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- Fri Jan 01, 2016 7:56 am
#106922
Question Line Reference
(See the complete passage discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=896&t=38309
The correct answer choice is (A).
This question asks for the best description of the author's attitude toward the "Whig" interpretation of Victorian philanthropy. The author describes the interpretation itself in the third paragraph. (A quick word search for "Whig" would take you right to the correct place in the passage if needed.) The author describes the modern critics preference for state-sponsored charity and how this preference is typical of the "Whig fallacy," basically the belief that the present way of doing something is better than the past. As the word "fallacy" suggests, this is not a valid assumption, and the author disagrees with this notion, especially in the context of the modern critics of Victorian philanthropy.
Where the author really weighs in on this view is the final paragraph. "This version of history" (meaning the "Whig fallacy" one just discussed in the previous paragraph) "patronizes the Victorians" (line 40). The word "patronize" in this context means to treat someone as though they are inferior while seemingly trying to be helpful. It definitely conveys a negative tone toward the modern critics and their views. In the next (and final) sentence of the passage, the author defends the Victorian philanthropists, so this should help clarify that the author is pro-Victorian philanthropy and not a fan of these modern critics.
Before looking at the answers, it is always a good idea to prephrase, especially with tone questions. A good place to start for tone questions is deciding if the tone is positive, negative, or neutral and then getting more specific/detailed from there. Here, the tone is definitely negative.
This immediately eliminates C, D, and E. "Amusement" and "support" are positive. "Indifference" is neutral.
Answer A is the correct answer. "Strong disagreement" perfectly describes the author's tone. It is solidly negative without any modifiers or qualifiers to make it incorrect.
Answer B "mild skepticism" is only slightly negative, which doesn't quite match the author's tone in the passage. It contains a level of uncertainty which is not present in the passage. This answer would describe a situation in which the author feels a little unsure of, or expresses some minor doubts over, the modern critics' view. Here, the author flat out disagrees with the modern critics, as Answer A correctly captures.
(See the complete passage discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=896&t=38309
The correct answer choice is (A).
This question asks for the best description of the author's attitude toward the "Whig" interpretation of Victorian philanthropy. The author describes the interpretation itself in the third paragraph. (A quick word search for "Whig" would take you right to the correct place in the passage if needed.) The author describes the modern critics preference for state-sponsored charity and how this preference is typical of the "Whig fallacy," basically the belief that the present way of doing something is better than the past. As the word "fallacy" suggests, this is not a valid assumption, and the author disagrees with this notion, especially in the context of the modern critics of Victorian philanthropy.
Where the author really weighs in on this view is the final paragraph. "This version of history" (meaning the "Whig fallacy" one just discussed in the previous paragraph) "patronizes the Victorians" (line 40). The word "patronize" in this context means to treat someone as though they are inferior while seemingly trying to be helpful. It definitely conveys a negative tone toward the modern critics and their views. In the next (and final) sentence of the passage, the author defends the Victorian philanthropists, so this should help clarify that the author is pro-Victorian philanthropy and not a fan of these modern critics.
Before looking at the answers, it is always a good idea to prephrase, especially with tone questions. A good place to start for tone questions is deciding if the tone is positive, negative, or neutral and then getting more specific/detailed from there. Here, the tone is definitely negative.
This immediately eliminates C, D, and E. "Amusement" and "support" are positive. "Indifference" is neutral.
Answer A is the correct answer. "Strong disagreement" perfectly describes the author's tone. It is solidly negative without any modifiers or qualifiers to make it incorrect.
Answer B "mild skepticism" is only slightly negative, which doesn't quite match the author's tone in the passage. It contains a level of uncertainty which is not present in the passage. This answer would describe a situation in which the author feels a little unsure of, or expresses some minor doubts over, the modern critics' view. Here, the author flat out disagrees with the modern critics, as Answer A correctly captures.
