#28 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (C).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

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

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):


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

[bella243]

Could someone please explain why C is superior to D and E? I picked C, but wasn't entirely confident in the answer, as D looks reasonable as well.

Thanks so much in advance.

[Jeremy Press]

Hi bella,

The problem with answer choice D is that the author doesn't actually advocate a return to the historic and linguistic roots of the meaning of "profession." The historic and linguistic roots of the word are mentioned in lines 16-20: "the word "profession" itself traces to an act of self-conscious and public—even confessional—speech. "To profess" preserves the meaning of its Latin source, "to declare publicly; to announce, affirm, avow."" But the author rejects this meaning, saying, "announcement seems insufficient; publicly declaring devotion to plumbing or auto repair would not turn these trades into professions." So rather than advocate for a return to the linguistic roots of profession as being something one "professes" (in speech), the author rejects such a turn.

Answer choice E is too narrow, since the author only refers to plumbing and auto repair in line 24. Answer choice E is also not accurate, because the author doesn't explicitly distinguish them from medicine, law, and theology. Medicine, law, and theology are only mentioned in the next paragraph, where they aren't explicitly being discussed because they are different from plumbing or auto-repair. Rather they're mentioned because they are "learned professions," and the author never explicitly says plumbing and auto repair aren't "learned professions."

Answer choice C is a great answer, because in lines 18-42, the author considers three meanings of "profession," the speech meaning in lines 18-22, the "learned" meaning in lines 26-30, and the "prestige/honor" meaning in lines 38-40. As answer choice C says, each is criticized by the author: the first in lines 22-25, the second in lines 33-37, the third in lines 41-42.

I hope this helps!

Jeremy

[sofisofi]

Hi I was wondering what the difference between B and C were, since to me they kinda sound similar
thanks!

[Robert Carroll]

sofisofi,

A "redefinition" of a term would be an attempt to give a new definition of it. The people whom the author is criticizing don't think they're giving a new definition - they think their definitions are the true definitions of "profession" already. For people to attempt a redefinition, there usually has to be a recognition that the term doesn't mean the new definition yet, but that it would be desirable to change the meaning.

Robert Carroll

[Darya3018]

Hello,

On this question, I selected option A. I noticed that the author was criticizing various definitions of what constitutes a profession, like option C describes. However, because the question is asking for the author's purpose, I thought the answer must be option A, as why else would they be listing these criticisms if not to reach what the true definition of a profession is? If this is not what purpose questions are asking for, is there a better way to think about it?

[Jonathan Evans]

Hi, Darya,

Good question! In the part of the passage cited, the author never does "locate the 'something else'" that constitutes a profession."

It is after line 42 that the author moves into a positive definition of what a "profession" is. The citation (lines 18-42) is more interested in what a profession is not rather than what it is. While the author does get there eventually, to get this question right we need narrowly to focus on the purpose of the citation itself.

I hope this helps!