In a 2019 study, Jeremy Gunawardena and colleagues found that the single-celled protozoan Stentor roeseli not only uses strategies to...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
In a 2019 study, Jeremy Gunawardena and colleagues found that the single-celled protozoan Stentor roeseli not only uses strategies to escape irritating stimuli but also switches strategies when one fails. This evidence of protozoans sophisticatedly 'changing their minds' demonstrates that single-celled organisms may not be limited to _______ behaviors.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
aggressive
rudimentary
evolving
advantageous
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In a 2019 study, Jeremy Gunawardena and colleagues found that the single-celled protozoan Stentor roeseli not only uses strategies to escape irritating stimuli but also switches strategies when one fails." |
|
| "This evidence of protozoans sophisticatedly changing their minds demonstrates that single-celled organisms may not be limited to _______ behaviors." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Research evidence shows that single-celled organisms can exhibit sophisticated behavior, suggesting they are not limited to simple behaviors.
Argument Flow: The passage presents research findings showing strategic behavior in a protozoan, then interprets this as evidence of sophistication, leading to a conclusion about the behavioral capabilities of single-celled organisms.
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 passage establishes that protozoans show sophisticated behavior - they use strategies AND switch strategies when one fails
- The conclusion is that if they can do this sophisticated stuff, then they are not limited to blank behaviors
- We need a word that contrasts with sophisticated
- The logic is: If they can do complex things, they are not limited to simple/basic things
- So the right answer should describe simple, basic, or elementary types of behaviors
aggressive
- This does not create the right logical relationship
- The passage is not about aggression vs. non-aggression but about complexity of behavior
rudimentary
- Rudimentary means basic, elementary, or simple
- Creates perfect contrast: sophisticated behavior vs. rudimentary behavior
- Matches our prethinking
evolving
- The passage is not discussing evolutionary change over time
- Students might choose this because the passage mentions organisms adapting strategies, but evolving refers to species change over generations
advantageous
- The escape strategies mentioned would actually BE advantageous
- This contradicts the passage focus on effective survival strategies