City planner Maria Rodriguez had developed a reputation for innovative downtown revitalization projects. Her success in three previous cities demonstr...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
City planner Maria Rodriguez had developed a reputation for innovative downtown revitalization projects. Her success in three previous cities demonstrated her expertise in balancing historic preservation with modern development. The appointment to lead the downtown project in her hometown ______ her already impressive portfolio of urban renewal achievements.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
overshadowed
enhanced
questioned
replaced
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "City planner Maria Rodriguez had developed a reputation for innovative downtown revitalization projects." |
|
| "Her success in three previous cities demonstrated her expertise in balancing historic preservation with modern development." |
|
| "The appointment to lead the downtown project in her hometown _______ her already impressive portfolio of urban renewal achievements." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Maria Rodriguez's appointment to lead her hometown's downtown project has some relationship to her already impressive portfolio of urban renewal achievements.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Maria Rodriguez as an accomplished city planner with proven success, then presents a new appointment and asks us to determine how this appointment relates to her existing body of work.
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 Maria Rodriguez's positive reputation and proven expertise
- The appointment represents a new opportunity in her hometown
- Given the positive context throughout, the missing word should show how this appointment relates positively to her existing portfolio
- The relationship should be additive or strengthening - this hometown appointment should build upon or improve her already impressive achievements rather than diminish them
overshadowed
✗ Incorrect
- "Overshadowed" means the appointment made her previous achievements seem less important
- This contradicts the positive context about her reputation and expertise
enhanced
✓ Correct
- "Enhanced" means the appointment improved or strengthened her portfolio
- This matches the positive context and logical flow from reputation to evidence to new achievement
questioned
✗ Incorrect
- "Questioned" means the appointment made people doubt her previous work
- This contradicts the positive tone and established expertise throughout the passage
replaced
✗ Incorrect
- "Replaced" means the appointment substituted for her previous achievements
- This doesn't make logical sense - new projects add to a portfolio, they don't replace it