While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Riverside Community Garden project was initiated in downtown Portland...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Riverside Community Garden project was initiated in downtown Portland in 2015.
- City planners designated three vacant lots for conversion into community growing spaces.
- Local residents initially participated in basic vegetable cultivation and flower planting.
- By 2018, the project had expanded to include composting workshops and youth education programs.
- The success led neighboring districts to request similar community garden initiatives.
- Today, Portland operates twelve community gardens that serve over 300 families across the metropolitan area.
The student wants to show the development of the community garden program over time. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Portland's Riverside Community Garden project was initiated in 2015 when city planners designated three vacant lots for community growing spaces.
The community garden project began with basic cultivation but expanded to include composting workshops and youth education programs.
Beginning with three lots in 2015, Portland's community garden program grew from basic cultivation to educational programming, ultimately expanding to twelve gardens serving over 300 families.
Portland now operates twelve community gardens serving over 300 families, though the program started with just three vacant lots in 2015.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The Riverside Community Garden project was initiated in downtown Portland in 2015.' |
|
| 'City planners designated three vacant lots for conversion into community growing spaces.' |
|
| 'Local residents initially participated in basic vegetable cultivation and flower planting.' |
|
| 'By 2018, the project had expanded to include composting workshops and youth education programs.' |
|
| 'The success led neighboring districts to request similar community garden initiatives.' |
|
| 'Today, Portland operates twelve community gardens that serve over 300 families across the metropolitan area.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Portland's community garden program grew from a small local project in 2015 to a citywide initiative serving hundreds of families.
Argument Flow: The notes trace a clear development timeline starting with the basic 2015 launch details, showing programmatic expansion by 2018, demonstrating success through district requests for similar programs, and culminating in today's large-scale operation across the metropolitan area.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The student wants to show the development of the community garden program over time.
What type of answer do we need? A sentence that demonstrates chronological progression and growth.
Any limiting keywords? 'over time' is crucial - we need to show temporal development, not just a snapshot.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The right answer should include timeline elements (2015 start, progression through 2018, current state)
- Show growth in scale (from 3 lots to 12 gardens, from local to metropolitan)
- Demonstrate development in programming (from basic cultivation to educational programs)
- Emphasize the progression aspect since the goal is specifically to show 'development over time'
Portland's Riverside Community Garden project was initiated in 2015 when city planners designated three vacant lots for community growing spaces.
- Only covers the 2015 beginning with initial scope
- Completely misses the development and progression over time
- Provides a static snapshot rather than showing growth
The community garden project began with basic cultivation but expanded to include composting workshops and youth education programs.
- Shows some programmatic development (basic to expanded activities) but is missing the crucial timeline elements and scale growth
- Doesn't capture the full scope of development from 3 lots to 12 gardens serving 300+ families
Beginning with three lots in 2015, Portland's community garden program grew from basic cultivation to educational programming, ultimately expanding to twelve gardens serving over 300 families.
- Includes complete timeline ('Beginning with three lots in 2015')
- Shows programmatic development ('grew from basic cultivation to educational programming')
- Demonstrates scale expansion ('ultimately expanding to twelve gardens serving over 300 families')
- Perfect structure for showing development 'over time' with clear progression
Portland now operates twelve community gardens serving over 300 families, though the program started with just three vacant lots in 2015.
- Contains the right information but presents it backwards
- Starts with current state then mentions the beginning
- Doesn't effectively show development 'over time' - more like comparing then vs. now