The following text is adapted from Mary Seacole's 1857 autobiography Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands. That journey...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from Mary Seacole's 1857 autobiography Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands. That journey across the Isthmus [of Panama], insignificant in distance as it was, was by no means an easy one. It seemed as if nature had determined to throw every conceivable obstacle in the way of those who should seek to join the two great oceans of the world.
As used in the text, what does the word 'conceivable' most nearly mean?
Obvious
Imaginable
Straightforward
Uninterrupted
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| That journey across the Isthmus [of Panama], insignificant in distance as it was, was by no means an easy one. |
|
| It seemed as if nature had determined to throw every conceivable obstacle in the way of those who should seek to join the two great oceans of the world. |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Despite being short in distance, the journey across Panama was extremely challenging because nature seemed to deliberately place every possible obstacle in travelers' path.
Argument Flow: Seacole first presents the counterintuitive idea that a short journey was actually very difficult, then explains this difficulty by describing nature as actively working against those trying to connect the two oceans.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? This is a Words in Context question asking us to determine what conceivable means as it's used in this specific passage.
What type of answer do we need? We need to find the word that best captures the meaning of conceivable when describing the obstacles nature throws at travelers.
Any limiting keywords? None specified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- In the passage, Seacole writes about every conceivable obstacle that nature throws at travelers
- The context suggests that nature is working against them by creating all possible barriers
- The word conceivable here is modifying obstacle - so we're talking about every obstacle of a certain type
- Since the sentence emphasizes the completeness of nature's opposition (every obstacle), conceivable must mean obstacles that could exist or be thought of
- The word relates to what can be conceived or imagined
- So the right answer should mean that can be thought of or possible to imagine
Obvious
✗ Incorrect
- Obvious suggests obstacles that are clearly visible or easy to notice
- This doesn't fit because the passage isn't about how noticeable the obstacles are, but about nature creating all possible obstacles
- The focus is on completeness (every type), not visibility
Imaginable
✓ Correct
- Imaginable perfectly captures the meaning of obstacles that can be conceived or thought of
- This matches the context where nature throws every obstacle that could possibly exist
- The word emphasizes the completeness - every obstacle one could imagine or conceive of
Straightforward
✗ Incorrect
- Straightforward means simple or direct
- This contradicts the passage's point that the obstacles make the journey difficult
- What trap this represents: Students might confuse conceivable with simple to understand, but the passage is about quantity/possibility, not simplicity
Uninterrupted
✗ Incorrect
- Uninterrupted means continuous or without breaks
- This doesn't make sense when describing types of obstacles
- The passage is about what obstacles exist, not whether they're continuous