The streaming service's rapid expansion created an intense ______ with traditional television networks: established broadcasters struggled to adapt as...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The streaming service's rapid expansion created an intense ______ with traditional television networks: established broadcasters struggled to adapt as viewers increasingly chose on-demand content over scheduled programming.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
alliance
partnership
competition
agreement
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'The streaming service's rapid expansion created an intense' |
|
| '[MISSING WORD]' |
|
| 'with traditional television networks:' |
|
| 'established broadcasters struggled to adapt as viewers increasingly chose on-demand content over scheduled programming.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The rapid growth of streaming services created an intense competitive situation with traditional television networks.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a cause (streaming expansion), describes its effect (an intense relationship with traditional TV), and then provides evidence for this relationship by explaining how traditional broadcasters struggled as viewers shifted their preferences to streaming content.
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
- Based on our analysis, we need a word that describes an intense relationship where one side (streaming) is rapidly expanding while the other side (traditional TV) is struggling to adapt
- The evidence shows traditional broadcasters having difficulty as viewers abandon them for streaming services
- This creates a relationship where both sides are fighting for the same resource (viewers), but one is winning while the other struggles
- The relationship must be:
- Intense (as stated in the text)
- Adversarial rather than cooperative (since one side is struggling while the other expands)
- Based on competing for the same audience
- So the right answer should describe a competitive or conflicting relationship between streaming services and traditional TV networks
alliance
alliance
✗ Incorrect
- An alliance means cooperation or partnership
- This contradicts the evidence that traditional broadcasters are 'struggling'
- If they were allies, streaming expansion would help traditional TV, not hurt it
partnership
partnership
✗ Incorrect
- Partnership implies working together toward mutual benefit
- The passage shows streaming success causing traditional TV to struggle, which is the opposite of mutual benefit
- What trap this represents: Students might think both are in the 'TV business' so they must be partners, missing that they're actually fighting for viewers
competition
competition
✓ Correct
- Competition perfectly explains why streaming expansion creates problems for traditional TV
- Matches the 'intense' descriptor - competition can definitely be intense
- Aligns with the evidence: when streaming wins viewers, traditional TV loses them and struggles
agreement
agreement
✗ Incorrect
- Agreement suggests harmony and mutual understanding
- This doesn't explain why traditional broadcasters would be struggling
- An agreement wouldn't typically be described as 'intense' in this negative context