Dr. Martinez's research expedition to Antarctica has proven to be ______ undertaking. The team has endured temperatures below -{40°F} for...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Dr. Martinez's research expedition to Antarctica has proven to be ______ undertaking. The team has endured temperatures below \(-40°\mathrm{F}\) for months, collected samples from remote locations requiring days of travel, and faced equipment failures that demanded creative problem-solving in isolation.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
a grueling
a frivolous
a spontaneous
a collaborative
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dr. Martinez's research expedition to Antarctica has proven to be _______ undertaking." |
|
| "The team has endured temperatures below -40°F for months" |
|
| "collected samples from remote locations requiring days of travel" |
|
| "and faced equipment failures that demanded creative problem-solving in isolation" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Martinez's Antarctica expedition should be characterized by the extreme hardships the team has faced.
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
- Looking at our passage analysis, we need a word that accurately describes an undertaking characterized by: surviving extreme cold for months, traveling days to reach remote locations, and dealing with equipment failures requiring creative solutions in isolation
- The right word should capture the extremely demanding, difficult, and exhausting nature of this expedition
a grueling
✓ Correct
- "Grueling" means extremely tiring and demanding
- Perfectly captures the exhausting nature shown by months in -40°F weather, days of travel, and problem-solving equipment failures alone
a frivolous
✗ Incorrect
- "Frivolous" means lacking serious purpose or importance
- Contradicts everything in the passage - this is clearly a serious scientific expedition with important research goals
a spontaneous
✗ Incorrect
- "Spontaneous" means unplanned or done without preparation
- Scientific expeditions to Antarctica require extensive planning and preparation
a collaborative
✗ Incorrect
- "Collaborative" means involving cooperation between people
- While there is teamwork mentioned, the focus is on the difficult conditions, not the cooperative nature