While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Urban traffic congestion has become a critical challenge for metropolitan...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Urban traffic congestion has become a critical challenge for metropolitan areas worldwide
- Transportation economist Anthony Downs formulated the 'fundamental law of road congestion'
- According to Downs, expanding roadway capacity actually increases traffic volume by inducing additional vehicle trips
- Urban designer Jan Gehl advocates for human-scale, pedestrian-centered city planning
- Gehl's research demonstrates that creating walkable public spaces reduces automobile dependency
- Planning consultant Jeff Speck promotes comprehensive 'walkability' strategies for urban development
- Speck argues that designing neighborhoods for pedestrian access makes alternative transportation more attractive than driving
The student wants to identify the shared principle underlying Gehl's and Speck's urban planning approaches. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
While Gehl emphasizes pedestrian-centered design, Speck focuses on comprehensive walkability strategies for development.
Gehl advocates for human-scale planning, whereas Speck promotes walkability as an urban development strategy.
Both Gehl and Speck propose that prioritizing pedestrian-friendly environments will decrease automobile dependency in urban areas.
Gehl's pedestrian-centered approach and Speck's walkability strategy both contrast with Downs's road expansion theory.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Urban traffic congestion has become a critical challenge for metropolitan areas worldwide' |
|
| 'Transportation economist Anthony Downs formulated the fundamental law of road congestion' |
|
| 'According to Downs, expanding roadway capacity actually increases traffic volume by inducing additional vehicle trips' |
|
| 'Urban designer Jan Gehl advocates for human-scale, pedestrian-centered city planning' |
|
| 'Gehl's research demonstrates that creating walkable public spaces reduces automobile dependency' |
|
| 'Planning consultant Jeff Speck promotes comprehensive walkability strategies for urban development' |
|
| 'Speck argues that designing neighborhoods for pedestrian access makes alternative transportation more attractive than driving' |
|
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
- Both Gehl and Speck focus on designing cities for pedestrians rather than cars
- Gehl advocates for human-scale, pedestrian-centered planning and shows walkable spaces reduce automobile dependency
- Speck promotes walkability strategies and argues pedestrian design makes alternatives to driving more attractive
- The shared principle is that both believe prioritizing pedestrian-friendly urban design will reduce automobile dependency
While Gehl emphasizes pedestrian-centered design, Speck focuses on comprehensive walkability strategies for development.
- The correct answer should identify that both experts share the principle of using pedestrian-friendly design to reduce car dependency, rather than contrasting their approaches or focusing on how they differ from other experts
Gehl advocates for human-scale planning, whereas Speck promotes walkability as an urban development strategy.
- The correct answer should identify that both experts share the principle of using pedestrian-friendly design to reduce car dependency, rather than contrasting their approaches or focusing on how they differ from other experts
Both Gehl and Speck propose that prioritizing pedestrian-friendly environments will decrease automobile dependency in urban areas.
- The correct answer should identify that both experts share the principle of using pedestrian-friendly design to reduce car dependency, rather than contrasting their approaches or focusing on how they differ from other experts
Gehl's pedestrian-centered approach and Speck's walkability strategy both contrast with Downs's road expansion theory.
- The correct answer should identify that both experts share the principle of using pedestrian-friendly design to reduce car dependency, rather than contrasting their approaches or focusing on how they differ from other experts