MCAT verbal test (8)

MCAT Section Tests
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Verbal Reasoning 4

ANSWER KEY:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

C
B
D
A
C

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

D
C
C
A
C

21.
22.
23.

24.
25.

D
C
B
C
A

31.
32.
33.
34.
35.

C
A
C
D
C

41.
42.
43.
44.
45.

B
B
D

C
D

51.
52.
53.
54.
55.

D
B
C
B
A

6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

D
B
B
D
A

16.
17.
18.

19.
20.

C
A
D
C
B

26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

A
D
B
B
C

36.
37.
38.
39.
40.

B
B
B

B
A

46.
47.
48.
49.
50.

D
B
A
A
C

56.
57.
58.
59.
60.

C
B
D
B
C

Material used in this test section has been adapted from the following sources:
Herman Belz, “Twentieth-Century American Historians and The Old South: A Review Essay.” © 1985 by
History.

Civil War

Kristen Shreder-Frechette, Book Review of Paul Taylor’s Respect for Nature. © 1987 by Ecology Law Quarterly.
Wendy S. Zeligson, “Pool Coverage, Press Access, And Presidential Debates: What’s Wrong With This Picture?” © 1988 by
Cardozo Law Review .
From Thomas P. McLish, “Tribal Sovereign Immunity: Searching for Sensible Limits.” © 1988 by Columbia Law Review.
Daniel Goleman, “Brain May Tag All Perceptions With a Value.” © 1995 by New York Times.
Paul Henry Lang, Critic at the Opera. © 1971 by W. W. Norton and Co.
Jerry W. McCant, “The Cultural Contradiction of Fathers as Nonparent.” © 1987 by Family Law Quarterly.
Thomas Levenson, Ice Time. © 1989 by Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.
Sidney Verba and Gary R. Orren, “The Meaning of Equality in America.” © 1985 by Political Science Quarterly .

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Verbal Reasoning 4
VERBAL REASONING TEST 4 TRANSCRIPT
Passage I (Questions 1-7)
Topic and Scope: American historiography; specifically, the differences between past and present historiography.
Paragraph Structure: ¶1 describes the state of contemporary American historiography, asserting that nowadays
professional historians are mainly concerned with “social history, intergenerational conflict, and human responses to
structures of power.” ¶2 continues in the same vein, relating that current historians are no longer committed either to
America or to scholarly objectivity, which puts them at odds with earlier historians.
In ¶3, the author argues that contemporary historians have overlooked the contributions of earlier 20th-century
historians, whose work he calls “impressive” and “very usable.” ¶4 favorably contrasts this work with that of current
historians. Specifically, the author applauds the writing and storytelling ability of the earlier historians, as well as their
willingness to make their work accessible to intelligent laymen.

Finally, ¶5 hails the efforts of a handful of current historians to remember the work of earlier 20th-century historians
and to challenge the present intellectual orthodoxy by taking seriously an alternative point of view.
The Big Picture: Many MCAT passages revolve around a fundamental contrast between competing theories,
scenarios, opinions, whatever. On test day expect to see “contrast” passages. And be absolutely sure to pick up on
the basic contrast, because the questions will certainly test to see that you’ve grasped it.
Questions:
1. (C)
The first sentence of ¶2 reveals that contemporary historians have “repudiated” the nationalistic ideal. Hence, they’d
probably denounce a nationalistic interpretation of American history on the grounds that it conflicts with their
philosophical outlook.
(A) To the contrary. The New Left approach to history, the passage suggests, is one that repudiates the older
commitment to American nationalism.
(B) National pride, the first sentence of ¶2 makes clear, is not part of the outlook of contemporary historians.
(D) is a half-right, half-wrong choice. Yes, contemporary historians would probably denounce a nationalistic
interpretation of American history; but not because it violates the principle of scholarly detachment—a principle they don’t
endorse.

2. (B)
In the last sentence of ¶4, the author praises earlier historians for making their works accessible to intelligent nonprofessionals. Hence, he’s likely to endorse a book “written for an intelligent middle-class audience.”
(A) In ¶5, the author doesn’t display a very positive attitude toward the orthodox liberal perspective. Hence, he’s
probably not going to be very enthusiastic about a work written from this perspective.
(C) and (D) The author thinks that history books should be open to intelligent non-professionals. Thus, he’s unlikely
to be overjoyed about books that violate this principle.

3. (D)
No. In ¶3, the author makes a point of saying that most contemporary historians have overlooked the works of these
earlier historians.
(A) ¶3 makes this point.

