Women’s participation in the revolutionary events in France between 17

Passage structure
1st paragraph: Women’s participation in the revolutionary events in France between 1789 and 1795 has been recently paid attention. Early twentieth century historians and most general histories did this job, but there are some shortcomings in their studies. Then the recent studies by 4 people - Landes, Badinter, Godineau, and Roudinesco - succeeded in assessing women's participation.

2nd paragraph: This para introduces the studies of Godineau and Roudinesco and explains the 3 phases in women's participation.

3rd paragraph: This para introduces the studies of Landes and Badinter.

Last paragraph: Each of these scholars has different political agenda and takes a different approach, but each gives center stage to a group that previously has been marginalized, or at best undifferentiated, by historians.

Main idea of the passage: The recent studies by Landes, Badinter, Godineau, and Roudinesco, should signal a much-needed reassessment of women’s participation

1. Which one of the following best states the main point of the passage?
(A) According to recent historical studies, the participation of women in the revolutionary events of 1789-1795 can most profitably be viewed in three successive stages. -- This is the main idea of para 2, but not the main idea of the whole passage --> INCORRECT
(B) The findings of certain recent historical studies have resulted from an earlier general reassessment, by historians, of women’s participation in the revolutionary events of 1789-1795. -- This is not true. The earlier general assessment does not relate to the recent studies --> INCORRECT
(C) Adopting the vocabulary and viewpoint of certain intellectual and political traditions resulted in no political advantage for women in France in the years 1789-1795. -- This is a detailed info in para 3, so it cannot be the main idea of the whole passage --> INCORRECT
(D) Certain recent historical studies have provided a much-needed description and evaluation of the evolving roles of women in the revolutionary events of 1789-1795. -- this choice paraphrases the last sentence of the first para --> CORRECT
(E) Historical studies that seek to explain the limitations of the women’s movement is more convincing than are those that seek only to describe the general features of that movement. -- This info is not mentioned in the passage --> INCORRECT

2. The passage suggests that Godineau would be likely to agree with which one of the following statements about Marie Gouze’s Declaration of the Rights of Women?
The key words in the question is Godineau and Marie Gouze’s Declaration of the Rights of Women, so we will look up in para 2: The first, up to mid-1792, involved those women who wrote political tracts . Typical of their orientation to theoretical issues—in Godineaus’s view, without practical effect—is Marie Gouze’s Declaration of the Right of Women

(A) This work was not understood by many of Gouze’s contemporaries. -- this info is not mentioned in para 2 --> INCORRECT
(B) This work indirectly inspired the formation of independent women’s political clubs. -- this info is not mentioned in para 2 --> INCORRECT
(C) This work had little impact on the world of political action. -- Godineaus views this work as without practical effect --> CORRECT
(D) This work was the most compelling produced by a French woman between 1789 and 1792. -- this info is not mentioned in para 2 --> INCORRECT
(E) This work is typical of the kind of writing French women produced between 1793 and 1795. -- this info is not mentioned in para 2 --> INCORRECT

3. According to the passage, which one of the following is a true statement about the purpose of the women’s political clubs mentioned in line 20?
The key words in the question is women’s political clubs. we find this info in para 2: The emergence of vocal middle-class women’s political clubs marks the second phase. Formed in 1791 as adjuncts of middle-class male political clubs, and originally philanthropic in function, by late 1792 independent clubs of women began to advocate military participation for women.
(A) These clubs fostered a mass women’s movement. -- not mentioned --> INCORRECT
(B) These clubs eventually developed a purpose different from their original purpose. -- this passage says that the women's clubs was formed in 1791 as adjuncts of middle-class male political clubs, and originally philanthropic in function, then later in 1792 these clubs served to support military participation for women --> women's clubs changed from their initial function --> CORRECT
(C) These clubs were founder to advocate military participation for women. -- I was confused in this choice. It turned to be incorrect
(D) These clubs counteracted the original purpose of male political clubs. -- this info is not true --> INCORRECT
(E) These clubs lost their direction by the time of the famine of 1795. -- not mentioned --> INCORRECT

