The following text is from David Park's 2020 professional development blog. Park reflects on changes in his workplace dynamics.My supervisor...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from David Park's 2020 professional development blog. Park reflects on changes in his workplace dynamics.
My supervisor dismissed my quarterly report with barely a glance, though she had previously praised my analytical work as "exactly what the team needed." This contradiction left me questioning everything I thought I understood about my performance. The unpredictability of her feedback made it difficult to gauge whether my efforts were meeting her expectations.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text?
It provides background information about Park's previous work performance.
It explains why Park's supervisor dismissed his current quarterly report.
It establishes a contrast that intensifies Park's confusion about the supervisor's response.
It demonstrates the importance of consistent feedback in professional relationships.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "My supervisor dismissed my quarterly report with barely a glance," |
|
| "though she had previously praised my analytical work as 'exactly what the team needed.'" |
|
| "This contradiction left me questioning everything I thought I understood about my performance." |
|
| "The unpredictability of her feedback made it difficult to gauge whether my efforts were meeting her expectations." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Park is confused and frustrated by his supervisor's inconsistent feedback, which makes it impossible for him to understand his actual performance level.
Argument Flow: Park presents a specific incident where his supervisor dismissed his work, contrasts this with her previous praise to highlight the contradiction, then explores how this inconsistency affects his ability to understand his performance.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The function of the underlined portion in the text
What type of answer do we need? The role or purpose that specific text serves within the passage
Any limiting keywords? "underlined portion" - we need to focus specifically on that phrase
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The underlined portion comes right after we learn the supervisor dismissed Park's current report
- This creates a stark contrast - she used to praise his work as essential, but now she won't even look at his report properly
- This contradiction is what makes Park so confused and questioning
- The right answer should capture how this portion creates a contrast between past praise and current dismissal that explains why Park feels so confused about the situation
It provides background information about Park's previous work performance.
- This choice focuses on providing "background information" about past performance
- While the underlined portion does mention previous praise, its main function isn't just to give background—it's to create a specific contrast with what just happened
It explains why Park's supervisor dismissed his current quarterly report.
- Claims the underlined portion "explains why" the supervisor dismissed the report
- The underlined portion actually does the opposite—it makes the dismissal more puzzling, not more explainable
It establishes a contrast that intensifies Park's confusion about the supervisor's response.
- Accurately captures that the underlined portion "establishes a contrast"—between past praise and current dismissal
- Correctly identifies that this contrast "intensifies Park's confusion"—the contradiction makes his situation more bewildering
- Matches our prethinking about how the contrast between past and present responses creates the source of Park's confusion
It demonstrates the importance of consistent feedback in professional relationships.
- Focuses on "demonstrating the importance of consistent feedback" as a general principle
- The underlined portion isn't making a point about feedback importance—it's showing a specific instance of inconsistent feedback that confuses Park