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Verbal Reasoning 4
(B) Contemporary historians, the last sentence of ¶1 states, are “mainly” interested in social history. Economic
history, in other words, is less important to them.
(C) In ¶5, the author asserts that only a handful of current historians are receptive to conservative interpretations of
history.
Strategy Point: To make sure that you’ve actually found the false statement, confirm that the other three are
indeed true. Don’t settle on any choice until you’ve looked all of them over.

4. (A)
It would undermine the passage’s claim because “the American government’s decision to enter World War II” can’t be
considered social history. Rather, a volume on this topic would fall under the heading of diplomatic or military history.
(B) Such a volume, to repeat, properly fits under the category of diplomatic or military history.
(C) and (D) According to the passage, contemporary historians who belong to the American Historical Association
concentrate mainly on social history.

5. (C)
The first couple of ¶s discuss the efforts of professional historians to explore the historical development of their
discipline. The phrase “intellectual stocktaking” (line 28) refers to these efforts.
(A) The author does take issue with the AHA’s orientation; but the phrase in question doesn’t refer to the author’s
opinion.
(B) and (D) are beyond the scope of the text. The passage never discusses the specific ways in which the New Left has
influenced the writing of American history (B) or the ability of middle-class Americans to follow historical debates (D).
Strategy Point: Whenever a question provides a line reference, be sure to scrutinize the lines around that
reference. The correct answer is almost always to be found in the close vicinity of the line reference.

6. (D)

Why else would the author be “heartened” by the knowledge that the work of earlier 20th-century American historians
was read by intelligent laymen?
(A) The author accuses contemporary historians, not earlier ones, of casting aside the concept of scholarly objectivity.
(B) To the contrary. The author implies that contemporary historians almost never write from anything but a liberal
perspective.
(C) If anything, the author would argue that New Left thinking has impoverished American history’s presentation.

7. (B)
The author suggests that contemporary historians, in contrast to earlier 20th-century historians, haven’t made their
works accessible to intelligent non-professionals. Hence, if it was to be shown that their works were read only by other
professional historians, the author’s claim of isolation from society at large would be strengthened.
(A), (C), and (D) None of these things, if true, would demonstrate that contemporary historians, as a group, are out of
touch with the larger public.
Strategy Point: In STRENGTHEN/WEAKEN questions, double-check the question stem to be sure about
whether you’re being asked to strengthen or weaken a claim made in the passage.

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Verbal Reasoning 4
Passage II (Questions 8-15)
Topic and Scope: Taylor’s environmental ethics; specifically, the problematic implications of Taylor’s ethics.
Paragraph Structure: ¶s 1-4 essentially describe Taylor’s response to “speciesism,” the view that humans are
superior to other living things. Taylor condemns this view, advocating instead a “biocentric outlook,” which basically calls
on humans to exercise proper respect for nature.
¶s 5 and 6 discuss the author’s criticisms of Taylor’s ethics. Basically, she argues that not only is his “biocentric
outlook” extremely difficult to apply in the real world, but it’s also too narrowly conceived (because it doesn’t address the
majority of interactions between humans, on the one hand, and plants and animals, on the other). Despite these problems,

the author still praises Taylor’s ethics (in ¶7), asserting that it is “the most philosophically sophisticated theory of
environmental ethics that has yet appeared.”
The Big Picture: When the author offers an opinion be sure to pick up on it. At least one question will quiz you
on the author’s point of view. And don’t panic if you don’t fully grasp every concept in the passage. The questions
will determine what’s important and what’s not.
Questions:
8. (B)
According to Taylor, a residential property isn’t a natural ecosystem and termites aren’t wild animals. Thus, ridding a
home of them wouldn’t violate one of his four rules.
(A) and (D) Both a rain forest (A) and a mountain wilderness (D) would qualify as natural ecosystems under Taylor’s
scheme; therefore, collecting plant specimens or picking berries would violate his rule about not harming entities in natural
environments.
(C) Even if it’s for a good purpose, keeping wild birds in captivity violates Taylor’s rule against preventing a wild
species from living in a wild state.

9. (D)
In ¶6, the author criticizes Taylor’s ethics for being too narrowly drawn, for concentrating solely on natural
ecosystems and wild species in a world where there are few natural ecosystems and few wild species.
(A) and (C) To the contrary. In ¶7, the author applauds Taylor for denying that humans have responsibilities to
inanimate objects (A) and for being concerned with the welfare of individual organisms (C).
(B) The author never endorses the view that humans are superior to other species.
Strategy Point: Wrong choices often express sentiments that are precisely the opposite of the one that you’re
looking for. Always read question stems carefully to make sure that you don’t fall for this common trap choice.

