The preservation of architectural heritage frequently motivates the establishment of historic districts, yet the question of whether such designations...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The preservation of architectural heritage frequently motivates the establishment of historic districts, yet the question of whether such designations enhance residents' engagement with local history remains unresolved. To investigate this connection, historian Maria Valdez and her colleagues examined inhabitants across three New England communities, contrasting levels of civic involvement between areas with historic designation and comparable neighborhoods without such status. Their research revealed that people living in historic districts demonstrated markedly elevated participation in municipal meetings and community cultural activities—a trend that Valdez explains through the capacity of historic designation to cultivate deeper place-based identity and sense of collective stewardship.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
It describes a study that investigates an unsettled question about the impact of historic designations on community involvement.
It explains why certain New England communities are more effective at preserving architectural heritage than others.
It presents findings that contradict previous assumptions about residents' attitudes toward historic preservation efforts.
It analyzes the differences between civic participation strategies used in historic districts versus other community types.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| The preservation of architectural heritage frequently motivates the establishment of historic districts, yet the question of whether such designations enhance residents' engagement with local history remains unresolved. |
|
| To investigate this connection, historian Maria Valdez and her colleagues examined inhabitants across three New England communities, contrasting levels of civic involvement between areas with historic designation and comparable neighborhoods without such status. |
|
| Their research revealed that people living in historic districts demonstrated markedly elevated participation in municipal meetings and community cultural activities |
|
| —a trend that Valdez explains through the capacity of historic designation to cultivate deeper place-based identity and sense of collective stewardship. |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The passage describes a research study that investigated whether historic district designations increase residents' civic engagement and found evidence that they do.
Argument Flow: The passage opens by establishing an unresolved question about historic districts and civic engagement. It then describes Valdez's comparative study methodology, presents the findings showing higher participation in historic districts, and concludes with the researcher's explanation for this trend through enhanced place-based identity.
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 is fundamentally about research—it describes a specific study that was conducted to answer an open question
- The key elements the correct answer must have are: Recognition that this describes a research study, Understanding that the study investigated a previously unresolved question, Focus on the connection between historic designations and community engagement
It describes a study that investigates an unsettled question about the impact of historic designations on community involvement.
✓ Correct
- Correctly identifies that the passage describes a study investigating an unsettled question about the impact of historic designations on community involvement
- This matches our analysis perfectly
It explains why certain New England communities are more effective at preserving architectural heritage than others.
✗ Incorrect
- Incorrectly claims the passage explains why some communities are more effective at preservation
- The passage compares civic engagement levels, not preservation success
It presents findings that contradict previous assumptions about residents' attitudes toward historic preservation efforts.
✗ Incorrect
- Incorrectly states the findings contradict previous assumptions
- The passage never mentions previous assumptions—it says the question remains unresolved
It analyzes the differences between civic participation strategies used in historic districts versus other community types.
✗ Incorrect
- Incorrectly focuses on analyzing differences between civic participation strategies
- The study compared participation levels, not participation strategies or methods