Were penguins always flightless? Theresa Cole and her team argue that penguins could fly at some point, but that they...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Were penguins always flightless? Theresa Cole and her team argue that penguins could fly at some point, but that they lost that ability more than 60 million years ago as they adapted to marine life. After examining various penguin fossils and genetic information, the researchers concluded that over time penguins developed underwater vision, blood oxygenation, and bone density better suited for swimming than flying. Thus, environmental conditions might have driven penguins to change from flyers to swimmers.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
It defines a scientific term used in the sentence that follows.
It contradicts a description in the sentence that follows.
It provides an answer to the question in the previous sentence.
It notes that the question in the previous sentence has not been researched.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Were penguins always flightless?" |
|
| "Theresa Cole and her team argue that penguins could fly at some point, but that they lost that ability more than 60 million years ago as they adapted to marine life." |
|
| "After examining various penguin fossils and genetic information, the researchers concluded that over time penguins developed underwater vision, blood oxygenation, and bone density better suited for swimming than flying." |
|
| "Thus, environmental conditions might have driven penguins to change from flyers to swimmers." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Research suggests penguins were once able to fly but evolved to lose this ability as they adapted to marine environments over 60 million years ago.
Argument Flow: The passage opens with a research question about penguin flight history, immediately provides a research-based answer claiming penguins once flew but lost this ability, supports this with fossil and genetic evidence showing swimming adaptations, and concludes by suggesting environmental pressures drove this evolutionary change.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to identify the function of the underlined sentence (Cole's team's claim) within the overall text structure.
What type of answer do we need?
- Content Genre: Sciences
- Content Format: Text-only
- Question Type: Purpose (specific part)
- Language Complexity: Accessible
Any limiting keywords? None specified
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The underlined sentence comes immediately after the opening question "Were penguins always flightless?" and directly responds to it by saying "penguins could fly at some point, but lost that ability." This is a classic question-answer structure.
- The correct answer should identify that this sentence answers or responds to the question that came right before it.
It defines a scientific term used in the sentence that follows.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the sentence defines a scientific term for what follows
- The sentence doesn't define any terms—it makes a factual claim about penguin evolution
It contradicts a description in the sentence that follows.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims it contradicts what follows
- The following sentences actually support Cole's claim by providing fossil and genetic evidence
It provides an answer to the question in the previous sentence.
✓ Correct
- Recognizes that the previous sentence asked a question and identifies that this sentence provides information answering that question
- Matches the clear question-answer structure we identified
It notes that the question in the previous sentence has not been researched.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the sentence notes that the question hasn't been researched
- Actually does the opposite—it presents research findings from Cole's team