10. (A)
Speciesists, according to the passage, believe that plants and animals aren’t entitled to the same treatment as humans.
People who go to the zoo to see animals that aren’t permitted to live in their natural environment might justly be accused of
speciesist behavior.
(B) and (D) People can’t be either accused or absolved of speciesist behavior based on what they eat or where they
live. It’s their attitude toward other species that determines whether or not they’re speciesists.

(C) Concern for the welfare of other species seems inconsistent with speciesist behavior.

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Verbal Reasoning 4
11. (D)
On the one hand, Taylor is against harming wild creatures in natural environments; but, on the other hand, his
philosophy doesn’t necessarily require humans to suffer at the hands of other species. In short, then, it’s really unclear what
Taylor’s philosophy would prescribe in an instance like the one outlined in the question stem. Thus, (A), (B), and (C) are
incorrect.
Strategy Point: Keep in the mind that you’ve got to choose the best answer. The best answer may not always be
an ideal answer.

12. (C)
The first sentence of ¶3 indicates that “species impartiality” flows from the “biocentric outlook.” One of the basic
principles behind the biocentric outlook is the idea that all wild species have the same rights as humans.
(A) Taylor’s philosophy doesn’t preclude human exploitation of non-wild plants and animals.
(B) Taylor specifically rejects the notion that inanimate objects are equivalent to living organisms.
(D) Taylor, according to the passage, is unclear about whether humans can be part of a natural ecosystem. Besides,
this issue has no connection to the phrase in question.

13. (C)
Taylor’s philosophy opposes human exploitation of wild species and natural environments. Thus, he’d surely support
measures to outlaw strip mining in wilderness areas, an activity that certainly harms the natural environment.
(A), (B), and (D) None of these proposed actions affects wild species, so it’s unlikely that Taylor would actively
encourage them.

14. (A)
Taylor’s philosophy deals only with wild species and natural environments. Thus, a family that kept its cat indoors
would not be violating any of his rules because the cat isn’t a wild species.
(B) Taylor’s rules can still be violated, even if humans act in good faith.
(C) and (D) Taylor wouldn’t view the cat as a member of a wild species (C), nor would he claim that it, as a member
of a non-wild species, has an inherent right to exist as a wild animal (D).

15. (C)
In ¶7, the author supports Taylor in his claim that organicism (or the Gaia view) ignores the importance of individual
organisms.
(A) paraphrases the last two sentences of ¶5.
(B) In ¶6, the author points out that Taylor’s stringent definitions of “wild” and “natural” exclude most of the
environment.
(D) At the end of ¶6, the author demonstrates that Taylor’s definition of the “natural world” excludes humans.

Passage III (Questions 16-21)
Topic and Scope: Television news coverage of presidential debates; specifically, problems with the present system of
television news coverage.

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Verbal Reasoning 4

Paragraph Structure: ¶s 1-3 describe the political context in which the “pool” coverage system operates, as well as
the pool system itself. Essentially, under the pool system, television news coverage of presidential debates is restricted to
only one network, which then shares its coverage with other television news organizations.
¶s 4 and 5 explain the author’s objection to the pool system. Basically, she feels that it violates the public’s First

Amendment right to receive information. To right this wrong, she proposes (in ¶6) that a more pluralistic coverage
system—one that would allow multiple television news organizations to cover presidential debates—be set up. She
suggests that such a system would better inform the public about the positions taken by presidential candidates because it
would expose the public to different perspectives.
The Big Picture: This passage contains a straightforward structure. The first part of the text describes a
certain phenomenon; the second part provides the author’s view of that phenomenon, and the third part supplies
recommendations for change. Don’t be surprised if you run into a passage like this one on test day.
Questions:
16. (C)
The point that the current pool system limits the public’s access to information about presidential debates is discussed
in almost every ¶.
(A) is beyond the scope of the passage, which restricts itself to the issue of television news coverage of presidential
debates. It doesn’t tackle the much larger issue of general cooperation among news organizations.
(B) is also beyond the scope of the passage. Again, the passage is about television news coverage of presidential
debates; it’s not about how presidential candidates fare in those debates.
(D), too, is beyond the scope of the passage. The only point made about foreign news organizations is that they should
be allowed to cover American presidential debates.
Strategy Point: When a question asks you to pick the statement that’s explained or supported in the passage,
watch out for choices that focus on issues that the passage doesn’t ever really delve into. Choices that are wrong
because they’re “beyond the scope of the passage” are common on the MCAT.

