#27 - Parallel Reasoning

[Steve Stein]

Hey Moshe,

If you wouldn't mind posting that as a separate question, that would be helpful--In general, we prefer that each question get its own post, for the sake of others using the forum. Thanks!

~Steve

[moshei24]

Posted.

[mpoulson]

Hello,

I read the discussion above and see the support for B. However, I read E to be that the scientist began to think the results of the experiment were inevitable as in certain to happen That the same Can you explain why this is wrong?

V/r,

Micah

[Clay Cooper]

Hi Micah,

Thanks for your question.

I think you understood answer choice E well enough; it exemplifies an observer concluding from his or her observations that a certain phenomenon only ever occurs in one way. But I don't think there is any support for the idea of inevitability in the passage.

The support for answer choice B is, I think, especially clear in lines 30-34; but nowhere does the author suggest that these nationalist historians viewed the development of nations as only ever occurring according to a single script.

So, overall, B is supported clearly and I can't find support for E. I hope that helps!

[christinecwt]

Hi Team - can anyone also explain why Answer Choice A is wrong? and How Answer Choice B related to the "glorification of the nation" mentioned in Paragraph 3? Many thanks!

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Christine,

For this question, we are asked to talk not about the historiography of African American historians, but the historiography of mainstream US historiography in that time period. Looking at paragraph 3, we can see mainstream US historiography was focused on the glorification of the nation-state and the inevitability of the success of the nation. We are looking for an answer choice that highlights the inevitability of success based on the innate characteristics of whoever/whatever is succeeding.

Answer choice (A) says that because something was successful in the past, it is worth trying again. That's different than the stimulus saying that the country succeeds because it was inevitable that it would succeed.

For answer choice (B), it's describing something that succeeds because it's inevitable that it succeeds. The novelist was successful because of their innate brilliance. That's parallel to the belief that the US succeeded because of inevitability.

Hope that helps!

[sqmusgrave]

Hi I'm confused about why B is better than D. At first I thought B had the "vibe" of nationalism, but I've been burned enough times in RC to not go with an AC's vibe matching, and instead pay attention to the specific wording and message.
In the passage the focus of nationalism is on determinism and expansion given the US's increasing dominance. I interpreted that to get a prephrase of "we want something that shows the history of success guarantees future succes" b/c destiny and determinism was based on America's *historical* force + the prior expansion led to these assertions about future outcomes.

To me that is closer to D, and requires us to assume less than B does, because no one said anything about "innate" talent of the US? I don't think it's necessarily a common assumption to think Nationalism definitely implies innate greatness of a nation, maybe it's a series of events that helped a nation thrive, maybe it's the elected leaders that made it thrive, but to me that's not some innate greatness of a country, how can a country even have innate greatness when it's not a thing/person in itself but a dynamic combination of ever changing people, factors, location, historical events etc.

[Jeff Wren]

Hi sqmusgrave,

This is likely a case where you made things more complicated than they needed to be. The first sentence of the third paragraph states that "mainstream U.S. historiography was firmly rooted in a nationalistic approach" (lines 26-27). The sentence then explains what that means, "the glorification of the nation and a focus on the nation as a historical force" (lines 28-29).

What you're looking for in the correct answer to this question is something that parallels that basic nationalist idea, although the answer will be about something other than a nation (such as a person, a corporation, etc.).

Answer B parallels these "nationalist" ideas, but applies them to an individual. While "glorify" may be too strong here, this Answer is definitely presenting this famous novelist in a positive/praiseworthy light, as it discusses her precocity and innate talent. It also captures the ideas of inevitability and destiny that were shared by the nationalist approach.

Unfortunately, in trying to focus on the reasons underlying the nationalist ideas, you removed the key elements of the mainstream/nationalist approach itself, which is what you need to parallel. For example, there is nothing specifically nationalistic about the idea that "we want something that shows the history of success guarantees future success."

Nothing about Answer D parallels the specific nationalist ideas that were the key to the mainstream approach.