The following text is from the 1924 poem 'Cycle' by D'Arcy McNickle, who was a citizen of the Confederated Salish...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from the 1924 poem 'Cycle' by D'Arcy McNickle, who was a citizen of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
There shall be new roads wending,
A new beating of the drum—
Men's eyes shall have fresh seeing,
Grey lives reprise their span—
But under the new sun's being,
Completing what night began,
There'll be the same backs bending,
The same sad feet shall drum—
When this night finds its ending
And day shall have come.....
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To consider how the repetitiveness inherent in human life can be both rewarding and challenging
To question whether activities completed at one time of day are more memorable than those completed at another time of day
To refute the idea that joy is a more commonly experienced emotion than sadness is
To demonstrate how the experiences of individuals relate to the experiences of their communities
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'There shall be new roads wending, A new beating of the drum—' |
|
| 'Men's eyes shall have fresh seeing, Grey lives reprise their span—' |
|
| 'But under the new sun's being, Completing what night began,' |
|
| 'There'll be the same backs bending, The same sad feet shall drum—' |
|
| 'When this night finds its ending. And day shall have come.....' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The poem explores how life contains both the promise of renewal and the persistent reality of repetitive human toil.
Argument Flow: The speaker begins with an optimistic vision of transformation, then contrasts this with the reality that fundamental patterns of human labor remain unchanged, concluding with emphasis on cyclical nature.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The main purpose of the entire text
What type of answer do we need? The overarching goal or message the poet is trying to convey
Key limitation: 'Main purpose' means we need the central, most important function of the poem
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
The correct answer should capture how the poem deals with both sides of human experience—the hopeful vision of change and renewal versus the persistent reality of repetitive, difficult aspects of life. The poem examines the tension between renewal/change and the repetitive/persistent aspects of human existence.
To consider how the repetitiveness inherent in human life can be both rewarding and challenging
✓ Correct
- Captures the poem's central focus on 'repetitiveness inherent in human life' and recognizes the dual nature—both 'rewarding' and 'challenging' aspects.
- Matches our prethinking about examining both hopeful and difficult aspects of life's patterns.
To question whether activities completed at one time of day are more memorable than those completed at another time of day
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on timing of activities (day vs night) which misses the point.
- The poem uses day/night as symbols for cycles, not literal time comparisons.
To refute the idea that joy is a more commonly experienced emotion than sadness is
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the poem is 'refuting' something about joy vs sadness.
- The poem explores coexistence of hope and struggle, not making claims about emotional frequency.
To demonstrate how the experiences of individuals relate to the experiences of their communities
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on individual vs community experiences.
- The poem doesn't contrast individual and community perspectives but explores general human experience patterns.