New and interesting research conducted by Suleiman A. Al-Sweedan and Moath Alhaj is inspired by their observation that though there...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
New and interesting research conducted by Suleiman A. Al-Sweedan and Moath Alhaj is inspired by their observation that though there have been many studies of the effect of high altitude on blood chemistry, there is a _______ studies of the effect on blood chemistry of living in locations below sea level, such as the California towns of Salton City and Seeley.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
quarrel about
paucity of
profusion of
verisimilitude in
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'New and interesting research conducted by Suleiman A. Al-Sweedan and Moath Alhaj is inspired by their observation that though there have been many studies of the effect of high altitude on blood chemistry,' |
|
| '[MISSING WORD/PHRASE]' |
|
| 'studies of the effect on blood chemistry of living in locations below sea level, such as the California towns of Salton City and Seeley.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Researchers were motivated by noticing a gap - while high altitude blood chemistry effects have been well-studied, below sea level effects have not.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that extensive research exists on high altitude effects, then contrasts this with the situation regarding below sea level effects, providing specific location examples to illustrate the research gap.
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 blank needs to create a logical contrast between 'many studies' of high altitude effects and what exists for below sea level effects
- Since we know there are 'many studies' on high altitude, the logical opposite would be few or limited studies on below sea level
- The word should indicate scarcity or lack, not abundance
quarrel about
- 'Quarrel about' doesn't make grammatical or logical sense in this context
- The passage isn't discussing disagreements between studies, but rather the quantity of studies
paucity of
- 'Paucity of' means scarcity or lack of something
- Creates the perfect logical contrast: many studies on high altitude BUT few (paucity of) studies on below sea level
profusion of
- 'Profusion of' means abundance or large quantity
- This would eliminate the contrast - it would mean there are many studies on both high and low altitudes
verisimilitude in
- 'Verisimilitude in' means the appearance of being true or realistic
- Doesn't fit grammatically with 'there is a verisimilitude in studies' and doesn't address the quantity contrast the passage is establishing