Urban traffic jams in central business districts have caused numerous commuters to forsake conventional street-level routes in favor of highway...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Urban traffic jams in central business districts have caused numerous commuters to forsake conventional street-level routes in favor of highway detours—alternative pathways that circumvent metropolitan cores while typically demanding extended journey durations and elevated fuel expenditures. Motorists utilizing detours encounter heightened transportation costs that diminish their attractiveness to financially mindful drivers. City planning expert Rebecca Chen and her colleagues examined travel behavior by monitoring motorists who possessed access to both an expensive highway detour and an economical street-level path through jam-packed central business districts. The investigation disclosed that motorists selected the costly detour alternative in 43.1% of documented journeys and the economical street-level path in 36.8% of documented journeys, indicating that ________
Which choice most logically completes the text?
motorists do not uniformly avoid traveling via expensive detour routes, rendering central business district traffic management enhancements a potentially worthwhile approach for diminishing metropolitan congestion.
motorists demonstrate hesitation to select both expensive detours and economical street-level routes and are consequently unlikely to gain from central business district infrastructure enhancements.
motorists are less prone to utilize street-level routes during rush periods than other commuting groups are, placing regular central business district drivers at a disadvantage during peak times.
motorists are prepared to utilize street-level routes during congestion, but when provided alternatives, they typically prefer investigating other transportation approaches altogether.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Urban traffic jams in central business districts have caused numerous commuters to forsake conventional street-level routes in favor of highway detours—alternative pathways that circumvent metropolitan cores while typically demanding extended journey durations and elevated fuel expenditures. |
|
| Motorists utilizing detours encounter heightened transportation costs that diminish their attractiveness to financially mindful drivers. |
|
| City planning expert Rebecca Chen and her colleagues examined travel behavior by monitoring motorists who possessed access to both an expensive highway detour and an economical street-level path through jam-packed central business districts. |
|
| The investigation disclosed that motorists selected the costly detour alternative in 43.1% of documented journeys and the economical street-level path in 36.8% of documented journeys |
|
| indicating that ________ |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Research shows that despite higher costs, a significant percentage of motorists still choose expensive highway detours over economical but congested street-level routes through business districts.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that traffic congestion forces commuters to choose between expensive detours and economical but jammed street routes. Despite the cost disadvantage, Chen's study reveals that motorists frequently choose the expensive detour option, suggesting cost isn't the only factor driving their decisions.
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 key insight from the data is that despite detours being more expensive and taking longer, 43.1% of motorists still choose them over the economical street routes (36.8%)
- This suggests that cost isn't the only factor influencing route choice and that many motorists are willing to pay extra to avoid congested central business districts
- If CBD traffic could be improved, more motorists might return to street-level routes
motorists do not uniformly avoid traveling via expensive detour routes, rendering central business district traffic management enhancements a potentially worthwhile approach for diminishing metropolitan congestion.
✓ Correct
- This directly follows from the data - despite being expensive, \(43.1\%\) still chose detours, showing motorists don't uniformly avoid costly routes
- If CBD traffic management were improved, it would make the economical street routes more attractive, potentially drawing back some of the \(43.1\%\) currently using expensive detours
motorists demonstrate hesitation to select both expensive detours and economical street-level routes and are consequently unlikely to gain from central business district infrastructure enhancements.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims motorists demonstrate hesitation to use both options, but the data shows they ARE actively using both routes in significant numbers
- This contradicts the evidence
motorists are less prone to utilize street-level routes during rush periods than other commuting groups are, placing regular central business district drivers at a disadvantage during peak times.
✗ Incorrect
- Makes comparisons to other commuting groups that aren't mentioned anywhere in the passage and focuses on rush periods specifically
- The study data doesn't break down by time periods
motorists are prepared to utilize street-level routes during congestion, but when provided alternatives, they typically prefer investigating other transportation approaches altogether.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims motorists typically prefer investigating other transportation approaches altogether, but the data shows they ARE choosing between the two given options
- The \(79.9\%\) combined usage of both routes contradicts this idea