As Mexico's first president from an Indigenous community, Benito Juarez became one of the most _______ figures in his country's...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
As Mexico's first president from an Indigenous community, Benito Juarez became one of the most _______ figures in his country's history: among the many significant accomplishments of his long tenure in office (1858-1872), Juarez consolidated the authority of the national government and advanced the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
unpredictable
important
secretive
ordinary
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "As Mexico's first president from an Indigenous community," |
|
| "Benito Juarez became one of the most _____ figures in his country's history:" |
|
| "among the many significant accomplishments of his long tenure in office (1858–1872)," |
|
| "Juarez consolidated the authority of the national government and advanced the rights of Indigenous peoples." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Benito Juarez became a highly significant figure in Mexican history due to his groundbreaking role as the first Indigenous president and his major governmental accomplishments.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Juarez's unique historical position as Mexico's first Indigenous president, then argues he became a notable figure in the country's history by citing his lengthy time in office and two major achievements—strengthening federal authority and advancing Indigenous rights.
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 analysis, we need a word that captures how Juarez should be viewed given his accomplishments
- The passage tells us he was Mexico's first Indigenous president, served a long time (14 years), consolidated national government authority, and advanced Indigenous rights
- These are substantial, historically significant achievements
- The word needs to reflect the magnitude and positive impact of someone who made such major contributions to Mexican governance and Indigenous rights
- It should convey significance, influence, and positive historical standing
- So the right answer should describe Juarez as having great significance or influence in Mexican history
unpredictable
- "Unpredictable" suggests someone whose actions are hard to foresee or erratic
- Nothing in the passage indicates Juarez was inconsistent or surprising in his behavior
- His accomplishments suggest steady, purposeful leadership rather than erratic actions
important
- "Important" perfectly captures someone of great significance and influence
- Matches our analysis showing his groundbreaking role and major accomplishments
- Fits logically with the evidence of consolidating government and advancing rights
- Creates the right meaning: someone this accomplished would indeed be an important historical figure
secretive
- "Secretive" means keeping things hidden or operating in concealment
- The passage presents his accomplishments openly and doesn't suggest he hid his work
- Being the first Indigenous president and having major policy achievements suggests visibility, not secrecy
ordinary
- "Ordinary" means common, typical, or unremarkable
- Directly contradicts the passage's emphasis on his historic firsts and significant accomplishments
- Students might think this creates ironic contrast, but the passage's tone is genuinely appreciative of his achievements, not ironic