#12 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Author's Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (E):


This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[mollylynch]

Why is B wrong? Because it includes 'movements' and the passage did not mention movements?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mollylynch!

Even if the passage mentioned movements, there'd probably still be a problem with answer choice (B). Namely, this question stem is not just about what must be true based on the passage. More specific than that, the question is about what Stilgoe would most likely agree with--from that vantage point, it's not clear what specific lines in the passage would lead one to conclude that Stilgoe would agree with (B).

[lsatstudent99966]

Below is my understanding of each of the answer choices:

The question asks what Stilgoe would agree with,

(A) Stilgoe himself used the term " romantic distrust" to refer to an ambivalent attitude that he thought was present in the 1830s and disappeared in the 1880s, so it is unlikely that Stilgoe would believe that it is impossible to determine what time period the term "romantic era" refers to.

(B) Stilgoe mistakenly thought that the critical attitude toward railroads held by writers in the 1830s dissipated after the 1880s, and Stilgoe cited a large number of works of popular culture to support this change in attitude in the 1880s. It is unlikely, then, that Stilgoe would agree that writers often anticipate ideas that are adopted by popular culture. On the contrary, he would probably believe that popular culture sometimes abandoned writers' ideas in the past.

(C) The passage never mentions any writers Stilgoe labeled "unpopular writers," so we cannot infer what Stilgoe thought about "unpopular writers.

(D) Correct. Stilgoe cited a large number of works of popular culture to support his claim that critical attitudes toward the railroad disappeared after the 1880s.

(E) The passage said nothing about "private letters" and " journals of individuals". The passage never said that the works of popular culture by unknown illustrators, journalists, etc. were "private letters" or " journals of individuals.

Is my understanding correct? Thank you very much!

[lsatstudent99966]

Below is my understanding of each of the answer choices:

The question asks what Stilgoe would agree with,

(A) Stilgoe himself used the term " romantic distrust" to refer to an ambivalent attitude that he thought was present in the 1830s and disappeared in the 1880s, so it is unlikely that Stilgoe would believe that it is impossible to determine what time period the term "romantic era" refers to.

(B) Stilgoe mistakenly thought that the critical attitude toward railroads held by writers in the 1830s dissipated after the 1880s, and Stilgoe cited a large number of works of popular culture to support this change in attitude in the 1880s. It is unlikely, then, that Stilgoe would agree that writers often anticipate ideas that are adopted by popular culture. On the contrary, he would probably believe that popular culture sometimes abandoned writers' ideas in the past.

(C) The passage never mentions any writers Stilgoe labeled "unpopular writers," so we cannot infer what Stilgoe thought about "unpopular writers.

(D) Correct. Stilgoe cited a large number of works of popular culture to support his claim that critical attitudes toward the railroad disappeared after the 1880s.

(E) The passage said nothing about "private letters" and " journals of individuals". The passage never said that the works of popular culture by unknown illustrators, journalists, etc. were "private letters" or " journals of individuals.

Is my understanding correct? Thank you very much!

I missed a word:

(A) Stilgoe himself used the term " romantic era distrust" to refer to an ambivalent attitude that he thought was present in the 1830s and disappeared in the 1880s, so it is unlikely that Stilgoe would believe that it is impossible to determine what time period the term "romantic era" refers to.

[Luke Haqq]

Hi lsatstudent99966!

Yes, your reasoning generally seems to make sense in analyzing these answer choices. Just to embellish on the correct answer choice, the second and third paragraphs provide strong support for answer choice (D). It's worth noting that the author of this passage doesn't seem to share Stilgoe's views in some key respects, but this question only asks us about what Stilgoe would most likely believe. The second and third paragraphs show us that Stile draws on works of popular culture to try to capture what public attitudes were like towards the railroad.

[lsatstudent99966]

Hi lsatstudent99966!

Yes, your reasoning generally seems to make sense in analyzing these answer choices. Just to embellish on the correct answer choice, the second and third paragraphs provide strong support for answer choice (D). It's worth noting that the author of this passage doesn't seem to share Stilgoe's views in some key respects, but this question only asks us about what Stilgoe would most likely believe. The second and third paragraphs show us that Stile draws on works of popular culture to try to capture what public attitudes were like towards the railroad.

Hi Luke!

Thanks for your response!

I understand that, from paragraph 3, we can see that Stilgoe uses evidence from popular culture to capture public attitudes toward the railroad.

Do you mean paragraph 2 tells us the same thing? I understand that contrary to the author's view, Stilgoe would not consider the works listed in paragraph 2 to be the reaction of "minority writers, artists, and intellectuals." I also understand that we know that Stilgoe would consider these works to be works that reflect the public's view of the time. But I'm not sure if we can then extrapolate that these works are also "the works of popular culture" in Stilgoe's eyes?

I'm probably being too cautious. I just want to make sure that I'm understanding this correctly. Thank you in advance!

[Luke Haqq]

Hi lsatstudent99966!

I think your reasoning again makes sense. The third paragraph seems to provide more support than the second paragraph.

As I read the second paragraph, some writers are discussed, and "Stilgoe ... impl[ies] that the critical attitude of these writers was typical of the period" (lines 27-29). I initially took that language to suggest that Stilgoe considered these writers to exemplify popular culture of the time, but on reflection I can see your point that we might not be able to extrapolate that. The third paragraph is much clearer in exemplifying the point.

[lsatstudent99966]

Hi lsatstudent99966!

I think your reasoning again makes sense. The third paragraph seems to provide more support than the second paragraph.

As I read the second paragraph, some writers are discussed, and "Stilgoe ... impl[ies] that the critical attitude of these writers was typical of the period" (lines 27-29). I initially took that language to suggest that Stilgoe considered these writers to exemplify popular culture of the time, but on reflection I can see your point that we might not be able to extrapolate that. The third paragraph is much clearer in exemplifying the point.

Thank you so much Luke!