Question

When two activities are grouped together and scheduled together to save time and energy, it is called __________

• A. Fatigue
• B. Time Plan
• C. Labour saving
• D. Dovetailing

Hint:

Think of using the unattended waiting time of one task to perform a second compatible task. Recall the home-management term for fitting activities together without wasted time.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

The question pertains to the concept of combining tasks to enhance efficiency, a useful practice in various fields, including home science.

The correct answer to the question is Dovetailing. So let's explore what dovetailing means and why it is the correct choice.

• Dovetailing refers to the practice of scheduling multiple activities to overlap or occur simultaneously to save time and energy. This concept is similar to multitasking where two or more tasks are interwoven, thus optimizing resource use and time. For instance, one could chop vegetables while simultaneously using the stovetop for cooking, thereby saving the overall time spent on meal preparation.
• Other options provided: - Fatigue relates to physical or mental exhaustion, typically due to overwork or excessive activity, which is unrelated to scheduling tasks. - Time Plan refers to a schedule or strategy designed to allocate time for different tasks but does not involve the concurrent execution of activities. It is more about organizing tasks sequentially. - Labour saving generally refers to actions or tools that reduce the amount of work needed, but it doesn't specifically address the concept of scheduling tasks together.

In conclusion, among the given options, only Dovetailing accurately describes the process of grouping and scheduling activities together to achieve time and energy efficiency.

Answer 2

Home management identifies several distinct techniques for using time and energy wisely, and this question is testing whether the specific technique of combining tasks can be told apart from related ideas. Looking at what each option actually manages:

1. Fatigue: This is a state the body experiences after work, caused by physical strain or mental stress. It is something management techniques try to reduce, not a management technique in itself.
2. Time Plan: This is the overall framework, a list of jobs matched to time slots across the day. It tells you when a job is done but does not describe merging two jobs into a single slot.
3. Labour saving: This covers using devices, tools or shortcuts, such as a food processor instead of manual chopping, to cut down physical effort. It reduces the work itself rather than reorganising how two separate jobs are timed.
4. Dovetailing: This is the deliberate overlap of two tasks, one of which usually needs little active attention (such as letting rice simmer) while the person's hands and mind are free for a second task (such as folding laundry). Both tasks finish in roughly the time one would have taken alone.

Since the question specifically asks about grouping and scheduling two activities together, and only one of the four terms describes exactly that idea, dovetailing is the concept being tested here.

Therefore, the correct answer is Dovetailing.