Students with dyslexia have traditionally struggled with reading comprehension, leading educators to focus primarily on phonetic decoding strategies. ...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Students with dyslexia have traditionally struggled with reading comprehension, leading educators to focus primarily on phonetic decoding strategies. Recent research by cognitive scientist Dr. James Wright and colleagues has uncovered additional processing mechanisms that these students employ. The study found that dyslexic students often develop enhanced spatial reasoning abilities that help them navigate complex texts. Furthermore, they frequently utilize contextual inference skills more extensively than typical readers, creating alternative pathways to comprehension that complement traditional phonetic approaches.
Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?
To advocate for new teaching methods specifically designed for students with dyslexia
To describe research that expands understanding of how dyslexic students process written information
To compare the reading abilities of dyslexic students with those of typical readers
To explain why traditional phonetic approaches are insufficient for dyslexic learners
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Students with dyslexia have traditionally struggled with reading comprehension, leading educators to focus primarily on phonetic decoding strategies.' |
|
| 'Recent research by cognitive scientist Dr. James Wright and colleagues has uncovered additional processing mechanisms that these students employ.' |
|
| 'The study found that dyslexic students often develop enhanced spatial reasoning abilities that help them navigate complex texts.' |
|
| 'Furthermore, they frequently utilize contextual inference skills more extensively than typical readers, creating alternative pathways to comprehension that complement traditional phonetic approaches.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Recent research has discovered that dyslexic students use additional processing mechanisms beyond what educators traditionally focused on, including enhanced spatial reasoning and contextual inference skills.
Argument Flow: The passage starts by establishing the traditional educational focus on phonetic strategies for dyslexic students, then introduces new research that has uncovered additional processing mechanisms these students employ. It describes two specific findings and concludes by noting these discoveries complement rather than replace traditional approaches.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The main purpose of the entire text
What type of answer do we need? A statement that captures why the author wrote this passage
Any limiting keywords? Content Genre: Humanities & Social Sciences, Content Format: Text-only, Question Type: Main Point or Purpose (entire), Language Complexity: Moderate
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage is fundamentally about presenting new research findings
- The key elements the correct answer should have:
- Focuses on research/study findings being presented
- Mentions that this research expands or adds to our understanding
- Relates to how dyslexic students process written information
- The right answer should indicate this text describes research that broadens our understanding of dyslexic students' information processing abilities
To advocate for new teaching methods specifically designed for students with dyslexia
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests the text is advocating for new teaching methods. The passage describes research findings but doesn't advocate for implementing new methods.
To describe research that expands understanding of how dyslexic students process written information
✓ Correct
- Perfectly captures that this text describes research findings. 'Expands understanding' matches how the passage introduces new mechanisms beyond traditional focus. Matches our prethinking exactly.
To compare the reading abilities of dyslexic students with those of typical readers
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests the main purpose is comparison between dyslexic and typical readers. While the passage mentions typical readers once, comparison isn't the central focus.
To explain why traditional phonetic approaches are insufficient for dyslexic learners
✗ Incorrect
- This implies the text explains problems with traditional approaches. The passage actually says new findings 'complement traditional phonetic approaches.'