Urban planner Marcus Thompson was analyzing residential development patterns in Portland neighborhoods. While examining municipal building records, Th...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Urban planner Marcus Thompson was analyzing residential development patterns in Portland neighborhoods. While examining municipal building records, Thompson discovered that certain city blocks contained houses from distinctly different construction periods. He observed that many residential streets featured Victorian-era homes, 1950s ranch houses, and contemporary townhouses located within the same neighborhood blocks. The coexistence of multiple architectural generations within identical geographic areas led Thompson to conclude that the community had experienced sustained residential growth across several decades.
According to the text, why does Thompson conclude that the community had experienced sustained growth across several decades?
Thompson was analyzing residential development patterns in Portland neighborhoods.
Many residential streets featured houses from different construction periods.
Multiple architectural generations coexisted within identical geographic areas.
He discovered city blocks contained Victorian-era homes, ranch houses, and townhouses.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Urban planner Marcus Thompson was analyzing residential development patterns in Portland neighborhoods." |
|
| "While examining municipal building records, Thompson discovered that certain city blocks contained houses from distinctly different construction periods." |
|
| "He observed that many residential streets featured Victorian-era homes, 1950s ranch houses, and contemporary townhouses located within the same neighborhood blocks." |
|
| "The coexistence of multiple architectural generations within identical geographic areas led Thompson to conclude that the community had experienced sustained residential growth across several decades." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Thompson concluded that Portland experienced sustained residential growth because he found houses from multiple architectural generations coexisting in the same geographic areas.
Argument Flow: The passage follows a clear research-to-conclusion structure. Thompson starts by analyzing building records, makes a key discovery about mixed construction periods, provides specific examples of this pattern, then explains how this evidence led to his conclusion about sustained community growth over time.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The question asks us to identify Thompson's reasoning - specifically WHY he reached his conclusion about sustained growth
What type of answer do we need? We need the logical connection Thompson made between his observations and his conclusion
Any limiting keywords? The phrase "According to the text" tells us the answer must be explicitly stated in the passage
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Thompson's reasoning was that he saw houses from different time periods all located in the same neighborhood blocks
- This pattern of multiple architectural generations coexisting in identical geographic areas is what led him to conclude sustained growth over decades
- The right answer should capture this logical connection between finding multiple architectural generations in the same geographic areas and concluding sustained growth over time
Thompson was analyzing residential development patterns in Portland neighborhoods.
✗ Incorrect
- This just states what Thompson was doing, not his reasoning for the conclusion
- Doesn't explain the logical connection between his observations and his conclusion about sustained growth
Many residential streets featured houses from different construction periods.
✗ Incorrect
- Too general, mentions different construction periods but doesn't capture the key geographic element
- Missing the crucial detail that these different periods were in the same areas
Multiple architectural generations coexisted within identical geographic areas.
✓ Correct
- Captures Thompson's exact reasoning: multiple architectural generations in identical geographic areas
- Matches the passage's explanation that coexistence of multiple architectural generations within identical geographic areas led Thompson to conclude sustained growth
He discovered city blocks contained Victorian-era homes, ranch houses, and townhouses.
✗ Incorrect
- Lists specific examples but doesn't capture the reasoning
- Missing the key concept that these were in the same geographic areas, which was crucial to Thompson's logic