While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:The Yellowstone Wolf Restoration Project began in 1995 with the...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- The Yellowstone Wolf Restoration Project began in 1995 with the reintroduction of gray wolves to the park.
- This project focused on restoring natural predator-prey relationships within the ecosystem.
- The Coral Triangle Initiative launched in 2009 to protect marine biodiversity in Southeast Asian waters.
- This initiative emphasized community-based conservation and sustainable fishing practices.
- The wolf project has successfully reduced deer overpopulation and restored vegetation.
- The coral initiative has protected over 6 million hectares of marine habitat.
The student wants to emphasize a difference in conservation approaches between these two projects. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
The Yellowstone Wolf Restoration Project began in 1995, while the Coral Triangle Initiative launched in 2009.
The wolf project focused on species reintroduction to restore ecosystem balance, whereas the coral initiative emphasized community engagement and sustainable practices.
Both the Yellowstone project and the Coral Triangle Initiative have achieved significant conservation success.
The Coral Triangle Initiative has protected over 6 million hectares of marine habitat through community-based efforts.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Yellowstone Wolf Restoration Project began in 1995 with the reintroduction of gray wolves to the park." |
|
| "This project focused on restoring natural predator-prey relationships within the ecosystem." |
|
| "The Coral Triangle Initiative launched in 2009 to protect marine biodiversity in Southeast Asian waters." |
|
| "This initiative emphasized community-based conservation and sustainable fishing practices." |
|
| "The wolf project has successfully reduced deer overpopulation and restored vegetation." |
|
| "The coral initiative has protected over 6 million hectares of marine habitat." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
- PROJECT 1: YELLOWSTONE WOLVES (1995)
- Approach: Species reintroduction
- Goal: Restore predator-prey balance
- Results: Reduced deer, restored vegetation
- PROJECT 2: CORAL TRIANGLE (2009)
- Approach: Community engagement
- Goal: Sustainable fishing practices
- Results: 6M hectares protected
Main Point: The notes present two conservation projects that achieved success through fundamentally different approaches—one through biological intervention and one through community collaboration.
Argument Flow: The notes establish each project with basic details, then reveal their contrasting methodologies (ecological restoration vs. community engagement), and finally demonstrate that both approaches achieved measurable conservation outcomes.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The student wants to emphasize a difference in conservation approaches between the two projects.
What type of answer do we need? A statement that highlights how the methods or strategies of these projects differ from each other.
Any limiting keywords? "difference in conservation approaches" - we need to focus specifically on how their methods differ, not their timing, locations, or success levels.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The key difference lies in their methods: the wolf project used direct species reintroduction to restore natural ecological balance, while the coral project used community engagement and sustainable practices to achieve conservation goals
- The right answer should contrast these different philosophical approaches—one that works through biological/ecological intervention versus one that works through human community involvement
- The answer should make this contrast clear and explicit, not just mention both projects separately
- The right answer should directly compare these two different conservation philosophies in a way that emphasizes their contrasting approaches
The Yellowstone Wolf Restoration Project began in 1995, while the Coral Triangle Initiative launched in 2009.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on timing (1995 vs. 2009) rather than conservation approaches
- Doesn't address the methodological differences that the student wants to emphasize
- What trap this represents: Students might think chronological differences count as "differences," but the question specifically asks about approaches, not timelines
The wolf project focused on species reintroduction to restore ecosystem balance, whereas the coral initiative emphasized community engagement and sustainable practices.
✓ Correct
- Directly contrasts the conservation methods: "species reintroduction to restore ecosystem balance" vs. "community engagement and sustainable practices"
- Uses "whereas" to create explicit comparison that emphasizes differences
- Captures the core distinction between biological intervention and community-based approaches from our analysis
Both the Yellowstone project and the Coral Triangle Initiative have achieved significant conservation success.
✗ Incorrect
- Emphasizes similarities ("both...have achieved significant conservation success") rather than differences
- Completely opposite of what the student wants to accomplish
- What trap this represents: Students might get confused by questions asking to "emphasize differences" and accidentally choose options that highlight similarities instead
The Coral Triangle Initiative has protected over 6 million hectares of marine habitat through community-based efforts.
✗ Incorrect
- Only discusses one project (Coral Triangle Initiative)
- Cannot show differences between projects when only mentioning one of them
- Fails to create any comparison at all