The following text is from a 2018 business case study. Marcus, a sustainability coordinator, is proposing a major shift in...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from a 2018 business case study. Marcus, a sustainability coordinator, is proposing a major shift in company operations to his executive team.
The quarterly board meeting would determine the fate of Marcus's green energy initiative. Several board members had expressed concerns about the substantial upfront costs and uncertain returns on investment. Marcus had spent weeks preparing detailed financial projections and environmental impact studies. Now he needed to win the board over to his vision of the company's sustainable future, despite their traditional focus on short-term profitability.
As used in the text, what does the phrase "win the board over to" most nearly mean?
Get the board to compete for
Get the board to triumph in
Get the board to support
Get the board to defeat
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The quarterly board meeting would determine the fate of Marcus's green energy initiative." |
|
| "Several board members had expressed concerns about the substantial upfront costs and uncertain returns on investment." |
|
| "Marcus had spent weeks preparing detailed financial projections and environmental impact studies." |
|
| "Now he needed to win the board over to his vision of the company's sustainable future, despite their traditional focus on short-term profitability." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Marcus faces the challenge of convincing a profit-focused board to support his green energy initiative despite their concerns about costs and returns.
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 the context, Marcus "needed to win the board over to his vision" despite their concerns about costs and focus on short-term profits
- This suggests Marcus needs to convince or persuade the board members to accept and support his sustainable vision
- The phrase indicates getting someone to change their position and come around to your way of thinking
- So the right answer should mean "convince the board to accept and support his vision"
Get the board to compete for
✗ Incorrect
- "Get the board to compete for" suggests the board would be competing to obtain his vision
- This doesn't fit the context where Marcus needs to persuade them
Get the board to triumph in
✗ Incorrect
- "Get the board to triumph in" suggests the board would achieve victory in his vision
- The context shows Marcus trying to convince them to accept his plan
Get the board to support
✓ Correct
- "Get the board to support" perfectly captures the meaning in context
- Marcus needs board members to back his sustainable vision despite their profit concerns
Get the board to defeat
✗ Incorrect
- "Get the board to defeat" suggests Marcus wants them to overcome his vision
- This is the opposite of what he wants