Economic policies targeting income inequality have evolved significantly since the mid-20th century. Early approaches like basic progressive taxation ...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Economic policies targeting income inequality have evolved significantly since the mid-20th century. Early approaches like basic progressive taxation focused primarily on revenue generation. Later developments introduced minimum wage legislation and earned income tax credits. Modern policy frameworks now integrate multiple mechanisms—combining progressive taxation, wage standards, and wealth redistribution programs—to address inequality from several angles simultaneously.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
It compares competing policy theories and argues that one approach has proven more effective than others.
It describes current policy debates and then proposes a new framework for future implementation.
It traces the chronological development of policy approaches and explains how recent methods have become more multifaceted.
It outlines various policy tools and then demonstrates why they have failed to reduce inequality.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Economic policies targeting income inequality have evolved significantly since the mid-20th century.' |
|
| 'Early approaches like basic progressive taxation focused primarily on revenue generation.' |
|
| 'Later developments introduced minimum wage legislation and earned income tax credits.' |
|
| 'Modern policy frameworks now integrate multiple mechanisms—combining progressive taxation, wage standards, and wealth redistribution programs—to address inequality from several angles simultaneously.' |
|
B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Economic policies for addressing income inequality have evolved from simple, single-focus approaches to complex, multi-faceted frameworks that integrate various mechanisms.
Argument Flow: The passage traces a chronological progression starting with early basic approaches, moving through intermediate developments that added new tools, and culminating in modern comprehensive frameworks that combine multiple strategies simultaneously.
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 right answer should recognize that the passage is organized chronologically (early → later → modern)
- It shows evolution/development over time
- It demonstrates increasing complexity (simple tax → multiple tools → integrated approach)
It compares competing policy theories and argues that one approach has proven more effective than others.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims it compares competing theories and argues one is more effective
- The passage doesn't compare different approaches as competitors or argue that one works better
It describes current policy debates and then proposes a new framework for future implementation.
✗ Incorrect
- Says it describes current debates and proposes a new framework
- The passage doesn't mention any debates or propose anything new
It traces the chronological development of policy approaches and explains how recent methods have become more multifaceted.
✓ Correct
- Accurately captures the chronological organization and recognizes that recent methods have become 'more multifaceted'
- Exactly what we see with the shift from basic taxation to integrated multiple mechanisms
It outlines various policy tools and then demonstrates why they have failed to reduce inequality.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the passage demonstrates policy failure
- The passage never suggests these policies have failed - it just describes their evolution