While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Winston Churchill served as British Prime Minister during World War...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Winston Churchill served as British Prime Minister during World War II from 1940-1945.
- He was known for his stirring wartime speeches that boosted British morale.
- Churchill returned as Prime Minister from 1951-1955 during peacetime.
- His peacetime leadership focused on economic recovery and Cold War strategy.
- Many historians argue his wartime leadership was more decisive and inspiring.
- His peacetime tenure, while competent, lacked the urgency and drama of his wartime role.
The student wants to contrast Churchill's two periods of leadership. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Winston Churchill served as British Prime Minister twice, first during World War II and later during peacetime recovery.
While Churchill's wartime leadership from 1940-1945 was marked by inspiring speeches and decisive action, his 1951-1955 peacetime tenure focused on economic recovery and Cold War strategy but lacked the same urgency.
Churchill's stirring wartime speeches boosted British morale, though his later peacetime leadership was more focused on economic and strategic concerns.
Many historians consider Churchill's wartime leadership more decisive and inspiring than his competent but less dramatic peacetime role.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Winston Churchill served as British Prime Minister during World War II from 1940-1945. |
|
| He was known for his stirring wartime speeches that boosted British morale. |
|
| Churchill returned as Prime Minister from 1951-1955 during peacetime. |
|
| His peacetime leadership focused on economic recovery and Cold War strategy. |
|
| Many historians argue his wartime leadership was more decisive and inspiring. |
|
| His peacetime tenure, while competent, lacked the urgency and drama of his wartime role. |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The notes document Churchill's two distinct periods as Prime Minister—his more dramatic and inspiring wartime leadership versus his competent but less urgent peacetime tenure.
Argument Flow: The notes first establish Churchill's wartime Prime Ministership and its defining characteristic (inspiring speeches), then present his peacetime return with its different focus (economic and strategic concerns), and conclude with historians' assessment that his wartime leadership was more decisive and inspiring than his competent but less dramatic peacetime role.
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 correct answer needs to show clear differences between Churchill's two periods as Prime Minister
- It should use specific information from the notes to highlight how his wartime leadership (1940-1945) differed from his peacetime leadership (1951-1955)
- The contrast should go beyond just mentioning both periods—it should show what made each period distinctive in terms of what he did, how he led, or what characterized each era
Winston Churchill served as British Prime Minister twice, first during World War II and later during peacetime recovery.
- Simply states the basic fact that he served twice during different periods
- Provides no actual contrast between the periods—just mentions they happened
- Doesn't use the rich details from the notes about what made each period distinctive
While Churchill's wartime leadership from 1940-1945 was marked by inspiring speeches and decisive action, his 1951-1955 peacetime tenure focused on economic recovery and Cold War strategy but lacked the same urgency.
- Draws a clear contrast by specifying what characterized the wartime period (inspiring speeches, decisive action) versus the peacetime period (economic recovery, Cold War strategy)
- Uses specific timeframes from the notes (1940-1945 vs 1951-1955)
- Incorporates the key contrast about urgency—notes that peacetime lacked the same urgency
- Effectively synthesizes multiple pieces of information to show how the periods differed
Churchill's stirring wartime speeches boosted British morale, though his later peacetime leadership was more focused on economic and strategic concerns.
- Mentions some contrasting elements (speeches/morale vs economic/strategic concerns) but doesn't develop the contrast fully
- Missing the timeframes and the crucial element about different levels of urgency or effectiveness
Many historians consider Churchill's wartime leadership more decisive and inspiring than his competent but less dramatic peacetime role.
- Uses only the historians' general assessment without providing specific details about what each period actually involved
- Doesn't give readers concrete information about what made wartime leadership decisive and inspiring or peacetime leadership competent but less dramatic