While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Sam Maloof (1916–2009) was an American woodworker and furniture designer.He...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Sam Maloof (1916–2009) was an American woodworker and furniture designer.
- He was the son of Lebanese immigrants.
- He received a 'genius grant' from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 1985.
- The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, owns a rocking chair that Maloof made from walnut wood.
- The armrests and the seat of the chair are sleek and contoured, and the back consists of seven spindle-like slats.
The student wants to describe the rocking chair to an audience unfamiliar with Sam Maloof. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
With its sleek, contoured armrests and seat, the walnut rocking chair in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is just one piece of furniture created by American woodworker Sam Maloof.
Sam Maloof was born in 1916 and died in 2009, and during his life, he made a chair that you can see if you visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
Furniture designer Sam Maloof was a recipient of one of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's 'genius grants.'
The rocking chair is made from walnut, and it has been shaped such that its armrests and seat are sleek and contoured.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Sam Maloof (1916–2009) was an American woodworker and furniture designer. |
|
| He was the son of Lebanese immigrants. |
|
| He received a 'genius grant' from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 1985. |
|
| The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, owns a rocking chair that Maloof made from walnut wood. |
|
| The armrests and the seat of the chair are sleek and contoured, and the back consists of seven spindle-like slats. |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: These research notes document Sam Maloof as an accomplished American furniture designer and provide specific details about one of his notable pieces—a walnut rocking chair housed in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts.
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
- Since the audience is unfamiliar with Sam Maloof, the right answer must serve two purposes: it needs to describe the rocking chair's specific features while also providing enough context about who Sam Maloof is
- We have detailed information about the chair's design (sleek and contoured armrests and seat, walnut material, seven spindle slats)
- We know he's an American woodworker and furniture designer
With its sleek, contoured armrests and seat, the walnut rocking chair in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is just one piece of furniture created by American woodworker Sam Maloof.
- Describes specific chair features: sleek, contoured armrests and seat and walnut
- Provides essential context: American woodworker Sam Maloof
- Efficiently serves both purposes for an audience unfamiliar with Maloof
- Uses relevant information directly from the notes
Sam Maloof was born in 1916 and died in 2009, and during his life, he made a chair that you can see if you visit the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
- Focuses on biographical dates (1916-2009) rather than describing the chair
- Mentions the chair exists but provides no description of its features
- Does not use the detailed design information available in the notes
Furniture designer Sam Maloof was a recipient of one of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's 'genius grants.'
- Focuses entirely on Maloof's MacArthur grant achievement
- Provides no description of the rocking chair at all
- Misses the primary goal of describing the chair
The rocking chair is made from walnut, and it has been shaped such that its armrests and seat are sleek and contoured.
- Describes the chair well with walnut and sleek and contoured features
- Completely fails to identify who Sam Maloof is for the unfamiliar audience
- Students might focus only on chair description and forget the audience needs context