While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Lighthouses send out crucial light signals to help ships and...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Lighthouses send out crucial light signals to help ships and other watercraft navigate at night.
- Before automation, lighthouses were run by lighthouse keepers.
- Maria Younghans was the lighthouse keeper at Biloxi Light in Mississippi.
- She held this position from 1867 to 1918.
- Flora McNeil was the lighthouse keeper at Bridgeport Breakwater Light in Connecticut.
- She held this position from 1904 to 1920.
The student wants to emphasize the order in which the two lighthouse keepers began their careers. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
From 1867 to 1918, the nighttime waters of Mississippi were more navigable thanks to lighthouse keepers Flora McNeil and Maria Younghans.
Before automation, lighthouse keepers like Maria Younghans and Flora McNeil were crucial to ensuring safe navigation for watercraft.
Flora McNeil began her career as a lighthouse keeper years after Maria Younghans did.
Maria Younghans's career as a lighthouse keeper ended in 1918, whereas Flora McNeil's ended in 1920.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Lighthouses send out crucial light signals to help ships and other watercraft navigate at night." |
|
| "Before automation, lighthouses were run by lighthouse keepers." |
|
| "Maria Younghans was the lighthouse keeper at Biloxi Light in Mississippi." |
|
| "She held this position from 1867 to 1918." |
|
| "Flora McNeil was the lighthouse keeper at Bridgeport Breakwater Light in Connecticut." |
|
| "She held this position from 1904 to 1920." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The notes provide factual information about two historical lighthouse keepers including their locations and service periods.
Argument Flow: The notes begin with general information about lighthouse function and the historical role of lighthouse keepers then provide specific details about two individual keepers including their locations and exact years served.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which choice most effectively emphasizes the order in which the two lighthouse keepers began their careers.
What type of answer do we need? A statement that clearly highlights the chronological sequence of when Maria Younghans and Flora McNeil started their lighthouse keeper positions.
Any limiting keywords? Order in which began focuses on start dates not end dates. Most effectively means we need the choice that does this job best.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- From our analysis Maria Younghans began in 1867 and Flora McNeil began in 1904
- So Maria started first then Flora started 37 years later
- The right answer should clearly communicate this chronological relationship that one keeper began before the other focusing specifically on when they began and making the sequence obvious to the reader
From 1867 to 1918, the nighttime waters of Mississippi were more navigable thanks to lighthouse keepers Flora McNeil and Maria Younghans.
- Contains factual error placing Flora McNeil in wrong state
- Lists both keepers but doesn't indicate which began first
- Focuses on impact rather than chronological order
Before automation, lighthouse keepers like Maria Younghans and Flora McNeil were crucial to ensuring safe navigation for watercraft.
- Simply lists both keepers as examples but provides no chronological information
- Doesn't address order they began careers
Flora McNeil began her career as a lighthouse keeper years after Maria Younghans did.
- Directly states that Flora began years after Maria did
- Uses clear chronological language that emphasizes the sequence
- Perfectly matches our prethinking about highlighting the order they began
Maria Younghans's career as a lighthouse keeper ended in 1918, whereas Flora McNeil's ended in 1920.
- Focuses on when careers ended rather than when they began
- Doesn't address the question's specific focus on order they began careers