In the 1990s, conservationists began planting more than 500,000 native trees in the habitat of the Azores bullfinch to boost...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
In the 1990s, conservationists began planting more than 500,000 native trees in the habitat of the Azores bullfinch to boost the bird's numbers. This approach was apparently ________: the Azores bullfinch's population size increased from as few as 100 birds at the end of the 1980s to around 1,300 in 2023.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
amusing
costly
successful
disastrous
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In the 1990s, conservationists began planting more than 500,000 native trees in the habitat of the Azores bullfinch to boost the bird's numbers." |
|
| "[MISSING WORD]:" |
|
| "the Azores bullfinch's population size increased from as few as 100 birds at the end of the 1980s to around 1,300 in 2023." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Conservation efforts to plant trees for the Azores bullfinch appear to have worked based on the dramatic population increase.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a conservation action (tree planting), signals an evaluation of that approach, then provides population data as evidence for that evaluation.
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 word must logically connect the conservation approach to the population data that follows
- Since the population increased dramatically (from 100 to 1,300), this suggests the approach worked well
- The colon after the blank indicates the population data explains or supports the evaluation
- So the right answer should indicate that the approach was effective or worked well
amusing
Incorrect
- While chickadees do store seeds, the number is much higher than 100 seeds
- Studies show they can cache thousands of seeds, not just a hundred
costly
Incorrect
- While the tree planting effort may have been expensive, the passage does not discuss cost
- The focus is on the effectiveness of the approach, not its financial implications
successful
✓ Correct
- The dramatic population increase from 100 to 1,300 birds demonstrates the tree planting approach worked
- This word logically connects the conservation effort to the positive outcome that follows
- The evidence clearly supports that the approach achieved its goal of boosting bird numbers
disastrous
Incorrect
- This contradicts the evidence provided in the passage
- A 13-fold population increase indicates success, not disaster