Several studies have found negligible electoral consequences for governments that impose fiscal austerity measures, yet some European governments rece...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Several studies have found negligible electoral consequences for governments that impose fiscal austerity measures, yet some European governments recently suffered electorally due to their austerity programs. Evelyne Huebscher and colleagues attribute this incongruity to governments' tendency—not followed in the recent European cases—to implement austerity programs strategically to avoid electoral costs (e.g., setting spending cuts to take effect only after the next election), which has obscured the inherent political risks of austerity measures in the election data scholars have examined.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
It explains a discrepancy between what has been observed in study settings and what has been observed in real-world settings that the text goes on to assert is attributable to the studies not using real-world data.
It identifies a conflict between research findings and recent events that the text goes on to suggest is a consequence of a complicating factor in the data used to generate those findings.
It presents a long-standing divergence in research findings that the text goes on to say is due to different groups of researchers using data that derive from different electoral circumstances.
It describes a recent exception to a general pattern in research findings that the text goes on to explain is a result of researchers underestimating the significance of inconsistencies in the data they've analyzed.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Several studies have found negligible electoral consequences for governments that impose fiscal austerity measures, yet some European governments recently suffered electorally due to their austerity programs." |
|
| "Evelyne Huebscher and colleagues attribute this incongruity to governments' tendency—not followed in the recent European cases—to implement austerity programs strategically to avoid electoral costs" |
|
| "which has obscured the inherent political risks of austerity measures in the election data scholars have examined." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The apparent contradiction between research showing no electoral consequences for austerity and recent European electoral losses can be explained by governments' strategic timing of austerity measures, which has hidden the true political risks in scholarly data.
Argument Flow: The passage begins by presenting conflicting evidence—studies versus recent European cases—then provides an expert explanation for this discrepancy based on strategic implementation timing, and concludes by explaining how this timing issue has affected the validity of research data.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole
What type of answer do we need? A description of what role this specific sentence plays in the overall passage structure
Any limiting keywords? "underlined sentence"—we're focusing only on the first sentence, and "in the text as a whole"—we need to consider how it relates to the entire passage
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The underlined sentence presents two conflicting pieces of information—research findings versus recent European experience
- This creates a puzzle that needs explanation
- The rest of the passage provides that explanation through expert analysis
- So the right answer should identify this sentence as presenting conflicting evidence that sets up the explanation that follows
It explains a discrepancy between what has been observed in study settings and what has been observed in real-world settings that the text goes on to assert is attributable to the studies not using real-world data.
- Claims it's about study settings vs real-world settings and studies not using real-world data
- The passage doesn't say studies didn't use real-world data—it says strategic timing obscured the risks in the data
It identifies a conflict between research findings and recent events that the text goes on to suggest is a consequence of a complicating factor in the data used to generate those findings.
- Accurately identifies the conflict between research findings and recent events
- Correctly notes that the text suggests this is due to a complicating factor in the data
It presents a long-standing divergence in research findings that the text goes on to say is due to different groups of researchers using data that derive from different electoral circumstances.
- Talks about "long-standing divergence in research findings" from different groups of researchers
- The sentence doesn't present conflicting research findings—it presents research findings versus recent real-world events
It describes a recent exception to a general pattern in research findings that the text goes on to explain is a result of researchers underestimating the significance of inconsistencies in the data they've analyzed.
- Describes it as a "recent exception to a general pattern in research findings"
- While the European cases are recent, the sentence presents them as conflicting with research, not as exceptions researchers have noted