When investigating complex financial crimes, Detective Sarah Chen found that her _____ skills made all the difference. She could spot...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
When investigating complex financial crimes, Detective Sarah Chen found that her _____ skills made all the difference. She could spot subtle inconsistencies in documents and testimonies that revealed the fraud network other investigators had missed.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
technical
communication
leadership
observational
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'When investigating complex financial crimes, Detective Sarah Chen found that her _______ skills made all the difference.' |
|
| [MISSING WORD] |
|
| 'She could spot subtle inconsistencies in documents and testimonies that revealed the fraud network other investigators had missed.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
[CONTEXT: Chen investigating financial crimes]
[MISSING SKILL TYPE] made all the difference
[EVIDENCE: Spotted inconsistencies others missed]
Main Point: Detective Chen's success in financial crime investigation came from her ability to notice subtle inconsistencies that other investigators overlooked.
Argument Flow: The passage introduces Chen's investigative work, indicates that specific skills were crucial to her success, then explains those skills involved detecting subtle problems in evidence that others missed.
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 right word must describe skills that allow someone to notice subtle inconsistencies and spot things others miss
- We know from the passage that Chen could detect small problems in documents and testimonies that revealed fraud networks
- This suggests skills related to careful examination, attention to detail, and the ability to see patterns or problems that are not immediately obvious
- So the right answer should describe skills focused on noticing, watching, and detecting details that others overlook
technical
- Technical skills refer to specialized knowledge or expertise in specific methods
- While financial crime investigation requires some technical knowledge, the passage specifically emphasizes Chen's ability to spot and notice things others missed
- This is about perception and attention, not technical expertise
communication
- Communication skills involve speaking, writing, and interacting with others
- The passage focuses on Chen's ability to examine documents and testimonies to find inconsistencies
- There is no mention of her communicating with others or conveying information
leadership
- Leadership skills involve guiding, directing, or managing others
- The passage describes Chen working independently to spot inconsistencies
- No mention of her leading a team or directing other investigators
observational
- Observational skills are exactly about noticing details and spotting things others miss
- Perfectly matches could spot subtle inconsistencies - this is classic observational ability
- Explains why she found fraud networks other investigators had missed - she observed more carefully