ActionAction categoryPercentage of respondents selecting action (%)Use efficient cars/hybridsefficiency2.8Change thermostat settingcurtailment6.3Use b...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
| Action | Action category | Percentage of respondents selecting action (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Use efficient cars/hybrids | efficiency | 2.8 |
| Change thermostat setting | curtailment | 6.3 |
| Use bike or public transportation instead of car | curtailment | 12.9 |
| Use efficient light bulbs | efficiency | 3.6 |
| Turn off lights | curtailment | 19.6 |
In a survey of public perceptions of energy use, researcher Shahzeen Attari and her team asked respondents to name the most effective action ordinary people can take to conserve energy. The team categorized each action as either an efficiency or a curtailment and found that respondents tended to name curtailments more often than they did efficiencies. For example, 19.6% of respondents stated that the most effective way to conserve energy is to turn off the lights, while only ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to complete the text?
6.3% of respondents said it was most effective to use efficient cars or hybrids.
2.8% of respondents said it was most effective to change the thermostat setting.
12.9% of respondents said it was most effective to use a bike or public transportation.
3.6% of respondents said it was most effective to use efficient light bulbs.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In a survey of public perceptions of energy use, researcher Shahzeen Attari and her team asked respondents to name the most effective action ordinary people can take to conserve energy." |
|
| "The team categorized each action as either an efficiency or a curtailment and found that respondents tended to name curtailments more often than they did efficiencies." |
|
| "For example, 19.6% of respondents stated that the most effective way to conserve energy is to turn off the lights, while only ______" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A survey found that people tend to favor curtailment actions over efficiency actions when asked about effective energy conservation methods.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a research study about energy conservation perceptions, reveals the main finding that respondents prefer curtailments over efficiencies, then begins to illustrate this pattern with a specific numerical comparison that needs completion.
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 shows that people prefer curtailments (like turn off lights at 19.6%) over efficiencies
- To complete this comparison effectively, we need an efficiency action from the table with a notably lower percentage than 19.6%
- This would demonstrate the pattern the researchers found
- Looking at our table, efficiency actions have much lower percentages than curtailment actions, which supports the researchers' finding
- So the right answer should provide an efficiency action with a substantially lower percentage than 19.6%, creating a clear contrast that illustrates the survey's main finding
6.3% of respondents said it was most effective to use efficient cars or hybrids.
✗ Incorrect
- States \(6.3\%\) for efficient cars/hybrids
- The table shows efficient cars/hybrids actually got \(2.8\%\), not \(6.3\%\)
- The \(6.3\%\) figure belongs to change thermostat setting, which is a curtailment
- This represents the trap of mixing up percentages between different actions
2.8% of respondents said it was most effective to change the thermostat setting.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims \(2.8\%\) for change thermostat setting
- The table shows change thermostat setting actually got \(6.3\%\), not \(2.8\%\)
- The \(2.8\%\) figure belongs to efficient cars/hybrids
- Also fails to create the intended contrast since change thermostat setting is a curtailment, not an efficiency
12.9% of respondents said it was most effective to use a bike or public transportation.
✗ Incorrect
- Correctly states \(12.9\%\) for bike/public transportation
- However, this is a curtailment action, not an efficiency action
- This would actually support the opposite pattern - showing another curtailment with a relatively high percentage
- Does not create the contrast the passage needs
3.6% of respondents said it was most effective to use efficient light bulbs.
✓ Correct
- Accurately states \(3.6\%\) for efficient light bulbs
- This is indeed an efficiency action from the table
- Creates the perfect contrast: \(19.6\%\) (curtailment) vs \(3.6\%\) (efficiency)
- Demonstrates the research finding that people choose curtailments over efficiencies