Reading comp PrepTest 157 · Section 1 · Question 12

Passage

 Grammarians of the prescriptive school take it as part of their task to distinguish correct from incorrect usage in language Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage Summary Topic: Humanities

Paragraph 1

  • Paragraph note
    • Background on the debate between prescriptivists (correct grammar) and descriptivists (describe language as it's used)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Comparison, according to the author:
      • The prescriptivists try to correct people's grammar to prevent language from becoming messy, while the descriptivists — who try to record language as it is actually used — believe the prescriptivists' approach is unscientific and self-defeating (first through third sentences)
    • Example of a permissible change in language, according to the descriptivists:
      • Use of "data" as singular (sixth and last sentences)

Paragraph 2

  • Paragraph note
    • Descriptivists' two main objections to prescriptivism (language change is like a scientific law; controlling grammar is elitist)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • List of two main objections to prescriptivism, according to the descriptivists:
      • Language change is governed by quasi-scientific laws that can't be countered (second sentence)
      • Trying to impose linguistic practices on all members of society is elitist (third sentence)
    • Comparison, according to the descriptivists:
      • The laws that govern linguistic change are like scientific laws, so trying to counter this change is like trying to defy gravity (second sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "somehow immoral" (last sentence)

Paragraph 3

  • Paragraph note
    • Author's rebuttal of descriptivists' two objections (regulating language is possible, so language is not law-like; meant to be inclusive)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • List of two rebuttals to the descriptivists' objections, according to the author:
      • Some attempts to regulate language change have worked, so these laws are not like scientific laws; the descriptivists' belief that these regulations were consistent with the laws governing change is an unverifiable belief (first through fourth sentences)
      • While attempting to regulate language has some attributes of elitism, the prescriptivists' aim is to help people exchange ideas freely, which is an inclusive motivation (sixth and last sentences)
    • Author's attitude: "should be noted .... some have succeeded" (first sentence); "in large measure an article of faith" (third sentence); "must be acknowledged" (fourth sentence); "are not like" (fourth sentence); "inevitably possesses" (last sentence); "aim is one of inclusion rather than exclusion" (last sentence)

Main Point:

Contrary to the claims made by descriptivists, linguistic changes are not governed by science-like laws, and the prescriptivist urge to distinguish correct and incorrect usage is not purely elitist.


Meta-Structure?

Resolving a Debate: We think this passage best fits the Resolving a Debate Meta-Structure.* Passages that feature a debate between two or more sides, like this passage, are usually best classified as a Describing a Debate or Resolving a Debate passage. In Resolving a Debate passages— unlike their Describing a Debate counterparts — the author will take sides in the debate or attempt to mediate the two sides to find an acceptable compromise. In this passage, the author takes a side, ultimately rebutting claims made by the descriptivists and siding with the prescriptivist approach to language.

In Resolving a Debate passages, the main point is generally the author's opinion on the debate or the author's mediation of the debate. We can often anticipate the main point by identifying the part of the passage where the author summarizes their opinion or mediation. In this passage, unfortunately, the author provides no such summary. So, we'll summarize the author's perspective ourselves: "Contrary to the claims made by descriptivists, linguistic changes are not governed by science-like laws, and the prescriptivist urge to distinguish correct and incorrect usage is not purely elitist."

*That said, several other major Meta-Structures could work in this passage. Since the author really dunks on the descriptivists' argument, we can use several Meta-Structures from the Critical Meta-Structure family. Criticizing a Viewpoint, Rebutting Critics, and Correcting the Record would all work for this passage.

List: The list is the most prominent minor Meta-Structure in this passage. In the second paragraph, the author lists two main objections the descriptivists levy against prescriptivism. In the third paragraph, the author lists two rebuttals to those objections. Since this minor Meta-Structure plays an important structural role in this passage, expect a few questions about the objections and rebuttals.


Last Thoughts?

Reading with anticipation is a difficult skill to acquire, but it can help us better understand where the passage is going. If we can find a clue in the passage that lets us project where the author's argument is going, we'll be able to read the rest of the passage more confidently. Rather than being surprised or, worse, confused, we'll feel like we're in control of the passage.

With that in mind, let's highlight one important clue that allows us to predict the author's argument. After the author describes the descriptivists' second objection to prescriptivism — that the prescriptivist urge to correct grammar is elitist — the author says that descriptivists suggest that the prescriptivists' desire to correct people's grammar is "somehow immoral" (P2, S4). That word "somehow" is shady, right? That word indicates that the author doesn't believe the prescriptivists are in any way "immoral." The author didn't have to include that word. If the author thought the prescriptivists were a little bit immoral, the author would have just said the descriptivists argue the prescriptivists' "attempted imposition is immoral."

This word choice can clue us into the fact that the author is on Team Prescriptivists and that the third paragraph will probably refute the descriptivists' argument. If we notice that tonal word, we can almost predict what the third paragraph will say.

