While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Gothic Revival architecture emerged in the late 18th century as...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Gothic Revival architecture emerged in the late 18th century as part of the Romantic movement.
- The style sought to revive medieval Gothic architectural elements in modern buildings.
- Gothic Revival buildings typically feature pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses.
- The Houses of Parliament in London is a government building completed in 1870.
- The Houses of Parliament incorporates pointed arches, decorative stonework, and vertical emphasis characteristic of medieval cathedrals.
The student wants to provide an explanation and an example of Gothic Revival architecture. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Gothic Revival architecture, a style that revived medieval Gothic elements in modern buildings, can be seen in the Houses of Parliament, which incorporates pointed arches and decorative stonework characteristic of medieval cathedrals.
The Houses of Parliament is a government building that incorporates Gothic elements such as pointed arches, showing the influence of the Romantic movement.
Gothic Revival buildings feature pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses; these elements can be found in many 19th-century structures.
Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses are three examples of how Gothic Revival architecture revived medieval elements in the Houses of Parliament.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Gothic Revival architecture emerged in the late 18th century as part of the Romantic movement." |
|
| "The style sought to revive medieval Gothic architectural elements in modern buildings." |
|
| "Gothic Revival buildings typically feature pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses." |
|
| "The Houses of Parliament in London is a government building completed in 1870." |
|
| "The Houses of Parliament incorporates pointed arches, decorative stonework, and vertical emphasis characteristic of medieval cathedrals." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Gothic Revival architecture was a style that brought medieval Gothic elements back into modern 18th-19th century buildings, as exemplified by the Houses of Parliament.
Argument Flow: The notes move from general to specific - first defining Gothic Revival architecture and its historical context, then listing its typical features, and finally providing a concrete example (Houses of Parliament) that demonstrates these features in practice.
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 choice needs to accomplish two specific goals
- First, it should explain what Gothic Revival architecture actually is - ideally mentioning that it revived medieval Gothic elements in modern buildings
- Second, it should provide a concrete example, and the most obvious choice from the notes would be the Houses of Parliament since that's the specific building discussed
Gothic Revival architecture, a style that revived medieval Gothic elements in modern buildings, can be seen in the Houses of Parliament, which incorporates pointed arches and decorative stonework characteristic of medieval cathedrals.
✓ Correct
- Provides clear explanation of Gothic Revival as a style that revived medieval Gothic elements in modern buildings
- Gives concrete example of Houses of Parliament
- Connects example to definition by noting pointed arches and decorative stonework characteristic of medieval cathedrals
- Uses information directly from the notes
The Houses of Parliament is a government building that incorporates Gothic elements such as pointed arches, showing the influence of the Romantic movement.
✗ Incorrect
- Provides example (Houses of Parliament) but weak explanation
- Mentions influence of the Romantic movement but doesn't explain what Gothic Revival architecture actually is
- Fails to clearly accomplish the explanation goal
Gothic Revival buildings feature pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses; these elements can be found in many 19th-century structures.
✗ Incorrect
- Provides explanation of Gothic Revival features but no specific example
- States these elements can be found in many 19th-century structures but gives no concrete building
- Students might think listing features counts as providing an example, but the question specifically asks for a specific case
Pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and flying buttresses are three examples of how Gothic Revival architecture revived medieval elements in the Houses of Parliament.
✗ Incorrect
- Gets the relationship backwards and according to the notes, Houses of Parliament has pointed arches and decorative stonework, but ribbed vaults and flying buttresses aren't mentioned for this building