Many cities struggle with the challenge of reducing traffic congestion in downtown areas. Urban planners in Copenhagen have implemented a...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Many cities struggle with the challenge of reducing traffic congestion in downtown areas. Urban planners in Copenhagen have implemented a comprehensive approach to address this issue through infrastructure redesign and policy changes. The city expanded its bicycle lane network to over 400 kilometers, making cycling safer and more convenient for commuters. Additionally, Copenhagen introduced congestion pricing for vehicles entering the city center during peak hours, encouraging the use of alternative transportation. These combined strategies have successfully reduced downtown traffic by 30% while improving air quality and creating more livable urban spaces.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
The text describes an urban issue, then evaluates competing solutions.
The text identifies a municipal challenge, then explains how it's being addressed.
The text compares transportation systems in different cities, then analyzes their costs.
The text presents a policy proposal, then discusses its potential drawbacks.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Many cities struggle with the challenge of reducing traffic congestion in downtown areas.' |
|
| 'Urban planners in Copenhagen have implemented a comprehensive approach to address this issue through infrastructure redesign and policy changes.' |
|
| 'The city expanded its bicycle lane network to over 400 kilometers, making cycling safer and more convenient for commuters.' |
|
| 'Additionally, Copenhagen introduced congestion pricing for vehicles entering the city center during peak hours, encouraging the use of alternative transportation.' |
|
| 'These combined strategies have successfully reduced downtown traffic by 30% while improving air quality and creating more livable urban spaces.' |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map: [GENERAL PROBLEM] Cities struggle with traffic congestion → [SPECIFIC SOLUTION EXAMPLE] Copenhagen's comprehensive approach (Infrastructure: Bike lane expansion + Policy: Congestion pricing) → [SUCCESSFUL RESULTS] 30% traffic reduction + air quality + livability
Main Point: Copenhagen successfully addressed urban traffic congestion through a combination of expanded bicycle infrastructure and congestion pricing policies.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from a general urban challenge to a specific successful example, detailing Copenhagen's two-pronged approach of infrastructure and policy changes, then concluding with measurable positive results that validate this comprehensive strategy.
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
- Looking at our structure map, the passage follows a clear pattern: it starts by identifying a problem that many cities face (traffic congestion), then shifts to explain how one specific city (Copenhagen) is successfully addressing this challenge through concrete solutions, and ends by showing the positive results
- The key elements the correct answer must have: Recognition that a problem or challenge is presented first, understanding that the bulk of the passage explains how this challenge is being solved, acknowledgment that this is about addressing/solving rather than just describing or comparing
- So the right answer should describe a pattern where a challenge is identified and then the solution approach is explained
The text describes an urban issue, then evaluates competing solutions.
- Claims the text evaluates competing solutions
- The passage doesn't compare different approaches or weigh pros/cons of alternatives
- It only presents Copenhagen's approach without evaluating it against other options
The text identifies a municipal challenge, then explains how it's being addressed.
- Accurately captures the two-part structure: challenge identification followed by solution explanation
- Municipal challenge matches our opening problem statement about cities and traffic
- Explains how it's being addressed perfectly describes Copenhagen's comprehensive approach and results
- Matches our prethinking exactly
The text compares transportation systems in different cities, then analyzes their costs.
- Claims the text compares transportation systems in different cities
- The passage only discusses Copenhagen's system, with no comparison to other cities
- No cost analysis is provided anywhere in the text
The text presents a policy proposal, then discusses its potential drawbacks.
- Says the text presents a policy proposal, then discusses its potential drawbacks
- The passage describes implemented solutions (not proposals) and discusses benefits (not drawbacks)
- What trap this represents: Students might focus on policy since congestion pricing is mentioned, but miss that these are existing solutions showing positive results, not proposals with drawbacks