Radioactivity research in the early 1900s relied on experimental techniques that, while groundbreaking at the time, would later be recognized...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Radioactivity research in the early 1900s relied on experimental techniques that, while groundbreaking at the time, would later be recognized as having significant methodological limitations. Marie Curie, whose pioneering work in this field revolutionized both physics and chemistry, eventually came to acknowledge these shortcomings in her early approaches. Her willingness to recognize the crude nature of her initial methods is evident when she ______
Which choice most effectively uses a quotation from Curie's correspondence to illustrate the claim?
wrote to a colleague, "I must admit that my early techniques, though they served their purpose, were crude and imprecise by today's standards."
noted in her laboratory journal, "The results continue to confound our existing theories about atomic structure."
observed to a fellow scientist, "These new discoveries will undoubtedly reshape our understanding of matter itself."
declared in a letter, "I refuse to be deterred by those who question the validity of my research methods."
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Radioactivity research in the early 1900s relied on experimental techniques that, while groundbreaking at the time, would later be recognized as having significant methodological limitations." |
|
| "Marie Curie, whose pioneering work in this field revolutionized both physics and chemistry, eventually came to acknowledge these shortcomings in her early approaches." |
|
| "Her willingness to recognize the crude nature of her initial methods is evident when she ______" |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Marie Curie eventually acknowledged that her early radioactivity research methods were crude and methodologically limited.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that early radioactivity research had methodological problems, then focuses on how Marie Curie came to recognize these limitations in her own work, leading to the need for evidence of this acknowledgment.
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 correct quotation must show Curie directly acknowledging that her early methods were crude, imprecise, or methodologically limited
- We need her own words that demonstrate she recognized the shortcomings mentioned in the passage
- The quote should contain language that admits her early techniques had problems
wrote to a colleague, "I must admit that my early techniques, though they served their purpose, were crude and imprecise by today's standards."
✓ Correct
- Contains Curie directly admitting "my early techniques...were crude and imprecise"
- Perfectly matches the passage's claim about her acknowledging "crude nature of her initial methods"
noted in her laboratory journal, "The results continue to confound our existing theories about atomic structure."
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on confusing experimental results, not on method quality
- Shows scientific puzzlement but not acknowledgment of crude methods
observed to a fellow scientist, "These new discoveries will undoubtedly reshape our understanding of matter itself."
✗ Incorrect
- Discusses the impact of discoveries rather than method quality
- Forward-looking and positive, not acknowledging past limitations
declared in a letter, "I refuse to be deterred by those who question the validity of my research methods."
✗ Incorrect
- Shows defiance and refusal to acknowledge criticism
- Completely opposite of acknowledging shortcomings