In countries with right-hand traffic, drivers who want to make a left turn at a traffic intersection with stoplights have...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
In countries with right-hand traffic, drivers who want to make a left turn at a traffic intersection with stoplights have to wait for either a gap in oncoming traffic or a designated left-turn signal to turn green. At busy intersections, this often causes a backup of vehicles waiting to turn left or being prevented from proceeding by left-turning vehicles in front of them. Transportation researcher Vikash V. Gayah claims that in urban areas eliminating the option to turn left at busy intersections—both with and without dedicated left-turn signals—would improve traffic flow and, as a result, reduce overall travel times even if such a restriction would require drivers to sometimes travel a slightly longer distance.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the researcher's claim?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In countries with right-hand traffic, drivers who want to make a left turn at a traffic intersection with stoplights have to wait for either a gap in oncoming traffic or a designated left-turn signal to turn green." |
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| "At busy intersections, this often causes a backup of vehicles waiting to turn left or being prevented from proceeding by left-turning vehicles in front of them." |
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| "Transportation researcher Vikash V. Gayah claims that in urban areas eliminating the option to turn left at busy intersections—both with and without dedicated left-turn signals—would improve traffic flow and, as a result, reduce overall travel times even if such a restriction would require drivers to sometimes travel a slightly longer distance." |
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Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Researcher Gayah claims that eliminating left turns at busy intersections would improve traffic flow and reduce overall travel times despite requiring longer routes.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the current traffic situation with left turns, identifies the problems this creates at busy intersections, then presents Gayah's counterintuitive claim that eliminating left turns entirely would actually improve overall efficiency.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which finding would most directly support Gayah's claim
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that shows eliminating left turns actually does improve traffic flow and reduce travel times
Any limiting keywords? "most directly support" - we need the strongest, most relevant evidence for the claim
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The right answer should show a real-world example where left turns were eliminated and positive results occurred
- Demonstrate improved efficiency or reduced travel times after the restriction
- Align with Gayah's prediction that traffic flow would improve despite potentially longer routes
- Discusses installing left-turn signals, not eliminating left turns
- Goes in the opposite direction of what Gayah proposes
- Compares intersections with and without left-turn signals but doesn't address eliminating left turns entirely
- Shows a real city that eliminated left turns at busy intersections with concrete evidence of improved efficiency
- Delivery drivers reached more addresses daily and delivered more packages annually
- Directly demonstrates that eliminating left turns led to better overall performance, exactly what Gayah claimed would happen
- Shows buses took longer after left-turn restrictions were implemented
- This evidence contradicts Gayah's claim rather than supporting it