Sumerian civilization (which lasted from around 3300 to 2000 BCE) ________ many concepts that persist into present-day civilizations: for example,...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Sumerian civilization (which lasted from around 3300 to 2000 BCE) ________ many concepts that persist into present-day civilizations: for example, the first description of the seven-day week appears in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
transformed
introduced
inherited
overlooked
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Sumerian civilization (which lasted from around 3300 to 2000 BCE)' |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| 'many concepts that persist into present-day civilizations' |
|
| 'for example, the first description of the seven-day week appears in the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Sumerian civilization created concepts that continue to influence modern civilizations.
Argument Flow: The sentence establishes ancient Sumerian civilization as the subject, then needs a word to describe their relationship to concepts that still exist today, supported by the example of the seven-day week first appearing in Sumerian literature.
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 word must describe what Sumerian civilization did with these concepts
- The concepts 'persist into present-day civilizations,' meaning they continue today
- The example shows the 'first description' of the seven-day week appears in Sumerian texts
- This suggests Sumerians were the originators or first creators of these concepts
- The right answer should indicate that Sumerians were the first to create, establish, or present these concepts that we still use today
transformed
✗ Incorrect
- This means changed or modified something existing
- Doesn't fit because the context suggests Sumerians were the originators, not that they changed existing concepts
- The example of 'first description' supports origination, not transformation
introduced
✓ Correct
- This means brought into use for the first time or presented for the first time
- Perfectly matches the context that shows Sumerians as originators
- Aligns with 'first description' in the example - they introduced concepts that persist today
inherited
✗ Incorrect
- This means received from predecessors
- Contradicts the timeline since Sumerians were one of the earliest civilizations (3300-2000 BCE)
- Students might think about how modern civilizations inherited from Sumerians, but the sentence structure shows Sumerians as the subject doing the action
overlooked
✗ Incorrect
- This means failed to notice or pay attention to
- Makes no logical sense in context - if they overlooked concepts, those concepts wouldn't persist or appear in their literature
- Contradicts the supporting example entirely