Environmental regulators face mounting pressure to address industrial pollution through comprehensive policy frameworks. While some agencies have impl...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Environmental regulators face mounting pressure to address industrial pollution through comprehensive policy frameworks. While some agencies have implemented strict emissions standards and achieved measurable air quality improvements, _____ others have adopted voluntary compliance programs and seen limited environmental progress.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
similarly,
conversely,
for example,
therefore,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Environmental regulators face mounting pressure to address industrial pollution through comprehensive policy frameworks." |
|
| "While some agencies have implemented strict emissions standards and achieved measurable air quality improvements," |
|
| [MISSING TRANSITION] |
|
| "others have adopted voluntary compliance programs and seen limited environmental progress." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Environmental regulators use different policy approaches with varying levels of success.
Argument Flow: The passage sets up regulatory pressure, then contrasts two different approaches—strict enforcement that works well versus voluntary compliance that achieves less.
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 sentence before the blank shows agencies achieving success with strict standards
- The sentence after shows other agencies having limited success with voluntary programs
- We need a transition that signals this contrast—that we're moving from one approach to a different, less successful approach
similarly,
- "Similarly" indicates that the same pattern continues
- This would suggest both approaches had the same results, but we're told one achieved "measurable improvements" while the other saw "limited progress"
conversely,
- "Conversely" signals a direct contrast or opposition
- This perfectly captures the relationship: strict enforcement succeeded while voluntary compliance had limited success
- Matches our prethinking about needing a contrast transition
for example,
- "For example" introduces a specific instance of a general principle
- The second approach isn't an example of the first—they're different approaches with different outcomes
therefore,
- "Therefore" indicates cause and effect or logical conclusion
- The voluntary approach isn't a result of the strict approach—they're alternative strategies