Economists often assert that countries looking to increase their reliance on solar energy should expand their capacity for storage; having...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Economists often assert that countries looking to increase their reliance on solar energy should expand their capacity for storage; having an ample reserve of stored energy can mitigate the effects of ________ solar energy collection caused by unpredictable shifts in cloud cover and haze.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Economists often assert that countries looking to increase their reliance on solar energy should expand their capacity for storage;" |
|
| "having an ample reserve of stored energy can mitigate the effects of" |
|
| _____ |
|
| "solar energy collection caused by unpredictable shifts in cloud cover and haze." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Economists recommend expanding solar storage capacity because it helps deal with inconsistent solar energy collection caused by changing weather conditions.
Argument Flow: The passage presents an expert recommendation, explains why this recommendation makes sense (storage helps with a problem), and identifies the specific cause of that problem (unpredictable weather changes affecting solar collection).
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
- From our analysis, we see that cloud cover and haze change unpredictably
- When these conditions change, solar energy collection would vary - sometimes you'd collect more energy (clear skies), sometimes less (cloudy/hazy conditions)
- The missing word needs to describe this variability or inconsistency in solar energy collection
- ✗ Incorrect
- "Developments" suggests progress or new advancements in solar technology
- This doesn't match the context about weather-related problems
- ✓ Correct
- "Fluctuations" means variations or changes up and down over time
- This perfectly matches our analysis - unpredictable cloud cover would cause solar energy collection to vary
- ✗ Incorrect
- "Calibrations" refers to adjusting equipment for accuracy
- This doesn't make sense with cloud cover causing the issue
- ✗ Incorrect
- "Incentives" means motivations or rewards
- Cloud cover doesn't create incentives for solar energy collection