The following text is adapted from meeting minutes of the university's faculty senate. Professor Martinez has been asked to attend...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from meeting minutes of the university's faculty senate. Professor Martinez has been asked to attend a committee meeting where department heads will be discussing budget allocations.
Martinez had always prided himself on thorough analysis, viewing his detailed feedback as a valuable contribution to faculty discussions. However, as he prepared for the afternoon's crucial budget committee meeting, Chen's words from their earlier conversation kept surfacing in his thoughts. She had mentioned something troubling: department heads had grown uncomfortable with his approach during meetings. According to Chen, his tendency to interrupt proposals and offer lengthy critiques was being seen not as thoroughness, but as disruption. Most concerning was her revelation that some committee members had begun deliberately scheduling important discussions when he wasn't available. The irony wasn't lost on Martinez—his commitment to comprehensive evaluation might actually harm their department's funding prospects. Chen had been direct about the stakes: this budget meeting could determine their department's future, and his participation style might work against them rather than for them.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To show that Professor Chen wants Martinez to avoid the meeting
To describe the typical format of faculty senate committee meetings
To explain the university's budget allocation process in detail
To present Professor Martinez's qualifications for committee work
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Martinez had always prided himself on thorough analysis, viewing his detailed feedback as a valuable contribution to faculty discussions.' |
|
| 'However, as he prepared for the afternoon's crucial budget committee meeting, Chen's words from their earlier conversation kept surfacing in his thoughts.' |
|
| 'She had mentioned something troubling: department heads had grown uncomfortable with his approach during meetings.' |
|
| 'According to Chen, his tendency to interrupt proposals and offer lengthy critiques was being seen not as thoroughness, but as disruption.' |
|
| 'Most concerning was her revelation that some committee members had begun deliberately scheduling important discussions when he wasn't available.' |
|
| 'The irony wasn't lost on Martinez—his commitment to comprehensive evaluation might actually harm their department's funding prospects.' |
|
| 'Chen had been direct about the stakes: this budget meeting could determine their department's future, and his participation style might work against them rather than for them.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Martinez discovers that his well-intentioned thorough approach to meetings is actually seen as disruptive and could harm his department's funding prospects.
Argument Flow: The text establishes Martinez's positive self-image regarding his detailed analytical approach, then reveals through Chen's feedback that others view this behavior negatively. The passage culminates in Martinez's realization of the irony that his commitment to thoroughness might actually damage their department's future.
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 primarily functions to present Martinez's problematic situation - he believes his thorough approach is valuable, but Chen has revealed that others see it as disruptive and it could harm their department
- Chen's feedback suggests that Martinez's usual participation style would be counterproductive in the crucial upcoming budget meeting
- The text shows us a character receiving information that challenges his self-perception and puts him in a difficult position where his perceived strength might be a liability
To show that Professor Chen wants Martinez to avoid the meeting
✓ Correct
- The passage shows Chen delivering troubling feedback about how Martinez's approach is viewed negatively by committee members
- Chen explicitly warns that 'his participation style might work against them rather than for them' at this crucial budget meeting
- The evidence that members deliberately schedule meetings when he's unavailable, combined with Chen's warning about the stakes, strongly suggests Chen believes Martinez should reconsider attending or at least drastically change his approach
To describe the typical format of faculty senate committee meetings
✗ Incorrect
- The text mentions committee meetings but doesn't describe their typical format
- The passage focuses on Martinez's specific problematic behavior, not general meeting procedures
To explain the university's budget allocation process in detail
✗ Incorrect
- The text mentions budget allocation is important but provides no details about the university's process
- The focus is entirely on Martinez's behavioral issues, not institutional procedures
To present Professor Martinez's qualifications for committee work
✗ Incorrect
- The passage actually presents Martinez's qualifications as problematic rather than positive
- His 'thorough analysis' and 'detailed feedback' are presented as liabilities, not qualifications