While many home cooks assume that pasta texture depends solely on cooking time, experienced chefs know that the final result...

GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions

Source: Prism

Craft and Structure

Words in Context

HARD

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Notes

Post a Query

While many home cooks assume that pasta texture depends solely on cooking time, experienced chefs know that the final result is actually highly _____: identical pasta shapes can yield vastly different textures depending on water salinity, altitude, and the specific wheat variety used.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

technical

variable

predictable

standardized

Solution

Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage

Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table

Text from Passage	Analysis
"While many home cooks assume that pasta texture depends solely on cooking time"	What it says: Home cooks think cooking time is the only factor for texture What it does: Introduces common assumption about pasta cooking What it is: Initial perspective/assumption
"[MISSING WORD]"	What it is: Missing descriptor for the final result
"identical pasta shapes can yield vastly different textures depending on water salinity, altitude, and the specific wheat variety used"	What it says: Same pasta can produce different textures based on salt, altitude, wheat type What it does: Provides evidence that multiple factors affect pasta texture What it is: Supporting evidence with specific examples

Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements

Main Point: Pasta texture is influenced by multiple factors beyond just cooking time, contrary to what many home cooks believe.

Argument Flow: The passage contrasts a simple assumption with professional knowledge that reveals the reality is more complex, then provides specific evidence of multiple variables.

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 word needs to describe how experienced chefs view the final result of pasta cooking
The evidence shows identical pasta can produce vastly different textures based on multiple factors
The missing word should capture that outcomes change depending on various circumstances

Answer Choices Explained

technical

✗ Incorrect

This describes requiring specialized knowledge but does not address how outcomes change based on different factors

variable

✓ Correct

Perfectly captures that the result changes depending on conditions
Directly supported by evidence that identical pasta shapes can yield vastly different textures

predictable

✗ Incorrect

This contradicts the evidence
If results were predictable, identical pasta would not yield vastly different textures

standardized

✗ Incorrect

This suggests uniform results, which contradicts the evidence about vastly different textures from identical pasta

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