Question

Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate options:
Companies that try to improve employees' performance by ____ rewards encourage negative kinds of behavior instead of ____ a genuine interest in doing the work well.

• A. giving, seeking
• B. withholding, fostering
• C. conferring, fostering
• D. connferring, discrediting
• E. bestowing, discouraging

Hint:

Words like "instead of" indicate contrast—pick one negative and one positive term accordingly.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

To solve this fill-in-the-blank question, we need to understand the context and choose the most appropriate words that fit logically and grammatically. The sentence is:

Companies that try to improve employees' performance by ____ rewards encourage negative kinds of behavior instead of ____ a genuine interest in doing the work well.

Let's analyze the options:

1. Giving, seeking: This implies that companies are offering rewards and are looking for specific behaviors. However, the sentence's contrast ('instead of') suggests that the attempt might not be fostering a genuine interest, making this choice less fitting because giving rewards is more likely to generate interest.
2. Withholding, fostering: This means companies are holding back rewards, which can encourage negative behavior, contrasting with fostering genuine interest effectively. This pair fits well contextually, as withholding rewards might lead to negative behavior, and the intention to foster genuine interest stands in opposition.
3. Conferring, fostering: Conferring means giving rewards, which does not align with the context of encouraging negative behavior when rewards are given, making fostering irrelevant.
4. Connferring, discrediting: The word "connferring" appears to be a typo of "conferring." Regardless, this option does not create a logical contrast needed in the sentence. Discrediting does not fit with the idea of fostering genuine interest.
5. Bestowing, discouraging: This option implies companies give rewards while discouraging genuine interest, but 'instead of' suggests the main action contrasts the intended goal (fostering interest), making this pairing less valid.

After evaluating all options, withholding, fostering is the correct fit. It accurately conveys the idea that by not giving rewards, companies unintentionally encourage negativity, instead of promoting genuine interest in work.

Correct sentence: "Companies that try to improve employees' performance by withholding rewards encourage negative kinds of behavior instead of fostering a genuine interest in doing the work well."