'The Mountain' is a 1914 poem by Robert Frost. In the poem, the speaker visits a town next to a...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
'The Mountain' is a 1914 poem by Robert Frost. In the poem, the speaker visits a town next to a mountain. The speaker claims to feel protected by the mountain, saying ______
Which quotation from "The Mountain" most effectively illustrates the claim?
'A dry ravine emerged under boughs / Into the pasture.'
'The mountain stood there to be pointed at.'
'I felt it like a wall / Behind which I was sheltered from a wind.'
'I crossed the river and swung round the mountain.'
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "'The Mountain' is a 1914 poem by Robert Frost." |
|
| "In the poem, the speaker visits a town next to a mountain." |
|
| "The speaker claims to feel protected by the mountain, saying ______" |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: We need to identify which quotation from the poem best supports the claim that the speaker feels protected by the mountain.
Argument Flow: The setup provides source attribution, establishes the poem's setting with a speaker near a mountain, then presents the specific claim about feeling protected that requires supporting textual evidence.
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 directly express or clearly imply the speaker feeling protected, safe, or sheltered
- Specifically connect this protective feeling to the mountain
- Use language that conveys security or shielding from something potentially threatening or uncomfortable
'A dry ravine emerged under boughs / Into the pasture.'
✗ Incorrect
- Describes landscape features without any reference to protection or the speaker's feelings
- No connection to safety, shelter, or protective qualities
'The mountain stood there to be pointed at.'
✗ Incorrect
- Describes the mountain as a landmark or point of reference
- Focuses on the mountain's prominence rather than its protective function
- No mention of the speaker feeling safe or sheltered
'I felt it like a wall / Behind which I was sheltered from a wind.'
✓ Correct
- Directly states "I felt it like a wall / Behind which I was sheltered from a wind"
- Uses explicit protective language: "sheltered" clearly shows protection
- Provides concrete protective scenario that demonstrates the claimed feeling
- Mountain-as-wall metaphor perfectly captures the sense of barrier providing safety
'I crossed the river and swung round the mountain.'
✗ Incorrect
- Describes the speaker's physical movement around geographical features
- Focuses on navigation and travel rather than emotional feelings of protection
- No reference to safety, shelter, or the mountain's protective qualities