Many corporations claim to prioritize environmental responsibility, but their actions often contradict their public statements. Despite its green mark...

GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions

Source: Prism

Craft and Structure

Words in Context

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Many corporations claim to prioritize environmental responsibility, but their actions often contradict their public statements. Despite its green marketing campaigns, ExxonMobil's continued investment in fossil fuel exploration _____ its stated commitment to sustainability.

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

reinforces

contradicts

validates

advances

Solution

Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage

Part A: Passage Analysis Table

Text from Passage	Analysis
Many corporations claim to prioritize environmental responsibility, but their actions often contradict their public statements.	What it says: Corps claim enviro responsibility BUT actions \(\neq\) statements What it does: Introduces contradiction between corporate claims and reality What it is: General claim with contrast
Despite its green marketing campaigns, ExxonMobil's continued investment in fossil fuel exploration	What it says: ExxonMobil: green ads BUT still invests in fossil fuels What it does: Provides specific example of the general pattern What it is: Concrete example
[MISSING WORD/PHRASE]	What it is: Missing logical connector
its stated commitment to sustainability.	What it says: ExxonMobil's official sustainability promise What it does: Completes the thought about relationship to their commitment What it is: Object of the missing connector

Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements

Main Point: Many corporations, including ExxonMobil, have a gap between their environmental claims and their actual business practices.

Argument Flow: The passage first establishes a general pattern where corporations say one thing about environmental responsibility but do another. It then provides ExxonMobil as a specific example of this contradiction, setting up a relationship between their fossil fuel investments and their stated sustainability goals.

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 missing word/phrase needs to show the relationship between ExxonMobil's fossil fuel investment and their sustainability commitment
The logical connector must show how fossil fuel investment relates to sustainability commitment
Since fossil fuels work against sustainability goals, and the passage emphasizes contradiction throughout, the relationship should show opposition or conflict

Answer Choices Explained

reinforces

✗ Incorrect

This would mean fossil fuel investment strengthens their sustainability commitment
This contradicts the entire passage's theme about corporate actions conflicting with environmental claims

contradicts

✓ Correct

Shows that fossil fuel investment conflicts with sustainability commitment
Matches the passage's theme of corporate actions contradicting environmental claims

validates

✗ Incorrect

Would mean fossil fuel investment confirms their sustainability commitment
This makes no logical sense since fossil fuels oppose sustainability

advances

✗ Incorrect

Would mean fossil fuel investment promotes their sustainability commitment
Logically impossible since fossil fuels work against sustainability goals

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