Biologist Jane Edgeloe and colleagues have located what is believed to be the largest individual plant in the world in...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Biologist Jane Edgeloe and colleagues have located what is believed to be the largest individual plant in the world in the Shark Bay area of Australia. The plant is a type of seagrass called Posidonia australis, and it _______ approximately 200 square kilometers.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Biologist Jane Edgeloe and colleagues have located what is believed to be the largest individual plant in the world in the Shark Bay area of Australia.' |
|
| 'The plant is a type of seagrass called Posidonia australis,' |
|
| 'and it _____ approximately 200 square kilometers.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Biologist Jane Edgeloe discovered what is believed to be the world's largest individual plant - a seagrass that has some relationship to approximately 200 square kilometers.
Argument Flow: The passage announces a significant biological discovery, identifies the specific type of plant found, and is building toward describing the plant's relationship to a massive area of 200 square kilometers.
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
- We know this is the world's largest individual plant, and we need a word that describes its relationship to 'approximately 200 square kilometers.'
- Since we're talking about a plant and an area measurement, we need a verb that describes how a plant can relate to such a large space.
- The verb should indicate that this massive plant covers, extends across, or occupies this area - something that would make sense for why it's considered the 'largest individual plant.'
- 'Acknowledges' means to recognize or admit something
- A plant cannot mentally recognize or admit to an area measurement
- This creates an illogical relationship between a plant and a spatial measurement
- 'Produces' means to create or generate something
- While a plant could theoretically produce something measured in square kilometers, this creates an awkward and unclear meaning
- Students might think of plants 'producing' oxygen or biomass, but the phrasing 'produces 200 square kilometers' is imprecise and confusing
- 'Spans' means extends across or covers an area
- This creates a logical relationship - the plant extends across or covers 200 square kilometers
- This perfectly explains why it is the 'largest individual plant' - because of its enormous coverage area
- 'Advances' means moves forward or promotes something
- A plant cannot advance an area measurement
- This creates an illogical relationship between the plant and the spatial measurement