4. The primary function of the first paragraph of the passage is to:
(A) outline the author’s argument about women’s roles in Frances between 1789 and 1795 -- the para does not mention about women's roles --> INCORRECT
(B) anticipate possible challenges to the findings of the recent studies of women in France between 1789 and 1795 -- the para does not mention or predict about the challenges to the findings of recent studies --> INCORRECT
(C) summarize some long-standing explanations of the role of individual women in France between 1789 and 1795 -- the para does not summarize the explanations of the role of women; in fact, it gives the context for the recent studies to occur --> INCORRECT
(D) present a context for the discussion of recent studies of women in France between 1789 and 1795 -- this is true; the last sentence of this para mentions the recent studies and the rest of the passage is dedicated to explain the content of the recent studies --> CORRECT
(E) characterize various eighteenth-century studies of women in France -- this para does not characterize --> INCORRECT

5. The passage suggests that Landes and Badinter would be likely to agree with which one of the following statements about the women’s movement in France in the 1790s?
The key words are Landes and Badinter, we find this info in para 3: For Landes and Badinter, the necessity of women’s having to speak in the established vocabularies of certain intellectual and political tradition diminished the ability of the women’s movement to resist suppression
(A) The movement might have been more successful if women had developed their own political vocabularies. -- from the para, we know that when women have to speak in the established vocabularies of certain intellectual and political tradition, their ability to resist suppression is diminished. so we can infer that their movement would be more successful if they use their own vocab --> CORRECT
(B) The downfall of the movement was probably unrelated to it alliance with Jacobin men. -- not mentioned --> INCORRECT
(C) The movement had a great deal of choice about whether to adopt a Rousseauist political vocabulary. -- not mentioned --> INCORRECT
(D) The movement would have triumphed if it had not been suppressed by military means. -- not mentioned --> INCORRECT
(E) The movement viewed a Rousseauist political tradition, rather than a Jacobin political ideology, as detrimental to its interests. -- not mentioned --> INCORRECT

6. In the context of the passage, the word “cost” in line 63 refers to the
And in the case of Landes and Badinter, the reader is left with a sobering awareness of the cost to the women of the Revolution of speaking in borrowed voices.

we must come back to para 3 to find out the info relating to Landes and Badinter, women of the Revolution of speaking, and here is the sentence contains this info: For Landes and Badinter, the necessity of women’s having to speak in the established vocabularies of certain intellectual and political tradition diminished the ability of the women’s movement to resist suppression. -- the cost is the diminished ability of the women's movement to resist suppression.

(A) dichotomy of private roles for women and public roles for men -- not true according to our analysis
(B) almost nonexistent political participation of women before 1789 -- not true according to our analysis
(C) historians’ lack of differentiation among various groups of women -- not true according to our analysis
(D) political alliances women made with radical Jacobin men -- not true according to our analysis
(E) collapse of the women’s movement in the 1790s -- this is what we have found -- CORRECT

7. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with
(A) criticizing certain political and intellectual traditions
(B) summarizing the main points of several recent historical studies and assessing their value -- this is exactly what we have from the initial reading of the passage -- see the passage structure above
(C) establishing a chronological sequence and arguing for its importance
(D) comparing and contrasting women’s political activities before and after the French Revolution
(E) reexamining a long-held point of view and isolating its strengths and weaknesses
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My answer:

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please try and post the explanations of your answers , that will help others understand the passage, and in fact it will help you as well.

I am waiting for the OA to check the correctness of my answer. Moreover, I don't want other posters to be affected by my answer and my explanations (that's why I put my response in spoiler).
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ok then , the OA are DCBDAEB.

Mytake:--
1) D
2) C
3)C
4) D
5) A
6) E
7) B

i think question 3 in this passage is the question most people get wrong.

yeah, it's quite tricky. choice C contains the similar words in the passage. if not read closely, one is easily trapped.

good passage, btw.

thank you, garimavyas
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with u crick20002002
qn 3 got wrong.
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Can someone please help with question number 5? i.e.

The passage suggests that Landes and Badinter would be likely to agree with which one of the following statements about the women’s movement in France in the 1790s?
(A) The movement might have been more successful if women had developed their own political vocabularies.
(B) The downfall of the movement was probably unrelated to it alliance with Jacobin men.
(C) The movement had a great deal of choice about whether to adopt a Rousseauist political vocabulary.
(D) The movement would have triumphed if it had not been suppressed by military means.
(E) The movement viewed a Rousseauist political tradition, rather than a Jacobin political ideology, as detrimental to its interests.

