Art Tatum's approach to jazz piano in the 1920s broke new ground in keyboard technique. ______ Tatum developed rapid octave...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Art Tatum's approach to jazz piano in the 1920s broke new ground in keyboard technique. ______ Tatum developed rapid octave runs using contrary motion between both hands. This innovation established him as one of the most technically gifted musicians in jazz history.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
In particular,
Nevertheless,
Subsequently,
Instead,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Art Tatum's approach to jazz piano in the 1920s broke new ground in keyboard technique." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "Tatum developed rapid octave runs using contrary motion between both hands." |
|
| "This innovation established him as one of the most technically gifted musicians in jazz history." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[GENERAL CLAIM] Art Tatum broke new ground in keyboard technique → [MISSING TRANSITION] → [SPECIFIC EXAMPLE] Rapid octave runs with contrary motion → [SIGNIFICANCE] Established him as most technically gifted
Main Point: Art Tatum revolutionized jazz piano through innovative techniques that established him as one of the most technically gifted musicians in jazz history.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from a broad claim about Tatum's innovation to a specific example of his technique, then concludes by explaining why this innovation was historically significant.
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
- Looking at our table, we have a general claim about Tatum breaking new ground, followed by a very specific example of his technique
- The missing transition needs to signal that we are moving from the broad statement to a concrete illustration
- The relationship we need is moving from general claim to specific example
- So the right answer should be a transition that signals we are providing a specific instance or example to support the general claim we just made
In particular,
✓ Correct
- Signals that we are providing a specific example to illustrate the general claim
- Creates the perfect logical flow from broad innovation to concrete technique
- Matches our prethinking about needing a general-to-specific connector
Nevertheless,
✗ Incorrect
- Indicates contrast or opposition
- There is no contrast between breaking new ground and developing octave runs - they support each other
- This represents a trap where students might think there is a contrast because they are seeing different levels of detail
Subsequently,
✗ Incorrect
- Indicates time sequence - what happened next
- We are not describing chronological events but rather explaining the same innovation
- The octave runs are not what happened after breaking new ground; they ARE the new ground
Instead,
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests replacement or doing something different
- But developing octave runs is not replacing breaking new ground - it is an example of it
- This would create illogical meaning suggesting Tatum did not break new ground but did something else instead