The following text is adapted from a letter written by Margaret Chen to the Riverside Community Newsletter in March 2023.Last...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The following text is adapted from a letter written by Margaret Chen to the Riverside Community Newsletter in March 2023.
Last fall, our neighborhood association organized what we hoped would be our most successful harvest festival yet. We had secured permits, arranged for local vendors, and coordinated with the fire department for safety measures. Despite months of careful planning, the day of the festival brought unexpected challenges that we hadn't anticipated. A sudden rainstorm flooded the main field, forcing us to relocate activities to the much smaller community center. Looking back on that October weekend, I realize we learned valuable lessons about the unpredictability of outdoor events.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
The author explains how community festivals strengthen neighborhood relationships and local businesses.
The author describes the extensive planning process required for successful community events.
The author reflects on a festival experience and recognizes the challenges that arose.
The author argues for better weather contingency planning in community event organization.
I'll solve this step by step, following the systematic approach to help students understand the thought process.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Last fall, our neighborhood association organized what we hoped would be our most successful harvest festival yet." |
|
| "We had secured permits, arranged for local vendors, and coordinated with the fire department for safety measures." |
|
| "Despite months of careful planning, the day of the festival brought unexpected challenges that we hadn't anticipated." |
|
| "A sudden rainstorm flooded the main field, forcing us to relocate activities to the much smaller community center." |
|
| "Looking back on that October weekend, I realize we learned valuable lessons about the unpredictability of outdoor events." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The author reflects on a harvest festival that faced unexpected weather challenges and describes the valuable lessons learned about outdoor event planning.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from describing careful festival preparation and high expectations to explaining how unexpected weather created challenges that forced changes. It concludes with the author's reflection on what was learned from this experience about the unpredictable nature of outdoor events.
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 correct answer should capture that this is fundamentally a reflective piece about a festival experience
- The key elements are:
- The author is looking back on an event that happened
- There were unexpected challenges (specifically weather)
- The author learned something from this experience
- The passage isn't primarily about planning processes or arguing for changes - it's about reflecting on what happened and recognizing what was learned
- The right answer should emphasize the reflective nature and acknowledge both the experience and the challenges encountered
The author explains how community festivals strengthen neighborhood relationships and local businesses.
- Claims the text explains how festivals strengthen relationships and help businesses
- The passage doesn't discuss community relationships or business benefits at all
- Focuses on outcomes that aren't mentioned in the text
The author describes the extensive planning process required for successful community events.
- Says the author describes the planning process for successful events
- While planning is mentioned, it's not the main focus - it's just context for what went wrong
- Misses the reflective tone and the challenges that are central to the passage
The author reflects on a festival experience and recognizes the challenges that arose.
- Captures both key elements: reflecting on the festival experience AND recognizing challenges
- Matches the reflective tone ("Looking back") and acknowledges the unexpected problems
- Encompasses the full arc from experience to learning
The author argues for better weather contingency planning in community event organization.
- Claims the author argues for better weather contingency planning
- The author doesn't make an argument or recommend specific changes
- Students might think that because weather caused problems, the author must be arguing for better weather planning, but reflection isn't the same as argumentation