Dr. Sarah Chen has been researching climate adaptation strategies for over a decade. She is highly respected by her peers...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Dr. Sarah Chen has been researching climate adaptation strategies for over a decade. She is highly respected by her peers in the environmental science community. This _____ has enabled her to secure significant funding for her latest research project.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
credibility
persistence
innovation
curiosity
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Dr. Sarah Chen has been researching climate adaptation strategies for over a decade.' |
|
| 'She is highly respected by her peers in the environmental science community.' |
|
| 'has enabled her to secure significant funding for her latest research project.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Chen's established reputation in climate research has helped her obtain funding for her work.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Dr. Chen's credentials through both her experience and peer recognition, then shows how this combination enabled a practical success (funding).
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 word 'This' refers back to something about Dr. Chen we just learned
- We know she has extensive experience (decade of research) and peer respect
- For funding purposes, what matters most is that funding agencies trust researchers who have proven themselves
- The key connection is that her standing in the field - her established reputation and trustworthiness - is what convinces funders to support her work
credibility
✓ Correct
- Directly connects to being 'highly respected by her peers' - peer respect establishes credibility
- Explains funding success - agencies fund researchers they trust and view as credible
persistence
✗ Incorrect
- While her decade of research suggests persistence, the passage emphasizes peer respect as the key factor
- Persistence alone doesn't explain why she secured funding
innovation
✗ Incorrect
- Nothing in the passage mentions innovative approaches or groundbreaking methods
- The passage focuses on her reputation, not the novelty of her work
curiosity
✗ Incorrect
- While researchers are generally curious, this quality isn't mentioned or implied in the passage
- Curiosity doesn't directly explain funding success the way credibility does