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LSAT-Section-2-Reading-Comprehension – Section Two : Reading Comprehension

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Showing 220–222 of 256 questions

Question 220

The autobiographical narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself (1861), by Harriet

Select an option, then click Submit answer.

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Jacobs, a stave of African descent, not only recounts an individual life but also provides, implicitly and explicitly, a perspective on the larger United States culture from the viewpoint of one denied access to it. Jacobs, as a woman and a slave, faced the stigmas to which those statuses were subject. Jacobs crafted her narrative, in accordance with the mainstream literary genre of the sentimental domestic novel, as an embodiment of cherished cultural values such as the desirability of marriage and the sanctity of personal identity, home, and family. She did so because she was writing to the free women of her day – the principal readers of domestic novels – in the hopes that they would sympathize with and come to understand her unique predicament as a female slave. By applying these conventions of the genre to her situation, Jacobs demonstrates to her readers that family and domesticity are no less prized by those forced into slavery, thus leading her free readers to perceive those values within a broader social context.
Some critics have argued that, by conforming to convention, Jacobs shortchanged her own experiences; one critic, for example, claims that in Jacobs's work the purposes of the domestic novel overshadow those of the typical slave narrative. But the relationship between the two genres is more complex: Jacobs's attempt to frame her story as a domestic novel creates a tension between the usual portrayal of women in this genre and her actual experience, often calling into question the applicability of the hierarchy of values espoused by the domestic novel to those who are in her situation. Unlike the traditional romantic episodes in domestic novels in which a man and woman meet, fall in love, encounter various obstacles but eventually marry, Jacobs's protagonist must send her lover, a slave, away in order to protect him from the wrath of her jealous master. In addition, by the end of the narrative, Jacobs's protagonist achieves her freedom by escaping to the north, but she does not achieve the domestic novel's ideal of a stable home complete with family, as the price she has had to pay for her freedom is separation from most of her family, including one of her own children.
Jacobs points out that, slave women view certain events and actions from a perspective different from that of free women, and that they must make difficult choices that
free women need not. Her narrative thus becomes an antidomestic novel, for Jacobs accepts readily the goals of the genre, but demonstrates that its hierarchy of values does not apply when examined from the perspective of a female slave, suggesting thereby that her experience, and that of any female slave, cannot be fully understood without shedding conventional perspectives.
With which one of the following statements would the author of the passage be most likely to agree?
Some authors of slave narratives allowed the purposes of the genre to overshadow their own experiences.
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The slave narrative, no less than the domestic novel, constitutes a literary genre.
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Authors who write in a particular genre must obey the conventions of that genre.
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An autobiography, no less than a novel, should tell a powerful story.
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Autobiographies should be evaluated not on their literary merit but on their historical accuracy.

Reference / correct answer:

The slave narrative, no less than the domestic novel, constitutes a literary genre.

No way to predict an answer here. The author may or may not agree with option [Some authors of slave narratives allowed the…], but certainly Jacobs’s book is emphatically not an example of the phenomenon. Option [The slave narrative, no less than…] on the other hand, is justified, where the author explicitly refers to “the domestic novel” and “the typical slave narrative” as “the two genres.” Since Jacobs does just the opposite of option [Authors who write in a particular genre…]. when she has her protagonist fail to achieve the ideals of the domestic novel, and does so to the author’s approbation, this option is the opposite of what we want. Option [An autobiography, no less than a novel…] is a plausible sentiment – who goes out of his or her way to cherish a limp story? – but the author never gets into a detailed comparison of autobiographies and novels, so there’s no support for that option. As for option [Autobiographies should be evaluated not…], the author is throughout far more concerned with the book’s literary (and social) merit than any historical accuracy.

Question 221

The autobiographical narrative Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself (1&61), by Harriet

Select an option, then click Submit answer.

○
Jacobs, a stave of African descent, not only recounts an individual life but also provides, implicitly and explicitly, a perspective on the larger United States culture from the viewpoint of one denied access to it. Jacobs, as a woman and a slave, faced the stigmas to which those statuses were subject. Jacobs crafted her narrative, in accordance with the mainstream literary genre of the sentimental domestic novel, as an embodiment of cherished cultural values such as the desirability of marriage and the sanctity of personal identity, home, and family. She did so because she was writing to the free women of her day – the principal readers of domestic novels – in the hopes that they would sympathize with and come to understand her unique predicament as a female slave. By applying these conventions of the genre to her situation, Jacobs demonstrates to her readers that family and domesticity are no less prized by those forced into slavery, thus leading her free readers to perceive those values within a broader social context.
Some critics have argued that, by conforming to convention, Jacobs shortchanged her own experiences; one critic, for example, claims that in Jacobs's work the purposes of the domestic novel overshadow those of the typical slave narrative. But the relationship between the two genres is more complex: Jacobs's attempt to frame her story as a domestic novel creates a tension between the usual portrayal of women in this genre and her actual experience, often calling into question the applicability of the hierarchy of values espoused by the domestic novel to those who are in her situation. Unlike the traditional romantic episodes in domestic novels in which a man and woman meet, fall in love, encounter various obstacles but eventually marry, Jacobs's protagonist must send her lover, a slave, away in order to protect him from the wrath of her jealous master. In addition, by the end of the narrative, Jacobs's protagonist achieves her freedom by escaping to the north, but she does not achieve the domestic novel's ideal of a stable home complete with family, as the price she has had to pay for her freedom is separation from most of her family, including one of her own children. Jacobs points out that, slave women view certain events and actions from a perspective different from that of free women, and that they must make difficult choices that free women need not. Her narrative thus becomes an antidomestic novel, for Jacobs accepts readily the goals of the genre, but demonstrates that its hierarchy of values does not apply when examined from the perspective of a female slave, suggesting thereby that her experience, and that of any female slave, cannot be fully understood without shedding conventional perspectives.
Which one of the following principles most likely governs the author's evaluation of Jacobs's narrative?
Those autobiographical narratives that capture the mood of a particular period are thereby more valuable.
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Those autobiographical narratives that focus on accurately depicting the events in the individual's life are thereby more valuable.
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Those autobiographical narratives that force readers to view certain familiar cultural values in a wider context are thereby more valuable.
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Those autobiographical narratives that are written from a perspective familiar to the majority of their readers are thereby more valuable,
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Those autobiographical narratives that employ the conventions of another literary genre are thereby more valuable.

