#8 - Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=10828)

The correct answer choice is (E)

This question asks how Shostak’s approach differs from the standard ethnographer’s approach; in the first paragraph, the author specifies that Shostak challenges the standard tendency of ethnographers to focus on the more general and anonymous.

Answer choice (A): There is no mention of such observation or of such inferences, so this choice fails the Fact Test and cannot be the right answer to this Must Be True question.

Answer choice (B): Shostak studies only one particular individual, so this choice is not supported by the passage.

Answer choice (C): The author does not draw such contrasts, and this is certainly not the departure specified in the first paragraph of the passage, so it cannot be the right answer to this question.

Answer choice (D): She does not accumulate illustrative data to exemplify general hypotheses, so this choice cannot describe Shostak’s departure from the standard approach.

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice. Since the author discusses a departure from the general and anonymous, this is of course, the opposite: an emphasis on the importance of the personal and the individual.

[Haleyeastham]

What does the answer mean by "the importance of the personal and the individual"? I am not seeing this referenced in the passage.

Thanks!

[Adam Tyson]

That's because it's not directly referenced, Haley, just implied! The question asks about the difference between our subject's approach and that of most ethnographers. Where do we find information about what most ethnographers do? Take a look in the first paragraph around line 5, and you'll see that most focus on the "general and anonymous". Our subject, Shostak, "challenges" that, so she must be doing something different, even opposite. What's the best choice, among the answers given, for something opposite from "general and anonymous"? "Personal and individual" seems like a pretty good way to go.

While it's true that most RC questions are a type of Must Be True, and that the information you need to find the answer will be found in the passage, don't take that too literally. It doesn't have to be a direct quote, but only something that is clearly supported by the information given in the passage.

Hope that helps!

[Albertlyu]

That's because it's not directly referenced, Haley, just implied! The question asks about the difference between our subject's approach and that of most ethnographers. Where do we find information about what most ethnographers do? Take a look in the first paragraph around line 5, and you'll see that most focus on the "general and anonymous". Our subject, Shostak, "challenges" that, so she must be doing something different, even opposite. What's the best choice, among the answers given, for something opposite from "general and anonymous"? "Personal and individual" seems like a pretty good way to go.

While it's true that most RC questions are a type of Must Be True, and that the information you need to find the answer will be found in the passage, don't take that too literally. It doesn't have to be a direct quote, but only something that is clearly supported by the information given in the passage.

Hope that helps!

thank you, Adam! Please may I ask why B is wrong?

Is it because B uses INDIVIDUALS which indicates more than one person but the passage just talked about Nisa, or because of the second part: " apart from the cultural practice of the group"? "Apart from" can mean except for or in addition to.

So if B means Shostak did not study the cultural practice of the group, then we can rule it out. However, if B means Shostak studied individual life experience in addition to the cultural practice of the group, as you have quoted: "most ethnographers' penchant for the general and the anonymous", here what makes Shostak different is that she focused on the individual in lieu of the general and the anonymous.

thank you Adam for all of your replies.

Albert

[Adam Tyson]

I think B has a few problems. As discussed in the official explanation, there is no indication that she studied more than one individual. Also, there is no indication that she studied Nisa "apart from the cultural practices" of the !Kung people. Perhaps she studied Nisa within that framework, rather than apart from it? And finally, although ethnographers mainly focus on the general and anonymous, there is no evidence that they do not do so by studying individuals. Perhaps they study individuals, but then draw general, anonymous conclusions about their societies ?

[Albertlyu]

although ethnographers mainly focus on the general and anonymous, there is no evidence that they do not do so by studying individuals. Perhaps they study individuals, but then draw general, anonymous conclusions about their societies ?

got it, thanks Adam, for your help!