The following text is from a 2022 field research report documenting behavioral observations of a gray wolf pack in Yellowstone...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from a 2022 field research report documenting behavioral observations of a gray wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park.
Pack members establish territorial boundaries through scent marking along familiar pathways. Hunting strategies emerge through coordinated movements during elk migration periods. Social hierarchies become visible during feeding sequences when dominant individuals assert priority access. Communication patterns develop through varied vocalizations including howls, barks, and growls. Parental behaviors manifest in den site selection and pup protection strategies. These documented activities collectively demonstrate the complex social organization that enables pack survival in the ecosystem.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
It identifies wolf behaviors and then explains their evolutionary origins.
It contrasts individual wolf actions with pack-based cooperative behaviors.
It establishes the research location and then introduces the scientists conducting the study.
It documents various wolf behaviors to illustrate the complexity of pack social organization.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Pack members establish territorial boundaries through scent marking along familiar pathways." |
|
| "Hunting strategies emerge through coordinated movements during elk migration periods." |
|
| "Social hierarchies become visible during feeding sequences when dominant individuals assert priority access." |
|
| "Communication patterns develop through varied vocalizations including howls, barks, and growls." |
|
| "Parental behaviors manifest in den site selection and pup protection strategies." |
|
| "These documented activities collectively demonstrate the complex social organization that enables pack survival in the ecosystem." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The documented wolf behaviors collectively demonstrate the complex social organization that enables pack survival.
Argument Flow: The text systematically presents five different categories of wolf behavior observations from field research, then concludes by explaining that these various behaviors work together to create a complex social system essential for pack survival in the ecosystem.
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 text follows a clear pattern: it lists multiple wolf behaviors (territorial marking, hunting, social hierarchy, communication, parenting) and then explains what these behaviors collectively show us
- The structure is essentially: specific examples leading to broader significance
- We are seeing behavioral documentation that builds toward a conclusion about social organization
It identifies wolf behaviors and then explains their evolutionary origins.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the text explains evolutionary origins of behaviors.
- The passage never discusses why these behaviors evolved or their evolutionary history
- It only documents what behaviors exist, not their origins
It contrasts individual wolf actions with pack-based cooperative behaviors.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests the text contrasts individual actions with pack cooperation.
- The passage does not set up any contrast - all behaviors described involve pack coordination
It establishes the research location and then introduces the scientists conducting the study.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the text introduces the scientists conducting the study.
- While it mentions this is a 2022 field research report from Yellowstone, it never introduces specific researchers
It documents various wolf behaviors to illustrate the complexity of pack social organization.
✓ Correct
- Accurately captures that the text documents various wolf behaviors to illustrate pack social organization complexity.
- This matches our passage analysis perfectly