Question of the Day-Verbal Ability

QUESTION:-
The question below contains a paragraph followed by alternative summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the paragraph.


Whether the fault is rising levels of ill-health or just plain slacking, workers are taking more sick days than before. In a survey of companies in Europe and America by Mercer, a consultancy, nearly twice as many firms noted a rise in the number of “sickies” taken by staff in recent years than those that had seen an improvement. Workers in Bulgaria took most time off for ill-health, followed by Portugal and the Czech Republic. Employees in Turkey, America and Britain are in rude health by comparison.
OPTIONS

1) A recent survey of companies in America show that the number of workers taking sick days has increased in recent years.
2) According to a recent survey the number of workers taking sick days is the highest in Bulgaria but Turkey, America and Britain are better off.
3) A recent survey of companies in Europe and America shows that two third of the companies surveyed show an increase in the number of employees taking sick days.
4) A recent survey of companies in Europe and America shows that the companies that report an increase in the number of workers taking sick days is nearly twice as those showing a decline.
5) A recent survey of companies in Europe and America show that the companies that report an increase in the number of workers taking sick days is increasing, although there is some improvement.

Solution


The paragraph states that the survey conducted among companies of Europe and America shows that the number of companies showing an increase in the number of workers taking sick days is almost twice the number of companies where attendance has improved. Ill health claimed most man hours in Bulgaria and Czech. Turkey, America, and Britain showed that health is still an issue.
The examples may be not as important as the main finding of the survey.
Options 1 and 3 are incomplete summaries.
Option 2 states only the example rather than summarizing the entire paragraph.
Option 5 may be mistaken for the answer, but it is vague and the comparison is lost.
In contrast option 4 states the increase and decline of number of workers taking sick days. Option 4, in that case, captures the essence of the paragraph.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.