Reading comprehension cloze: choose the verb that best completes the phrase tends to ____ a dysfunctional result in the passage about job performance and motivation.

Introduction / Context:
This question comes from a cloze passage discussing job performance, motivation, ability, and technology. The specific sentence reads However, increasing motivation beyond an optimum level tends to _____ a dysfunctional result because it is accompanied by an increased level of anxiety. We must select a verb that makes the sentence logically and grammatically complete in this context of cause and effect.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The passage states that very high motivation can lead to dysfunction when anxiety rises.
The missing verb appears in the structure tends to blank a dysfunctional result.
The general meaning is that excessive motivation causes or brings about negative outcomes.

Concept / Approach:
The phrase tends to blank a result naturally expects a verb that means cause or bring about. In academic and psychological writing, produce a result is a very common collocation meaning create an outcome. The other options change the meaning or do not collocate well with result in this structure. Therefore, we should look for the word that best expresses the idea that an excessive level of motivation leads to negative consequences.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the idea in the passage. Motivation is positive up to a point, but beyond that point it can become harmful due to anxiety. Step 2: Note the pattern tends to blank a dysfunctional result which implies a cause and effect relationship. Step 3: Recognise that the verb produce fits naturally with result, as in produce good results or produce poor results. Step 4: Check that the sentence with produce reads smoothly: increasing motivation beyond an optimum level tends to produce a dysfunctional result. Step 5: Verify that other options either do not fit the collocation or distort the intended meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can verify by substituting synonyms. Replace produce with bring about or lead to and the sentence still works: tends to bring about a dysfunctional result. This confirms that produce is correctly capturing the idea of causing an outcome. Attempts to substitute deduce, introduce, or reduce in that structure create awkward or illogical expressions, which tells us that they are not suitable choices.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A deduce a dysfunctional result is incorrect because deduce means infer or conclude from evidence, and we do not normally deduce a result in this sense.
Option B introduce a dysfunctional result sounds awkward; introduce is used for people, policies, or topics, not usually for negative results in this type of sentence.
Option D reduce a dysfunctional result reverses the logic, suggesting that higher motivation lessens dysfunction, which contradicts the sentence.
Option E provoke a dysfunctional result is slightly closer in meaning, but provoke usually takes objects like anger, protest, or reaction, and the collocation provoke a result is less natural than produce a result in formal writing.

Common Pitfalls:
In cloze tests, candidates often pick verbs based only on general meaning without checking collocations. A better strategy is to mentally test whether the verb commonly appears with the neighbouring noun. Phrases like produce results, generate outcomes, or cause problems are very frequent, while combinations such as deduce a result or introduce a result are rare and usually unidiomatic. Paying attention to such patterns significantly improves performance in reading comprehension sections.

Final Answer:
The verb that correctly completes the sentence is produce, giving the phrase tends to produce a dysfunctional result.