A simple community garden project that aims to convert a single vacant lot into green space for local residents may...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
A simple community garden project that aims to convert a single vacant lot into green space for local residents may require minimal funding, unlike comprehensive urban reforestation initiatives such as those undertaken by major cities to plant thousands of trees across multiple districts over several years. The community garden's lower financial requirements stem from the fact that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
it can be completed without the extensive timeline and coordination that large-scale reforestation demands.
urban reforestation initiatives typically involve too many participants to be cost-effective.
major cities usually have sufficient budgets allocated for tree-planting programs.
community involvement makes garden projects more suitable for long-term environmental planning.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'A simple community garden project that aims to convert a single vacant lot into green space for local residents may require minimal funding' |
|
| 'unlike comprehensive urban reforestation initiatives such as those undertaken by major cities to plant thousands of trees across multiple districts over several years' |
|
| 'The community garden's lower financial requirements stem from the fact that ______' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
Simple Community Garden Project
├── Scale: 1 vacant lot
├── Scope: local residents
└── Cost: minimal funding
VERSUS
Comprehensive Urban Reforestation
├── Scale: thousands of trees
├── Scope: multiple districts
├── Timeline: several years
└── Cost: [implied to be much higher]
↓
QUESTION: Why does the garden cost less?
Main Point: Community garden projects require much less funding than large-scale urban reforestation initiatives.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a clear contrast between small, simple community gardens and massive reforestation projects, then asks us to explain why the smaller project costs less money.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- From our analysis, we can see the key differences between the projects:
- Community garden: 1 lot, local scope, simple
- Urban reforestation: thousands of trees, multiple districts, several years, major city involvement
- The right answer should explain why these differences lead to lower costs for the garden
- The garden is smaller in scale, simpler in scope, and more contained
- The reforestation project involves much more complexity - more locations, longer timeframes, and coordination across a major city system
- So the right answer should explain that the garden avoids the complexity, coordination, and extended timeline that make reforestation expensive
it can be completed without the extensive timeline and coordination that large-scale reforestation demands.
✓ Correct
- This directly explains the cost difference by focusing on what the garden avoids
- Extensive timeline and coordination are exactly the factors that would drive up costs in large reforestation projects
- Matches our prethinking about complexity and scope being cost drivers
urban reforestation initiatives typically involve too many participants to be cost-effective.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims reforestation is cost-ineffective due to too many participants
- Doesn't explain why the garden specifically costs less - just criticizes reforestation
- What trap this represents: Students might be drawn to this because it mentions cost-effectiveness, but it doesn't actually explain the garden's lower costs
major cities usually have sufficient budgets allocated for tree-planting programs.
✗ Incorrect
- Discusses city budgets for tree-planting programs
- This would actually suggest cities can afford reforestation, which contradicts the passage's implication that it's expensive
- Doesn't address why gardens cost less
community involvement makes garden projects more suitable for long-term environmental planning.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on suitability for long-term planning rather than cost factors
- Community involvement doesn't directly explain lower financial requirements
- What trap this represents: Students might choose this because "community involvement" sounds related to community gardens, but it doesn't address the cost question