The following text is adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1844 short story 'Drowne's Wooden Image.' Drowne, a young man, is carving...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from Nathaniel Hawthorne's 1844 short story 'Drowne's Wooden Image.' Drowne, a young man, is carving a wooden figure to decorate the front of a ship.
Day by day, the work assumed greater precision, and settled its irregular and misty outline into distincter grace and beauty. The general design was now obvious to the common eye.
As used in the text, what does the word 'assumed' most nearly mean?
Acquired
Acknowledged
Imitated
Speculated
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Day by day, the work assumed greater precision" |
|
| "and settled its irregular and misty outline into distincter grace and beauty" |
|
| "The general design was now obvious to the common eye." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Drowne's wooden carving is gradually becoming more refined and beautiful through daily work.
Argument Flow: The passage shows a progression from rough, unclear work to something precise and beautiful. We start with the daily process of improvement, see the specific changes happening (precision and visual clarity), and end with confirmation that the transformation is now visible to everyone.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to determine what "assumed" means in this specific context.
What type of answer do we need? A synonym that fits the meaning of "assumed" as it's used in this sentence about the work gaining precision.
Any limiting keywords? "As used in the text" tells us we must consider the word's meaning within this specific context, not its general meanings.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage shows "Day by day, the work assumed greater precision" as part of a description of gradual improvement
- The word "assumed" here describes what the work is doing with precision - it's gaining it, taking it on, or acquiring it over time
- The right answer should capture this sense of gradually taking on or gaining a quality
Acquired
✓ Correct
- "Acquired" means to gain or obtain something over time
- Fits perfectly with "Day by day, the work acquired greater precision" and matches the overall meaning of gradual improvement
Acknowledged
✗ Incorrect
- "Acknowledged" means to recognize or admit something exists
- Doesn't make sense - the work itself can't recognize that precision exists
Imitated
✗ Incorrect
- "Imitated" means to copy or mimic something
- The work isn't copying precision from somewhere else; it's developing its own precision
Speculated
✗ Incorrect
- "Speculated" means to guess or theorize about something
- Makes no sense - the work can't guess about precision