Urban heat islands were widely ______ by climate scientists to stem primarily from reduced vegetation cover. The prevailing view held...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Urban heat islands were widely ______ by climate scientists to stem primarily from reduced vegetation cover. The prevailing view held that cities with fewer trees and green spaces would consistently register higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas. Dr. Chen's recent satellite data analysis challenges this assumption, demonstrating that building density and surface materials contribute equally to temperature variations.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
disputed
hypothesized
dismissed
lamented
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Urban heat islands were widely _______ by climate scientists to stem primarily from reduced vegetation cover.' |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| 'The prevailing view held that cities with fewer trees and green spaces would consistently register higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas.' |
|
| 'Dr. Chen's recent satellite data analysis challenges this assumption, demonstrating that building density and surface materials contribute equally to temperature variations.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Climate scientists long-held belief about urban heat islands being primarily caused by reduced vegetation is being challenged by new satellite data showing building density and surface materials are equally important.
Argument Flow: The passage presents the traditional scientific view about urban heat islands, explains this view in detail, then introduces new research that challenges this assumption with different findings.
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
- Looking at our passage analysis, we need a word that shows climate scientists believed or theorized something about urban heat islands
- The context makes it clear this was their working theory or hypothesis - it was 'the prevailing view' that later gets 'challenged' by new data
- So the right answer should indicate that scientists held this as their theory or belief about what caused urban heat islands
disputed
- 'Disputed' means argued against or disagreed with
- This creates the wrong relationship - it would mean scientists argued against the vegetation theory
- The passage shows this was actually their accepted belief, not something they disputed
hypothesized
- 'Hypothesized' means theorized or formed a hypothesis about
- This perfectly fits - scientists theorized that heat islands came from reduced vegetation
- Matches our prethinking about scientists holding this as their working theory
- Makes logical sense with 'the prevailing view' and the later challenge from new data
dismissed
- 'Dismissed' means rejected or disregarded
- This suggests scientists rejected the vegetation explanation
- Contradicts the passage showing this was their accepted view
lamented
- 'Lamented' means expressed regret or sorrow about
- This would mean scientists were sad about the vegetation-heat island connection
- Does not make logical sense in this scientific context about forming theories