While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted from December 1955 to December...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted from December 1955 to December 1956
- It was organized in response to Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat
- The boycott was coordinated by the Montgomery Improvement Association, led by Martin Luther King Jr.
- African American residents walked, carpooled, and used alternative transportation for over a year
- The action successfully challenged the city's segregated bus system through economic pressure
- The boycott's success inspired similar nonviolent resistance campaigns throughout the South
The student wants to provide an overview of the Montgomery Bus Boycott's strategy and impact. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, leading to the organization of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The Montgomery Improvement Association, led by Martin Luther King Jr., coordinated the boycott that lasted from December 1955 to December 1956.
African American residents used walking, carpooling, and alternative transportation during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott used sustained economic pressure through alternative transportation to successfully challenge segregated buses, inspiring similar nonviolent campaigns across the South.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted from December 1955 to December 1956' |
|
| 'It was organized in response to Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to give up her bus seat' |
|
| 'The boycott was coordinated by the Montgomery Improvement Association, led by Martin Luther King Jr.' |
|
| 'African American residents walked, carpooled, and used alternative transportation for over a year' |
|
| 'The action successfully challenged the city's segregated bus system through economic pressure' |
|
| 'The boycott's success inspired similar nonviolent resistance campaigns throughout the South' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a year-long organized campaign that used alternative transportation to create economic pressure, successfully challenging bus segregation and inspiring similar nonviolent resistance movements throughout the South.
Argument Flow: The notes begin by establishing the boycott's duration and triggering event (Parks' arrest), then explain how it was organized and what specific strategies participants used. Finally, they detail both the immediate success (challenging segregated buses through economic pressure) and the broader impact (inspiring similar campaigns across the South).
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
- It must include the strategy: how the boycott actually worked (alternative transportation, economic pressure)
- It must include the impact: what the boycott accomplished both immediately and in the broader context
- It should synthesize these elements rather than just listing facts
- From our analysis, the strategy was using alternative transportation to create sustained economic pressure, and the impact was successfully challenging segregated buses while also inspiring similar nonviolent campaigns throughout the South
- So the right answer should combine the method (economic pressure through alternative transportation) with both the immediate success (challenging segregation) and broader influence (inspiring other campaigns)
Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, leading to the organization of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
✗ Incorrect
- Only covers the triggering event (Parks' arrest leading to boycott organization)
- Completely misses both strategy and impact elements
- What trap this represents: Students might choose this because it mentions the famous Rosa Parks connection, but it doesn't address what the question actually asks for
The Montgomery Improvement Association, led by Martin Luther King Jr., coordinated the boycott that lasted from December 1955 to December 1956.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on organization (MIA, MLK) and timeline
- Misses both the strategy used and the impact achieved
- What trap this represents: Students might be drawn to the leadership details, but these are organizational facts rather than strategy and impact
African American residents used walking, carpooling, and alternative transportation during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
✗ Incorrect
- Only covers the strategy element (walking, carpooling, alternative transportation)
- Completely omits the impact component
- What trap this represents: This covers half of what's needed, so students might think it's sufficient, but the question specifically requires both strategy AND impact
The Montgomery Bus Boycott used sustained economic pressure through alternative transportation to successfully challenge segregated buses, inspiring similar nonviolent campaigns across the South.
✓ Correct
- Includes strategy: 'sustained economic pressure through alternative transportation'
- Includes immediate impact: 'successfully challenge segregated buses'
- Includes broader impact: 'inspiring similar nonviolent campaigns across the South'
- Synthesizes the information to show how the strategy led to both types of impact
- Perfectly matches our prethinking by connecting method to results