The following text is from F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.[Jay Gatsby] was balancing himself on the dashboard...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby.
[Jay Gatsby] was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American—that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness.
As used in the text, what does the word 'quality' most nearly mean?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "[Jay Gatsby] was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American" |
|
| "—that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games." |
|
| "This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Gatsby displays a distinctly American type of physical grace that contrasts with and occasionally breaks through his otherwise formal demeanor.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from observing Gatsby's graceful movement, to explaining its cultural origins in American lifestyle, to showing how this natural grace conflicts with his carefully maintained formal behavior.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The meaning of the word "quality" as used in this specific context
What type of answer do we need? A synonym that captures how "quality" functions in this sentence
Any limiting keywords? "As used in the text" - we need the contextual meaning, not just any definition of "quality"
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, "this quality" refers back to the "resourcefulness of movement" that's "peculiarly American"
- The word "quality" is being used to describe this type of movement as a trait or attribute that Gatsby possesses
- It's something inherent to his character that shows itself through his behavior
- The right answer should capture that "quality" means a distinctive trait or attribute - something that characterizes Gatsby and defines how he moves and behaves
- "Standard" suggests a benchmark or level of excellence
- The passage isn't describing Gatsby's movement as meeting some standard - it's describing it as a distinctive trait he possesses
- "Prestige" refers to reputation or high status
- While the passage suggests this American grace might be valued, it's not describing the quality itself as prestige
- "Characteristic" perfectly captures how "quality" functions here - as a distinctive trait or attribute
- This matches our analysis that the quality refers to the resourcefulness of movement as an inherent feature of Gatsby's character
- "Accomplishment" suggests something achieved through effort
- The passage presents this grace as something that comes naturally from cultural background, not as something Gatsby worked to achieve