PrepTest 143

[lcid:3669] Prep Test 143 LSAT — Reading Comp — S2 Reading comp

Passage

Questions 1-7  .        Having spent several decades trying to eliminate  . the unself-conscious "colonial gaze" characteristic of  . so Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage SummaryTopic: Social Science

Paragraph 1
  • Paragraph note
    • A phenomenon is introduced that has divided anthropologists
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Old problem - Eliminate colonial gaze in ethnographic film
    • New phenomenon - Indigenous cultures are getting cameras and recording their own cultures
    • Anthropologists are "sharply divided" on how to view this
Paragraph 2
  • Paragraph note
    • One view is described
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Weiner et. al. - Cameras are an assault on indigenous cultures
    • Devalues differences, pushing Western approach (realism, immediacy, self-expression)
    • Paradox - Costs indigenous peoples the culture they want to preserve
    • Weiner - Others who think this is good are naïve
Paragraph 3
  • Paragraph note
    • Other view is described
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Ginsburg et. al. - Weiner appeals to "noble savage" (super negative)
    • Concession - Western objects aren't neutral
    • Non-Western peoples can adopt this tech without Western values
    • Opportunity to preserve language and traditions
Paragraph 4
  • Paragraph note
    • A real-world example backs up Ginsburg's view
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Ex. Turner/Kayapo (oral tradition) - Back up Ginsburg
    • Kayapo record ceremonies and interactions with government (legally binding)
    • Kayapo videos/editing reflect their culture/ceremonies (complex patterns; repetition; sequential organization)
Main Point:
While there is a sharp debate between anthropologists on whether it's good for indigenous cultures to adopt Western technology/cameras, a real-world example suggests that this technology does more harm than good, at least as far as preserving their culture is concerned.

Key Lines:
Lines 8-10 - The phenomenon is introduced
Lines 11-12 - The debate is previewed
Lines 13-15 - The first side of the debate is introduced and outlined
Lines 32-34 - The second side of the debate makes a concession to the first
Lines 34-36 - The second side of the debate rebuts the first
Lines 40-43 - The second side of the debate is outlined
Lines 44-47 - A specific example is introduced that supports the second view
Lines 54-59 - The best line describing the example's relevance

Meta-Structure:
Phenomenon/Implication - This is a variation on the Phenomenon/Explanation pattern. However, there's no explanation for the phenomenon here—the adoption of cameras by indigenous peoples. The debate is over whether it's a good or a bad thing.

Debate - Two sides of a debate are outlined. Here, the Author ends up leaning towards one side.

General Point/Specific Example - The Author brings up a single example to back up the viewpoint that she most closely aligns with. Remember, when a single example serves as the backing for a view, that view isn't on the strongest ground!

Last Thoughts:
That discussion of "ontology" is probably going to show up as at least an answer, since it's not a word you hear every day!

Question prompt

Which one of the 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.

Question Type

Social Science

Answer choices

  1. A
    Some anthropologists argue that Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Incorrect. (Lines 13-15) This answer represents the view of Weiner and his cohort, but that's only one of the viewpoints and not even the one that the Author sides with.
  2. B
    By making video technology Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Incorrect. (Lines 1-6) The passage starts by introducing the elimination of the colonial gaze as an old problem that has been supplanted by "an even more profound" one, so this answer misses . . . well, the entire passage!
  3. C
    Anthropologists are divided in Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    Correct. Question Type:
    Main Point

    Strategy Overview:
    Reiterate the main point as we summarized it after reading through the passage

    Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
    The Author spent the first paragraph introducing a phenomenon (Lines 6-10) before introducing a debate over that phenomenon (Lines 11-12). She then presented one viewpoint (Lines 13-15) followed by another that disagreed with the first (Lines 29-31). Finally, she brought up an example that supported the second view over the first (Lines 44-47).

    From this, we said the main point of the passage is:

    While there is a sharp debate between anthropologists on whether it's good for indigenous cultures to adopt Western technology/cameras, a real-world example suggests that this technology does more harm than good, at least as far as preserving their culture is concerned.

    Answer Explanation:
    (Lines 6-10; Lines 11-12; Lines 44-47) Paragraph 1 introduces the topic—the impact of video equipment on indigenous peoples. It also notes that there is a "sharp" division between anthropologists before spending Paragraph 2 and 3 exploring the two sides of the divide. Finally, the last paragraph brings up a single example that lends credence to one of the two sides of the divide—the one that thought video technology did more good than harm in helping indigenous peoples "strengthen" and preserve their languages and traditions. This answer hits all of those major points (even if it glosses over the "loser" side of the divide), so it's the correct answer.

    Key Takeaway:
    Always pay attention to the certainty of the main point answers! The correct one should match the certainty put forward by the Author in the passage.
  4. D
    Some anthropologists argue that Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Incorrect. (Lines 44-47) This answer doesn't mention the other side of the debate at all, and it pivots away from the side that the Author argues has some evidence supporting it. The Author does use only one example to back up that viewpoint, but she never expresses hesitancy because of a lack of long-term studies on the topic.
  5. E
    The Kayapo people's use Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    Incorrect. (Line 47) The Author notes that the example of the Kayapo "lends credence" to one side of the debate, which is a much weaker statement than saying that it "validates" that side. A giant crater from around 65 million years ago lends credence to the theory that a meteorite wiped out the dinosaurs, but it doesn't make that theory valid.

What this tests

Discussion

  • C over E? 3 replies

    Started by JeremyG

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