Physicist Joseph Weber performed ________ work in gravitational wave research in the 1960s and 1970s, conducting key experiments that scientists...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Physicist Joseph Weber performed ________ work in gravitational wave research in the 1960s and 1970s, conducting key experiments that scientists later used as the basis for their own investigations that led to the first verified detection of a gravitational wave in 2015.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Physicist Joseph Weber performed _______ work in gravitational wave research in the 1960s and 1970s," |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| "conducting key experiments that scientists later used as the basis for their own investigations" |
|
| "that led to the first verified detection of a gravitational wave in 2015." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Joseph Weber's gravitational wave research in the 1960s-70s provided the foundation that enabled later scientists to achieve the first verified gravitational wave detection in 2015.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Weber as a researcher from decades ago, then shows how his experiments became the foundation for subsequent scientific work, ultimately leading to a major breakthrough in 2015.
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
- From our analysis, we know that Weber's work from the 1960s-70s became the "basis" for later scientists' investigations that led to success in 2015
- This tells us Weber's work was essential to later progress, something other scientists built upon, and the starting point for eventual success
- So the right answer should describe work that serves as a foundation for future developments
- "Foundational" perfectly captures how Weber's work served as the basis for later scientific investigations
- Matches our prethinking about work that provides a foundation for future developments
- The passage explicitly states his experiments were "used as the basis" for later work
- "Supplementary" means adding to something that already exists
- Weber's work wasn't adding to existing research - it was pioneering work that others built upon
- "Repetitive" means doing the same thing over and over
- The passage shows Weber's work was original and served as the basis for later breakthroughs
- "Ineffective" means not producing results
- Directly contradicts the passage, which shows his work led to later scientific success