#24 - Concept Reference, Must Be True, Subject Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (B).

Answer choice (A):

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

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):


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

[Brandonhsi]

Hi,

I couldn't find the support within the passage for the correct answer choice for this question. Could you help me?

Thanks!

Brandon

[Steve Stein]

Hey Brandon,

That's a good question. In the last paragraph (starting on line 40), the author states: "Noting that by 1930 the proportion of the Mexican American population that had been born in the United States had significantly increased, Garcia argued that between 1930 and 1960 a new generation of Mexican American leaders appeared, one that was more acculturated and hence more politically active than its predecessor."

Although the test makers change the wording a bit, answer choice (B) correctly states the assumption that increased cultural familiarity accounted for an increased in their political activity.

I hope that's helpful! Please let me know whether this is clear--thanks!

~Steve

[TigerJin]

How does answer B differ from answer E? The supporting lines for B, starting from 40 continue to say exactly what choice E says. I couldn't decide between the two.

[Claire Horan]

There are at least two parts of (E) that make it incorrect. First, (E) says that the World War II slogans were "patronizing," while the passage describes them as "inclusive." These two words are at odds--at the very least, they are not synonyms. More importantly, the passage does not suggest that Garcia assumes "many Mexican Americans" were influenced by the discrimination and WWII's inclusive rhetoric. Instead, the passage notes that Garcia only pointed out that the leaders and activists were influenced this way. The passage doesn't suggest anything about what Garcia has assumed on that particular, specific point.

[TigerJin]

I get it. Thank you!

[Kellyg]

Hi,

Upon looking at the line on line 40, I see how answer choice B is correct. However, I do not see why it is superior to choice D. The line following goes on to say that "these leaders, according to Garcia, were determined to achieve full civil rights for all United States residents of Mexican descent" -- Is this (Choice D) incorrect because it is too narrowly focused? Or rather, is it wrong because it's something Garcia states and not assumes?

Thanks!

[James Finch]

Hi Kelly,

We always have to be very careful about the scope of claims being made, especially when claims are made about the views of others. Here, in the third paragraph, the author is characterizing and criticizing Garcia's views by questioning his assumption that "an increase in the proportion of Mexican Americans born in the United States necessarily resulted in an increase in the ethnic Mexican population's political activism." This last sentence is restated by answer choice (B), making it correct; it maintains the same scope of political views of Mexican American political leadership versus the views of Mexican Americans in general.

Answer choice (D) is a classic half-right, half-wrong answer choice; it involves many Mexican Americans becoming more politically militant, as mentioned in both paragraphs 1 and 3, but changes the assumed reason for this increase in militancy, greater acculturation to US society, to the explicit goal as stated by the passage: "to achieve full civil rights for all US residents of Mexican descent." So answer choice (D) represents a very subtle shift from the argument ascribed to Garcia by the passage to similar, but still different idea, the goal of the increased militancy.

Hope this helps!

[lalalala]

Hi,

I'm still a little confused why D is incorrect. The quote in the passage is "these leaders, according to Garcia, were determined to achieve full civil rights for all U.S. residents of Mexican descent."

The answer choice says "[they were] moved to political militancy as a means of achieving full civil rights...".

Is there a difference between "were determined" and "as a means"? I believe that both quotes are saying their goal was to achieve full civil rights. Am I misinterpreting this?

Thank you for your help!

[Luke Haqq]

Hi lalalala!

A key problem with answer choice (D) seems to be its mention of "political militancy." This is strong language, referring to use of force or violence to achieve political goals. Perhaps I am missing something in the passage (feel free to point it out if I am), but I don't see any mention of political militancy.

Answer choice (B) is directly supported by language in lines 43 to 46: "García argues that between 1930 and 1960 a new generation of Mexican American leaders appeared, one that was more acculturated and hence more politically active than its predecessor." This is directly stating that increased acculturation led to greater political activity, which is what is stated in (B).