To develop a method for measuring snow depth with laser beams, NASA physicist Yongxiang Hu relied on ______; identifying broad...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
To develop a method for measuring snow depth with laser beams, NASA physicist Yongxiang Hu relied on ______; identifying broad similarities between two seemingly different phenomena, Hu used information about how ants move inside colonies to calculate how the particles of light that make up laser beams travel through snow.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'To develop a method for measuring snow depth with laser beams, NASA physicist Yongxiang Hu relied on' |
|
| [MISSING WORD/PHRASE] |
|
| 'identifying broad similarities between two seemingly different phenomena, Hu used information about how ants move inside colonies to calculate how the particles of light that make up laser beams travel through snow.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: NASA physicist Hu developed a method for measuring snow depth by finding similarities between how ants move in colonies and how light particles travel through snow.
Argument Flow: We learn about Hu's goal to measure snow depth with lasers, then we're told he relied on something specific (the blank), and finally we get the detailed explanation of his approach - comparing ant colony movement to light particle behavior.
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 sentence tells us Hu 'relied on' something, and then explains that this something involved 'identifying broad similarities between two seemingly different phenomena' - specifically using information about ant movement to understand light particle movement
- This is a classic case of using one system to understand another completely different system by finding parallels between them
- The right answer should describe a method of finding similarities or making comparisons between different things to gain insight
- 'A collaboration' suggests working with other people
- The passage describes Hu's individual approach to problem-solving, not teamwork
- Doesn't capture the essence of comparing different phenomena
- 'An accessory' means a supplementary item or tool
- The passage describes a thinking method, not a physical tool or add-on
- Misses the comparative nature of Hu's approach entirely
- 'A contradiction' implies opposing or conflicting ideas
- Hu wasn't working with contradictory information - he was finding similarities
- Opposite of what the passage actually describes
- 'An analogy' means drawing comparisons between different things to explain or understand something
- Perfectly matches what the passage describes - Hu found 'broad similarities between two seemingly different phenomena'
- This is exactly what analogies do: use familiar concepts (ant movement) to understand unfamiliar ones (light particle behavior in snow)