In a study of residential mobility in Washington, DC, LaTanya Brown-Robertson et al. found that increases in household spending power...

GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions

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Craft and Structure

Words in Context

HARD

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In a study of residential mobility in Washington, DC, LaTanya Brown-Robertson et al. found that increases in household spending power (via tax credits) had mixed effects on mobility decisions, possibly because residential location choices are not fully reducible to economic factors but are also _______ noneconomic factors such as access to strong local social networks.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

transposed with

mediated by

decoupled from

antecedent to

Solution

Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage

Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table

Text from Passage	Analysis
"In a study of residential mobility in Washington, DC, LaTanya Brown-Robertson et al. found that increases in household spending power (via tax credits) had mixed effects on mobility decisions,"	What it says: Study: increased spending power had mixed results on moving decisions What it does: Introduces research findings about economic factors and moving What it is: Research finding/context
"possibly because residential location choices are not fully reducible to economic factors but are also"	What it says: Location choices are not only economic factors, also... What it does: Explains why results were mixed - suggests other factors matter What it is: Causal explanation
"[MISSING CONNECTOR]"	What it is: Missing logical connector
"noneconomic factors such as access to strong local social networks."	What it says: Non-economic factors like social networks What it does: Provides examples of the other factors mentioned What it is: Specific examples

Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements

Main Point: A study found that economic incentives had mixed effects on residential mobility because location decisions involve both economic and noneconomic factors.

Argument Flow: The passage presents research findings showing mixed results from economic incentives, then explains this outcome by arguing that residential choices depend on multiple types of factors working together, not just economic ones.

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 connector must show how residential choices relate to both economic AND noneconomic factors
The context suggests these factors work together or influence the decision-making process
The word "also" before the blank indicates we're adding to what economic factors do
We need a word that shows noneconomic factors play an active role in shaping location decisions

Answer Choices Explained

transposed with

✗ Incorrect

"Transposed with" means switched or interchanged in position
This suggests economic and noneconomic factors switch places, which doesn't make logical sense

mediated by

✓ Correct

"Mediated by" means influenced through or affected by an intermediate agent
This perfectly captures how noneconomic factors actively influence residential choices and shows these factors play an active role in the decision-making process

decoupled from

✗ Incorrect

"Decoupled from" means separated or disconnected from
This would mean choices are disconnected from noneconomic factors, contradicting the passage's argument that both types of factors matter

antecedent to

✗ Incorrect

"Antecedent to" means coming before in time or sequence
This suggests location choices happen before noneconomic factors, which is illogical

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