Since its founding in 1953, the Journal of Molecular Biology has established itself as a leading publication in biological research....
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Since its founding in 1953, the Journal of Molecular Biology has established itself as a leading publication in biological research. The journal further cemented its ______ in the scientific community when it published Watson and Crick's landmark DNA structure papers: these groundbreaking articles not only revolutionized understanding of genetics but also attracted the field's most prestigious researchers as regular contributors.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
impartiality
authority
obscurity
controversy
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Since its founding in 1953, the Journal of Molecular Biology has established itself as a leading publication in biological research." |
|
| "The journal further cemented its _______ in the scientific community when it published Watson and Crick's landmark DNA structure papers" |
|
| "these groundbreaking articles not only revolutionized understanding of genetics but also attracted the field's most prestigious researchers as regular contributors." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture
Main Point: The Journal of Molecular Biology strengthened its position in the scientific community by publishing Watson and Crick's revolutionary DNA papers.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the journal's reputation, then shows how publishing landmark papers further enhanced that standing.
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 journal cemented its something by publishing revolutionary papers that attracted prestigious researchers
- We need a word that describes what gets strengthened when you publish groundbreaking work that draws top scientists
- The context shows positive outcomes, so the answer should describe respected standing or credibility
impartiality
✗ Incorrect
- Impartiality means being neutral
- Publishing revolutionary papers wouldn't cement neutrality
authority
✓ Correct
- Authority means credibility and leadership position
- Publishing landmark papers would cement the journal's authority in the scientific community
- This matches with attracting prestigious researchers
obscurity
✗ Incorrect
- Obscurity means being unknown
- The context describes the opposite - the journal became more prominent
controversy
✗ Incorrect
- Controversy suggests dispute
- The passage presents only positive outcomes and acceptance by top researchers