Text 1The Wilderness Protection Alliance argues that large-scale ecosystem preservation requires establishing vast protected areas with minimal human ...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Text 1
The Wilderness Protection Alliance argues that large-scale ecosystem preservation requires establishing vast protected areas with minimal human interference. Their approach emphasizes creating buffer zones around critical habitats and restricting development activities that could disrupt natural processes. The organization has successfully lobbied for several major national park expansions and advocates for strict enforcement of conservation boundaries.
Text 2
The Sustainable Communities Initiative promotes conservation strategies that integrate human communities with environmental protection. Rather than excluding human activity, they develop programs that help local populations become stewards of their natural resources through sustainable practices. The organization argues that conservation efforts succeed best when they provide economic benefits to nearby communities and incorporate traditional ecological knowledge.
Based on the texts, both authors would most likely agree with which statement?
Traditional ecological knowledge should guide all conservation decisions.
Protecting natural ecosystems requires dedicated conservation efforts.
Human activity should be completely excluded from protected areas.
Economic considerations are irrelevant to conservation success.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Wilderness Protection Alliance argues that large-scale ecosystem preservation requires establishing vast protected areas with minimal human interference." |
|
| "Their approach emphasizes creating buffer zones around critical habitats and restricting development activities that could disrupt natural processes." |
|
| "The organization has successfully lobbied for several major national park expansions and advocates for strict enforcement of conservation boundaries." |
|
| "The Sustainable Communities Initiative promotes conservation strategies that integrate human communities with environmental protection." |
|
| "Rather than excluding human activity, they develop programs that help local populations become stewards of their natural resources through sustainable practices." |
|
| "The organization argues that conservation efforts succeed best when they provide economic benefits to nearby communities and incorporate traditional ecological knowledge." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Two different conservation organizations take opposing approaches—one excludes human activity while the other integrates human communities into environmental protection.
Argument Flow: The passage presents two contrasting conservation philosophies. First, we see WPA's approach of creating human-free protected zones with strict boundaries. Then we get SCI's opposing view that humans should be included as environmental stewards, with economic incentives and traditional knowledge playing key roles.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify a statement that BOTH authors would agree with, despite their different approaches.
What type of answer do we need? A point of common ground between two opposing conservation strategies.
Any limiting keywords? "Both authors would most likely agree" means we need something that works for BOTH organizations, not just one.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- These organizations have completely different methods—WPA excludes humans while SCI includes them
- What do they share? Both are clearly committed conservation organizations
- Both want to protect natural ecosystems
- Both have developed specific strategies and achieved real results
- The common ground isn't in their methods, but in their fundamental goal: protecting nature through dedicated conservation work
Traditional ecological knowledge should guide all conservation decisions.
- Claims traditional ecological knowledge should guide ALL conservation decisions
- Text 1 never mentions traditional knowledge at all—they focus on excluding human input
- Only Text 2 mentions incorporating traditional knowledge
Protecting natural ecosystems requires dedicated conservation efforts.
- States that protecting ecosystems requires dedicated conservation efforts
- Both organizations are clearly engaged in serious conservation work with specific strategies and real results
- Matches our prethinking about their shared fundamental commitment to conservation
Human activity should be completely excluded from protected areas.
- Claims human activity should be completely excluded from protected areas
- This directly contradicts Text 2's entire philosophy of integrating human communities
- This represents the trap where students might choose this because it's exactly what Text 1 argues, forgetting the question asks what BOTH would agree with
Economic considerations are irrelevant to conservation success.
- States economic considerations are irrelevant to conservation success
- Text 2 explicitly argues that economic benefits to communities help conservation efforts succeed
- Only represents Text 1's approach of ignoring economic factors