While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: The Metropolitan Community Garden was established in downtown Portland...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Metropolitan Community Garden was established in downtown Portland in 2019.
- The garden serves over 200 local families with fresh produce access.
- Community volunteers Maria Santos and James Liu have been instrumental in the garden's success.
- Santos coordinates the weekend farmers markets held at the garden.
- Liu manages the educational workshops on sustainable growing practices.
The student wants to emphasize the complementary roles of the two key volunteers.
Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Maria Santos and James Liu have been instrumental volunteers at the Metropolitan Community Garden since its 2019 establishment.
The Metropolitan Community Garden benefits from Maria Santos's market coordination and James Liu's educational workshop management.
While Santos organizes weekend farmers markets, Liu focuses on teaching sustainable growing practices to garden participants.
Community volunteers like Maria Santos and James Liu help the Metropolitan Community Garden serve over 200 local families.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Metropolitan Community Garden was established in downtown Portland in 2019." |
|
| "The garden serves over 200 local families with fresh produce access." |
|
| "Community volunteers Maria Santos and James Liu have been instrumental in the garden's success." |
|
| "Santos coordinates the weekend farmers markets held at the garden." |
|
| "Liu manages the educational workshops on sustainable growing practices." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Metropolitan Community Garden's success depends significantly on two key volunteers who each handle different but important aspects of the operation.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the garden's basic facts and community impact, then identifies two crucial volunteers before detailing their distinct responsibilities.
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 should mention both Santos and Liu by name
- The right answer should specify their different roles (Santos with markets, Liu with workshops)
- The right answer should show these roles work together or complement each other
- The right answer should use phrasing that emphasizes the complementary nature
Maria Santos and James Liu have been instrumental volunteers at the Metropolitan Community Garden since its 2019 establishment.
✗ Incorrect
- Simply states both volunteers have been instrumental since 2019
- Doesn't specify their different roles or show complementary nature
- Too general
The Metropolitan Community Garden benefits from Maria Santos's market coordination and James Liu's educational workshop management.
✗ Incorrect
- Mentions both specific roles but uses passive phrasing
- Doesn't emphasize how the roles work together - just lists them
While Santos organizes weekend farmers markets, Liu focuses on teaching sustainable growing practices to garden participants.
✓ Correct
- Uses contrast words to show complementary roles
- Specifically mentions Santos's market role and Liu's education role
- Structure clearly shows they focus on different but related aspects
- Perfectly emphasizes complementary nature
Community volunteers like Maria Santos and James Liu help the Metropolitan Community Garden serve over 200 local families.
✗ Incorrect
- Groups them together as general volunteers without distinguishing roles
- Focuses on overall impact rather than their complementary functions