Traditional weaving techniques among the remote mountain communities of Peru have remained virtually unchanged for over 400 years, preserving complex...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Traditional weaving techniques among the remote mountain communities of Peru have remained virtually unchanged for over 400 years, preserving complex patterns and methods that disappeared from coastal regions centuries ago. These highland villages, accessible only by foot through treacherous mountain passes, received few outside visitors after Spanish colonization. Limited contact with external communities meant that weavers had little exposure to evolving textile techniques spreading throughout other parts of the former Inca empire. The remarkable consistency of contemporary highland weaving practices demonstrates how _______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
geographical isolation can preserve traditional cultural methods.
textile techniques naturally resist change over long periods of time.
mountain communities actively reject outside cultural influences.
traditional crafts require specific environmental conditions to survive.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Traditional weaving techniques among the remote mountain communities of Peru have remained virtually unchanged for over 400 years, preserving complex patterns and methods that disappeared from coastal regions centuries ago.' |
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| 'These highland villages, accessible only by foot through treacherous mountain passes, received few outside visitors after Spanish colonization.' |
|
| 'Limited contact with external communities meant that weavers had little exposure to evolving textile techniques spreading throughout other parts of the former Inca empire.' |
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| 'The remarkable consistency of contemporary highland weaving practices demonstrates how ______' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The geographical isolation of Peru's mountain communities has allowed them to preserve traditional weaving techniques that were lost elsewhere.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a contrast between preserved mountain techniques and lost coastal techniques, then explains this difference through the causal chain of geographical isolation leading to limited outside contact and no exposure to evolving practices.
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 passage gives us a clear cause-and-effect relationship: geographical isolation → limited outside contact → preservation of traditional methods
- The evidence specifically points to geographical factors (mountain passes, accessibility only by foot) as the reason these techniques survived while others disappeared
- The right answer should connect geographical isolation to the preservation of traditional cultural practices
geographical isolation can preserve traditional cultural methods.
✓ Correct
- Directly matches our passage's cause-and-effect chain: geographical isolation → preservation
- 'Geographical isolation' captures the key factor (treacherous mountain passes, foot-only access)
- 'Preserve traditional cultural methods' aligns perfectly with unchanged weaving techniques
textile techniques naturally resist change over long periods of time.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims textile techniques 'naturally resist change' on their own
- Ignores the isolation factor that the passage emphasizes as the cause
- The passage actually shows techniques DID change in coastal regions, contradicting the idea of natural resistance
mountain communities actively reject outside cultural influences.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests mountain communities 'actively reject' outside influences
- The passage shows limited contact due to physical barriers, not active rejection
traditional crafts require specific environmental conditions to survive.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on 'environmental conditions' for craft survival
- While mountains are mentioned, the passage emphasizes isolation/contact patterns, not environmental requirements for weaving itself