Emily: This plan to issue bonds to raise money to repair the bridges over the river will waste a lot...
GMAT Two Part Analysis : (TPA) Questions
Emily: This plan to issue bonds to raise money to repair the bridges over the river will waste a lot of money. The city insists on preserving the bridges' historic character, but that will more than double the cost of the repairs. And the city will have to pay a huge amount of interest on the bonds. That makes this plan a very inefficient way to pay for these urgently needed repairs, so we should oppose it.
Juanita: But the bridges really do need repairs to keep them safe enough to use. Thousands of cars cross the bridges every day, so the city cannot just close all the bridges for safety until it finds funding for the repairs. Despite the bond plan's flaws, we have to support it.
The two speakers disagree on how___ 1 it would be to fund repairs of the bridges with the bond plan but agree on how 2 __it is for repairs to be made.
Two-Part Analysis Inference Solution
Phase 1: Owning the Dataset
Argument Analysis Table
Passage Statement | Analysis & Implications |
Emily: "This plan to issue bonds...will waste a lot of money" |
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Emily: "preserving the bridges' historic character...will more than double the cost" |
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Emily: "city will have to pay a huge amount of interest on the bonds" |
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Emily: "makes this plan a very inefficient way to pay for these urgently needed repairs" |
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Emily: "we should oppose it" |
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Juanita: "bridges really do need repairs to keep them safe enough to use" |
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Juanita: "Thousands of cars cross the bridges every day" |
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Juanita: "city cannot just close all the bridges for safety until it finds funding" |
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Juanita: "Despite the bond plan's flaws, we have to support it" |
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Key Patterns Identified
- Agreement: Both speakers acknowledge repairs are urgently needed
- Disagreement: They differ on whether the bond plan is the right approach
- Emily's Position: Inefficiency makes the plan imprudent despite urgency
- Juanita's Position: Urgency and lack of alternatives make the plan prudent despite flaws
Phase 2: Question Analysis & Prethinking
Understanding Each Part
- Part 1 Focus: How [adjective] it would be to fund repairs with the bond plan - this is where they DISAGREE
- Part 2 Focus: How [adjective] it is for repairs to be made - this is where they AGREE
- Relationship: The question highlights their fundamental agreement on need but disagreement on method
Valid Inferences Generated
- For Part 1 (Disagreement):
- Emily thinks the bond plan is NOT prudent (inefficient, wasteful)
- Juanita thinks the bond plan IS prudent (necessary given circumstances)
- They disagree on the PRUDENCE of the bond plan
- For Part 2 (Agreement):
- Emily calls repairs "urgently needed"
- Juanita emphasizes safety needs and daily usage
- Both agree repairs are URGENT
Phase 3: Answer Choice Evaluation
Analyzing Each Option:
"Possible"
- What it claims: Feasibility of the action
- Fact Support: Both seem to agree it's possible (Emily just opposes it)
- Part Suitability: Not the core disagreement
"Unlikely"
- What it claims: Low probability
- Fact Support: Neither suggests it's unlikely to happen
- Part Suitability: Doesn't fit either part
"Urgent"
- What it claims: Immediate necessity
- Fact Support: Emily says "urgently needed repairs"; Juanita emphasizes safety/usage
- Part Suitability: Perfect for Part 2 (agreement)
"Prudent"
- What it claims: Wise/sensible course of action
- Fact Support: Emily says "inefficient" and "oppose"; Juanita says "have to support"
- Part Suitability: Perfect for Part 1 (disagreement)
"Difficult"
- What it claims: Challenging to accomplish
- Fact Support: Not discussed by either speaker
- Part Suitability: Doesn't fit
Answer Selection
- Part 1: Prudent - They disagree on whether the bond plan is a prudent way to fund repairs
- Part 2: Urgent - They agree that repairs are urgently needed
Verification
- Emily thinks bond plan is NOT prudent (wasteful, inefficient) ✓
- Juanita thinks bond plan IS prudent (necessary despite flaws) ✓
- Both agree repairs are urgent (Emily: "urgently needed"; Juanita: safety critical) ✓
The answers work perfectly together to capture their fundamental dynamic: agreement on the urgent need but disagreement on whether this particular solution is prudent.