e.g., Cabinet secretaries, agency heads, his own White House staff and Executive Office Personnel). 2. Those selected by department and agency heads in order to establish control within their respective organizations (e.g.—assistant secretaries, deputies, assistants to, and major line posts in some bureaus and divisions). 3. High-level appointees who—though often requiring clearance through political or interest group channels, or both—must have known scientific or technical competence (e.g.—the Surgeon General, the Commissioner of Education). 4. Those named to residual positions traditionally filled on a partisan patronage basis. These appointees are primarily regarded as policy makers and overseers of policy execution. In practice, however, they usually have substantial responsibilities in line management, often requiring a thorough knowledge of substantive agency programs.
“The Main Burden of Assuring that the Resources of the Federal Government” is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates must have a solid grip in English GMAT reading comprehension. There are 4 multiple choice questions in the above GMAT Reading Comprehension passages. GMAT Reading Comprehension Questions are delineated to evaluate candidates’ abilities to analyze and be conceptual for the answers. Candidates can brace up and take preparation by answering GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.
Solution and Explanation
- No complete inventory exists of positions in the three highest levels of government service because
(A) no one has bothered to count them
(B) computers cannot handle all the data
(C) separate agency personnel systems are used
(D) the President has never requested such information
(E) the Classification Act prohibits such a census
Answer: C
Explanation: The passage states that there is no complete index of positions or people in federal service at this level. The inadequacy may be explained by different agency statutes and personnel systems. It follows in the dispersion between so many special services. It also follows the lack of any central point with authority over all high-class employees of the government. No complete inventory exists of positions in the three highest levels of government service because of different agency personnel systems. Thus, option(C) will be the justified answer.
- Top Presidential appointees have as their central responsibility the
(A) prevention of politically motivated interference with the actions of their agencies
(B) monitoring of government actions on behalf of the President’s own political party
(C) translation of the aims of the administration into practical programs
(D) investigation of charges of corruption within the government
(E) maintenance of adequate controls over the rate of government spending
Answer: C
Explanation: Top Presidential appointees, about 500 of them, bear the result of translating the philosophy. They also target the current administration into practical business or schedule. This group has secretaries and assistant secretaries from the department of the cabinet. They also include agency heads and their subordinates, heads, and members of boards and commissions with fixed terms. It also depicts chiefs and directors of major agencies, divisions, and services. Top Presidential appointees have as their central duty to translate the aims of the administration into practical programs. Thus, option(C) is the fruitful answer.
- One exception to the general rule that top Presidential appointees must be in agreement with the President’s political philosophy may be found in
(A) most cabinet-level officers
(B) members of the White House staff
(C) bipartisan boards and commissions
(D) those offices filled on a patronage basis
(E) offices requiring scientific or technical expertise
Answer: C
Explanation: The passage explains that one qualification for office at this level is that there be no basic disagreement with Presidential political philosophy. There is no clash at least so far as administrative judgments and actions are concerned. Apart from the bi-partisan boards and commissions, these men are normally portrayed with the political party of the President. Otherwise, they are affectionate to it, although there are anomalies. So, option(C) will be beautifully justified as an answer.
- Applicants for Presidential appointments are usually identified with or are members of
(A) large corporations
(B) the foreign service
(C) government bureaus
(D) academic circles
(E) the President’s political party
Answer: E
Explanation: Apart from the bi-partisan boards and commissions, these men are normally presented with the political party of the President, or are caring to it. There are four differentiated kinds of top Presidential appointees. One of which is those whom the President selects at the outset to enact immediate and effective control over the government. Secondly, those selected by department and agency heads in order to build control within their respective organizations. Thirdly, high-level appointees who though often require clearance through political or interest group channels. Otherwise, both must have known scientific or technical capability. For instance, the Surgeon General, and the Commissioner of Education. Lastly, those named to residual positions traditionally filled on a partisan patronage basis. Thus, applicants for Presidential appointments are usually identified with option(E).
Suggested GMAT Reading Comprehension Samples
- The Two Passages Discuss Recent Scientific Research on Music GMAT Reading Comprehension
- I Eschew the Notion of Racial Kinship GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Cash-Strapped American Cities are Finding it Harder to Maintain Social Services GMAT Reading Comprehension
- In Explaining the Foundations of the Discipline known as Historical Sociology GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Many Legal Theorists have Argued that the Only Morally Legitimate Goal GMAT Reading Comprehension
- The History of the Evolution of Life, Incomplete as it Yet is, Already Reveals to us how the Intellect has Been Formed GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Because the Very Subject Matter of Anthropology is So Volatile GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Recent Feminist Scholarship Concerning the United GMAT Reading Comprehension
- The fields of Antebellum (pre-Civil War) Political History GMAT Reading Comprehension
- In the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, many Western Pueblo settlements in what is now the southwestern United Line States GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Legal cases can be termed “hard” cases if they raise issues that are highly controversial GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Modern cultural anthropology has its origins in, and developed in reaction to, 19th century "ethnology" GMAT Reading Comprehension
- The person who, with inner conviction, loathes stealing, killing, and assault, may find himself performing these acts GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Many historians consider the Marshall Plan one of the United States GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Some economists cite the Easterlin paradox to justify redistribution GMAT Reading Comprehension
- The original Hellenistic community was idealized, the Greeks‘ own golden dream" GMAT Reading Comprehension
- What it means to “explain” something in science often comes down to the application of mathematics GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Western Analytical Philosophy has Contributed two Major Elements to the Theory GMAT Reading Comprehension
- The Encounter that a Portrait Records is Most Tangibly the Sitting Itself GMAT Reading Comprehension
- Most People Acknowledge that Not All Governments have a moral right to govern GMAT Reading Comprehension
Comments