While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Chronic fatigue syndrome affects millions, but effective treatments remain limitedT...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome affects millions, but effective treatments remain limited
- Traditional approaches focus on symptom management rather than underlying causes
- Dr. Michael Rodriguez developed a novel treatment protocol combining gentle exercise with mitochondrial support supplements
- His pilot study showed 60% of patients experienced significant symptom improvement
- However, a larger randomized trial found no difference between Rodriguez's protocol and standard care
- Current medical consensus remains that chronic fatigue syndrome requires primarily supportive treatment approaches
The student wants to emphasize the contrast between initial findings and subsequent results. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Dr. Michael Rodriguez developed a treatment combining exercise with supplements, but larger trials showed it was no more effective than standard care.
While Dr. Rodriguez's pilot study showed promising results for his novel treatment protocol, a randomized trial later found no significant benefit over standard approaches.
Traditional chronic fatigue treatments focus on symptom management, leading Dr. Rodriguez to develop an alternative protocol targeting underlying causes.
Current medical consensus holds that chronic fatigue syndrome requires supportive treatment, despite Dr. Rodriguez's efforts to develop more targeted interventions.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Chronic fatigue syndrome affects millions, but effective treatments remain limited" |
|
| "Traditional approaches focus on symptom management rather than underlying causes" |
|
| "Dr. Michael Rodriguez developed a novel treatment protocol combining gentle exercise with mitochondrial support supplements" |
|
| "His pilot study showed 60% of patients experienced significant symptom improvement" |
|
| "However, a larger randomized trial found no difference between Rodriguez's protocol and standard care" |
|
| "Current medical consensus remains that chronic fatigue syndrome requires primarily supportive treatment approaches" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Despite initial promising results from a novel chronic fatigue treatment, larger-scale testing failed to confirm its effectiveness, leaving the medical field still reliant on supportive care approaches.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from identifying a medical problem to describing both traditional and innovative approaches. It then presents a research narrative that initially appears promising but ultimately disappoints, resulting in unchanged medical practice.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The student wants to emphasize the contrast between initial findings and subsequent results from Rodriguez's research.
What type of answer do we need? A sentence that highlights the difference between the early promising pilot study results and the later disappointing larger trial results.
Any limiting keywords? "Contrast" and "most effectively" are key - we need the choice that best emphasizes the difference between the two research phases.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct answer should clearly present both phases of Rodriguez's research - the initial promising pilot study results and the subsequent disappointing larger trial results
- It should use language that emphasizes this contrast rather than just mentioning both studies
- The answer should make the timeline clear and highlight how the later results contradicted the earlier findings
Dr. Michael Rodriguez developed a treatment combining exercise with supplements, but larger trials showed it was no more effective than standard care.
- States Rodriguez developed a treatment but larger trials showed no effectiveness
- Mentions both studies but doesn't emphasize the contrast between them
- Lacks language that highlights the initial promise vs. later disappointment
While Dr. Rodriguez's pilot study showed promising results for his novel treatment protocol, a randomized trial later found no significant benefit over standard approaches.
- Uses "While...showed promising results" to set up positive initial findings
- Contrasts this directly with "a randomized trial later found no significant benefit"
- The structure "While X was promising, later Y showed no benefit" perfectly emphasizes the contrast
- Includes temporal markers that make the sequence clear
Traditional chronic fatigue treatments focus on symptom management, leading Dr. Rodriguez to develop an alternative protocol targeting underlying causes.
- Focuses on the contrast between traditional approaches and Rodriguez's innovation
- Doesn't address the contrast between Rodriguez's initial vs. subsequent results
Current medical consensus holds that chronic fatigue syndrome requires supportive treatment, despite Dr. Rodriguez's efforts to develop more targeted interventions.
- Contrasts current consensus with Rodriguez's efforts in general
- Doesn't specifically highlight the initial success vs. later failure pattern