17. (A)
In ¶6, the author advocates a news coverage system that would specifically allow more television news organizations
to cover presidential debates.
(B) To the contrary. The author wants more, not fewer, news organizations to cover presidential debates.
(C) and (D) The author doesn’t call for a ban on presidential debates until the current system of press coverage is
reformed.

18. (D)
Presidential candidates would obviously be concerned with how the media portrays their debate performance. But

nothing in the passage says or suggests which coverage system—the current one or the author’s proposed alternative—
would be kinder to presidential candidates in this regard. Therefore, based on the passage’s information, one would not
necessarily expect candidates to have an opinion either in favor of or against the pool system.
Strategy Point: Even when the correct answer logically excludes the other three choices, you should still give
some thought to these other choices. It’s always a smart idea to confirm that the answer you’ve settled on is indeed
correct.

19. (C)

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Verbal Reasoning 4
The phrase “maximum insight” appears in the context of a sentence in which the author argues that the current pool
system limits the amount of debate information available to viewers. This phrase, then, refers to “the level of political
awareness viewers could have” under an alternative system.
(A) and (B) are both beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t discuss either the thoroughness with which
presidential candidates present their views (A) or the relative quality of debate coverage supplied by domestic and foreign
networks (B).
(D) ¶1 indicates that viewers are influenced by presidential debates; but the phrase in question has no connection to
this particular detail.
20. (B)
In ¶6, the author argues that greater media access to presidential debates would result in a better informed public.
Hence, a Supreme Court decision that permitted this greater access would, according to the passage, result in a better
informed public.
(A) To the contrary. Independent broadcasters, along with other news organizations, would have more opportunities
to cover presidential debates under a system that allows greater media access.
(C) and (D) are both beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t say anything about either the relative importance

of newspapers and television to the public (C) or the preferences of presidential candidates (D).

21. (D)
The author feels that the present pool system provides inadequate news coverage of presidential debates. That’s why
she proposes an alternative news coverage system.
(A) The passage doesn’t say whether domestic or foreign news services are favored under the current pool system.
Therefore, we can’t conclude that this statement is false.
(B) Safety concerns are mentioned in ¶2.
(C) Candidate performance in debates as an influence on voter behavior is mentioned in ¶1.
Passage IV (Questions 22-28)
Topic and Scope: Native American legal immunity; specifically, the rationale behind and the extent of Native
American legal immunity.
Paragraph Structure: ¶1 introduces the doctrine of tribal immunity, which protects Native American tribes from
lawsuits, except under certain narrowly-defined circumstances. ¶s 2 and 3 discuss the rationale behind this doctrine: the
Supreme Court has argued that Native American tribes should have broad immunity from lawsuits because they are
sovereign powers and because their resources need to be protected from outsiders.
The essential point of ¶s 4 and 5 is that Native American tribes have broader immunity than other sovereigns,
including states, the federal government, and foreign governments. Indeed, they even have immunity when they act in a
private or commercial (as opposed to a governmental) capacity, a right that other sovereigns are apparently denied.
In ¶6, the author questions whether Native American tribes should have such broad immunity in this day and age,
strongly implying that they should not.
The Big Picture: When a passage contains a mass of details (as this one does), don’t allow yourself to become
bogged down in them. Focus on the basic point and purpose of ¶s, not on details. Remember, you’ll only get
questioned about a few of the details; so, there’s no sense in trying to assimilate them all as you read through the
passage. When a question asks about a particular detail, use your general knowledge of ¶ topic, scope, and purpose
to consult the relevant part(s) of the text.

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Verbal Reasoning 4

Questions:
22. (C)
The author claims that Native American tribes have very broad immunity from lawsuits. Hence, a decision to permit a
corporation to sue a tribe would tend to contradict this claim.
(A) and (B) are beyond the scope of the passage, which isn’t about Native American efforts to sue other entities.
(D) A decision to prevent the federal government from suing a Native American tribe would uphold the author’s
position that tribes have wide immunity from legal action against them.
23. (B)
The last sentence of both ¶s 4 and 5 indicates that Native American tribes have broader immunity than other
sovereigns, including the federal government. Hence, (B) is a false statement.
(A), (C) and (D) are all true statements. It is more difficult to sue a tribe than a corporation (A); it is less difficult to
sue a foreign government than a tribe (C); and it is less difficult to sue a state government that a tribe (D). Again, Native
American tribes have more protection before the law than any other sovereign entity.
Strategy Point: When a question asks you to choose the statement that isn’t true, be sure to check that the other
three statements are true.

