During the early 2000s, urban planners in many American cities recognized that successful light rail systems required substantial upfront investment...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
During the early 2000s, urban planners in many American cities recognized that successful light rail systems required substantial upfront investment but could generate long-term economic benefits. The Portland Metro area had demonstrated this principle effectively, with its MAX light rail contributing to downtown revitalization and increased property values along transit corridors. Other cities studied Portland's model extensively, hoping to replicate both the transportation improvements and the economic development outcomes.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined phrase in the text as a whole?
It explains why light rail systems require substantial upfront investment.
It describes the methods other cities used to study Portland's transit model.
It provides a specific example that supports the general principle mentioned earlier.
It contrasts Portland's approach with that of other American cities.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| During the early 2000s, urban planners in many American cities recognized that successful light rail systems required substantial upfront investment but could generate long-term economic benefits. |
|
| The Portland Metro area had demonstrated this principle effectively, with its MAX light rail contributing to downtown revitalization and increased property values along transit corridors. |
|
| Other cities studied Portland's model extensively, hoping to replicate both the transportation improvements and the economic development outcomes. |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
- GENERAL PRINCIPLE: Light rail: upfront cost BUT long-term benefits
- SPECIFIC EXAMPLE: Portland MAX: proved this works
- Downtown revitalization
- Higher property values
- BROADER IMPACT: Other cities want to copy Portland
- SPECIFIC EXAMPLE: Portland MAX: proved this works
Main Point: Light rail systems require significant initial investment but can produce substantial long-term economic benefits, as demonstrated by Portland's successful MAX system.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from general principle to specific proof to broader application. It starts with what urban planners understood conceptually, then shows how Portland actually proved this concept works in practice, and ends by showing how other cities want to replicate this success.
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 analysis, the underlined phrase about Portland comes right after the general principle about light rail systems
- The passage establishes that planners recognized light rail could generate long-term benefits despite upfront costs, then immediately gives us Portland as a real-world example where this actually happened
- The Portland sentence shows us the principle in action - it's the concrete proof that supports the abstract idea
- So the right answer should explain that this sentence provides a specific, real example that proves or supports the general principle mentioned in the first sentence
It explains why light rail systems require substantial upfront investment.
- This choice focuses on explaining WHY systems require investment
- The underlined phrase doesn't explain costs - it shows benefits and success
- What trap this represents: Students might confuse 'demonstrates principle' with 'explains the principle's components'
It describes the methods other cities used to study Portland's transit model.
- This choice claims the phrase describes research methods
- The underlined phrase mentions outcomes, not how other cities studied Portland
- The methods are mentioned in the final sentence, not the underlined portion
It provides a specific example that supports the general principle mentioned earlier.
- The underlined phrase gives us Portland as a concrete case study
- It directly supports the general principle from sentence one by showing it working in reality
- Portland's MAX system proves that the upfront investment/long-term benefit principle actually works
It contrasts Portland's approach with that of other American cities.
- This suggests the phrase shows differences between Portland and other cities
- The underlined phrase only describes Portland's success - no comparison or contrast is made
- What trap this represents: Students might think mentioning Portland specifically implies it's different from others, but the passage actually presents Portland as an example others want to follow