The following text is from the 1895 poem Marshlands by Emily Pauline Johnson, a Kanienkahagen (Mohawk) writer also known as...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from the 1895 poem Marshlands by Emily Pauline Johnson, a Kanienkahagen (Mohawk) writer also known as Tekahionwake.
Among the wild rice in the still lagoon,
In monotone the lizard shrills his tune.
The wild goose, homing, seeks a sheltering,
Where rushes grow, and oozing lichens cling.
Late cranes with heavy wing, and lazy flight,
Sail up the silence with the nearing night.
And like a spirit, swathed in some soft veil,
Steals twilight and its shadows o'er the swale.
Hushed lie the sedges, and the vapours creep,
Thick, grey and humid, while the marshes sleep.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
It names animal species found in a place, then names plant species there.
It sketches a setting by presenting a series of images of nature.
It makes an extended comparison of nature to human emotions.
It identifies a location, then refers to a person living there.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Among the wild rice in the still lagoon, |
|
| In monotone the lizard shrills his tune. |
|
| The wild goose, homing, seeks a sheltering, |
|
| Where rushes grow, and oozing lichens cling. |
|
| Late cranes with heavy wing, and lazy flight, |
|
| Sail up the silence with the nearing night. |
|
| And like a spirit, swathed in some soft veil, |
|
| Steals twilight and its shadows o'er the swale. |
|
| Hushed lie the sedges, and the vapours creep, |
|
| Thick, grey and humid, while the marshes sleep. |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The poem creates a vivid portrait of a marshland at twilight through layered natural imagery.
Argument Flow: The poem opens by establishing the marshland setting, then systematically presents a series of interconnected nature images that build toward a unified picture of the marsh settling into evening quiet.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The overall structure of the text—how the poem is organized and put together.
What type of answer do we need? A description of the organizational pattern the author uses throughout the poem.
Any limiting keywords? This is asking us to identify the architectural framework that holds the poem together.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The poem consistently presents one nature image after another—lizard, goose, cranes, various plants, twilight, shadows, vapors
- These are layered together like brushstrokes creating a complete picture of this marshland scene
- The structure is essentially: Here's image 1 of this place, here's image 2, here's image 3, and so on, until we have a full sensory portrait of the marsh at evening
It names animal species found in a place, then names plant species there.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the poem names animal species first, then plant species.
- This doesn't match the actual organization—animals and plants are interwoven throughout
It sketches a setting by presenting a series of images of nature.
✓ Correct
- Accurately describes the poem as sketching a setting through a series of nature images.
- Matches exactly what we see—the marshland setting built up through layered images
It makes an extended comparison of nature to human emotions.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the poem makes an extended comparison between nature and human emotions.
- While there's one brief metaphor, the poem doesn't systematically compare nature to human feelings
It identifies a location, then refers to a person living there.
✗ Incorrect
- States the poem identifies a location then refers to a person living there.
- While it does identify the marshland location, there's no person mentioned anywhere in the poem