Cardiac events often strike without warning, making early detection crucial for patient survival. C-reactive protein levels in blood tests have...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Cardiac events often strike without warning, making early detection crucial for patient survival. C-reactive protein levels in blood tests have emerged as a reliable predictor through Dr. Martinez's research. Her findings show that this biomarker consistently elevates several days before heart attack symptoms manifest, providing physicians with advance notice. Based on significantly elevated C-reactive protein readings, doctors can anticipate that a cardiac event may be ______.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
imminent
chronic
benign
hereditary
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Cardiac events often strike without warning, making early detection crucial for patient survival.' |
|
| 'C-reactive protein levels in blood tests have emerged as a reliable predictor through Dr. Martinez's research.' |
|
| 'Her findings show that this biomarker consistently elevates several days before heart attack symptoms manifest, providing physicians with advance notice.' |
|
| 'Based on significantly elevated C-reactive protein readings, doctors can anticipate that a cardiac event may be ______.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: C-reactive protein serves as an early warning system that allows doctors to predict cardiac events before symptoms appear.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the challenge of unpredictable cardiac events, introduces C-reactive protein as a reliable early predictor discovered by Dr. Martinez, explains that this biomarker rises days before symptoms manifest, and concludes with what doctors can anticipate based on elevated readings.
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
- The passage establishes that C-reactive protein levels elevate 'several days before heart attack symptoms manifest,' giving physicians 'advance notice'
- When doctors see significantly elevated readings, they're getting an early warning system
- The missing word needs to capture the timing relationship - that a cardiac event is about to happen soon based on this advance notice
- The right answer should indicate that the cardiac event is approaching or about to occur in the near future, since the biomarker provides advance warning several days ahead of symptoms
imminent
✓ Correct
- 'Imminent' means about to happen or approaching rapidly
- Perfectly matches the timing described - biomarker rises days before symptoms, giving advance notice
- Creates logical flow: early warning system leads to event being imminent
chronic
✗ Incorrect
- 'Chronic' means long-lasting or persistent over time
- Contradicts the passage focus on prediction and timing
- Does not connect to the advance notice concept
benign
✗ Incorrect
- 'Benign' means harmless or not dangerous
- Contradicts the entire premise about cardiac events being serious threats
- Trap: Students might confuse early detection with less serious outcomes
hereditary
✗ Incorrect
- 'Hereditary' refers to genetic inheritance
- Completely unrelated to the biomarker prediction system described
- Does not address timing or the early warning function