When fashion designer Lloyd Henri Kiva New opened his store in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1945, he quickly became known for...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
When fashion designer Lloyd Henri Kiva New opened his store in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1945, he quickly became known for creating delicately crafted leather goods, like belts and hats. He was perhaps most renowned for his colorful handbags, which he made by hand using a long and painstaking process. As he gained more customers, New began using sewing machines and other tools to help him produce bags more efficiently, though he continued to handcraft the crucial details that made each bag unique.
Based on the text, what would have been the most likely consequence if New had not begun using sewing machines?
He would have been unable to ensure that each bag included unique, handcrafted details.
He would have struggled to meet the increasing demand for his bags.
He would have had to individually design each bag he produced.
He would not have been able to generate as much interest in his bags.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'When fashion designer Lloyd Henri Kiva New opened his store in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1945, he quickly became known for creating delicately crafted leather goods, like belts and hats.' |
|
| 'He was perhaps most renowned for his colorful handbags, which he made by hand using a long and painstaking process.' |
|
| 'As he gained more customers, New began using sewing machines and other tools to help him produce bags more efficiently, though he continued to handcraft the crucial details that made each bag unique.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: As New's business grew, he adapted by using machines for efficiency while preserving the handcrafted details that made his bags special.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes New's reputation for handcrafted leather goods, focuses on his specialty handbags made through a slow manual process, then shows how increased demand led him to adopt efficient tools while maintaining the unique handcrafted elements.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? What would have been the most likely consequence if New had NOT begun using sewing machines
What type of answer do we need? A logical result/outcome based on the cause-effect relationship described in the passage
Any limiting keywords? 'most likely consequence' - we need the most probable outcome, and 'if New had not begun using sewing machines' - we're looking at a counterfactual scenario
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our passage analysis, we know that New gained more customers, which led him to use sewing machines and other tools to produce bags more efficiently
- The key cause-effect relationship here is: more customers created a demand that required more efficient production methods
- If he had NOT used sewing machines, he would have been stuck with his original 'long and painstaking process' for making handbags by hand
- With more customers wanting his bags, this slow manual process would have created a bottleneck
- So the right answer should explain that he would have had trouble keeping up with customer demand using only his slow, manual production methods
He would have been unable to ensure that each bag included unique, handcrafted details.
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests he couldn't include unique details without machines, but the passage shows he used machines for efficiency while STILL handcrafting the unique details
- Contradicts what the text actually says about his approach
He would have struggled to meet the increasing demand for his bags.
✓ Correct
- Directly addresses the efficiency problem described in the passage
- Matches our prethinking: more customers + slow manual process = can't meet demand
- Makes logical sense based on the cause-effect relationship
He would have had to individually design each bag he produced.
✗ Incorrect
- The passage never suggests he didn't individually design each bag
- This is about production efficiency, not design creativity
- Students might confuse 'handcraft details' with individual design, but the passage is about production speed, not design uniqueness
He would not have been able to generate as much interest in his bags.
✗ Incorrect
- The passage shows he was already gaining customers and generating interest before using machines
- His reputation was built on handcrafted quality, not machine efficiency
- This reverses the actual cause-effect relationship in the passage