The discoverers of the minor planet 1227 Geranium named it after the plant genus that includes cranesbills. Most of the...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The discoverers of the minor planet 1227 Geranium named it after the plant genus that includes cranesbills. Most of the recently discovered minor planets, however, are given only an identification number, largely due to there being over 500,000 such bodies known at present, which makes the already challenging task of finding a unique name for each nearly ______.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
insurmountable
feasible
substantial
unnecessary
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The discoverers of the minor planet 1227 Geranium named it after the plant genus that includes cranesbills.' |
|
| 'Most of the recently discovered minor planets, however, are given only an identification number,' |
|
| 'largely due to there being over 500,000 such bodies known at present,' |
|
| 'which makes the already challenging task of finding a unique name for each nearly ______.' |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The sheer number of known minor planets (500,000+) has made the already difficult task of finding unique names for each one extremely challenging.
Argument Flow: The passage starts with an example of creative naming, then contrasts this with current practice of using only numbers. It explains this shift happened because of the massive quantity of known bodies, which has intensified the difficulty of the naming task to some extreme degree.
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 passage builds a logical progression: naming was already challenging → now there are 500,000+ bodies → this makes naming nearly ______
- We need a word that shows how this huge quantity has made an already difficult task even worse
- The context suggests we've gone from 'challenging' to something more extreme - the task has become much harder, perhaps to the point where it's almost impossible to accomplish
insurmountable
✓ Correct
- 'Insurmountable' means nearly impossible to overcome or achieve
- Fits perfectly with the logical flow: challenging task + massive quantity = nearly impossible
- Shows the escalation from 'challenging' to an even more extreme difficulty level
feasible
✗ Incorrect
- 'Feasible' means achievable or possible to do
- Contradicts the entire logical flow - if there are 500,000+ bodies making naming harder, it wouldn't become more feasible
substantial
✗ Incorrect
- 'Substantial' means considerable in size or amount
- Doesn't make logical sense in context - a task can't be 'nearly substantial'
unnecessary
✗ Incorrect
- 'Unnecessary' means not needed
- Contradicts the passage's premise that naming is a task worth discussing