The Riverside Community Center was designed to serve as a hub for neighborhood activities and social programs. Initial planning documents...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
The Riverside Community Center was designed to serve as a hub for neighborhood activities and social programs. Initial planning documents emphasized the facility's potential to strengthen community bonds through shared spaces and programming. _____ many residents have found the center difficult to access due to limited parking and public transportation options.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?
Additionally,
Nevertheless,
Specifically,
Similarly,
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Riverside Community Center was designed to serve as a hub for neighborhood activities and social programs." |
|
| "Initial planning documents emphasized the facility's potential to strengthen community bonds through shared spaces and programming." |
|
| [MISSING TRANSITION] |
|
| "many residents have found the center difficult to access due to limited parking and public transportation options." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Riverside Community Center was intended to strengthen community bonds, but accessibility issues have created barriers for residents.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the center's positive intended purpose and planning goals, then presents the contrasting reality that residents face access difficulties due to practical limitations.
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 sentences before the blank discuss positive intentions - the center was designed to be a community hub and strengthen bonds
- The sentence after the blank presents a problem - residents find it difficult to access due to parking and transportation issues
- We need a transition that shows contrast between the intended positive outcome and the actual negative reality
Additionally,
✗ Incorrect
- This transition adds supporting information in the same direction
- Would suggest the access problems support the community-building goal
Nevertheless,
✓ Correct
- Shows contrast between intended purpose and actual problems
- Signals that despite the positive planning, problems exist
Specifically,
✗ Incorrect
- This introduces a specific example of the previous point
- Would suggest access problems are a specific way the center strengthens bonds
Similarly,
✗ Incorrect
- Indicates the following information is comparable to what came before
- Would suggest access problems are similar to strengthening community bonds