The following text is from a marine biology research report on coral reef ecosystems in protected areas.Marine biologists had theorized...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from a marine biology research report on coral reef ecosystems in protected areas.
Marine biologists had theorized that coral reefs within designated conservation zones would exhibit superior ecological health compared to reefs in unregulated waters. Comprehensive field research conducted across multiple sites validated this hypothesis, demonstrating measurable improvements in both biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. Protected reef systems showed 45% greater fish species diversity, enhanced coral coverage, and markedly improved recovery rates following environmental disturbances such as bleaching events.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
It illustrates an idea that is introduced in the previous sentence.
It establishes the primary research question that guided the study.
It creates a detailed description of the research methodology.
It makes an assertion that the following analysis will challenge.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Marine biologists had theorized that coral reefs within designated conservation zones would exhibit superior ecological health compared to reefs in unregulated waters.' |
|
| 'Comprehensive field research conducted across multiple sites validated this hypothesis, demonstrating measurable improvements in both biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.' |
|
| 'Protected reef systems showed 45% greater fish species diversity, enhanced coral coverage, and markedly improved recovery rates following environmental disturbances such as bleaching events.' |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Research confirmed that coral reefs in protected areas are significantly healthier than those in unregulated waters.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from scientific theory to validation to specific proof. We start with what marine biologists thought would be true, then learn that comprehensive research proved them right, and finally get concrete numbers and examples that demonstrate exactly how much better protected reefs perform.
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 our passage map, the underlined sentence comes right after we learn that research 'demonstrated measurable improvements.'
- The underlined sentence then gives us exactly what those improvements were - specific percentages, types of coverage, and recovery rates.
- So the right answer should recognize that this sentence provides concrete examples or evidence for the general claim made just before it.
- The sentence takes the abstract idea of 'measurable improvements in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience' and makes it concrete with actual data points.
It illustrates an idea that is introduced in the previous sentence.
✓ Correct
- This perfectly captures what the sentence does - it illustrates the 'measurable improvements' mentioned in the previous sentence
- The previous sentence talks about improvements in general terms, and the underlined sentence provides specific examples of those improvements
- Matches our prethinking about the sentence providing concrete evidence for the preceding claim
It establishes the primary research question that guided the study.
✗ Incorrect
- The primary research question was already established in the first sentence about the theory
- This sentence provides results, not the research question that guided the study
It creates a detailed description of the research methodology.
✗ Incorrect
- This sentence gives us research results (45% greater diversity, enhanced coverage, improved recovery)
- Methodology would describe how the research was conducted, not what it found
It makes an assertion that the following analysis will challenge.
✗ Incorrect
- There's no following analysis in this passage that challenges these findings
- The sentence supports the research validation mentioned before it