Crime statistics from three residential neighborhoods revealed unexpected patterns after a year-long municipal intervention. The areas had been select...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Crime statistics from three residential neighborhoods revealed unexpected patterns after a year-long municipal intervention. The areas had been selected for their high crime rates, and city officials had installed small parks with additional street lighting in each location. Community safety surveys were distributed to residents following the data collection period. While the initiative was inspired by studies linking green spaces to reduced neighborhood crime, planners discovered their results defied simple categorization.
Which choice best supports the planners' conclusion that results defied simple categorization?
'The new park in our neighborhood has beautiful landscaping that makes the area look much more attractive.'
'Since the park opened, we've had more people walking around at night, which makes me feel safer.'
'While petty theft decreased near the park, we actually had an increase in noise complaints and vandalism on weekends.'
'The street lighting around the park has made it easier for me to walk my dog in the evening.'
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Crime statistics from three residential neighborhoods revealed unexpected patterns after a year-long municipal intervention.' |
|
| 'The areas had been selected for their high crime rates, and city officials had installed small parks with additional street lighting in each location.' |
|
| 'Community safety surveys were distributed to residents following the data collection period.' |
|
| 'While the initiative was inspired by studies linking green spaces to reduced neighborhood crime, planners discovered their results defied simple categorization.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A municipal intervention involving parks and lighting in high-crime neighborhoods produced results that were too complex to be simply categorized as successful or unsuccessful.
Argument Flow: The passage sets up a straightforward intervention, describes the data collection process, then reveals that despite expectations based on previous studies, the actual results were complicated and could not be easily labeled as simply positive or negative.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which evidence choice best supports the planners' specific conclusion that results 'defied simple categorization'
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that demonstrates complexity or mixed results rather than straightforward positive or negative outcomes
Any limiting keywords? Content Genre: Humanities & Social Sciences, Content Format: Text-only, Question Type: Strengthen / Weaken, Language Complexity: Accessible
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The right answer should show results that are mixed or contradictory, not simply good or bad
- It should demonstrate that the intervention had multiple types of effects that cannot be easily summarized
- The evidence should reflect the complexity mentioned in the passage's conclusion
'The new park in our neighborhood has beautiful landscaping that makes the area look much more attractive.'
✗ Incorrect
- Simply mentions attractive landscaping making the area look better
- This is a straightforward positive result that is easy to categorize as good
- Does not support the idea that results were complex
'Since the park opened, we've had more people walking around at night, which makes me feel safer.'
✗ Incorrect
- Shows more people walking at night and residents feeling safer
- This is clearly a positive, easily categorizable outcome that supports simple success, not complexity
'While petty theft decreased near the park, we actually had an increase in noise complaints and vandalism on weekends.'
✓ Correct
- Shows that petty theft decreased near the park (positive) BUT there was an increase in noise complaints and vandalism on weekends (negative)
- This demonstrates exactly the kind of mixed results that would defy simple categorization - you cannot easily call this intervention simply successful or unsuccessful
'The street lighting around the park has made it easier for me to walk my dog in the evening.'
✗ Incorrect
- Reports that better lighting made evening dog walking easier
- This is another straightforward positive result that supports simple success rather than complex outcomes