The following text is adapted from José Martí's 1891 poem At the Salon (translated by Cecil Charles in 1898). The...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from José Martí's 1891 poem At the Salon (translated by Cecil Charles in 1898). The speaker describes a painting featuring a female figure.
From the sterile soil no ray
Of hope in a blade of green,
Nor sheltering roof is seen-
Though the skies are heavy and gray.
Ah, this is the woman fair
Who stole away my heart
In the splendid halls of art
Yester-e'en as I wandered there!
As used in the text, what does the word 'sheltering' most nearly mean?
Protective
Restrictive
Affectionate
Suspicious
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "From the sterile soil no ray / Of hope in a blade of green," |
|
| "Nor sheltering roof is seen—" |
|
| "Though the skies are heavy and gray." |
|
| "Ah, this is the woman fair / Who stole away my heart / In the splendid halls of art / Yester-e'en as I wandered there!" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The speaker describes a bleak painted scene of an unprotected landscape under threatening skies, revealing it's from a painting that captivated him at an art gallery.
Argument Flow: The poem first paints a stark picture of desolation—barren soil with no growth and no sheltering roof despite ominous skies. Then it shifts to reveal this scene is actually from a painting of a woman that enchanted the speaker when he saw it in an art gallery the previous evening.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The meaning of the word "sheltering" as it's used in this specific context.
What type of answer do we need? The definition that best fits how "sheltering" functions in line 3 of the poem.
Any limiting keywords? "As used in the text" - we need the contextual meaning, not just any definition of "sheltering."
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at the context, we have "no sheltering roof is seen" followed by "though the skies are heavy and gray."
- The heavy, gray skies suggest threatening weather - likely rain or storms approaching.
- In this situation, a roof would serve to protect someone from the harsh weather elements.
- The word "sheltering" describes what kind of roof is missing - one that would provide protection from the threatening conditions above.
- The right answer should capture the idea of protection, defense, or shielding from harm or harsh conditions.
Protective
✓ Correct
- "Protective" perfectly captures how sheltering functions here - a roof that protects from the threatening gray skies.
- Matches our prethinking about protection from harsh weather elements.
Restrictive
✗ Incorrect
- "Restrictive" means limiting or constraining, which doesn't fit the context.
- A roof isn't described as limiting anything here - it's about what's missing for protection.
Affectionate
✗ Incorrect
- "Affectionate" relates to emotional warmth or caring, which makes no sense for a roof.
- Nothing in the context suggests emotional qualities.
Suspicious
✗ Incorrect
- "Suspicious" means distrustful or questionable, which is irrelevant to describing a roof.
- No element of doubt or mistrust appears in this passage.