During the 1960's and 1970's, the primary economic development strate

explanation for question one

Question 1

To answer primary purpose questions, start by breaking down the structure of the passage as a whole. Why did the author write each paragraph?

Here's a breakdown of this passage:

• Paragraph 1: The author describes and evaluates an economic development strategy from the 1960s/1970s.
• Paragraph 2: The author describes and evaluates an economic development strategy from the 1980s.
• Paragraph 3: The author describes and evaluates an economic development strategy from current times.

From the above breakdown of each paragraph, why did the author write the passage as a whole? Well, he/she wants to describe and evaluate several different economic development strategies.

That fits beautifully with (E):
(E) is the correct answer to question 1.

I hope that helps!

Can anyone please provide me the official explanation of question number 1.

Posted from my mobile device

A better one than OE is here

https://gmatclub.com/forum/during-the-1 ... l#p3100200

Cheers

can someone describe the meaning of the term evaluate in question number 1 ?

(D) define and explore promotional efforts used by local governments to attract new industry

Isn't the PP of the passage revolving around the local governments efforts to attract new industry?

GMATNinja Please help

Question 1

Good question!

It's true that the passage is about the "efforts of local governments." But what efforts specifically?

Well, the first paragraph discusses a strategy local governments used for "economic development." The next two paragraphs discuss two different strategies local governments employed with the same goal, i.e. achieving economic development.

Notice that the common denominator of all these strategies is their goal of "economic development." True the first strategy seeks to achieve economic development by attracting manufacturing industries, while the second tries to attract high-tech firms. But the third strategy isn't about attracting industries from elsewhere. Rather, it's about encouraging homegrown business.

Let's now take a look at (D):

Notice that the author discusses efforts to attract new industries as examples of a larger project. More specifically, the project of economic development. For that reason, (D) isn't an accurate way to define the primary purpose, and we can eliminate it.

I hope that helps!

Hi GMATNinja

For Q2, why isn't option D correct? It does mention that during the high-technology development era, only a specially trained fraction of the manufacturing force could be employed. Is it wrong of me to assume that that WASN'T the case prior to the 80s?
Thanks in advance!

­The passage does indeed tell us that "high-tech manufacturing firms employ only a specially trained fraction of the manufacturing workforce"­. That means that the people working at those high-tech manufacturing firms have some sort of special training.

But NOT having that specific special training does not necessarily mean that you don't have ANY specialized skills. It just means that you don't have the special training necessary to work at those high-tech manufacturing firms.

For example, let's say that most (or even all) people in the manufacturing workforce have at least one specialized skill. But only 2% of those workers have the SPECIFIC special skills needed to work at the high-tech manufacturing firms. Everyone else might have specialized skills, just not the right ones needed to work at those particular firms.

(D) could be true, but there's no evidence in the passage to support it. (C), on the other hand, is supported by the first paragraph, so it's the best answer.

I hope that helps!­

the primary economic development strategy of local governments


why first question 1 answer not D as this also sounds good and parochial

any help explaination please

thanks man it helped a lot !

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to


(A) advocate more effective strategies for encouraging the development of high- technology enterprises in the United States - Author is not advocating or encouraging anything
(B) contrast the incentives for economic development offered by local governments with those offered by the private sector - Nothing mentioned by private sector
(C) acknowledge and counter adverse criticism of programs being used to stimulate local economic development - Too narrow
(D) define and explore promotional efforts used by local governments to attract new industry
(E) review and evaluate strategies and programs that have been used to stimulate economic development - Author reviews strategies and gives pros and cons, keep this


2. The passage suggests which of the following about the majority of United States manufacturing industries before the high-technology development era of the 1980's?


(A) They lost many of their most innovative personnel to small entrepreneurial enterprises - small entrepreneurial enterprises? this is not mentioned
(B) They experienced a major decline in profits during the 1960’s and 1970’s - not mentioned
(C) They could provide real economic benefits to the areas in which they were located - the governments competed to get these companies, so there must have been some benefit to having them. Keep.
(D) They employed workers who had no specialized skills - incorrect, they employed workers who were skilled
(E) They actively interfered with local entrepreneurial ventures - not mentioned


3. The tone of the passage suggests that the author is most optimistic about the economic development potential of which of the following groups?


(A) Local governments - incorrect
(B) High-technology promoters - incorrect
(C) Local entrepreneurs - yes! the author mentions that the potential can benefit local entrepreneurs as per last paragraph
(D) Manufacturing-industry managers - incorrect
(E) Economic development strategists - incorrect


4. The passage does NOT state which of the following about local entrepreneurs?


(A) They are found nearly everywhere - Small indigenous businesses are created by a nearly ubiquitous resource
(B) They encourage further entrepreneurship - Indigenous industry and talent are kept at home, creating an environment that both provides jobs and fosters further entrepreneurship.
(C) They attract out-of-town investors - not mentioned
(D) They employ local workers - Small indigenous businesses are created by a nearly ubiquitous resource, local entrepreneurs.
(E) They are established in their communities - With roots in their communities


5. The author of the passage mentions which of the following as an advantage of high-technology development?


(A) It encourages the modernization of existing manufacturing facilities - not mentioned
(B) It promotes healthy competition between rival industries - not mentioned
(C) It encourages the growth of related industries - not mentioned
(D) It takes full advantage of the existing workforce - it only employs skilled workers
(E) It does not advantage one local workforce at the expense of another - Although this approach was preferable to victimizing other geographical areas by taking their jobs, it also ...