Biographer Michael Gorra notes that the novelist Henry James 'lived in a world of second thoughts,' frequently tinkering with his...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
Biographer Michael Gorra notes that the novelist Henry James 'lived in a world of second thoughts,' frequently tinkering with his novels and stories after their initial publication. However, the differences between the 1881 first edition and the 1908 edition of his novel A Portrait of a Lady are extreme, even by James's standards; ________ some critics regard the two editions as two different novels altogether.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
by contrast,
in fact,
nevertheless,
in other words,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Biographer Michael Gorra notes that the novelist Henry James 'lived in a world of second thoughts,' frequently tinkering with his novels and stories after their initial publication." |
|
| "However, the differences between the 1881 first edition and the 1908 edition of his novel A Portrait of a Lady are extreme, even by James's standards;" |
|
| "some critics regard the two editions as two different novels altogether." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The differences between the two editions of James's A Portrait of a Lady are so extreme that some critics consider them entirely different novels.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes James's general pattern of revising his work, then presents an extreme example of this pattern with A Portrait of a Lady, and concludes with the critical response that shows just how dramatic these changes were.
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
- We need a transition that connects "the differences are extreme, even by James's standards" with "some critics regard the two editions as two different novels altogether."
- The second part explains or emphasizes just how extreme these differences really are - it's evidence of the extremeness mentioned before the blank.
- The transition should show that the critic's reaction supports or intensifies the claim about the extreme differences.
by contrast,
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests opposition or difference between the two parts.
- But the critics' reaction doesn't contrast with the extreme differences - it supports them.
- We need connection, not contrast.
in fact,
✓ Correct
- This emphasizes or strengthens the previous statement.
- The critics' reaction proves just how extreme the differences really are.
- Creates the right logical flow: differences are extreme → in fact, they're so extreme that critics see them as different novels entirely.
nevertheless,
✗ Incorrect
- This indicates contrast or contradiction.
- But there's no contradiction here - the critics' reaction confirms the extremeness.
in other words,
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests restating the same idea in different terms.
- But "two different novels" is more extreme than just "extreme differences" - it's an escalation, not a restatement.