#19 - Must Be True, Purpose

[jt1234]

Hey there,

This is the Philip Abrams piece on historical sociology.

Number 19 asks, "The primary function of the first paragraph of the passage is to".

I am having a hard time picking up the subtle distinction between Answer choice B "convey the details of Abram's conception of historical sociology" and Answer Choice E "identify the basis of Abram's conception of historical sociology."

As you can guess, I I was stuck between these two answers and ultimately made the wrong choice with B.

Can you please explain the distinction between these two answer choices and perhaps recommend a method so that I can be more sensitive to these nuances?

Much appreciated. Thanks!

[KelseyWoods]

Hi jt!

You're right that it's a subtle difference between "conveying details" and "identifying the basis." Basically, "conveying details" suggests that the paragraph would go into more specifics about historical sociology. This is true of the rest of the passage, but the first paragraph doesn't delve into the details of the concept as much as it talks about the basis of the discipline. In fact, the first line of the paragraph talks about the "foundations of the discipline" which is a great phrase to clue you into the fact that the paragraph is setting up the basis for Abrams' conception of the discipline.

Next time you're stuck between two answer choices in a question like this, look for key phrases in the passage that might help you pick the best answer choice. When the answer choices are only subtly different, rely on the phrasing in the passage. Remember to treat a Function question as a form of a Must Be True question. You want to be able to prove the answer choice using what you have in the passage.

Hope this helps!

Best,
Kelsey