Among Dr. Chen's archaeological excavations, the use of ground-penetrating radar is not ______: this technology appears in documentation for eight...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Among Dr. Chen's archaeological excavations, the use of ground-penetrating radar is not ______: this technology appears in documentation for eight of her twelve major dig sites over the past decade.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
uncommon
expensive
reliable
innovative
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Among Dr. Chen's archaeological excavations, the use of ground-penetrating radar is not ______: |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| this technology appears in documentation for eight of her twelve major dig sites over the past decade. |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Chen frequently uses ground-penetrating radar technology in her archaeological work.
Argument Flow: The passage makes a claim about ground-penetrating radar in Dr. Chen's work, then supports that claim with specific frequency data showing she uses this technology in two-thirds of her major excavations.
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 evidence shows radar appears in 8 out of 12 sites - that's about 67%, which is most of her projects
- So the missing word should be something that would be contradicted by frequent use
- If she uses radar technology in most of her excavations, then it's NOT something that suggests rare or infrequent use
uncommon
✓ Correct
- Uncommon means rare or infrequent
- If radar is used in \(\frac{8}{12}\) projects (\(67\%\)), it's definitely not uncommon - it's actually quite common
- Creates perfect logical relationship
expensive
✗ Incorrect
- Expensive refers to cost
- The frequency data doesn't tell us anything about how much the technology costs
reliable
✗ Incorrect
- Reliable refers to dependability
- Using radar in \(\frac{8}{12}\) sites doesn't prove or disprove reliability
innovative
✗ Incorrect
- Innovative refers to being new or cutting-edge
- Frequency of use doesn't indicate whether something is innovative