Question prompt

The passage most strongly Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Strategy Overview

Review your notes to recall the prescriptivists' views on descriptivists, then find an answer that must be true according to the passage

Answer Anticipation

This question stem asks us to infer what the prescriptivists believe about descriptivists. Often, one’s views are described at length throughout the passage, so reviewing the passage to anticipate what the correct answer will say is not a wise investment of our limited time. In this case, however, the prescriptivists' views are limited to the first paragraph. We also reviewed these details to answer the fifth question in this set. If necessary, we can brush up on some facts about prescriptivists from the first paragraph to anticipate what the correct answer will likely say. Reviewing the first paragraph, we'll see that the prescriptivists try to correct people's grammar to prevent language from becoming messy (P1, S2). Additionally, the author uses the example of the word "data" to illustrate the differences between prescriptivists' and descriptivists' approaches. The author says that the prescriptivists think "data" should always be treated like a plural noun since it is "the plural of the Latin noun "datum" and should continue to be treated as a plural in English out of respect for the word's origins" (P1, S6). However, none of these facts explicitly discuss what the prescriptivists think about the descriptivists. The correct answer could mention that the prescriptivists think that the descriptivists don't treat the word "data" correctly or something specific like that. Or — more likely — the correct answer will require us to connect multiple parts of the passage together to make a valid inference. With that in mind, let's stay flexible as we assess these answer choices.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Descriptivists are motivated more Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited

    Is this consistent with the main point or what we reviewed in the first paragraph? Is it reflected in our notes?

    No and no. None of these resources discuss whether the prescriptivists think descriptivists are motivated by "animosity toward prescriptivism." Our notes suggest that the descriptivists think that prescriptivists are elitists — which is a derogatory term — but that doesn't mean the prescriptivists think descriptivists are motivated by a dislike of the prescriptive approach. So, we can eliminate — or at least table — (A) and move on to the next answer choice without checking the passage.

    Besides, we wouldn't find any support for this claim if we re-read the entire passage. The passage doesn't state or imply that prescriptivists hold this belief.

  2. B
    Descriptivists adhere to the Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited

    Is this consistent with the main point or what we reviewed in the first paragraph? Is it reflected in our notes?

    No and no. None of these resources discuss whether the prescriptivists think descriptivists don't follow "the scientific method." Our notes bring up whether linguistic change follows science-like laws, but that doesn't imply that the prescriptivists or the descriptivists follow the scientific method. For this reason, we can eliminate — or at least table — (B) and move on to the next answer choice without checking the passage.

    Besides, we wouldn't find any support for this claim if we re-read the entire passage. The passage doesn't discuss the scientific method at all.

  3. C
    Descriptivists fail to recognize Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem

    Is this consistent with the main point or what we reviewed in the first paragraph? Is it reflected in our notes?

    Well, our main point and notes mention that the author doesn't think prescriptivism is "elitist," despite the descriptivists' claim to the contrary. This at least touches on the topic of "egalitarian ideals." That doesn't exactly imply that the prescriptivists believe descriptivists undermine their own egalitarian ideals, but it's not so far off. Moreover, this answer choice at least uses the weak, easy-to-support language ("may") we like in Must Be True answer choices. We should probably table (C) without checking the passage, looking to see if any other answer choices are better reflected in our notes. But if we get to the end of the line and haven't found anything, we can review this one first.

    Upon review, we'll see that the author claims that "prescriptivists point to the importance of standard language usage for the free exchange of ideas," which the author characterizes as a motive toward "inclusion rather than exclusion" (P3, S6-S7). So, the prescriptivists must view the "free exchange of ideas" as an inclusive, egalitarian ideal.

    The author also says that prescriptivists think that allowing language to deteriorate without rules — the descriptivist approach — will leave language in "disarray" (P1, S2). If the descriptivist approach leaves language in disarray, it would be harder for people to freely exchange their ideas — which, again, the prescriptivists view as an egalitarian ideal. That would mean that prescriptivists would probably agree that the descriptivists overlook how their approach can undermine their egalitarian ideals.

    So, (C) is supported, and we can select it.

  4. D
    Descriptivists are generally unaware Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited

    Is this consistent with the main point or what we reviewed in the first paragraph? Is it reflected in our notes?

    No and no. None of these resources discuss whether prescriptivists think that the descriptivists overlook word's etymologies. Therefore, we can eliminate — or at least table — (D) and move on to the next answer choice without checking the passage.

    Many test-takers will recall the discussion of "data" in the first paragraph, which has been referenced in a couple of questions already. In that part of the passage, the author says that descriptivists know that "data" was originally just a plural noun but also argue that it, "in addition to its use as a plural, has acquired a widespread use as a singular mass term" (P1, S7). So, the one time the passage brings up a word's etymology, it's for a word in which the descriptivists are apparently aware that the word used to have a different meaning.

  5. E
    Descriptivists fail to acknowledge Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited

    Is this consistent with the main point or what we reviewed in the first paragraph? Is it reflected in our notes?

    No and no. In fact, this answer choice doesn't even make sense. The prescriptivists want to correct people's language to keep language from deteriorating (P1, S1-S2). Prescriptivists imagine a better future with more correct language. How could empirical observations support the prescriptivists' view? What ... ahem ... data could we gather that would suggest that the prescriptivist view is correct?

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 9%
  2. B 18%
  3. C Credited 42%
  4. D 19%
  5. E 13%

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