While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Civil War historian Dr. Elena Rodriguez examined Union soldier correspondence...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
Civil War historian Dr. Elena Rodriguez examined Union soldier correspondence from 1863-1865 at the National Archives. Letters to soldiers' families frequently mentioned food shortages and supply difficulties. Rodriguez developed a study to investigate whether supply concerns appeared more often during specific time periods. Winter correspondence consistently showed numerous references to hunger and inadequate provisions. Summer correspondence showed significantly fewer references to hunger and inadequate provisions.
The student wants to present the research findings. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Rodriguez developed a study to investigate whether supply concerns appeared more often during specific time periods.
Union soldiers' winter correspondence contained more references to supply problems than their summer correspondence.
Dr. Rodriguez examined Civil War letters that frequently mentioned food shortages and supply difficulties.
The historian studied supply concerns in soldier correspondence from both winter and summer months.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Civil War historian Dr. Elena Rodriguez examined Union soldier correspondence from 1863-1865 at the National Archives.' |
|
| 'Letters to soldiers' families frequently mentioned food shortages and supply difficulties.' |
|
| 'Rodriguez developed a study to investigate whether supply concerns appeared more often during specific time periods.' |
|
| 'Winter correspondence consistently showed numerous references to hunger and inadequate provisions.' |
|
| 'Summer correspondence showed significantly fewer references to hunger and inadequate provisions.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Rodriguez's study found that Union soldiers' winter correspondence contained significantly more references to supply problems than their summer correspondence.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Rodriguez as a Civil War historian who examined Union soldier letters and noticed frequent mentions of supply problems. She then designed a study to investigate whether these supply concerns varied by season, discovering that winter correspondence consistently showed more hunger and provision problems than summer correspondence.
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 research findings are the results of Rodriguez's study - specifically the comparison between winter and summer correspondence
- The key finding is that winter letters had more supply problem references than summer letters
- The right answer should present this comparative result clearly, showing that there was a seasonal difference in how often soldiers mentioned supply issues
Rodriguez developed a study to investigate whether supply concerns appeared more often during specific time periods.
- States that Rodriguez developed a study to investigate timing patterns
- This describes her research methodology, not her findings
- The question asks for research findings (results), not research setup
Union soldiers' winter correspondence contained more references to supply problems than their summer correspondence.
- Directly states the comparative finding: winter correspondence had more supply problem references than summer correspondence
- This matches our prethinking perfectly - it presents the actual research result using relevant information to communicate the study's conclusion
Dr. Rodriguez examined Civil War letters that frequently mentioned food shortages and supply difficulties.
- States that Rodriguez examined letters that mentioned food shortages and supply difficulties
- This describes her source material and initial observations, not her findings
- Students might confuse background information with research results
The historian studied supply concerns in soldier correspondence from both winter and summer months.
- States that the historian studied correspondence from both seasons
- This describes the scope of her study, not what she discovered
- Mentions methodology rather than results