While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Clean Water Restoration Act was introduced in Congress in...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Clean Water Restoration Act was introduced in Congress in March 2019.
- It aimed to strengthen federal oversight of water pollution in navigable waterways.
- The legislation specifically targeted industrial discharge violations in the Great Lakes region.
- Environmental groups strongly supported the bill's provisions for increased monitoring.
- The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate due to industry opposition.
- If enacted, the legislation would have applied to all waterways connected to the Great Lakes system.
The student wants to emphasize the comprehensive scope that the legislation would have achieved if enacted. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
The Clean Water Restoration Act passed the House but stalled in the Senate due to industry opposition from affected regions.
Environmental groups strongly supported the Clean Water Restoration Act because it would strengthen federal oversight of water pollution.
The Clean Water Restoration Act would have applied to all Great Lakes waterways while specifically targeting industrial discharge violations and increasing monitoring oversight.
The Clean Water Restoration Act specifically targeted industrial discharge violations in the Great Lakes region when it was introduced in March 2019.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The Clean Water Restoration Act was introduced in Congress in March 2019.' |
|
| 'It aimed to strengthen federal oversight of water pollution in navigable waterways.' |
|
| 'The legislation specifically targeted industrial discharge violations in the Great Lakes region.' |
|
| 'Environmental groups strongly supported the bill's provisions for increased monitoring.' |
|
| 'The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate due to industry opposition.' |
|
| 'If enacted, the legislation would have applied to all waterways connected to the Great Lakes system.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Clean Water Restoration Act was a 2019 bill that would have provided comprehensive federal oversight of water pollution across the entire Great Lakes waterway system.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the bill's basic timeline and main purpose, then details its specific focus on industrial violations in the Great Lakes region while noting environmental support for monitoring provisions. After explaining the bill's mixed legislative success, the passage concludes by revealing the comprehensive scope it would have achieved if fully enacted.
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 right answer needs to capture the broad reach and multiple aspects of what this bill would have accomplished
- Looking at our notes, 'comprehensive scope' would include:
- The wide geographic coverage (all waterways connected to Great Lakes)
- Multiple types of oversight (targeting violations AND increasing monitoring)
- The hypothetical nature using 'would have' language since the bill didn't actually pass
- The answer should combine these elements to show just how extensive and far-reaching this legislation would have been
The Clean Water Restoration Act passed the House but stalled in the Senate due to industry opposition from affected regions.
- Focuses on the political process rather than scope
- Doesn't address what the bill would have achieved
Environmental groups strongly supported the Clean Water Restoration Act because it would strengthen federal oversight of water pollution.
- Only mentions one aspect (strengthening federal oversight) without showing comprehensive nature
- Missing the specific details that demonstrate broad scope
The Clean Water Restoration Act would have applied to all Great Lakes waterways while specifically targeting industrial discharge violations and increasing monitoring oversight.
- Combines geographic comprehensiveness ('all Great Lakes waterways') with multiple oversight functions ('targeting industrial discharge violations and increasing monitoring oversight')
- Uses 'would have' language matching the hypothetical nature the question requires
- Demonstrates the broad, multi-faceted scope the legislation would have achieved
The Clean Water Restoration Act specifically targeted industrial discharge violations in the Great Lakes region when it was introduced in March 2019.
- Only mentions one specific target without broader scope
- Focuses on when it was introduced rather than what it would have achieved if enacted