In her 2019 study of Harlem Renaissance literature, Professor Maria Santos argued that the poetry of Langston Hughes served as...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
In her 2019 study of Harlem Renaissance literature, Professor Maria Santos argued that the poetry of Langston Hughes served as a crucial bridge between traditional African American oral culture and emerging modernist literary techniques. _____ Santos demonstrated how Hughes incorporated blues rhythms and call-and-response patterns into experimental verse forms that challenged conventional poetic structures.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Nevertheless,
In particular,
Granted,
Indeed,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In her 2019 study of Harlem Renaissance literature, Professor Maria Santos argued that the poetry of Langston Hughes served as a crucial bridge between traditional African American oral culture and emerging modernist literary techniques." |
|
| "[MISSING TRANSITION]" |
|
| "Santos demonstrated how Hughes incorporated blues rhythms and call-and-response patterns into experimental verse forms that challenged conventional poetic structures." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Santos argued that Langston Hughes's poetry uniquely connected traditional African American oral culture with modernist literary innovation.
Argument Flow: The passage presents Santos's central argument about Hughes serving as a cultural bridge, then moves to provide specific evidence of how this bridging actually worked through his incorporation of traditional elements into experimental forms.
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
- Looking at our analysis, we have Santos's general argument that Hughes served as a bridge, followed by specific evidence showing exactly how he accomplished this bridging
- The relationship is from general claim to specific supporting evidence - we need a transition that signals "here's the specific way this worked" or "here are the details that prove this point"
Nevertheless,
✗ Incorrect
- "Nevertheless" signals contrast or opposition
- There's no contrast here - the second sentence supports and explains the first sentence
In particular,
✓ Correct
- Signals that specific details or examples are about to follow a general statement
- Perfectly matches the relationship: Santos made a general argument, and now we're getting the particular evidence of how Hughes accomplished this
- Creates the logical flow from broad claim to specific demonstration
Granted,
✗ Incorrect
- "Granted" suggests concession - acknowledging a point before presenting a different perspective
- The second sentence doesn't concede anything; it supports the first sentence
Indeed,
✗ Incorrect
- "Indeed" emphasizes or confirms what was just said
- While the second sentence does support the first, "indeed" doesn't signal the move from general to specific