Researchers Suchithra Rajendran and Maximilian Popfinger modeled varying levels of passenger redistribution from short-haul flights (flights of 50 to ...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Researchers Suchithra Rajendran and Maximilian Popfinger modeled varying levels of passenger redistribution from short-haul flights (flights of 50 to 210 minutes, from takeoff to landing) to high-speed rail trips. Planes travel faster than trains, but air travel typically requires 3 hours of lead time for security, baggage handling, and boarding that rail travel doesn't, so short-haul routes take similar amounts of time by air and by rail. However, the model suggests that as rail passenger volumes approach current capacity limits, long lead times emerge. Therefore, for rail to remain a viable alternative to short-haul flights, ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
rail systems should offer fewer long-haul routes and airlines should offer more long-haul routes.
rail systems may need to schedule additional trains for these routes.
security, baggage handling, and boarding procedures used by airlines may need to be implemented for rail systems.
passengers who travel by rail for these routes will need to accept that lead times will be similar to those for air travel.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Researchers Suchithra Rajendran and Maximilian Popfinger modeled varying levels of passenger redistribution from short-haul flights (flights of 50 to 210 minutes, from takeoff to landing) to high-speed rail trips." |
|
| "Planes travel faster than trains, but air travel typically requires 3 hours of lead time for security, baggage handling, and boarding that rail travel doesn't, so short-haul routes take similar amounts of time by air and by rail." |
|
| "However, the model suggests that as rail passenger volumes approach current capacity limits, long lead times emerge." |
|
| "Therefore, for rail to remain a viable alternative to short-haul flights, ______" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Research shows that rail systems need to address capacity issues to maintain their competitive advantage over short-haul flights.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that rail currently competes well with air travel because it avoids the 3-hour lead times that air travel requires. However, this advantage disappears when rail systems approach capacity limits because long lead times then emerge for rail too. The logical conclusion must address how rail can solve this capacity problem.
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 right answer should address the capacity problem directly
- Prevent or minimize the long lead times that emerge at high capacity
- Keep rail competitive with air travel
- So the right answer should suggest increasing rail capacity or managing demand to prevent the lead time problem from occurring
rail systems should offer fewer long-haul routes and airlines should offer more long-haul routes.
- Suggests rail should offer fewer long-haul routes while airlines offer more
- This doesn't address the capacity problem for short-haul routes
rail systems may need to schedule additional trains for these routes.
- Suggests scheduling additional trains for these routes
- Directly addresses capacity limits by increasing capacity
- More trains = less crowding = shorter lead times
security, baggage handling, and boarding procedures used by airlines may need to be implemented for rail systems.
- Suggests implementing airline security/baggage procedures for rail
- This would eliminate rail's main advantage (no lead time)
passengers who travel by rail for these routes will need to accept that lead times will be similar to those for air travel.
- Suggests passengers should accept that rail lead times will match air travel
- This eliminates rail's competitive advantage entirely