The following text is from a workplace communication about Maria's first day at a new company. Maria walked into the...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The following text is from a workplace communication about Maria's first day at a new company.
Maria walked into the gleaming office building, her portfolio clutched tightly in her hand. The environment was more formal than she had anticipated. She had never worked in such a corporate setting before. She felt nervous about making a good impression, but she was also eager to begin this new chapter of her career.
According to the text, how does Maria feel about starting her new job?
She feels both nervous and eager.
She feels confident and prepared.
She feels overwhelmed and discouraged.
She feels both frustrated and disappointed.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Maria walked into the gleaming office building, her portfolio clutched tightly in her hand.' |
|
| 'The environment was more formal than she had anticipated.' |
|
| 'She had never worked in such a corporate setting before.' |
|
| 'She felt nervous about making a good impression, but she was also eager to begin this new chapter of her career.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Maria experiences mixed emotions—nervousness and eagerness—as she begins her first day at a new corporate job.
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 directly tells us Maria's feelings in the final sentence: she feels 'nervous about making a good impression, but she was also eager to begin this new chapter of her career.'
- The correct answer should include both emotions mentioned (nervous and eager) and reflect that these are simultaneous feelings.
She feels both nervous and eager.
✓ Correct
- This directly matches what the text states about feeling both nervous and eager
- Captures both emotions the passage explicitly mentions
She feels confident and prepared.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Maria feels 'confident and prepared' but the passage indicates she's nervous and surprised by the formal environment
She feels overwhelmed and discouraged.
✗ Incorrect
- Says she feels 'overwhelmed and discouraged' but the passage specifically states she's 'eager,' which contradicts 'discouraged'
She feels both frustrated and disappointed.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims she feels 'frustrated and disappointed' but the passage shows no evidence of these negative emotions and contradicts her eagerness