Literary critic Harold Bloom articulated ______ interpretations of canonical literature in his influential works of the 1970s, providing theoretical f...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Literary critic Harold Bloom articulated ______ interpretations of canonical literature in his influential works of the 1970s, providing theoretical frameworks that scholars in subsequent decades used as the basis for their own analytical approaches that transformed modern literary studies.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
foundational
superficial
repetitive
hesitant
I'll solve this step by step, following the systematic approach for Words in Context questions.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Literary critic Harold Bloom articulated _______ interpretations of canonical literature in his influential works of the 1970s," |
|
| [MISSING DESCRIPTOR] |
|
| "providing theoretical frameworks that scholars in subsequent decades used as the basis for their own analytical approaches that transformed modern literary studies." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map: [CONTEXT: Bloom = influential critic, 1970s works] → [MISSING: descriptor of his interpretations] → [IMPACT: frameworks became basis for later scholars and transformed field]
Main Point: Harold Bloom created influential interpretations of canonical literature that became the foundation for subsequent scholarly work that transformed the field.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Bloom as an influential literary critic from the 1970s, describes his interpretations with a missing qualifier, then explains how his theoretical frameworks became the basis for later scholarship that transformed modern literary studies.
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 word must describe Bloom's interpretations of canonical literature
- His work was clearly influential since it created theoretical frameworks
- Later scholars used his frameworks as the basis for their own analytical approaches
- This work transformed modern literary studies
- The interpretations must have been significant, essential, and substantial enough to serve as a foundation for decades of future scholarship
- The right answer should describe interpretations that were basic, essential, or foundational—something solid enough to support an entire field of subsequent scholarship
foundational
✓ Correct
- Foundational means basic, essential, forming a foundation for something else
- This fits perfectly with the passage logic—if later scholars used Bloom's frameworks as the basis for their work, his interpretations were foundational
- Matches our prethinking about interpretations substantial enough to support decades of scholarship
superficial
✗ Incorrect
- Superficial means shallow, lacking depth or thoroughness
- This directly contradicts the passage—superficial work couldn't provide theoretical frameworks that transform an entire field
- Shallow interpretations wouldn't become the basis for decades of scholarly work
repetitive
✗ Incorrect
- Repetitive means saying the same things repeatedly
- Nothing in the passage suggests Bloom repeated existing ideas
- Repetitive work wouldn't create new theoretical frameworks or transform a field of study
hesitant
✗ Incorrect
- Hesitant means uncertain, lacking confidence, reluctant
- This contradicts the influential and transformative nature described in the passage
- Uncertain interpretations wouldn't provide strong frameworks for others to build upon