Arturo A. Schomburg was dedicated to preserving books, art, and other materials from peoples of African descent around the world....
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Arturo A. Schomburg was dedicated to preserving books, art, and other materials from peoples of African descent around the world. To get these items, Schomburg ________ friends and colleagues, whom he asked to bring back rare and valuable objects from their international travels. Now, Schomburg's collection is a valuable resource for scholars of Black history and culture.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
admired
disagreed with
warned
depended on
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Arturo A. Schomburg was dedicated to preserving books, art, and other materials from peoples of African descent around the world." |
|
| "To get these items, Schomburg" |
|
| [MISSING WORD/PHRASE] |
|
| "friends and colleagues, whom he asked to bring back rare and valuable objects from their international travels." |
|
| "Now, Schomburg's collection is a valuable resource for scholars of Black history and culture." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Schomburg built an important collection of African diaspora materials by leveraging his network of traveling friends and colleagues.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Schomburg's dedication to collecting materials from the African diaspora worldwide, then explains his practical method of using traveling friends and colleagues to obtain these materials, and concludes by highlighting the lasting scholarly value of his collection.
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
- Schomburg needed to collect materials from around the world, but he couldn't travel everywhere himself
- Instead, he used a network of friends and colleagues who were already traveling internationally
- The logical relationship here is one of reliance - Schomburg needed these people to help him achieve his collecting goals
- The missing word should show that he counted on or relied on these friends and colleagues as part of his collection strategy
admired
admired
✗ Incorrect
- While Schomburg may have admired his friends, this doesn't explain the functional relationship needed for his collecting strategy
disagreed with
disagreed with
✗ Incorrect
- Creates a negative relationship that contradicts the cooperative dynamic
- Makes no sense if he's asking them for help
warned
warned
✗ Incorrect
- Implies he was giving them cautionary advice
- Doesn't connect to the collecting purpose at all
depended on
depended on
✓ Correct
- Shows the functional relationship - he relied on them for help
- Creates logical flow: dedication to collecting, depending on travelers, asking them to bring items, successful collection