The following text is adapted from a 2020 travel memoir. The author describes her first experience in Tokyo.I had read...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from a 2020 travel memoir. The author describes her first experience in Tokyo.
I had read about the famous Shibuya crossing before arriving in Tokyo, but nothing prepared me for the actual experience. Standing at the edge of this massive intersection, I watched thousands of people surge forward with each light change—salarymen in dark suits, teenagers in colorful fashion, elderly couples walking arm in arm. The organized chaos fascinated me completely. For thirty minutes, I remained transfixed, studying the intricate patterns of human movement, the way individual streams of people somehow merged and separated without collision. That moment taught me that travel's greatest reward isn't seeing famous landmarks, but discovering the unexpected beauty in everyday urban rhythms.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To describe the author's first impression of Tokyo's architecture
To discuss the challenges of navigating unfamiliar cities
To describe the famous landmarks the author visited in Japan
To explain what the author learned about travel and observation
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "I had read about the famous Shibuya crossing before arriving in Tokyo, but nothing prepared me for the actual experience." |
|
| "Standing at the edge of this massive intersection, I watched thousands of people surge forward with each light change—salarymen in dark suits, teenagers in colorful fashion, elderly couples walking arm in arm." |
|
| "The organized chaos fascinated me completely." |
|
| "For thirty minutes, I remained transfixed, studying the intricate patterns of human movement, the way individual streams of people somehow merged and separated without collision." |
|
| "That moment taught me that travel's greatest reward isn't seeing famous landmarks, but discovering the unexpected beauty in everyday urban rhythms." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[EXPECTATION vs REALITY SETUP] \(\rightarrow\) [DETAILED OBSERVATION OF SHIBUYA CROSSING] \(\rightarrow\) [MAIN INSIGHT ABOUT TRAVEL]
Main Point: The author learned that travel's greatest reward comes from discovering unexpected beauty in everyday moments, not from visiting famous landmarks.
Argument Flow: The author sets up a contrast between her expectations and reality at Shibuya crossing, then provides detailed description of her fascination with observing the crowd patterns, leading to her broader realization about what makes travel truly rewarding.
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 answer should capture the author's main takeaway about travel and observation
- We can see from our analysis that while the passage starts with describing Shibuya crossing, it builds to a broader point about travel in the final sentence
- The right answer should focus on the learning/insight aspect rather than just the description
- Connect to the author's realization about travel rewards
- Reflect that this is about what the author discovered, not just what she saw
- So the right answer should explain that the author is sharing a lesson or insight she gained about travel and observation from this experience
To describe the author's first impression of Tokyo's architecture
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the text describes first impressions of Tokyo's architecture
- The passage doesn't mention buildings, structures, or architectural elements
- Focus is entirely on people movement, not physical structures
To discuss the challenges of navigating unfamiliar cities
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests the text discusses navigation challenges
- The author never mentions difficulties getting around or being lost
- She's observing from one spot, not trying to navigate anywhere
To describe the famous landmarks the author visited in Japan
✗ Incorrect
- Claims she describes famous landmarks she visited
- Only mentions one location (Shibuya crossing) and her main point explicitly says rewards DON'T come from famous landmarks
- This directly contradicts the passage's central message
To explain what the author learned about travel and observation
✓ Correct
- Matches the passage's main focus on what the author learned
- Connects to the final sentence about travel's greatest reward
- Captures both the learning aspect and the observation theme
- Aligns with our prethinking about the author sharing an insight gained from experience