After facing several major economic downturns over the past decade, the retail chain has become increasingly ______ to market fluctuations,...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
After facing several major economic downturns over the past decade, the retail chain has become increasingly ______ to market fluctuations, with recent quarterly reports showing that the company now maintains stable profit margins even during periods of economic uncertainty that previously would have caused significant losses.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
immune
resilient
susceptible
indifferent
Looking at this fill-in-the-blank question, let me work through it systematically.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "After facing several major economic downturns over the past decade," |
|
| "the retail chain has become increasingly _______ to market fluctuations," |
|
| "with recent quarterly reports showing that the company now maintains stable profit margins" |
|
| "even during periods of economic uncertainty that previously would have caused significant losses." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A retail chain has developed better ability to handle market problems over time, as shown by maintaining profits during difficulties that used to cause losses.
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
- The blank describes how the company has changed in relation to market fluctuations
- We know from the evidence that the company used to suffer significant losses during economic uncertainty but now maintains stable profit margins during the same type of periods
- So the word should describe a company that has gotten better at handling market problems - developing the ability to withstand or bounce back from market difficulties rather than being damaged by them
immune
✗ Incorrect
- "Immune" means completely protected from something
- This is too absolute - the company still faces market fluctuations, it just handles them better now
resilient
✓ Correct
- "Resilient" means able to recover quickly from difficulties or withstand problems
- This perfectly matches our analysis - the company has developed the ability to maintain stability despite market challenges
susceptible
✗ Incorrect
- "Susceptible" means likely to be influenced or harmed by something
- This describes the company's past condition, not its current improved state
indifferent
✗ Incorrect
- "Indifferent" means showing no interest or concern
- Companies cannot be indifferent to market fluctuations that affect their profits