The following text is adapted from Indian Boyhood, a 1902 memoir by Ohiyesa (Charles A. Eastman), a Santee Dakota writer....
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from Indian Boyhood, a 1902 memoir by Ohiyesa (Charles A. Eastman), a Santee Dakota writer. In the text, Ohiyesa recalls how the women in his tribe harvested maple syrup during his childhood.
Now the women began to test the trees—moving leisurely among them, axe in hand, and striking a single quick blow, to see if the sap would appear. The trees, like people, have their individual characters; some were ready to yield up their life-blood, while others were more reluctant. Now one of the birchen basins was set under each tree, and a hardwood chip driven deep into the cut which the axe had made. From the corners of this chip—at first drop by drop, then more freely—the sap trickled into the little dishes.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
It portrays the range of personality traits displayed by the women as they work.
It foregrounds the beneficial relationship between humans and maple trees.
It demonstrates how human behavior can be influenced by the natural environment.
It elaborates on an aspect of the maple trees that the women evaluate.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Now the women began to test the trees—moving leisurely among them, axe in hand, and striking a single quick blow, to see if the sap would appear." |
|
| "The trees, like people, have their individual characters; some were ready to yield up their life-blood, while others were more reluctant." |
|
| "Now one of the birchen basins was set under each tree, and a hardwood chip driven deep into the cut which the axe had made." |
|
| "From the corners of this chip—at first drop by drop, then more freely—the sap trickled into the little dishes." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The passage describes the process women used to harvest maple sap, from testing individual trees to collecting the flowing sap.
Argument Flow: The narrative moves chronologically through the maple syrup harvesting process. It begins with women testing trees to see which ones will produce sap, reveals that trees have different levels of readiness to give sap, then shows how the women set up collection systems and successfully gather the sap.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
- What's being asked? This is a Text Structure and Purpose question focusing on a specific underlined sentence: "The trees, like people, have their individual characters; some were ready to yield up their life-blood, while others were more reluctant."
- What type of answer do we need? An explanation of the sentence's function within the passage structure
- Any limiting keywords? Focus on the underlined sentence's specific role
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The underlined sentence comes right after the women start testing trees to see if sap will appear
- The sentence explains what they discover during this testing—that different trees respond differently
- The right answer should recognize that this sentence elaborates on what the women are learning about the trees through their evaluation process
It portrays the range of personality traits displayed by the women as they work.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the women's personality traits, but the sentence is actually about the trees' characteristics
It foregrounds the beneficial relationship between humans and maple trees.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the sentence highlights a beneficial relationship, but it's more about the trees' individual responses
It demonstrates how human behavior can be influenced by the natural environment.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests human behavior is influenced by natural environment, but the sentence actually describes tree behavior, not human behavior being influenced
It elaborates on an aspect of the maple trees that the women evaluate.
✓ Correct
- Accurately identifies that the sentence elaborates on the trees themselves
- The women are evaluating the trees through testing, and the sentence explains what they discover: trees have individual readiness levels