Passage #1 - Viewpoint and Attitude Identification Drill

[snuggs]

in passage 1, the first sentence speaks on how fed rules have 'long prohibited the presentation in court of many types of "hearsay", based on the notion that only the most readily verifiable evidence should be allowed consideration by any court in making its determinations (my italics).
yet the answer key states that this portion is purely informational. it appears to me that there is indeed a viewpoint being expressed here. just the phrase 'based on the notion' implies something, no?

[Steve Stein]

Hi Snuggs,

In that context, notion just refers to the idea or concept that is the basis for those rules. Had the author instead said "based on the questionable notion," that would clearly reflect tone. I agree you could make a decent argument that every law reflects the perspective of whoever originally came up with the rules, but thankfully no reading comp question is likely to come down to that specific inquiry.

Good question! Are you preparing for tomorrow's test?

~Steve

[snuggs]

thanks. actually, i'm preparing for the feb.

[douglajo]

Another question from this exercise:

Passage 2:
The answer key places lines 1-7 all in the viewpoint of the author. Why are lines 5-7 which read, "human lungs, many leading experts asserted, could not undergo such physical stress," not considered to be in the viewpoint of the leading experts?

[Steve Stein]

Hi,

Thanks for your question; in the first part of that passage the author does indeed relay the perspective of the experts. However, the answer key doesn't actually attribute this perspective to the author: "In the beginning of this paragraph, the author apprises us of a widely held belief...followed by a more specific attribution of related assertions to many leading experts."

I hope that's helpful--please let me know whether everything is clear--thanks!

~Steve

[avengingangel]

Hey Steve,
Thanks for clarifying that the book attributes Lines 1-7 to the viewpoint of many leading experts, and not of the author. I actually came to the forum today because I jotted down in my notes next to this explanation, "So-which one is it? The author or many leading experts???"

Seeing as this question was posted first in 2013, and since the language hasn't changed since then, I thought I'd take this moment to explicitly say that the wording for the explanation is unclear, and therefore does not actually reach it's goal of "explaining" the viewpoint. Just a suggestion.

Thanks again for the clarification! Good to know my original answer was right...

Hi,

Thanks for your question; in the first part of that passage the author does indeed relay the perspective of the experts. However, the answer key doesn't actually attribute this perspective to the author: "In the beginning of this paragraph, the author apprises us of a widely held belief...followed by a more specific attribution of related assertions to many leading experts."

I hope that's helpful--please let me know whether everything is clear--thanks!

~Steve