While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Dr. Sarah Chen is a neurologist at Stanford Medical Center...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Dr. Sarah Chen is a neurologist at Stanford Medical Center known for her innovative epilepsy treatments.
- Her ketogenic diet therapy involves high-fat, low-carbohydrate meal planning for patients.
- It has shown effectiveness in 78% of pediatric cases.
- Her vagus nerve stimulation treatment uses implanted electrical devices to reduce seizures.
- It has shown effectiveness in 65% of adult cases.
The student wants to highlight a commonality between these two treatments. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Both ketogenic diet therapy and vagus nerve stimulation are epilepsy treatments developed by Dr. Sarah Chen.
Dr. Sarah Chen's ketogenic diet therapy shows higher effectiveness rates than her vagus nerve stimulation treatment.
The 78% success rate of ketogenic diet therapy exceeds the 65% effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation.
Dr. Sarah Chen specializes in ketogenic diet therapy, which involves high-fat, low-carbohydrate meal planning.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Dr. Sarah Chen is a neurologist at Stanford Medical Center known for her innovative epilepsy treatments.' |
|
| 'Her ketogenic diet therapy involves high-fat, low-carbohydrate meal planning for patients.' |
|
| 'It has shown effectiveness in 78% of pediatric cases.' |
|
| 'Her vagus nerve stimulation treatment uses implanted electrical devices to reduce seizures.' |
|
| 'It has shown effectiveness in 65% of adult cases.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Sarah Chen has developed two different innovative epilepsy treatments that have both shown significant effectiveness rates.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The student wants to 'highlight a commonality between these two treatments.' We need to identify what the ketogenic diet therapy and vagus nerve stimulation have in common.
What type of answer do we need? An identification of shared characteristics between the two treatment methods.
Any limiting keywords? 'Commonality' - we need shared features, not differences.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Both treatments share several important commonalities:
- Both are epilepsy treatments (shared purpose)
- Both are developed/used by Dr. Sarah Chen (shared origin)
- Both have shown effectiveness (though in different populations)
- The most fundamental commonality is that these are both epilepsy treatments created by the same doctor.
Both ketogenic diet therapy and vagus nerve stimulation are epilepsy treatments developed by Dr. Sarah Chen.
✓ Correct
- This directly states that both treatments are epilepsy treatments developed by Dr. Sarah Chen
- It highlights the two most fundamental commonalities: shared medical purpose and shared developer
Dr. Sarah Chen's ketogenic diet therapy shows higher effectiveness rates than her vagus nerve stimulation treatment.
✗ Incorrect
- This focuses on comparing effectiveness rates rather than highlighting commonalities
- While it mentions both treatments, it emphasizes the difference in their success rates
The 78% success rate of ketogenic diet therapy exceeds the 65% effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation.
✗ Incorrect
- This is purely a comparison of success rates (78% vs 65%)
- It doesn't mention any shared characteristics at all
Dr. Sarah Chen specializes in ketogenic diet therapy, which involves high-fat, low-carbohydrate meal planning.
✗ Incorrect
- This only discusses the ketogenic diet therapy
- Since it doesn't mention vagus nerve stimulation at all, it can't possibly highlight commonality between the two treatments