Reference / correct answer:

Those autobiographical narratives that force readers to view certain familiar cultural values in a wider context are thereby more valuable.

We could probably deem this a “Logic/Principle” question, but for the fact that “the author’s valuation of Jacobs’s narrative” is the overall Topic and Scope, and that no other Globals are present. It is more useful to expect an answer that will sum up the author’s overall point of view, and option [Those autobiographical narratives that force…] does just that, picking up on the successes of the book. The mood [Those autobiographical narratives that capture…] of Jacobs’s period never enters the author’s priorities, nor does historical accuracy [Those autobiographical narratives that focus on…], as we saw in [Those autobiographical narratives that employ…] of the previous question. The “perspective…familiar to the majority” in this case would be the domestic novel, but we cannot infer from this passage that the author favors its use by Jacobs because of its familiarity, as option [Those autobiographical narratives that are…]. would have it. Option [Those autobiographical narratives that employ…] distorts the terms of the argument; the author is fond of Jacobs’ mixing of the domestic and slave-narrative genres, not its mixing of autobiography with some other genre.

Question 222

Experts anticipate that global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) will have-doubled by the end of the twenty-first century. It is known that CO2 can contribute to global warming by trapping solar energy that is being reradiated as heat from the Earth's surface. However, some research has suggested that elevated CO2 levels could enhance the photosynthetic rates of plants, resulting in a lush world of agricultural abundance, and that this CO2 fertilization effect might eventually decrease the rate of global warming. The increased vegetation in such an environment could be counted on to draw more CO, from the atmosphere. The level of CO2 would thus increase at a lower rate than many experts have predicted.

However, while a number of recent studies confirm that plant growth would be generally enhanced in an atmosphere rich in CO2, they also suggest that increased CO2 would differentially increase the growth rate of different species of plants, which could eventually result in decreased agricultural yields. Certain important crops such as corn and sugarcane that currently have higher photosynthetic efficiencies than other plants may lose that edge in an atmosphere rich in CO2. Patterson and Flint have shown that these important crops may experience yield reductions because of the increased performance of certain weeds. Such differences in growth rates between plant species could also alter ecosystem stability. Studies have shown that within rangeland regions, for example, a weedy grass grows much better with plentiful CO2 than do three other grasses. Because this weedy grass predisposes land to burning, its potential increase may lead to greater numbers of and more severe wildfires in future rangeland communities.

It is clear that the CO2 fertilization effect does not guarantee the lush world of agricultural abundance that once seemed likely, but what about the potential for the increased uptake of CO2 to decrease the rate of global warming? Some studies suggest that the changes accompanying global warming will not improve the ability of terrestrial ecosystems to absorb CO2. Billings' simulation of global warming conditions in wet tundra grasslands showed that the level of CO2 actually increased. Plant growth did increase under these conditions because of warmer temperatures and increased CO2 levels. But as the permafrost melted, more peat {accumulated dead plant material) began to decompose. This process in turn liberated more CO2 to the atmosphere. Billings estimated that if summer temperatures rose four degrees Celsius, the tundra would liberate 50 percent more CO2 than it does currently. In a warmer world, increased plant growth, which could absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, would not compensate for this rapid increase in decomposition rates. This observation is particularly important because high-latitude habitats such as the tundra are expected to experience the greatest temperature increase.

Which one of the following best states the main point of the passage?

Select an option, then click Submit answer.

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Elevated levels of CO2 would enhance photosynthetic rates, thus increasing plant growth and agricultural yields.
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Recent studies have yielded contradictory findings about the benefits of increased levels of CO, on agricultural productivity.
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The possible beneficial effects of increased levels of CO, on plant growth and global warming have been overstated.
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Increased levels of CO, would enhance the growth rates of certain plants, but would inhibit the growth rates of other plants.
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Increased levels of CO2 would increase plant growth, but the rate of global warming would ultimately increase.

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