The urban renewal of Detroit's downtown district became known for the ______ revitalization of abandoned buildings, as developers converted dozens...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The urban renewal of Detroit's downtown district became known for the ______ revitalization of abandoned buildings, as developers converted dozens of vacant structures into thriving businesses within just eighteen months.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
swift
cautious
expensive
controversial
Looking at this Words in Context question, I need to find the word that best describes Detroit's downtown revitalization based on the contextual evidence provided.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The urban renewal of Detroit's downtown district became known for the" |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| "revitalization of abandoned buildings," |
|
| "as developers converted dozens of vacant structures into thriving businesses within just eighteen months." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Detroit's downtown renewal became famous for its rapid transformation of abandoned buildings into successful businesses.
Argument Flow: The passage introduces Detroit's downtown renewal as being known for a particular type of building revitalization, then provides specific evidence showing that dozens of vacant structures were converted to thriving businesses in just eighteen months.
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 analysis, we need a word that describes the type of revitalization based on the evidence provided
- The key evidence is "developers converted dozens of vacant structures into thriving businesses within just eighteen months"
- The timeframe (18 months) for converting dozens of buildings suggests speed
- The word should logically connect to this rapid timeline and make sense with "became known for" - meaning it's a notable characteristic
- So the right answer should be a word that captures the speed/rapidity of this urban renewal process
swift
✓ Correct
- "Swift" means quick or rapid
- Perfectly matches the evidence of converting dozens of buildings "within just eighteen months"
- Makes logical sense - the renewal became famous for being fast/rapid
cautious
✗ Incorrect
- "Cautious" means careful and slow
- Contradicts the evidence of rapid conversion in 18 months
- Students might think urban renewal should be careful, but the passage emphasizes speed, not caution
expensive
✗ Incorrect
- "Expensive" refers to cost
- The passage gives no information about cost or financial aspects
- The timeframe evidence doesn't support this interpretation
controversial
✗ Incorrect
- "Controversial" means causing disagreement or debate
- Nothing in the passage suggests conflict or disagreement
- The evidence focuses on timing and success, not public opinion