Question 12

Eliminating the third sentence would most improve the paragraph.

Removing the sentence "Needless to say, these are days that nobody especially cares to work, and we would surely all rather be with our families" streamlines the message by eliminating unnecessary emotional language that does not contribute to the overall clarity or purpose of the memo.

A) Eliminate the first sentence: "As you know, the holidays are a challenging time for scheduling, and supervisory roles are no exception."

This option is not ideal because the first sentence sets the context for the entire message, acknowledging the difficulties supervisors face during the holidays. Keeping this sentence helps establish the relevance of the scheduling challenges discussed in the paragraph.

B) Eliminate the list of winter holidays: "Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day."

This change would be detrimental as it removes specific details about the holidays in question. Mentioning these holidays is crucial to understanding the context and the specific shifts that supervisors are expected to cover.

C) Eliminate the fourth sentence: "Last year, however, the trouble with this policy became evident when only one supervisor was able to cover an extended emergency absence and had to work three consecutive days on Christmas week."

Removing this sentence would strip the paragraph of important context regarding the previous policy's shortcomings. This information is essential for justifying the new requirements for supervisors, making it critical to retain.

D) Eliminate the third sentence: "Needless to say, these are days that nobody especially cares to work, and we would surely all rather be with our families."

This is the most effective change because the third sentence adds unnecessary sentimentality that does not enhance the practical discussion of scheduling. Its removal would make the paragraph more concise and focused on the policy changes.

Conclusion

Eliminating the third sentence enhances the memo's clarity and professionalism, focusing on the scheduling requirements rather than emotional appeals. The other options either remove essential context or do not improve the overall effectiveness of the communication. Therefore, option D is the best choice for improving the paragraph.