While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Rosa Parks was an African American seamstress living in Montgomery,...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Rosa Parks was an African American seamstress living in Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1950s.
- On December 1, 1955, she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, violating the city's segregation laws.
- Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted 381 days.
- The boycott was organized by the Montgomery Improvement Association, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- The protest successfully challenged segregated public transportation and became a catalyst for the broader civil rights movement.
- Parks became known as "the mother of the civil rights movement" for her pivotal role in igniting nationwide change.
The student wants to explain how Parks became a significant historical figure. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Rosa Parks was an African American seamstress who lived in Montgomery, Alabama, and refused to give up her bus seat in 1955.
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat on December 1, 1955, her arrest triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which challenged segregation and sparked the broader civil rights movement.
The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days and was organized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through the Montgomery Improvement Association.
Known as "the mother of the civil rights movement," Rosa Parks violated Montgomery's segregation laws and became a significant historical figure.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Rosa Parks was an African American seamstress living in Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1950s." |
|
| "On December 1, 1955, she refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, violating the city's segregation laws." |
|
| "Her arrest sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted 381 days." |
|
| "The boycott was organized by the Montgomery Improvement Association, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." |
|
| "The protest successfully challenged segregated public transportation and became a catalyst for the broader civil rights movement." |
|
| "Parks became known as 'the mother of the civil rights movement' for her pivotal role in igniting nationwide change." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat triggered a chain of events that transformed her from a local seamstress into a pivotal figure who sparked the broader civil rights movement.
Argument Flow: The passage traces a clear causal progression from Parks' individual act of defiance, through the organized response it generated, to its ultimate impact on American society.
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
- To explain how Parks became historically significant, we need to trace the progression from her individual action to her broader impact
- The right answer should show: her specific act of defiance, the immediate consequence, and the larger impact on challenging segregation and sparking the civil rights movement
Rosa Parks was an African American seamstress who lived in Montgomery, Alabama, and refused to give up her bus seat in 1955.
✗ Incorrect
- Simply provides biographical information and mentions her refusal
- Fails to explain how this made her historically significant
- Missing the crucial connection to broader impact
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat on December 1, 1955, her arrest triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which challenged segregation and sparked the broader civil rights movement.
✓ Correct
- Shows the complete causal chain: refusal, arrest, boycott, challenged segregation, sparked broader movement
- Uses strong action verbs that demonstrate impact
- Directly addresses how her individual action led to historical significance
The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days and was organized by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through the Montgomery Improvement Association.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the boycott details and MLK Jr.'s role rather than Parks herself
- Doesn't explain how Parks became significant
Known as "the mother of the civil rights movement," Rosa Parks violated Montgomery's segregation laws and became a significant historical figure.
✗ Incorrect
- Starts with the conclusion without explaining how she got there
- Doesn't provide the causal explanation the question seeks