For painter Jacob Lawrence, being ________ was an important part of the artistic process. Because he paid close attention to...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
For painter Jacob Lawrence, being ________ was an important part of the artistic process. Because he paid close attention to all the details of his Harlem neighborhood, Lawrence's artwork captured nuances in the beauty and vitality of the Black experience during the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
skeptical
observant
critical
confident
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "For painter Jacob Lawrence, being ______" |
|
| "was an important part of the artistic process." |
|
| "Because he paid close attention to all the details of his Harlem neighborhood," |
|
| "Lawrence's artwork captured nuances in the beauty and vitality of the Black experience during the Harlem Renaissance and the Great Migration." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Jacob Lawrence's careful attention to the details of his Harlem neighborhood was essential to his artistic success in capturing the Black experience.
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 blank describes a quality that was "important part of the artistic process" for Lawrence
- The passage immediately explains this quality by saying "Because he paid close attention to all the details of his Harlem neighborhood"
- So the missing word must describe someone who pays careful attention to details - someone who notices and examines things closely
skeptical
skeptical
✗ Incorrect
- Being skeptical means being doubtful or questioning
- This doesn't connect to paying attention to details or being able to capture nuances
observant
observant
✓ Correct
- Being observant means paying close attention and noticing details
- This perfectly matches "paid close attention to all the details"
- An observant person would be able to capture "nuances" because they notice subtle things others might miss
critical
critical
✗ Incorrect
- Being critical means finding fault or making judgments
- This doesn't align with Lawrence's respectful documentation of "beauty and vitality"
confident
confident
✗ Incorrect
- Being confident means having self-assurance
- While confidence might help an artist, it doesn't connect to the specific evidence about paying attention to details