Historic preservation in urban areas varies dramatically in scope and approach. The greater Boston region's preservation initiative demonstrates this ...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Historic preservation in urban areas varies dramatically in scope and approach. The greater Boston region's preservation initiative demonstrates this variation at its most comprehensive level - a coordinated program spanning multiple municipalities and covering over 500 square miles to maintain historical character across diverse communities. By contrast, many preservation efforts focus on much smaller scales. Portland's downtown area, for example, has seen several successful projects, but these target individual city districts and small neighborhoods rather than entire metropolitan regions.
What does the text indicate about the Boston region preservation initiative?
It has achieved greater success in maintaining historical character than the Portland projects have.
It covers a larger geographic area than the preservation efforts in downtown Portland.
It represents the most effective model for coordinating preservation efforts across multiple communities.
It focuses primarily on maintaining the historical character of individual neighborhoods rather than entire districts.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Historic preservation in urban areas varies dramatically in scope and approach." |
|
| "The greater Boston region's preservation initiative demonstrates this variation at its most comprehensive level - a coordinated program spanning multiple municipalities and covering over 500 square miles to maintain historical character across diverse communities." |
|
| "By contrast, many preservation efforts focus on much smaller scales." |
|
| "Portland's downtown area, for example, has seen several successful projects, but these target individual city districts and small neighborhoods rather than entire metropolitan regions." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[MAIN POINT: Historic preservation varies dramatically in scope]
→ [EXAMPLE 1: Boston region - comprehensive/large scale]
→ [CONTRAST: Many efforts are smaller scale]
→ [EXAMPLE 2: Portland - successful but smaller]
Main Point: Historic preservation in urban areas varies dramatically in scope and approach.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that preservation efforts vary widely in scope, then demonstrates this variation by contrasting two examples. Boston represents the comprehensive end with a coordinated 500+ square mile program across multiple municipalities. Portland represents the more typical smaller-scale approach, targeting individual districts and neighborhoods rather than entire metropolitan areas.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? What information the text provides specifically about the Boston region preservation initiative.
What type of answer do we need? A factual detail that the passage directly states or clearly indicates about Boston's program.
Any limiting keywords? "What does the text indicate" means we need something the passage actually tells us, not an inference or assumption.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our passage analysis, the text gives us several specific details about Boston's preservation initiative
- It's described as comprehensive, coordinated, spanning multiple municipalities, and covering over 500 square miles
- The passage also contrasts this with smaller-scale efforts like Portland's, which focus on individual districts and small neighborhoods rather than entire metropolitan regions
- So the right answer should identify one of these factual characteristics that the passage directly states about Boston's program - likely something about its scale, scope, or geographic coverage compared to other efforts
It has achieved greater success in maintaining historical character than the Portland projects have.
- The passage doesn't compare success levels between Boston and Portland
- Portland's projects are described as "successful," but there's no claim that Boston has achieved "greater success"
- The passage focuses on scope and scale differences, not effectiveness comparisons
It covers a larger geographic area than the preservation efforts in downtown Portland.
- Boston covers "over 500 square miles" across "multiple municipalities"
- Portland targets "individual city districts and small neighborhoods rather than entire metropolitan regions"
- This directly matches our passage analysis showing the geographic scale contrast
It represents the most effective model for coordinating preservation efforts across multiple communities.
- The passage never claims Boston represents the "most effective model"
- It's described as demonstrating variation "at its most comprehensive level," but comprehensive doesn't equal most effective
- Trap: Students might confuse "comprehensive" with "most effective," but the passage only discusses scope, not effectiveness
It focuses primarily on maintaining the historical character of individual neighborhoods rather than entire districts.
- This directly contradicts the passage, which says Boston spans "multiple municipalities" and "over 500 square miles"
- The passage describes Portland, not Boston, as focusing on "individual city districts and small neighborhoods"
- Trap: Students might mix up which example represents which approach if they don't carefully track the contrast structure