24. (C)
The penultimate sentence of ¶4 suggests that Native American tribes have been able to purchase insurance.
(A) and (B) are the two basic reasons advanced by the judicial system to justify very broad immunity for Native
American tribes.
(D) If the judicial system doesn’t believe that Native American sovereign powers differ from those of other
sovereigns, why doesn’t it change the rules to bring tribal immunity into line with that of other sovereigns?
25. (A)
In ¶6, the author reveals that he’s in sympathy with efforts to curb Native American immunity. Indeed, in ¶4, he seems
to take issue with the judicial system’s “uncritical” application of the current doctrine.
(B), (C), and (D) are all beyond the scope of the passage. The author expresses no opinion on how much authority the

Supreme Court ought to have over Native American tribes (B); on whether Native American resources ought to be
protected more forcefully (C); or on how much authority the Congress ought to exercise over Native American tribes (D).

26. (A)
In the first sentence of ¶5, the author makes a distinction between proprietary acts and governmental functions. Hence,
the phrase “proprietary acts” refers to “actions of a non-governmental nature.”
(B) and (C) The passage does refer to Supreme Court (B) and congressional (C) actions; but these have no connection
to the phrase in question.
(D) is beyond the scope of the passage, which discusses Native American tribes, not individuals.
Strategy Point: When a question provides a line reference, the correct answer to the question will almost always
be found in the immediate vicinity of the line(s) in question.

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Verbal Reasoning 4

27. (D)
¶6 focuses on judicial challenges to the legitimacy of the present doctrine of tribal immunity.
(A) The only point made about the Indian Commerce Clause is that it gives Congress authority over Native American
tribes.
(B) is beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t explore corporate attitudes toward the doctrine of tribal
immunity.
(C) is also beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t discuss the circumstances under which Native American
tribes might be willing to waive their immunity.

28. (B)
The author claims that Native American tribes have broad immunity against lawsuits. This claim would clearly be

challenged by the knowledge that a state had been permitted to sue a tribe.
(A) and (C) are logically eliminated by choice (B).
(D) The President’s attitude is of no relevance to the author’s claim. Indeed, the President isn’t even mentioned in the
passage.

Passage V (Questions 29-34)
Topic and Scope: The human mind’s perception of images and words, and whether or not the mind assigns a value to
these perceptions.
Paragraph Structure: ¶1 introduces the concept that the brain assigns a value to all perceptions, a conclusion
formulated by psychologists. ¶2 discusses the physiological mechanism of perception. It also states that these positive or
negative evaluations can be very helpful in predicting social interaction. ¶3 offers an altered view that the only time
humans assign values to stimuli is when the stimuli comes from a familiar source. ¶4 points out that these valued
perceptions are so fast that they can be integrated into the brain before reaching consciousness. ¶5 concludes by proposing
that information obtained from this research be used to determine social attitudes. In addition, the author believes that we
value these perceptions in the same way we value the senses.
The Big Picture: Don’t get confused by unfamiliar language, such as “preconscious processing” or “amygdala.”
The meaning of the passage can become clear without understanding every word. ¶s 2 and 5 are crucial to
understanding why the author is discussing this material.
Questions:
29. (B)
The initial perception of a stranger (or any stimulus) exemplifies preconscious processing.
(A) Nothing is mentioned in the passage concerning the subconscious.
(C) and (D) both require conscious and lengthy thinking, the opposite of preconscious processing.
Strategy Point: Beware of distracter words, such as subconscious, which have distinct meanings from words
used in the passage, such as preconscious.

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Verbal Reasoning 4
30. (C)
This choice directly counters the author’s proposal in ¶s 2 and 5 that a person’s actions can be controlled by
perceptions which occur outside of a person’s awareness.
(A) agrees with the author.
(B) is twisted logic, because the psychologists’ perception test was given to English-speakers, regardless of their
ability in Swahili.
(D) agrees with the author’s argument because he feels that we perceive our surroundings subjectively, as indicated in
the opening sentence.
31. (C)
The author proposes to use findings from perception experiments to determine socially sensitive attitudes, ¶5, and to
evaluate social interactions, ¶2.
(A) The author does not propose that this knowledge be used for language skills.
(B) The author does not propose to use data from these experiments to map out thought patterns. Rather, he focuses
on attitudes and interactions.
(D) Ability in education is never mentioned.
Strategy point: Since this question asks you to think like the author, you may need to look back at the passage
and identify key terms, such as social interaction (lines 27–28), socially sensitive attitudes (lines 53–54), and ethnic
biases (line 54).

