While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Art conservators at the Metropolitan Museum completed a comprehensive study...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Art conservators at the Metropolitan Museum completed a comprehensive study on painting preservation methods in 2023.
- They tested three protective coating applications on Renaissance paintings over five years.
- Traditional varnish was applied to one group, showing moderate deterioration by year five.
- Synthetic polymer coating was applied to a second group, demonstrating minimal deterioration.
- A hybrid organic-synthetic blend was applied to a third group.
- The hybrid blend performed best, with virtually no measurable deterioration after five years.
- These findings built upon earlier research that had only compared traditional methods.
The student wants to present the advancement in preservation techniques. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
The Metropolitan Museum's 2023 study examined three different protective coatings applied to Renaissance paintings over a five-year period.
Building on previous research that examined only traditional methods, conservators demonstrated that synthetic and hybrid coatings provided superior protection, with the hybrid blend proving most effective.
Traditional varnish showed moderate deterioration while synthetic polymer coating demonstrated better protective qualities than earlier preservation methods.
After five years, the hybrid organic-synthetic blend outperformed both traditional varnish and synthetic polymer coating in preserving Renaissance paintings.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Art conservators at the Metropolitan Museum completed a comprehensive study on painting preservation methods in 2023. |
|
| They tested three protective coating applications on Renaissance paintings over five years. |
|
| Traditional varnish was applied to one group, showing moderate deterioration by year five. |
|
| Synthetic polymer coating was applied to a second group, demonstrating minimal deterioration. |
|
| A hybrid organic-synthetic blend was applied to a third group. |
|
| The hybrid blend performed best, with virtually no measurable deterioration after five years. |
|
| These findings built upon earlier research that had only compared traditional methods. |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A 2023 Metropolitan Museum study demonstrated that newer coating technologies, particularly a hybrid organic-synthetic blend, provide superior protection for Renaissance paintings compared to traditional methods.
Argument Flow: The notes establish a controlled study that systematically tested three different preservation approaches. The results show a clear progression from moderate effectiveness (traditional) to better performance (synthetic) to optimal results (hybrid). The final note emphasizes that this represents an advancement beyond previous research that was limited to traditional methods only.
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
- To show advancement in preservation techniques, the correct answer should:
- Compare newer methods to older ones to demonstrate improvement
- Reference how this research builds on or goes beyond previous work
- Emphasize the progress made, not just describe what happened
- The notes give us a perfect setup for this:
- The research moved beyond previous studies that only compared traditional methods and showed that synthetic and hybrid coatings perform much better than traditional varnish
- So the right answer should highlight this progression from limited past research to comprehensive current findings that demonstrate superior new techniques
The Metropolitan Museum's 2023 study examined three different protective coatings applied to Renaissance paintings over a five-year period.
✗ Incorrect
- Simply describes the basic study parameters without emphasizing advancement
- Doesn't mention how this builds on previous research or shows improvement
- Focuses on methodology rather than progress in techniques
Building on previous research that examined only traditional methods, conservators demonstrated that synthetic and hybrid coatings provided superior protection, with the hybrid blend proving most effective.
✓ Correct
- Explicitly states this research built on previous research that examined only traditional methods
- Shows clear advancement by demonstrating synthetic and hybrid coatings provided superior protection
- Emphasizes progression: from limited past research to comprehensive current findings
- Perfectly matches our prethinking about showing advancement through comparison to previous work
Traditional varnish showed moderate deterioration while synthetic polymer coating demonstrated better protective qualities than earlier preservation methods.
✗ Incorrect
- Only compares traditional and synthetic methods, ignoring the hybrid blend entirely
- Doesn't reference how this advances beyond previous research
After five years, the hybrid organic-synthetic blend outperformed both traditional varnish and synthetic polymer coating in preserving Renaissance paintings.
✗ Incorrect
- States results but doesn't show advancement or reference previous research limitations
- Focuses on ranking the three methods rather than demonstrating progress in the field