To monitor changes to glaciers in Switzerland, the government periodically measures them for features like total area of ice and...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
To monitor changes to glaciers in Switzerland, the government periodically measures them for features like total area of ice and mean ice thickness, which are then reported in the Swiss Glacier Inventory. These measurements can be used to compare the glaciers. For example, the Gorner glacier had ______
Which choice most effectively uses data from the graph to complete the example?
a larger area than either the Fiescher glacier or the Unteraar glacier.
a smaller area than the Fiescher glacier but a larger area than the Unteraar glacier.
a smaller area than either the Fiescher glacier or the Unteraar glacier.
a larger area than the Fiescher glacier but a smaller area than the Unteraar glacier.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'To monitor changes to glaciers in Switzerland, the government periodically measures them for features like total area of ice and mean ice thickness, which are then reported in the Swiss Glacier Inventory.' |
|
| 'These measurements can be used to compare the glaciers.' |
|
| 'For example, the Gorner glacier had ______' |
|
Visual Data Analysis:
- Visual Type & Title: Bar chart - 'Area of Three Glaciers in the 2016 Swiss Glacier Inventory'
- What It Shows: Y-axis shows Area (square km), scale 0-50. X-axis shows three glaciers (Gorner, Fiescher, Unteraar). Key data points: Gorner approximately 41 km², Fiescher approximately 29 km², Unteraar approximately 22 km²
- Key Observations: Size ranking shows Gorner > Fiescher > Unteraar. Gorner is largest by significant margin. Gorner equals largest of the three measured.
- Connection to Text: The graph provides the specific comparative data needed to complete the example sentence about Gorner glacier mentioned in the text.
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Swiss glacier inventory data allows for comparisons between glaciers, with the Gorner glacier serving as an example.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that Switzerland systematically measures glaciers and reports the data in an inventory. This data serves the purpose of enabling comparisons between different glaciers. The text then begins a specific example using the Gorner glacier but leaves the comparison incomplete.
Text-Visual Synthesis: The text sets up the need for comparative data about glaciers, while the graph provides the specific measurements needed to complete the Gorner glacier example.
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
- Based on the graph data, the Gorner glacier has approximately 41 square kilometers of area, which makes it the largest of the three glaciers shown
- Fiescher has about 29 square kilometers and Unteraar has about 22 square kilometers
- So Gorner is larger than both of the other glaciers
- The correct answer should accurately reflect this size relationship - that Gorner has a larger area than both Fiescher and Unteraar glaciers
a larger area than either the Fiescher glacier or the Unteraar glacier.
✓ Correct
- This accurately reflects the graph data showing Gorner (\(\mathrm{\approx 41\ km^2}\)) as larger than both Fiescher (\(\mathrm{\approx 29\ km^2}\)) and Unteraar (\(\mathrm{\approx 22\ km^2}\))
a smaller area than the Fiescher glacier but a larger area than the Unteraar glacier.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Gorner is smaller than Fiescher but larger than Unteraar
- This contradicts the graph, which clearly shows Gorner has the largest area of all three glaciers
a smaller area than either the Fiescher glacier or the Unteraar glacier.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Gorner is smaller than both other glaciers
- This is the opposite of what the graph shows - Gorner has the tallest bar, indicating the largest area
a larger area than the Fiescher glacier but a smaller area than the Unteraar glacier.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims Gorner is larger than Fiescher but smaller than Unteraar
- The graph shows Gorner is actually larger than both, and Unteraar is the smallest of the three