Throughout the 1960s civil rights movement, many local organizations lacked the resources and expertise needed for large-scale voter registration driv...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Throughout the 1960s civil rights movement, many local organizations lacked the resources and expertise needed for large-scale voter registration drives. National civil rights groups recognized this gap and provided funding, legal support, and experienced organizers to these grassroots efforts, and the local organizations ______ by mobilizing community volunteers and utilizing their deep knowledge of regional voting barriers to maximize registration success.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
competed
withdrew
contributed
overreacted
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Throughout the 1960s civil rights movement, many local organizations lacked the resources and expertise needed for large-scale voter registration drives." |
|
| "National civil rights groups recognized this gap and provided funding, legal support, and experienced organizers to these grassroots efforts," |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| "by mobilizing community volunteers and utilizing their deep knowledge of regional voting barriers to maximize registration success." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: National and local civil rights groups worked together during the 1960s, combining national resources with local knowledge and volunteers for successful voter registration drives.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that local organizations lacked resources for large voter registration efforts. National civil rights groups recognized this gap and provided support. The local organizations then responded by bringing their own unique assets to create a successful collaborative effort.
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 needs to describe what the local organizations did after receiving help from national groups
- National groups provided resources and expertise that local organizations lacked
- Local organizations responded by mobilizing volunteers and using their regional knowledge
- This created a successful collaboration where both sides added value
- The word should show that local organizations weren't just passive recipients—they actively participated by bringing their own unique strengths to enhance the joint effort
competed
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests the local organizations were working against the national groups
- This contradicts the collaborative relationship described throughout the passage
withdrew
✗ Incorrect
- Means the local organizations pulled back or removed themselves from the effort
- This contradicts the evidence that they mobilized volunteers and applied their knowledge
contributed
✓ Correct
- Shows the local organizations added their own valuable assets to the joint effort
- This perfectly matches our analysis—they brought community volunteers and regional knowledge to enhance the collaboration
overreacted
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests an excessive or inappropriate response
- The passage presents their mobilization of volunteers and use of local knowledge as positive and strategic actions