Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Anecdotal
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This inference question revolves around a news style passage describing allegations made against a food delivery start up by people claiming to be current and former employees. The allegations appear in a blog post rather than in a formal investigation report or a court judgment. You must select the word that best characterises the nature of these allegations based on that context.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
When information is based on personal stories or individual experiences rather than systematic evidence or formal investigation, it is often described as "anecdotal". Anecdotal evidence consists of reports and personal accounts that can be useful but are not conclusive or comprehensive. The correct approach is to identify which option captures this idea of personal, story based testimony, as opposed to something definitive, ambiguous, or technically related to fragmentation.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider the phrase "four people claiming to be current and former employees" writing in a blog post. This suggests personal narratives rather than formal proof.
Step 2: Option A, "Defragmented", is mainly used in computer terminology and does not fit this context.
Step 3: Option B, "Ambiguous", means unclear or having more than one possible meaning. The passage does not say the allegations are unclear; it only describes their source.
Step 4: Option C, "Definitive", would mean final or conclusive. The blog post, based on personal accounts, is unlikely to be the final authoritative word.
Step 5: Option D, "Anecdotal", refers to information based on personal stories or individual cases, which matches the description of employees posting allegations on a blog.
Step 6: Conclude that "anecdotal" is the most accurate descriptor of such allegations.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by recalling how news articles sometimes comment on evidence. When a report is based mostly on complaints shared by individuals without full documentation, journalists call it "anecdotal evidence". The passage here describes exactly that type of source. On the other hand, if courts or regulatory bodies had investigated and issued a detailed report, the allegations could be called "definitive" or "substantiated", which is not the case. There is no indication that the allegations are unclear, so "ambiguous" does not fit either.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"Defragmented" is clearly out of place, as it is used in computing to describe the process of reorganising data on a disk. "Ambiguous" is wrong because the passage does not focus on ambiguity, but on the source and nature of the evidence. "Definitive" is also wrong because a blog by a few individuals cannot be considered the final and conclusive word on corporate misconduct. The only option that correctly captures personal, story based and non formal evidence is "anecdotal".
Common Pitfalls:
Students may be tempted to choose "ambiguous" simply because allegations are often disputed. However, ambiguity refers to unclear meaning, not to the informal or personal nature of evidence. Another pitfall is guessing "definitive" because the allegations sound serious, but seriousness does not imply final proof. When answering such questions, always pay attention to the context in which the information is presented, such as a blog, a rumour, or a formal report, and choose vocabulary that matches that medium.
Final Answer:
The allegations described in the passage are best characterised as anecdotal.
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