The general store was essential to daily life in the rural United States during the 1800s because it provided the...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The general store was essential to daily life in the rural United States during the 1800s because it provided the supplies that the people living in nearby communities needed. Also, the store was a _______ of information. People socializing at the general store would share news and help spread it throughout their communities.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The general store was essential to daily life in the rural United States during the 1800s because it provided the supplies that the people living in nearby communities needed." |
|
| "Also, the store was a" |
|
| "[MISSING WORD]" |
|
| "of information." |
|
| "People socializing at the general store would share news and help spread it throughout their communities." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: General stores served dual purposes in 1800s rural America—providing essential supplies and functioning as information hubs for communities.
Argument Flow: The passage first establishes that general stores were essential for supplies, then introduces a second important function related to information, and finally provides evidence showing how people used these stores to share and spread news throughout their communities.
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
- Based on our analysis, the store served as a place where information flowed
- The evidence shows people "socializing," "sharing news," and helping to "spread it throughout their communities"
- This suggests the store was where information originated or was distributed from—like a central point where information came from and went out to the community
- The relationship needed is one that shows the store as the origin or starting point of information flow, not just any connection to information
- So the right answer should describe the store as the origin or starting point of information for the community
- "Source" means origin or starting point
- Perfectly matches how the store functioned—people gathered there, shared news, then spread it to their communities
- Creates the logical flow: store = where information originates → people spread it outward
- "Rival" means competitor or opponent
- Makes no logical sense—information cannot compete with a store
- Completely contradicts the evidence showing the store facilitated information sharing
- "Condition" refers to a state or requirement
- Doesn't describe a functional relationship between the store and information
- Fails to connect with the evidence about people sharing and spreading news
- "Waste" means something discarded or unused
- Completely contradicts the evidence showing active information sharing and spreading
- What trap this represents: Students might misread the context and think information was somehow squandered, but the evidence clearly shows productive information flow