32. (A)
This choice paraphrases the idea in ¶3, that perceptions are given a value when stimuli come from areas of interest.
(B) This belief belongs to both groups of psychologists, as mentioned in the first sentence of ¶4.
(C) There is no mention that any group of psychologists feels that preconscious processing would not affect behavior
patterns.
(D) is a nonsense choice because it would be impossible for a human to evaluate a stimuli, such as a word or sound,
without using their sight or hearing.

33. (C)

This directly contradicts the concept in ¶1 that “juvalamu” is intensely pleasing and “chakaka” is loathed by Englishspeakers.
(A) paraphrases the first sentence of ¶2.
(B) restates the concept presented in ¶3.
(D) paraphrases the ideas presented in ¶5.

34. (D)
¶s 2 and 5 mention that the author would like to continue with research and use the findings to study human
relationships.

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Verbal Reasoning 4
(A) It is never implied in the passage that the author is interested in further physiological study.
(B) The author definitely believes that information in the passage is conclusive and should be studied further, as
mentioned in ¶5.
(C) The author would certainly agree that automatic judgments result in behavior patterns, as mentioned in the last
sentence of ¶2.

Passage VI (Questions 35-40)
Topic and Scope: An opera is supposed to be staged and acted; just performing operatic music in concert is
inappropriate.
Paragraph Structure: ¶1: Staging opera is too expensive to pull off for most communities (at least as well as they’d
like), so operatic music is now being performed in concert. The author objects on the grounds that opera is not opera
without staging and acting. ¶2: The author likes “semi-staged” performances even less than concert performances. ¶3, ¶4,
¶5: The author continues his argument that staging and acting are essential to opera. ¶6: Although he concedes that
concert performances might be all right for inferior works, the author maintains his opposition to concert performances of
the great operas.

35. (C)
Many “well-to-do” communities have the money to fund a modest opera theater, but they won’t do it because it
wouldn’t compare favorably with the Met. (C)’s statement reflects this attitude.
36. (B)
The whole point of ¶2 is that partly staged performances are even worse than concert performances. Therefore, the
author would not agree with this statement.
(A) This is the author’s main argument.
(C) Throughout the passage, the author points out that much more goes into a true opera than goes into a concert
performance, so the author would agree with this.
(D) This is a paraphrase of the author’s argument at the end of ¶2, that “partly staged” performances are bad because
you can’t understand the characters’ emotions and motivations.

37. (B)
The author says that the term “opera” has a more inclusive meaning in Italian than in English. He is assuming, then,
that it is possible for the same word to have two different meanings in two different languages.
(A) Only the word “opera” has a broader meaning in Italian, as far as we know from the passage.
(C) This is wrong. “Opera” in Italian refers to the whole theatrical work.
(D) The word “opera” may have a different meaning in the two countries, but opera itself is the same in Italy and
America, as far as we know.

38. (B)
Go back to ¶5. The author asserts that without the stage: (1) a lack of musical ideas in the score becomes evident and
(2) the whole thing looks ridiculous anyway because the orchestra is on stage with the singers. Even though a lack of
musical ideas isn’t a problem here, the orchestra is.

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Verbal Reasoning 4

(A) and (C) ignore the problem of the orchestra.
(D) is wrong because the author never says that the music is secondary to the staging and acting in an opera.

39. (B)
Bellini comes up in the last ¶, when the author says that his works don’t qualify for concert performance because they
are neither in danger of obscurity nor deficient in true theatrical qualities. The information in the question stem supports
the author’s claim.
(A), (C) and (D) The author never makes any of these claims.
40. (A)
In the last ¶, the author discusses the idea that concert performance serves a purpose even though it may be a poor
substitute for opera. Some think that the “end” of concert performance—exposing the public to operatic music in the
absence of the opportunity to see real opera (see ¶1)—justifies the “means,” which is the concert performance itself,
however faulty.

Passage VII (Questions 41-46)
Topic and Scope: Fatherhood; specifically, the role of the father in raising children.
Paragraph Structure: ¶1 asserts that fathers haven’t been viewed as parents by society. ¶2 explores this theme in
more detail by pointing out that this view has been promoted by prominent psychologists.
¶3, however, reveals that more recent research shows that parenting is a learned skill; hence, fathers have just as much
potential to learn to be parents as mothers. ¶4 indicates that young men are interested in being parents, a trend that the
author himself supports.
The Big Picture: In passages that offer multiple opinions, be sure you’re clear on the differences among them.
The questions will test to see that you are. It’s particularly important to separate the author’s opinion from those of
others mentioned in the passage.
Questions:
41. (B)
In ¶4, the author supports fathers who go beyond the traditional male role of provider and protector to “nurture” their

children. Reading bedtime stories to children is consistent with this expanded role.
(A) and (D) Purchasing toys (A) and working in order to pay family expenses (D) are inconsistent with the idea of
“nurturing.”
(C) Since the author wants fathers to spend more time with their children, he wouldn’t be too fond of fathers who left
their children with babysitters, male or female.

