US traffic signals didn't always contain the familiar three lights (red, yellow, and green). Traffic lights only ______ red and...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
US traffic signals didn't always contain the familiar three lights (red, yellow, and green). Traffic lights only ______ red and green lights until the three-light traffic signal was developed in the 1920s.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
avoided
featured
appreciated
disregarded
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "US traffic signals didn't always contain the familiar three lights (red, yellow, and green)." |
|
| "Traffic lights only" |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| "red and green lights until the three-light traffic signal was developed in the 1920s." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: US traffic lights originally had only red and green lights before the three-light system was developed in the 1920s.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that current three-light traffic signals were not always the standard, then describes what earlier traffic lights were like, and provides the timeline for when the change occurred.
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, the sentence is contrasting earlier traffic lights (with only red and green) against the later three-light system
- The word needs to describe what traffic lights "did" with red and green lights
- Given the context of "only" red and green lights, and the contrast with "didn't always contain the familiar three lights," the missing word should indicate that traffic lights possessed, displayed, or contained these colors
avoided
avoided
- Incorrect - This would mean traffic lights stayed away from red and green lights, which contradicts the context that they "only" had red and green lights
featured
featured
- Correct - This means traffic lights displayed or included red and green lights
- Fits perfectly with "only" and makes logical sense in describing early traffic light design
appreciated
appreciated
- Incorrect - This would mean traffic lights valued red and green lights
- Traffic lights cannot have emotions or appreciation
disregarded
disregarded
- Incorrect - This would mean traffic lights ignored red and green lights, which contradicts the "only" construction