OA mentioned is A. But the passage said that the movement failed because the women lack the already ESTABLISHED vocab. Even if the women developed their own vocab there is no where mentioned their language would have helped. Surely learning a ESTABLISHED language would have. NO???

GMATNinja, workout, GMATNinjaTwo, u1983, SajjadAhmad, Gnpth

Typical of their orientation to theoretical issues—in Godineaus’s view, without practical effect—is Marie Gouze’s Declaration of the Right of Women.
What is the meaning of this line in the given context?

Q5) how is A option right?
"the necessity of women’s having to speak in the established vocabularies of certain intellectual and political tradition diminished the ability of the women’s movement to resist suppression." We only know to have to speak in established vocabulary diminished their ability. How can we conclude that if they had their own vocabulary it wouldn't diminish?

GMATNinja
Can you please help me understand options B and D I was stuck between these two options and wasted 1 min and ended selecting a wrong one.

My understanding: In the last line of the first para the author is saying that recent works of historians have given the need to reassess the role of women between 1789-1795.
The primary purpose: Certain recent historical finding has arisen the need to reassess the women role and to summarise those findings
1. Which one of the following best states the main point of the passage?

(A) According to recent historical studies, the participation of women in the revolutionary events of 1789-1795 can most profitably be viewed in three successive stages.
(B) The findings of certain recent historical studies have resulted from an earlier general reassessment, by historians, of women’s participation in the revolutionary events of 1789-1795.(does the boldface imply that the recent findings are the result of general reassessment?)
(C) Adopting the vocabulary and viewpoint of certain intellectual and political traditions resulted in no political advantage for women in France in the years 1789-1795.
(D) Certain recent historical studies have provided a much-needed description and evaluation of the evolving roles of women in the revolutionary events of 1789-1795.(In this option where is the author's point to reassess the work?)
(E) Historical studies that seek to explain the limitations of the women’s movement is more convincing than are those that seek only to describe the general features of that movement.

Hey AnushkaPatel961,
Here is my understanding of why Option B is incorrect. Hope this helps.

In Para -1, if you notice the below lines -
The recent studies by Landes, Badinter, Godineau, and Roudinesco, however, should signal a much-needed reassessment of women’s participation.

This means that the 4 researchers Landes, Badinter, Godineau, and Roudinesco have done some study and the light of their study the author wants the current assessment on women's participation to be re-evaluated. No where in the whole passage we can find that the author has mentioned of the research of the above listed people to be based on an already reassessed understanding.
So, as per the para, doubt is thrown over the current assessment and no emphasis on where this research is based out of.

As you have also mentioned correctly, option B is mentioning on the second part which is not discussed in the passage.
Hence we safely eliminate the Option.
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I don't necessarily think that 6 has the best answer. Here's the passage excerpt:
For Landes and Badinter, the necessity of women’s having to speak in the established vocabularies of certain intellectual and political tradition diminished the ability of the women’s movement to resist suppression.

The answer is: "collapse of the women’s movement in the 1790s "

I don't agree that 'diminished ability to resist supression' is the same as 'collapse of the movement.
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Hi CEdward ,

Read the opening line of second last paragraph:
"What makes the recent studies particularly compelling, however, is not so much their organization of chronology as their unflinching willingness to confront the reasons for the collapse of the women’s movement."

Hope this clears your doubt!

Ahh I see. So one thing I have noticed so far with LSATs is thst unlike GMAT, a single word can be buried somewhere that is the answer. Just brutal.

Posted from my mobile device
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I think GMAT can also do such trickery.
The important thing is to eliminate the 4 wrong answers with surety before marking the correct answers.
Also, I think in such inference questions, it's always essential to understand the context of the paragraph and the entire passage.
Since cost is a negative word in this context, it helps to think "what cost did the women pay?".
A quick scan, keeping in mind the negative connotation of the word, leads to the correct answer !

Are you sure it is 600 level passage ??

Jks3000, I had the same thought lol. Just the size and topic of the passage makes it lean towards a 650 probably. I got all correct but took 15 minutes!