Very little is known about the role nocturnal insects, such as moths, play in flower pollination because it is difficult...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Very little is known about the role nocturnal insects, such as moths, play in flower pollination because it is difficult to monitor insects at night. To address this problem, a team of scientists used time-lapse cameras to record pollinator visits to red clover all day and night. The recordings showed that while most pollinator visits were by bumblebees, one-third of visits were by moths. Additionally, flowers that were visited by both moths and bees produced more seeds than flowers that were only visited by bees.
Which choice best states the function of the underlined sentence?
To describe an approach a team of scientists used to study pollinators
To question a claim scientists make about pollinators
To explain why moths prefer red clover to other flowers
To announce an unexpected research finding about red clover
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Very little is known about the role nocturnal insects, such as moths, play in flower pollination because it is difficult to monitor insects at night. |
|
| To address this problem, a team of scientists used time-lapse cameras to record pollinator visits to red clover all day and night. |
|
| The recordings showed that while most pollinator visits were by bumblebees, one-third of visits were by moths. |
|
| Additionally, flowers that were visited by both moths and bees produced more seeds than flowers that were only visited by bees. |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Scientists used time-lapse cameras to overcome the difficulty of studying nocturnal pollinators and discovered that moths play a more significant role in flower pollination than previously known.
Argument Flow: The passage begins by identifying a research challenge (difficulty monitoring nocturnal insects), then describes the methodological approach scientists used to solve this problem (time-lapse cameras), and concludes with the key findings that emerged from this approach (significant moth participation and enhanced seed production when both insects visit).
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The function of a specific underlined sentence (the time-lapse camera sentence)
What type of answer do we need? A description of what role this sentence plays in the passage's structure
Any limiting keywords? 'underlined sentence' limits us to analyzing just that one sentence's job
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The underlined sentence comes right after a problem is identified (difficulty monitoring at night) and it describes what scientists did to solve that monitoring problem
- The sentence is presenting the research method/approach they used
- Key elements the correct answer must have:
- Should recognize this as describing a methodology or approach
- Should connect it to the research challenge mentioned before
- Should focus on what the scientists DID, not what they found
To describe an approach a team of scientists used to study pollinators
✓ Correct
- Correctly describes the sentence's function - it does present the approach/method scientists used
- Matches our prethinking perfectly - the sentence describes what the team DID to study pollinators
To question a claim scientists make about pollinators
✗ Incorrect
- The sentence doesn't question any claim - it describes what scientists did
- No challenging or questioning language appears in the sentence
To explain why moths prefer red clover to other flowers
✗ Incorrect
- The sentence says nothing about moth preferences or why they prefer red clover
- It's about the research method, not insect behavior or preferences
To announce an unexpected research finding about red clover
✗ Incorrect
- This sentence doesn't announce findings - it describes the research approach
- The actual findings come in the sentences that follow