Though trained as a classical violinist herself, Elena Rodriguez served as a ______ preserving traditional folk music, establishing the first...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Though trained as a classical violinist herself, Elena Rodriguez served as a ______ preserving traditional folk music, establishing the first community-based archive for indigenous musical traditions in her region.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
replacement for
distraction from
guardian of
consequence of
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Though trained as a classical violinist herself," |
|
| "Elena Rodriguez served as a ______" |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| "preserving traditional folk music," |
|
| "establishing the first community-based archive for indigenous musical traditions in her region." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Despite her classical training, Elena Rodriguez took on a role focused on preserving and archiving traditional folk and indigenous music.
Argument Flow: The passage sets up a contrast between Elena's classical background and her actual work, then specifies that work involved both preserving folk music generally and creating a specific archive for indigenous traditions.
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 missing word must describe Elena's role in relation to "preserving traditional folk music"
- Looking at our analysis, we see a contrast - though she had classical training, she worked to preserve folk traditions
- The word needs to capture someone who protects, maintains, or safeguards something valuable
- The evidence shows she both preserved the music and established an archive, suggesting active protection and stewardship of these traditions
- So the right answer should describe someone who actively protects or watches over traditional folk music
replacement for
- This would suggest Elena substituted for traditional folk music
- Makes no logical sense - she's working to preserve it, not replace it
- Contradicts the entire purpose described in the passage
distraction from
- Would mean she drew attention away from folk music
- Completely opposite of what the passage describes
- Conflicts with "preserving" and "establishing" archive
guardian of
- Perfectly captures someone who protects and preserves something valuable
- Matches exactly with "preserving traditional folk music"
- Fits with establishing an archive to safeguard traditions
- Creates logical flow from her role to her actions
consequence of
- Grammatically awkward - "served as a consequence of preserving"
- Doesn't make logical sense in context
- Fails to describe Elena's active role in preservation