While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) originated in the Andes mountains and was...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) originated in the Andes mountains and was cultivated by indigenous peoples for over 4,000 years. This grain-like crop thrives in harsh conditions including high altitude, poor soil, and extreme weather variations. Corn, domesticated approximately 10,000 years ago in Central Mexico, developed through selective breeding by ancient Mesoamerican farmers. Unlike quinoa, corn requires fertile soil and consistent water supply to produce optimal yields. Both crops have become staples in global food systems today.
The student wants to make and support a generalization about crop development. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Quinoa and corn are both important crops, but they have different growing requirements: quinoa thrives in harsh conditions while corn needs fertile soil.
Crop development has involved different agricultural approaches, with some crops like quinoa adapted to harsh environments while others like corn were bred for optimal conditions.
Ancient civilizations successfully domesticated various plant species, as demonstrated by quinoa cultivation in the Andes and corn development in Central Mexico.
Crops that are called quinoa originated in the Andes, while those called corn were developed in Central Mexico.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) originated in the Andes mountains and was cultivated by indigenous peoples for over 4,000 years.' |
|
| 'This grain-like crop thrives in harsh conditions including high altitude, poor soil, and extreme weather variations.' |
|
| 'Corn, domesticated approximately 10,000 years ago in Central Mexico, developed through selective breeding by ancient Mesoamerican farmers.' |
|
| 'Unlike quinoa, corn requires fertile soil and consistent water supply to produce optimal yields.' |
|
| 'Both crops have become staples in global food systems today.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Two major crops developed through different agricultural approaches—quinoa through natural adaptation to harsh environments and corn through selective breeding for optimal growing conditions.
Argument Flow: The notes present two contrasting examples of crop development. Quinoa represents crops that adapted naturally to survive in challenging environments, while corn exemplifies crops that were deliberately bred by farmers to thrive under ideal conditions. Despite these different developmental paths, both became essential global food sources.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to create a generalization about crop development that's supported by the research notes.
What type of answer do we need? A broad statement about how crops develop that's backed up by the specific examples provided (quinoa and corn).
Any limiting keywords? 'make and support a generalization' - so we need both a general principle AND evidence from the notes to back it up.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The notes give us two very different stories about crop development
- Quinoa shows us crops that naturally adapted to survive in tough conditions—high altitude, poor soil, extreme weather
- Corn shows us the opposite approach—crops that were deliberately bred by farmers to perform well under ideal conditions with fertile soil and consistent water
- The generalization should capture this key contrast: crop development has involved different approaches, with some crops adapting to harsh environments while others were optimized for favorable conditions
Quinoa and corn are both important crops, but they have different growing requirements: quinoa thrives in harsh conditions while corn needs fertile soil.
- Simply states that the crops have different growing requirements
- Doesn't make a generalization about crop development processes
- More of a comparison than a generalization about how crops developed
Crop development has involved different agricultural approaches, with some crops like quinoa adapted to harsh environments while others like corn were bred for optimal conditions.
- Makes a clear generalization about crop development involving 'different agricultural approaches'
- Directly supported by the notes: quinoa adapted to harsh environments, corn bred for optimal conditions
- Uses both examples to support the broader principle about development approaches
Ancient civilizations successfully domesticated various plant species, as demonstrated by quinoa cultivation in the Andes and corn development in Central Mexico.
- Makes a generalization that's too broad and generic
- Focuses on ancient civilizations rather than crop development approaches
- Misses the key contrast between adaptation vs. selective breeding
Crops that are called quinoa originated in the Andes, while those called corn were developed in Central Mexico.
- Simply states geographical origins of the crops
- Contains no generalization about crop development at all
- Doesn't address the 'how' of crop development that the notes emphasize