Community wellness gardens represent an emerging approach to public health that's being implemented in urban neighborhoods nationwide. These initiativ...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Community wellness gardens represent an emerging approach to public health that's being implemented in urban neighborhoods nationwide. These initiatives transform vacant lots into shared growing spaces where residents cultivate vegetables, herbs, and flowers together. Participants learn gardening techniques while building social connections with neighbors. Public health researchers argue that beyond improving access to fresh produce, community wellness gardens enhance neighborhood cohesion and individual well-being by creating opportunities for physical activity and social interaction.
Which choice best describes the function of the second sentence in the overall structure of the text?
Neighborhoods with community wellness gardens report increased property values and reduced crime rates compared to areas without such programs.
Residents who participate in community gardening typically have more interest in environmental issues than those who don't garden.
Urban planners find that designing wellness gardens requires more community input than designing traditional parks.
People who live near community gardens tend to prefer vegetables they can grow themselves rather than store-bought produce.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Community wellness gardens represent an emerging approach to public health that's being implemented in urban neighborhoods nationwide.' |
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| 'These initiatives transform vacant lots into shared growing spaces where residents cultivate vegetables, herbs, and flowers together.' |
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| 'Participants learn gardening techniques while building social connections with neighbors.' |
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| 'Public health researchers argue that beyond improving access to fresh produce, community wellness gardens enhance neighborhood cohesion and individual well-being by creating opportunities for physical activity and social interaction.' |
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Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Community wellness gardens are an innovative public health initiative that transforms vacant urban spaces into shared growing areas, providing both practical benefits like fresh food and broader community advantages.
Argument Flow: The passage introduces community wellness gardens as a new approach, explains what they physically are, describes the participant experience, and concludes with research supporting their multiple benefits to both individuals and neighborhoods.
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 second sentence takes the broad concept introduced in the first sentence ('emerging approach to public health') and makes it concrete and specific
- It answers the question 'What exactly ARE these community wellness gardens?' by explaining they transform vacant lots into shared growing spaces
- The right answer should recognize that this sentence provides the specific, concrete explanation that defines what the general concept actually looks like in practice
- It moves from the abstract ('public health approach') to the tangible ('vacant lots become shared growing spaces')
Neighborhoods with community wellness gardens report increased property values and reduced crime rates compared to areas without such programs.
- This choice provides additional evidence about outcomes (property values, crime rates)
- The second sentence doesn't provide evidence about results - it explains what the gardens physically are
Residents who participate in community gardening typically have more interest in environmental issues than those who don't garden.
- This focuses on participants' environmental interests
- The second sentence isn't about participants' attitudes or interests - it's about the physical transformation of spaces
Urban planners find that designing wellness gardens requires more community input than designing traditional parks.
- This compares design processes with traditional parks
- The second sentence doesn't compare anything - it simply explains what community gardens are
People who live near community gardens tend to prefer vegetables they can grow themselves rather than store-bought produce.
- This discusses residents' food preferences
- The second sentence doesn't address preferences or comparisons between homegrown vs. store-bought produce