How might career advancement be described as potentially linked to both growth and decline? Working long hours and overtime may...

Understanding the Question

Let's first understand what we're being asked. The question wants us to explain how career advancement might be described as linked to both growth and decline. This is asking for a conceptual explanation of a paradox - how can something typically seen as positive (career advancement) be connected to both positive aspects (growth) AND negative aspects (decline)?

To answer this question sufficiently, we need information that:

• Explains or describes this dual nature
• Shows how career advancement connects to growth
• Shows how career advancement connects to decline
• Links all three concepts together

This is a conceptual question rather than a mathematical one, so we'll use logical analysis to evaluate whether each statement provides the complete explanation we need.

Analyzing Statement 1

Statement 1: "Working long hours and overtime may lead to higher productivity and career advancement but is likely to cause a decline in physical and mental well-being."

Let's break down what this statement tells us:

• Growth aspect: Higher productivity and career advancement (professional growth)
• Decline aspect: Decline in physical and mental well-being (personal decline)
• The link: Working long hours is the mechanism that connects both outcomes

This statement directly answers our question by providing a complete description of how career advancement (achieved through long hours) is simultaneously linked to growth (professional success) and decline (health deterioration). It explains the paradox perfectly.

[STOP - Statement 1 is Sufficient!]

Statement 1 is sufficient.

This eliminates choices B, C, and E.

Analyzing Statement 2

Now let's forget Statement 1 completely and analyze Statement 2 independently.

Statement 2: "Maintaining a work-life balance is important to reduce the negative effect that working too much has on a person's quality of life."

What does this statement tell us?

• It discusses the importance of work-life balance
• It mentions negative effects of overwork on quality of life

However, Statement 2 does not:

• Explicitly mention career advancement
• Explain how career advancement relates to growth
• Provide a clear connection between career advancement and both growth AND decline

While this statement acknowledges that overwork has negative effects, it doesn't address the core of our question. It's focused on mitigation strategies (work-life balance) rather than explaining how career advancement itself creates the paradox of simultaneous growth and decline.

Statement 2 is NOT sufficient.

This eliminates choices B and D.

The Answer: A

Since Statement 1 alone provides the complete explanation we need while Statement 2 alone does not, the answer is A.

Answer Choice A: "Statement 1 alone is sufficient, but Statement 2 alone is not sufficient."

Statement 1 gives us everything we need to understand how career advancement can be linked to both growth and decline, making it sufficient on its own.