42. (B)
In ¶2, we’re told that Freud believed that mothers, but not fathers, play a prominent role in infant development. Hence,
a finding that fathers do in fact strongly influence the personalities of their offspring would contradict this belief.
(A) A finding that mothers strongly influence the personalities of their children is consistent with Freud’s opinion.
(C) and (D) are beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t discuss Freud’s opinions about the influence of
siblings or grandparents.

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Verbal Reasoning 4

43. (D)
¶4 indicates that young men today are moving beyond the traditional role of fathers as providers and protectors to
nurture their children.
(A) ¶3 contends that society isn’t making any effort to teach male children how to become nurturing parents.
(B) distorts information in ¶2, which says that divorced fathers are advised to hire surrogate mothers if they gain
custody of their children. We’re not told anything about whether they’ve accepted or rejected this advice.
(C) also distorts information in the passage. True, today’s fathers want to become more involved in raising their
children; but that’s very different from saying that mothers have turned over increased responsibilities to them. The
passage doesn’t make this point.

44. (C)
The phrase “maternal instinct” appears in ¶3. This ¶ discusses the controversy over whether the mother’s role is
inherited or learned. The phrase in question refers to thinking that holds that this role is based on inherited behavior.
(A) is beyond the scope of the passage, which never discusses the concept of “role reversal.”
(B) and (D) highlight details in ¶3, but incorrectly link them to the phrase in question.

45. (D)
The first sentence of the passage suggests that Margaret Mead thought that males don’t have a major role in parenting.
(A) In ¶4, the author makes the point that both mothers and fathers should participate in raising children.
(B) Gadpaille’s belief that “maternalism is instinctual” can be found in ¶2.
(C) Spock’s belief that males should play only a limited role in raising children also appears in ¶2.
46. (D)
To the contrary, the author points out in ¶3 that today’s men are rejecting traditional models of fatherhood and
searching for ways to be parents.
(A) captures the essence of the passage.
(B) is directly stated in ¶4.
(C) is directly stated in ¶3.

Passage VIII (Questions 47-53)
Topic and Scope: Since solid information about the ancient ice ages is hard to come by, all we have in the way of
scientific explanation is a number of interesting but largely unprovable theories.
Paragraph Structure: Agassiz, who was the first to speculate about the most recent ice age, had plenty of evidence
to go on, we find out in ¶1. It has been much more difficult, however, to pin down the timing and extent of earlier
glaciations, even with the existence of telltale rock deposits (¶2).

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Verbal Reasoning 4
The first of several theories about the cause of the ancient ice ages—volcanic dust blocking the sun—appears at the
end of ¶2. This one has some supporting evidence, but other theories that the author mentions later—a change in the
earth’s orbit (¶3), continental drift toward the poles (¶4)—are pure speculation.
Questions:
47. (B)
In ¶3, the author says that a richness of data ties you down, eliminating at least some theoretically plausible
explanations, whereas theories abound when there is no data. Therefore, the greater the amount of data you have, the fewer
the number of theories you can have.

48. (A)
This can be inferred from the first couple of sentences of ¶2.
(B) This cannot be true; what about deposits of ground-up rocks left after modern mining operations?
(C) Practical consequences of ice age research, if there are any, are not mentioned in the passage.
(D) Don’t be fooled by all the different theories mentioned in the passage; there is no reason to think that each ice age
had a different cause.

49. (A)
Geologists could be unsure about which area was coolest only if they had found glacial deposits both near the poles
and near the equator. (They would also be unsure if they didn’t find any deposits at either place, but we know they did).
(B), (C) and (D) can all be eliminated because they have no basis in the passage.

50. (C)
At the end of ¶3, the author explains that the “change in orbit” theory is unprovable because there is no possible
supporting physical evidence other than that which just shows that glaciers existed. The “volcanic eruption” theory has
some supporting evidence, however.
(A) This is not necessarily true; it depends on the way the orbit changed.
(B) There is no reason to think that this criticism is accurate.
(D) Yeah, right!
51. (D)

The fossilized remains would be evidence of a change in orbit since the change in orbit would result in a period of
reduced sunlight. Thus glacier marks would not, as the author claims, be the only evidence.
(A) and (B) The info in the stem neither strengthens nor weakens the “volcanic eruption” theory.
(C) The author never makes this claim.

