In this cloze test sentence about motivation and ability, you must choose the word that best completes "The higher the levels of ability and motivation the ______ the level of performance will be."

Introduction / Context:
This question is another blank from the same cloze test passage about job performance, motivation, and ability. The sentence uses a comparative structure to show the relationship between ability, motivation, and performance. You must choose the degree word that preserves the logical and grammatical pattern of the comparison.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The sentence is: "The higher the levels of ability and motivation the ______ the level of performance will be."
- Options: "higher", "larger", "lower", and "smaller".
- The context states that better ability and higher motivation should lead to better performance, not worse performance.

Concept / Approach:
English often uses the structure "The higher X, the higher Y" to express a direct relationship. Here, we are told that as ability and motivation increase, job performance also improves. Therefore, the second part of the comparison must use "higher" to mirror the first part. Using "lower" or "smaller" would reverse the expected relationship, and "larger" does not naturally collocate with "level of performance" in this context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise the pattern "The higher ..., the ..." which shows a positive correlation. Step 2: The first half says "The higher the levels of ability and motivation". Step 3: To maintain a direct relationship, we must say "the higher the level of performance will be". Step 4: "Larger" and "smaller" are usually used for physical size or quantity, not typically for "level of performance". Step 5: "Lower" would suggest that more ability and motivation lead to worse performance, which contradicts the logical meaning of the passage.

Verification / Alternative check:
If we substitute "higher" into the blank, the sentence reads: "The higher the levels of ability and motivation the higher the level of performance will be." This statement matches common sense and the usual ideas in management theory: more ability and stronger motivation lead to better performance. None of the other options preserve this positive correlation in a natural and grammatically appropriate way.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Larger" is wrong because it does not collocate smoothly with "level of performance" and would sound awkward. "Lower" is wrong because it implies that higher ability and motivation make performance worse, which contradicts both logic and the rest of the passage. "Smaller" suffers from the same problem as "larger" and does not fit with performance level in this conceptual context.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes students overthink cloze test options and try to force unusual collocations like "larger level of performance". In such questions, however, the simplest and most common comparative structure is usually correct. When you see "The higher the...", look for a matching "the higher the..." pattern unless the passage clearly indicates an inverse relationship, which it does not in this case.

Final Answer:
The correct word to fill the blank is higher, giving "The higher the levels of ability and motivation the higher the level of performance will be."