The repeated design modifications and material upgrades have made the suspension bridge project increasingly ______. What began as a standard...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The repeated design modifications and material upgrades have made the suspension bridge project increasingly ______. What began as a standard construction timeline has expanded due to engineers discovering that conventional materials couldn't withstand the site's unique environmental challenges.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
a routine
a complex
a disputed
a temporary
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The repeated design modifications and material upgrades have made the suspension bridge project increasingly ______." |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| "What began as a standard construction timeline has expanded due to engineers discovering that conventional materials couldn't withstand the site's unique environmental challenges." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A suspension bridge project has become increasingly challenging due to repeated design changes needed when conventional materials proved inadequate for the site's environmental conditions.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from describing the effect (project changing due to modifications and upgrades) to explaining the cause (materials couldn't handle the environmental challenges, forcing timeline expansion).
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 gives us several clues: repeated design modifications, material upgrades, timeline expansion, and engineers discovering that conventional materials couldn't withstand environmental challenges
- The right answer should describe a project that has become more difficult, complicated, or challenging due to all these unexpected problems and necessary changes
a routine
✗ Incorrect
- "Routine" suggests something ordinary and predictable
- The passage describes the opposite - unexpected challenges, material failures, and timeline expansion
a complex
✓ Correct
- "Complex" perfectly captures what happens when you have repeated modifications, material upgrades, and expanded timelines
- Matches our prethinking about the project becoming more difficult and complicated
a disputed
✗ Incorrect
- "Disputed" implies disagreement or controversy between parties
- Nothing in the passage suggests conflict between people - only technical challenges with materials and environment
a temporary
✗ Incorrect
- "Temporary" suggests something short-term or not permanent
- The passage describes a project that's actually taking longer than expected, not shorter