Arkansas aviator Louise Thaden was already a record breaker when she won the inaugural National Women's Air Derby, a race...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Arkansas aviator Louise Thaden was already a record breaker when she won the inaugural National Women's Air Derby, a race from California to Ohio, in August of 1929. ______ in December of 1928, Thaden had set an aviation record when she reached an altitude of 20,269 feet in a Travel Air biplane.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Earlier,
However,
Next,
As a result,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Arkansas aviator Louise Thaden was already a record breaker when she won the inaugural National Women's Air Derby, a race from California to Ohio, in August of 1929." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "in December of 1928, Thaden had set an aviation record when she reached an altitude of 20,269 feet in a Travel Air biplane." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Louise Thaden was an accomplished aviator with multiple records, including both her 1929 race victory and an earlier 1928 altitude achievement.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Thaden's 1929 race victory while noting she was already a record breaker, then moves to provide a specific example of her earlier record-breaking achievement from 1928.
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 transition must connect Thaden's 1929 achievement to her 1928 achievement
- We need to show that the 1928 record came before the 1929 race (chronologically earlier)
- The connector should indicate we're moving backward in time to provide supporting evidence
- The relationship is temporal - we're going from August 1929 back to December 1928
- The right answer should signal that we're moving to an earlier time period to give a specific example of her previous record-breaking
Earlier,
Earlier,
✓ Correct
- Correct - Creates the perfect chronological relationship - December 1928 was indeed earlier than August 1929
- Signals we're moving backward in time to provide supporting evidence
- Matches our prethinking by establishing the temporal sequence clearly
However,
However,
✗ Incorrect
- Creates a contrast relationship, but there's no contradiction between her achievements
- Both the 1929 race and 1928 altitude record support the same point - that she was accomplished
Next,
Next,
✗ Incorrect
- Indicates moving forward in sequence, but December 1928 came before August 1929
- Creates the wrong chronological relationship - we're going backward, not forward in time
As a result,
As a result,
✗ Incorrect
- Shows cause and effect, but her 1928 altitude record wasn't caused by her 1929 race victory
- The 1928 achievement happened first and helps explain why she was already a record breaker in 1929