The following text is from Yann Martel's 2001 novel Life of Pi. The narrator's family owned a zoo when he...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from Yann Martel's 2001 novel Life of Pi. The narrator's family owned a zoo when he was a child.
It was a huge zoo, spread over numberless acres, big enough to require a train to explore it, though it seemed to get smaller as I grew older, train included.
©2001 by Yann Martel
As used in the text, what does the word 'spread' most nearly mean?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "It was a huge zoo" |
|
| "spread over numberless acres" |
|
| "big enough to require a train to explore it" |
|
| "though it seemed to get smaller as I grew older, train included" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The narrator recalls how the zoo of his childhood seemed enormous in scale but appeared to shrink as he aged.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the zoo's massive physical size through three escalating descriptions then contrasts this with how the narrator's perception changed as he matured.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? This is a Words in Context question asking us to determine the meaning of "spread" as it's used in the specific context of describing the zoo.
What type of answer do we need? We need to find which answer choice best captures how "spread" functions in the phrase "spread over numberless acres."
Any limiting keywords? None identified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, "spread over numberless acres" is describing how the zoo covers or extends across a vast area of land
- The word "spread" here is talking about the zoo's physical distribution across space
- So the right answer should capture the idea of extending across or covering a large area
✗ Incorrect
- "Hidden" means concealed or not visible
- This doesn't make sense since the passage is emphasizing the zoo's impressive, visible size
✗ Incorrect
- "Discussed" means talked about or mentioned
- This interpretation would make the sentence nonsensical
✓ Correct
- "Extended" means stretched out or covering an area
- This perfectly matches how we analyzed "spread" - the zoo stretches across or covers countless acres
✗ Incorrect
- "Coated" means covered with a layer of something
- While "coated" involves covering, it refers to applying a surface layer, not occupying space