Environmental organizations in Northern Europe have largely focused on influencing government policy through lobbying and advocacy within existing leg...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Environmental organizations in Northern Europe have largely focused on influencing government policy through lobbying and advocacy within existing legislative frameworks. By contrast, conservation groups in parts of South America and Southeast Asia have established their own protected areas through direct land acquisition and community-based management programs. This grassroots approach has proven particularly effective in Costa Rica, where the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, created and maintained by local conservation groups, has become a model for community-led environmental protection worldwide.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To contrast two methods of environmental conservation used by different organizations
To argue that community-based conservation is superior to government-focused approaches
To trace the development of environmental movements across different continents
To examine how Northern European conservation methods have spread globally
I'll solve this step-by-step, following the systematic approach for analyzing SAT passage-based questions.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Environmental organizations in Northern Europe have largely focused on influencing government policy through lobbying and advocacy within existing legislative frameworks." |
|
| "By contrast, conservation groups in parts of South America and Southeast Asia have established their own protected areas through direct land acquisition and community-based management programs." |
|
| "This grassroots approach has proven particularly effective in Costa Rica, where the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, created and maintained by local conservation groups, has become a model for community-led environmental protection worldwide." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The passage contrasts two different methods of environmental conservation used by organizations in different regions.
Argument Flow: The passage first presents the Northern European approach of working within government systems, then contrasts it with the South American/Southeast Asian approach of direct community action, and finally provides Costa Rica as a successful example of the community-based method.
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 passage presents two different approaches to conservation - the Northern European method of working through government systems versus the South American/Southeast Asian method of direct community action
- The author shows us these two distinct approaches without arguing that one is better than the other
- So the right answer should recognize that the passage is fundamentally about showing us two different conservation methods used by different organizations in different regions
To contrast two methods of environmental conservation used by different organizations
✓ Correct
- Perfectly captures what the passage does - contrasts the Northern European government-focused approach with the South American/Southeast Asian community-based approach
- Matches our prethinking about the passage presenting two different methods
To argue that community-based conservation is superior to government-focused approaches
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the passage "argues" community-based conservation is superior
- While the passage mentions the grassroots approach has "proven particularly effective," it doesn't make a comparative argument about superiority
To trace the development of environmental movements across different continents
✗ Incorrect
- Says the passage "traces development" over time
- The passage doesn't show how movements evolved historically - it just compares current approaches
To examine how Northern European conservation methods have spread globally
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the passage examines how Northern European methods "spread globally"
- The passage actually shows that different regions use different methods, not that one method spread to others