While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The South Bronx area of New York City experienced severe...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The South Bronx area of New York City experienced severe economic decline and population loss during the 1970s.
- Many buildings were abandoned, and unemployment rates reached critical levels in the community.
- Urban planner Maria Rodriguez proposed the "Green Futures Initiative" in 1985.
- Her plan converted vacant lots into community gardens and created job training programs for residents.
- Some city officials questioned whether small-scale projects could address such widespread problems.
- The initiative created over 200 jobs and established 50 community gardens, becoming a model for urban renewal nationwide.
The student wants to emphasize the initiative's significance. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Urban planner Maria Rodriguez proposed the "Green Futures Initiative" in 1985, which converted vacant lots and created job training programs.
Addressing widespread economic decline through community-based solutions, the initiative created over 200 jobs and 50 gardens, becoming a nationwide model for urban renewal.
The South Bronx experienced severe economic decline during the 1970s, with many abandoned buildings and high unemployment rates.
Some city officials questioned whether small-scale projects like community gardens could solve such extensive urban problems.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The South Bronx area of New York City experienced severe economic decline and population loss during the 1970s." |
|
| "Many buildings were abandoned, and unemployment rates reached critical levels in the community." |
|
| "Urban planner Maria Rodriguez proposed the 'Green Futures Initiative' in 1985." |
|
| "Her plan converted vacant lots into community gardens and created job training programs for residents." |
|
| "Some city officials questioned whether small-scale projects could address such widespread problems." |
|
| "The initiative created over 200 jobs and established 50 community gardens, becoming a model for urban renewal nationwide." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[PROBLEM CONTEXT]
- Economic decline in S. Bronx (1970s)
- Abandoned buildings, unemployment
→ [PROPOSED SOLUTION]
- Rodriguez's "Green Futures Initiative" (1985)
- Gardens + job training programs
→ [SKEPTICISM]
- Officials questioned small-scale approach
→ [SUCCESS/SIGNIFICANCE]
- 200+ jobs, 50 gardens
- National model for urban renewal
Main Point: The Green Futures Initiative successfully addressed the South Bronx's economic problems and became a significant nationwide model for urban renewal.
Argument Flow: The notes establish a severe urban crisis in the South Bronx, introduce Rodriguez's community-based solution, acknowledge skepticism about its scale, then demonstrate the initiative's remarkable success and broader significance as a national model.
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
- To effectively emphasize the initiative's significance, the right answer should:
- Connect the initiative to the original serious problems it addressed
- Show concrete, measurable results that prove its effectiveness
- Demonstrate broader impact beyond just the local area
- The most significant aspect from our notes is that this initiative didn't just work locally - it "became a model for urban renewal nationwide"
- This shows the initiative was so successful that other places copied it
- The concrete numbers (200+ jobs, 50 gardens) also prove real impact
- So the right answer should highlight both the concrete local success and the broader national influence of the initiative
Urban planner Maria Rodriguez proposed the "Green Futures Initiative" in 1985, which converted vacant lots and created job training programs.
✗ Incorrect
- Simply describes what Rodriguez proposed without showing results or significance
- Lacks any evidence of impact or effectiveness
- Doesn't address the student's goal of emphasizing significance
Addressing widespread economic decline through community-based solutions, the initiative created over 200 jobs and 50 gardens, becoming a nationwide model for urban renewal.
✓ Correct
- Directly connects the initiative to "widespread economic decline" (the original problem)
- Provides concrete evidence of success: "200 jobs and 50 gardens"
- Shows broader significance: "becoming a nationwide model for urban renewal"
- This represents the trap where students might overlook this because it doesn't start with Rodriguez's name, but it actually does the best job of showing why the initiative matters
The South Bronx experienced severe economic decline during the 1970s, with many abandoned buildings and high unemployment rates.
✗ Incorrect
- Only provides background about the original problems
- Doesn't even mention the initiative, let alone its significance
- Completely fails to address the student's goal
Some city officials questioned whether small-scale projects like community gardens could solve such extensive urban problems.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on skepticism rather than significance
- Actually works against emphasizing the initiative's importance
- This trap might make students think mentioning the scale of problems shows significance, but this choice emphasizes doubt rather than success