What complaint do the two stern women make about the staff at the public library?

• A. That the library is understaffed
• B. That the staff are unfriendly
• C. That the staff are incompetent
• D. That the staff are too loud

Answer: (A)

The situation tests your ability to read a scene and identify what is causing the patrons to complain. The two stern women are irritated because there aren’t enough staff to handle the demand at the public library. When a scenario describes long lines, empty service desks, or slow help due to limited personnel, the problem is understaffing—there aren’t enough workers to meet how many people are using the library.

Think about the other possibilities: if the issue were unfriendly staff, the text would focus on rude behavior or a cold attitude. If staff were incompetent, you’d see mistakes or an inability to assist with basic tasks. If staff were too loud, the complaint would center on noise. Since the core complaint centers on the number of staff relative to need, the best fit is that the library is understaffed.