While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Vienna Philharmonic's 1973 tour of Japan lasted three weeks.The...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Vienna Philharmonic's 1973 tour of Japan lasted three weeks.
- The orchestra performed 18 concerts across major Japanese cities.
- This was the ensemble's first visit to Asia.
- Conductor Herbert von Karajan led all performances.
- The tour introduced classical European music to new audiences.
- Japanese critics praised the orchestra's technical precision and emotional depth.
The student wants to emphasize the scope of the orchestra's performance schedule. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Herbert von Karajan conducted the Vienna Philharmonic during their first visit to Asia.
The 1973 tour introduced classical European music to new Japanese audiences.
Over three weeks, the Vienna Philharmonic performed 18 concerts across major Japanese cities.
Japanese critics praised the orchestra's technical precision and emotional depth.
Looking at this Rhetorical Synthesis question, I need to help the student understand how to identify which information best emphasizes the specific goal mentioned in the question.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Vienna Philharmonic's 1973 tour of Japan lasted three weeks." |
|
| "The orchestra performed 18 concerts across major Japanese cities." |
|
| "This was the ensemble's first visit to Asia." |
|
| "Conductor Herbert von Karajan led all performances." |
|
| "The tour introduced classical European music to new audiences." |
|
| "Japanese critics praised the orchestra's technical precision and emotional depth." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Vienna Philharmonic's 1973 Japan tour was a significant three-week, 18-concert introduction of European classical music to Asian audiences.
Argument Flow: The notes establish the basic scope and timing of the tour, then provide context about its historical importance and leadership, before explaining its cultural purpose and successful reception.
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 question specifically asks for information that emphasizes "scope of the orchestra's performance schedule"
- When we think about scope, we're looking at the extent or scale of something
- For a performance schedule, scope could include:
- How long the tour lasted
- How many concerts they performed
- How many different locations they visited
- The geographic spread of performances
- So the right answer should combine multiple elements that show the breadth and scale of their performance commitments - ideally including time duration, number of performances, and geographic coverage to give the fullest picture of scope
Herbert von Karajan conducted the Vienna Philharmonic during their first visit to Asia.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on who conducted and that it was their first Asia visit
- Doesn't mention any details about the performance schedule scope
- Missing key information about duration, number of concerts, or geographic spread
The 1973 tour introduced classical European music to new Japanese audiences.
✗ Incorrect
- Emphasizes the cultural impact of introducing music to new audiences
- Doesn't provide specific details about the performance schedule scope
- What trap this represents: Students might think introducing music to "new audiences" suggests scope, but this is about cultural impact, not performance schedule details
Over three weeks, the Vienna Philharmonic performed 18 concerts across major Japanese cities.
✓ Correct
- Combines three key scope elements: duration ("three weeks"), volume ("18 concerts"), and geographic spread ("across major Japanese cities")
- Directly addresses performance schedule by mentioning both time frame and number of performances
- Creates the most complete picture of the tour's scope and scale
Japanese critics praised the orchestra's technical precision and emotional depth.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses entirely on critical reception and artistic quality
- Contains no information about performance schedule scope
- About the tour's success, not its scale