The following text is from an article about youth athletics. The passage describes a swimmer before an important race. Marcus...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The following text is from an article about youth athletics. The passage describes a swimmer before an important race.
Marcus had trained in his home pool for months, but when he arrived at the competition venue, he immediately noticed how different this pool felt. The water was noticeably cooler than what he was used to, and the lane ropes created more turbulence than expected. As he stood at the starting block waiting for his heat to be called, Marcus decided to adapt his usual approach. Instead of his typical explosive dive, he opted for a more controlled entry to better handle the unfamiliar water conditions, and he planned to adjust his breathing pattern for the first few strokes.
According to the text, what does Marcus do at the starting block?
He studies his competitors' techniques.
He follows his coach's pre-race routine.
He adjusts his swimming goggles and equipment.
He modifies his strategy based on pool conditions.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Marcus had trained in his home pool for months, but when he arrived at the competition venue, he immediately noticed how different this pool felt." |
|
| "The water was noticeably cooler than what he was used to, and the lane ropes created more turbulence than expected." |
|
| "As he stood at the starting block waiting for his heat to be called, Marcus decided to adapt his usual approach." |
|
| "Instead of his typical explosive dive, he opted for a more controlled entry to better handle the unfamiliar water conditions, and he planned to adjust his breathing pattern for the first few strokes." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Marcus adapts his swimming strategy at the starting block to handle the unfamiliar pool conditions he encountered at the competition venue.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that Marcus notices significant differences between his home pool and the competition pool, then explains how he responds to these differences by modifying his race strategy while waiting at the starting block.
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 passage clearly tells us that while Marcus is at the starting block, he makes a decision to adapt his usual approach
- Specifically, he decides to change from his typical explosive dive to a more controlled entry and plans to adjust his breathing pattern
- These are strategic modifications he makes in response to the unfamiliar pool conditions
He studies his competitors' techniques.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Marcus studies competitors' techniques
- The passage never mentions Marcus looking at or analyzing other swimmers
- This action isn't described anywhere in the text
He follows his coach's pre-race routine.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests Marcus follows his coach's routine
- The passage makes no reference to a coach or any pre-race routine from a coach
- Marcus's actions are described as his own decisions
He adjusts his swimming goggles and equipment.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Marcus adjusts goggles and equipment
- While this might be something swimmers do, the passage doesn't mention any equipment adjustments
- The text focuses on strategy changes, not gear preparation
He modifies his strategy based on pool conditions.
✓ Correct
- Accurately reflects what the passage tells us Marcus does at the starting block
- The text explicitly states he "decided to adapt his usual approach" based on the "unfamiliar water conditions"