Community development researcher Kenji Tanaka studied neighborhood responses to urban renewal projects, comparing areas with different demographic com...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Community development researcher Kenji Tanaka studied neighborhood responses to urban renewal projects, comparing areas with different demographic compositions and economic characteristics. His analysis revealed significant variation in adaptation patterns: established residential communities often maintained existing social structures during development, while transitioning neighborhoods typically restructured their community networks. The findings suggest that community stability, rather than economic factors alone, serves as the primary predictor of how neighborhoods respond to physical and social changes.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
Urban renewal projects generally have different effects on established communities compared to transitioning neighborhoods.
Community stability is the most important factor in determining how neighborhoods adapt to urban development changes.
While economic factors influence neighborhood responses to development, demographic composition plays an equally significant role.
Research on urban renewal has identified important variations in how different types of communities structure their social networks.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Community development researcher Kenji Tanaka studied neighborhood responses to urban renewal projects, comparing areas with different demographic compositions and economic characteristics.' |
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| 'His analysis revealed significant variation in adaptation patterns: established residential communities often maintained existing social structures during development, while transitioning neighborhoods typically restructured their community networks.' |
|
| 'The findings suggest that community stability, rather than economic factors alone, serves as the primary predictor of how neighborhoods respond to physical and social changes.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map: [STUDY SETUP] Tanaka's research on neighborhood responses to urban renewal → [KEY FINDINGS] Established communities maintained existing structures; Transitioning neighborhoods restructured networks → [MAIN CONCLUSION] Community stability = primary predictor (not just economic factors)
Main Point: Community stability, rather than economic factors alone, is the primary predictor of how neighborhoods respond to urban renewal changes.
Argument Flow: The passage introduces Tanaka's comparative study of different neighborhood types responding to urban renewal. It then presents the key findings showing different adaptation patterns between established and transitioning communities. Finally, it concludes that these findings demonstrate community stability as the primary predictive factor for neighborhood responses to change.
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 correct answer should capture the main conclusion that community stability is the primary factor determining how neighborhoods adapt to urban development changes
- This is the key takeaway from Tanaka's research - not just that different communities respond differently, but WHY they respond differently
- The passage builds up to this conclusion by showing the variation in responses and then explaining that community stability (rather than economic factors alone) is what drives these differences
Urban renewal projects generally have different effects on established communities compared to transitioning neighborhoods.
✗ Incorrect
- This focuses on the fact that different communities have different responses
- While true, this misses the main point about WHY they respond differently
Community stability is the most important factor in determining how neighborhoods adapt to urban development changes.
✓ Correct
- This directly states the main conclusion from the passage
- Matches our prethinking about community stability being the primary predictor
While economic factors influence neighborhood responses to development, demographic composition plays an equally significant role.
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests demographic composition and economic factors are equally significant
- Contradicts the passage, which states community stability is the PRIMARY predictor
Research on urban renewal has identified important variations in how different types of communities structure their social networks.
✗ Incorrect
- This focuses too narrowly on social network restructuring
- Misses the broader point about community stability as a predictor