#25 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[Administrator]

Please post below with any questions!

[Kellyg]

Hi,

Could you explain to me why the E is a better choice than B? The only difference I see is I feel as though B is explicitly stated in the passage and E is more generally implied.

Please help, thanks

[Alex Bodaken]

Kellyg,

Thanks for the question! Let me see if I can help.

I would say that answer choice (E) is explicitly stated - it reads "According to the passage, psychologist William Uttal contends that the various mental processes are likely to be [features of a general mental activity that is spread throughout the brain]." In the passage, it says "Psychologist William Uttal contends that rather than distinct entities, the various mental processes are likely to be properties of a more general mental activity that is distributed throughout the brain." This is pretty close to a direct quote of answer choice (E). Answer choice (B), by contrast, reads "According to the passage, psychologist William Uttal contends that the various mental processes are likely to be [essentially an amalgamation of emotion and reason.]" While Uttal does say that emotion and reason are linked, he doesn't say that all mental processes are is an amalgamation of those two things - there could, for example, be other elements at play. Because this answer choice doesn't paraphrase as closely as answer choice (E) what is said in the passage, it is incorrect.

Hope that helps!
Alex