In 1877, 85% of California's railways were already controlled by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The company further solidified its _____...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
In 1877, 85% of California's railways were already controlled by the Southern Pacific Railroad. The company further solidified its _____ in rail access to the state's Pacific coast when it completed the Sunset Route in 1883: running from Louisiana to Southern California, the route established the first transcontinental rail line across the southern United States.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In 1877, 85% of California's railways were already controlled by the Southern Pacific Railroad." |
|
| "The company further solidified its _______ in rail access to the state's Pacific coast" |
|
| "when it completed the Sunset Route in 1883:" |
|
| "running from Louisiana to Southern California, the route established the first transcontinental rail line across the southern United States." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Southern Pacific Railroad strengthened its already powerful position in California rail transportation by completing a major transcontinental route.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that Southern Pacific already had massive control (85%) of California railways by 1877, then shows how completing the Sunset Route in 1883 further strengthened this position by creating the first southern transcontinental connection.
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 blank appears after "further solidified its" and before "in rail access to the state's Pacific coast"
- We know from our analysis that Southern Pacific already controlled 85% of California's railways and then completed a major transcontinental route
- This action strengthened their position
- The word should reflect their strong position or control over rail access - describing their commanding position in California's rail system
- "Dominance" perfectly captures the company's commanding control over California railways
- Makes logical sense: already controlling 85% shows dominance, and adding the Sunset Route would further solidify this dominance
- "Creativity" refers to innovation or originality
- Doesn't make sense in context - we're not talking about the company's innovative ideas but rather their market position
- "Insignificance" means unimportance or lack of influence
- Contradicts the entire passage - a company controlling 85% of railways and building transcontinental routes is clearly significant
- "Neutrality" suggests a balanced, impartial position
- Doesn't fit - controlling 85% of railways shows clear market dominance, not neutrality