'Ghosts of the Old Year' is an early 1900s poem by James Weldon Johnson. In the poem, the speaker describes...

GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions

Source: Official

Information and Ideas

Command of Evidence

MEDIUM

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Notes

Post a Query

'Ghosts of the Old Year' is an early 1900s poem by James Weldon Johnson. In the poem, the speaker describes experiencing an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection: ________

Which quotation from 'Ghosts of the Old Year' most effectively illustrates the claim?

'What does this brazen tongue declare,
That falling on the midnight air
Brings to my heart a sense of care
Akin to fright?'

'The snow has ceased its fluttering flight,
The wind sunk to a whisper light,
An ominous stillness fills the night,
A pause—a hush.'

'It tells of many a squandered day,
Of slighted gems and treasured clay,
Of precious stores not laid away,
Of fields unreaped.'

'And so the years go swiftly by,
Each, coming, brings ambitions high,
And each, departing, leaves a sigh
Linked to the past.'

Solution

Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage

Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table

Since this is a Command of Evidence question, we're working with the given claim rather than analyzing a full passage. The claim states that the speaker in "Ghosts of the Old Year" experiences "an ongoing cycle of anticipation followed by regretful reflection."

Let me break down what this claim tells us:

Text from Claim	Analysis
"ongoing cycle"	What it says: Repeats regularly, not one-time What it does: Establishes this is a recurring pattern What it is: Key descriptor
"anticipation followed by regretful reflection"	What it says: Hope/excitement → regret/sadness What it does: Defines the two-part emotional sequence What it is: Core emotional pattern

Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements

Main Point: The poem's speaker repeatedly experiences hope followed by disappointment in a continuous emotional cycle.

Argument Flow: We need to find a quotation that shows both elements of this cycle - the anticipatory feelings and the subsequent regretful reflection - while indicating this pattern repeats over time.

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 correct quotation must show three key elements:
- Anticipation or hope - Some kind of forward-looking optimism or expectation
- Regretful reflection - Looking back with disappointment or sadness about what didn't happen
- Ongoing cycle - Language suggesting this pattern repeats, not just happens once
The right answer needs to demonstrate that this emotional sequence happens repeatedly over time
It should show the contrast between the hopeful beginning and the disappointed ending, with clear indication that this cycle continues

Answer Choices Explained

'What does this brazen tongue declare,
That falling on the midnight air
Brings to my heart a sense of care
Akin to fright?'

✗ Incorrect

Describes hearing something that brings fear and worry
Shows only one emotion (fear/care) rather than the two-part cycle
No indication of anticipation followed by regret
What trap this represents: Students might focus on the emotional content without checking if it matches the specific cycle described in the claim

'The snow has ceased its fluttering flight,
The wind sunk to a whisper light,
An ominous stillness fills the night,
A pause—a hush.'

✗ Incorrect

Describes a quiet, still winter scene
Contains no emotional content or personal reflection
Shows neither anticipation nor regret
Purely descriptive rather than showing internal emotional experience

'It tells of many a squandered day,
Of slighted gems and treasured clay,
Of precious stores not laid away,
Of fields unreaped.'

✗ Incorrect

Shows regretful reflection about "squandered day" and missed opportunities
Contains only the second part of the cycle (regret) without the anticipation
What trap this represents: Students might see "regretful reflection" and think this is sufficient, missing that the claim requires BOTH anticipation AND regret in a cycle

'And so the years go swiftly by,
Each, coming, brings ambitions high,
And each, departing, leaves a sigh
Linked to the past.'

✓ Correct

"Each, coming, brings ambitions high" shows the anticipation phase - hope and excitement for what's ahead
"Each, departing, leaves a sigh / Linked to the past" shows the regretful reflection phase - disappointment about what's been lost or missed
"Each" repeated twice emphasizes the ongoing, cyclical nature
"And so the years go swiftly by" reinforces that this pattern continues over time
Perfectly matches all three elements of our prethinking: anticipation, regretful reflection, and ongoing cycle

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