While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:In 1897, twenty Black US Army infantrymen rode bicycles from...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In 1897, twenty Black US Army infantrymen rode bicycles from Montana to Missouri.
- The 1,900-mile journey took forty-one days.
- The goal was to test the idea of forming a military bicycle corps.
- In 2022, Erick Cedeño, a Black long-distance cyclist, reenacted the journey.
- Cedeño wanted to honor the infantrymen on the journey's 125th anniversary.
The student wants to emphasize how far the infantrymen traveled. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
The US infantrymen rode their bicycles from Montana to Missouri—traveling a total of 1,900 miles.
The 125th anniversary of the infantrymen's journey was in 2022.
The goal of the 1897 journey was to test the idea of forming a military bicycle corps.
Over a century later, Erick Cedeño honored the infantrymen by reenacting their 1897 journey.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In 1897, twenty Black US Army infantrymen rode bicycles from Montana to Missouri." |
|
| "The 1,900-mile journey took forty-one days." |
|
| "The goal was to test the idea of forming a military bicycle corps." |
|
| "In 2022, Erick Cedeño, a Black long-distance cyclist, reenacted the journey." |
|
| "Cedeño wanted to honor the infantrymen on the journey's 125th anniversary." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The notes document both a significant 1897 bicycle journey by Black US Army infantrymen and its 2022 commemorative reenactment.
Argument Flow: The notes establish the historical 1897 bicycle journey with specific details about the participants, route, distance, and military purpose. They then connect this to a modern 2022 reenactment that served as a tribute to honor these historical figures on a milestone anniversary.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which sentence construction best highlights the distance of the journey
What type of answer do we need? A sentence that makes the distance prominent and emphasized
Any limiting keywords? "emphasize" - this means the distance should be the focal point, not just mentioned in passing
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- To emphasize how far the infantrymen traveled, the correct answer should:
- Make the distance (1,900 miles) a prominent feature of the sentence
- Present the distance as the key information being highlighted
- Connect the distance clearly to the infantrymen's journey
- The distance information available is "1,900 miles" and the route "from Montana to Missouri." To emphasize distance, the sentence structure should put this information in a prominent position, possibly with specific numerical details.
The US infantrymen rode their bicycles from Montana to Missouri—traveling a total of 1,900 miles.
✓ Correct
- Directly states the route and then emphasizes the distance with "traveling a total of 1,900 miles."
- The dash and phrase structure puts heavy emphasis on the distance figure.
- Makes the 1,900 miles the focal point of the sentence, which perfectly matches the goal of emphasizing how far they traveled.
The 125th anniversary of the infantrymen's journey was in 2022.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses entirely on the anniversary date (2022, 125th anniversary).
- Contains no information about distance or how far the infantrymen traveled.
- Completely misses the goal of emphasizing the journey's length.
The goal of the 1897 journey was to test the idea of forming a military bicycle corps.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the purpose/goal of forming a military bicycle corps.
- Contains no distance information whatsoever.
- Doesn't address how far the infantrymen traveled at all.
Over a century later, Erick Cedeño honored the infantrymen by reenacting their 1897 journey.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on Cedeño's modern reenactment rather than the original journey's distance.
- While it mentions "their 1897 journey," it doesn't specify how far that journey was.
- Emphasizes the time gap and the honor aspect, not the distance.