Business researcher Melanie Brucks and colleagues found that remote video conference meetings may be less conducive to
brainstorming than in-person meetings are. The researchers suspect that video meeting participants are focused on staring
at the speaker on the screen and don’t allow their eyes or mind to wander as much, which may ultimately ______ creativity.
recommend
criticize
impede
construct
Choice C is the best answer. The ﬁrst sentence tells us that video meetings are “less conducive to” (meaning less good for)
brainstorming. This suggests that the video meeting participants’ focus is bad for their creativity. “Impede” means “delay” or
“prevent,” which works perfectly in this context.
Choice A is incorrect. This choice is too positive to ﬁt the context. The ﬁrst sentence tells us that video meetings are “less
conducive to” (meaning less good for) brainstorming. This suggests that the video meeting participants’ focus is bad for
their creativity. Choice B is incorrect. This choice doesn’t make sense. The participants’ intense focus on the screen is the
subject of the missing verb. It wouldn’t make sense to say that their over-focusing “criticizes” their creativity. Choice D is
incorrect. “Construct” means “build” or “make,” which is too positive to ﬁt the context. The ﬁrst sentence tells us that video
meetings are “less conducive to” (meaning less good for) brainstorming. This suggests that the video meeting participants’
focus is bad for their creativity.