52. (B)
Don’t be fooled by this creative use of the word “signature”; you could replace it with the word “evidence” and still
retain the sentence’s meaning.

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Verbal Reasoning 4
53. (C)
Frakes has a theory to explain how glaciers grew and grew, but no explanation of how an ice age would end as more
and more ice reflected more and more sunlight back into space.
(A) and (B) are irrelevant to an overall evaluation of the theory.
(D) is wrong because Frakes never claims that the continents will again drift toward the polar regions.

Passage IX (Questions 54-60)
Topic and Scope: American egalitarianism; specifically, egalitarian v. non-egalitarian movements in American
history.
Paragraph Structure: ¶1 reveals that egalitarianism has been a regular theme in American history. ¶2 demonstrates,
however, that egalitarian values have frequently clashed with libertarian values.
¶s 3 and 4 make the point that both egalitarian and libertarian movements have been motivated by a combination of
naked self-interest and genuine conviction.
¶5 illustrates that egalitarian and libertarian movements have struggled against each other over the course of American
history. Finally, ¶6 indicates that the American public’s commitment to a whole range of values ensures that conflict

between egalitarian and non-egalitarian values is here to stay.
The Big Picture: This is a long passage, but it’s also straightforward. All in all, not a bad passage to tackle
earlier rather than later in the section.
Questions:
54. (B)
¶s 2 and 6 reveal that libertarians favor equal opportunity, not government-enforced redistributions of wealth. Hence,
they would most likely denounce any plan that is based on a redistribution of wealth.
(A) To the contrary. Libertarians oppose “big government,” including programs to assist the disadvantaged.
(C) Libertarians are also concerned with economic issues.
(D) is beyond the scope of the passage. There’s no information describing how libertarians would deal with the issue
of looking after the disadvantaged.

55. (A)
A study that shows that Americans have always favored one value, equality, above all others would contradict the
author’s opinion as stated in the first sentence of ¶6.
(B) In the middle of ¶6, the author suggests that Americans have generally favored the concept of unequal wealth.
(C) ¶6 also suggests that Americans have made a “commitment to the disadvantaged.” Hence, an article suggesting
that Americans would support taxation of the rich to help the poor would support the author’s position.
(D) is beyond the scope of the passage, which doesn’t discuss the issue of tolerance of minority political views.

56. (C)
The sentences immediately after the phrase in question note that, in egalitarian times, moneyed interests are thought of
as the enemy, while, in anti-egalitarian times, big labor or government is thought of in this way. In other words, the enemy
consists of “those who oppose the prevailing view of American equality.”

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Verbal Reasoning 4
(A) and (B) Those who are associated with the political left (A) and those who promote the redistribution of
America’s wealth (B) would be classified as the enemy in anti-egalitarian times, but not during egalitarian periods.
(D) distorts a detail in the wrong ¶—¶1.

57. (B)
The first sentence of ¶5 states explicitly that eras of egalitarian reform have been followed by eras of anti-egalitarian
fervor.
(A) The passage never makes any connection between the Civil War and progressive ideals.
(C) To the contrary. ¶4 indicates that anti-egalitarian types may be more committed to their ideals than egalitarian
types.
(D) The author doesn’t express an opinion on the power of special interests. He simply states the views of egalitarians
and non-egalitarians on this issue.
Strategy Point: Always read the question stem very carefully. Note that you’re asked to find the true choice in
this instance, even though the word “false” appears in the stem.

58. (D)
In ¶3, the author mentions that egalitarian types are motivated in part by self-interest and in part by genuine belief.
Hence, the professor’s claim would partly contradict the author’s assertion about their motives.
(A) The professor’s claim is clearly relevant to the author’s assertion.
(B) To the contrary. The professor’s claim partly contradicts the author’s assertion.
(C) is too strong a statement. Both the professor and the author, after all, agree that self-interest is at work.

59. (B)
In ¶2, the passage mentions the egalitarian and libertarian claim about being confronted by special interests.
Subsequent paragraphs provide some evidence for this claim.
(A), (C), and (D) These choices are logically eliminated by choice (B).

60. (C)
To the contrary, the first sentence of the last ¶ states the opposite.

(A) paraphrases the penultimate sentence in the final ¶.
(B) is shown in ¶1.
(D) ¶4 points out that the passion on the inegalitarian side may be quite strong, even stronger than the passion of those
who seek equality.

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