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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 03 Jun 2019, 14:41
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jawele
Hi

I'm curious why E in Q2 is incorrect: what's your reasoning?

2) Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Hopis’ geographic situation between 1680 and 1880?
E. It tended to limit contact between certain Hopi clans.

After all, it says that the isolation limited cultural contact. Do we need to assume that, and if so why, "cultural contact" refers only to outside cultures? Perhaps there are other reasons to eliminate this option?

Thanks guys

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The passage gives three main reasons that Hopi societies remained stable: 1) the religious elite's determined efforts to preserve their religion/way of life, 2) geographical isolation, and 3) flexibility within their social system.

This third reason (flexibility within their social system), depends on Hopi clans interacting with each other in the following ways:

  • Merging small clans or dividing large clans as needed
  • Shifting control of ceremonies if a clan became too small to manage them
  • Extending village leadership positions traditionally restricted to members of one clan to members of other clans

Because of this extensive interaction between Hopi clans, we cannot infer that geographic isolation "tended to limit contact between certain Hopi clans." The passage does not offer any evidence that contact was limited between clans within Hopi society, and provides a lot of information confirming that such contact was commonplace. For this reason, (E) is out.

I hope that helps!
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 03 Jul 2019, 00:28
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Question 2, "and also to a geographical isolation greater than that of many other Native American groups, an isolation that limited both cultural contact and exposure to European diseases" . The fact that geographical isolation limited exposure to European diseases made me think that (A) "It prevented the Hopis from experiencing a diminution in population" is correct. Where did i go wrong?
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 04 Jul 2019, 03:06
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GMATNinja

For Question 1, I debated between choice B & E.
Choice B has the "matrilineal clans" which was mentioned later in the passage. I agree with this elimination.
However choice E. I feel that it can only be correct if we read onto the connecting words in the next sentence "But equally important"
What's your strategy in choosing choice E ?
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 06 Jul 2019, 14:21
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katytranvo
GMATNinja

For Question 1, I debated between choice B & E.
Choice B has the "matrilineal clans" which was mentioned later in the passage. I agree with this elimination.
However choice E. I feel that it can only be correct if we read onto the connecting words in the next sentence "But equally important"
What's your strategy in choosing choice E ?
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I'm not him but if you don't mind I can help you with that

TRANSITION WORDS and other keywords such as But, moreover etc, should be taken care of during the reading.
GMAT and B-schools for that matter are making sure that you look in multiple directions even when they are pointing out in one

Using that technique in RCs is very effective. Go through the question, read how transition words connect to that part of the passage and note it down if you are unable to understand the connection. Know two things while you read any sentence in an RC, 1. How that sentence connects to the paragraph 2. How it connects to passage as a whole

If you know those two things, you'll know what position that sentence is in. It is much like a social structure in an organisation, some are CEOs, some are COOs, some are just janitors, all connected with each other. Similarly, every sentence in an RC has responsibility for the passage(organisation), and what it is and to whom it refers to is essential in getting such questions right. I always ask myself whenever I see such Questions

If the sentence is a CEO that means it is linked to primary purpose
If a sentence is a janitor, its linked to a small detail in passage somewhere
If it is an employee, such as here, it is linked to the coming sentence and the preceding sentence


I've talked in metaphors but I'm sure you're smart enough to get it.

Please show your appreciation if you like the method
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 09 Jul 2019, 11:38
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Question 1


katytranvo

For Question 1, I debated between choice B & E.
Choice B has the "matrilineal clans" which was mentioned later in the passage. I agree with this elimination.
However choice E. I feel that it can only be correct if we read onto the connecting words in the next sentence "But equally important"
What's your strategy in choosing choice E ?
Show more
The question asks with which answer choice the author would agree concerning the highlighted text, but that does not mean that you can ONLY look at the highlighted text for clues.

Take another look at (B):
Quote:
(B) [The highlighted text] correctly emphasizes the role of the religious elite in maintaining the system of matrilineal clans.
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The issue with (B) is not that matrilineal clans are mentioned outside of the highlighted text -- the problem is that the highlighted text does not, in fact, emphasize the role of the religious elite in maintaining matrilineal clans! It only mentions the role of the religious elite in preserving "their religion and way of life." The author definitely would NOT agree that the highlighted text "correctly" emphasizes the role of the religious elite in maintaining the system of matrilineal clans, because the text doesn't make this claim at all. (B) is out.

Now look at (E):
Quote:
(E) [The highlighted text] is correct but may be insufficient in itself to explain Hopi sociocultural persistence.
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You are right that we cannot conclude that the author would agree with (E) if we ONLY look at the highlighted text. In that portion of the passage, he/she introduces a couple of factors to which the Hopi's stability have been attributed. Only in the subsequent part of the passage do we discover that the author agrees that the information in the highlighted text is correct, but then argues that there are additional factors at play. It is totally fine to use this additional context to answer the question, because it gives us an accurate picture of how the author views the information in the highlighted text. (E) is the correct answer to question #1.

Question 2


DiyaDutta
Question 2, "and also to a geographical isolation greater than that of many other Native American groups, an isolation that limited both cultural contact and exposure to European diseases" . The fact that geographical isolation limited exposure to European diseases made me think that (A) "It prevented the Hopis from experiencing a diminution in population" is correct. Where did i go wrong?
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The author states that Hopi society remained "surprisingly stable considering that it was a period of diminution in population." The central question explored in the passage is how Hopi society retained its "distinctive socio-cultural system" during this time despite a diminution in population and pressure from contact with outside groups.

So, while geographical isolation "limited... exposure to European diseases," we cannot say that it outright prevented a diminution in population. (A) is out.

I hope that helps!
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St Updated on: 07 Aug 2020, 20:56
Originally posted by PeachTea2020 on 07 Aug 2020, 20:54.
Last edited by PeachTea2020 on 07 Aug 2020, 20:56, edited 1 time in total.
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1. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements about the explanation outlined in highlighted text?
From this: The Hopis’ retention of their distinctive socio-cultural system has been attributed to the Hopi religious elite’s determined efforts to preserve their religion and way of life, and also to a geographical isolation greater than that of many other Native American groups, an isolation that limited both cultural contact and exposure to European diseases. 


(A) It fails to take into account the effect of geographical circumstances on Hopi culture.
--> It did take into account the effect.

(B) It correctly emphasizes the role of the religious elite in maintaining the system of matrilineal clans.
--> In this text there is no “matrilineal clans”.

(C) It represents a misreading of Hopi culture because it fails to take into account the actual differences that existed among the various Hopi clans.
--> Negative tone. Incorrect because the author agrees with the highlight text.

(D) It underestimates the effect on Hopi cultural development of contact with other cultural groups.
Negative tone. Incorrect.

(E) It is correct but may be insufficient in itself to explain Hopi sociocultural persistence.
--> Look at the sentence following those texts: But equally important to Hopi cultural persistence may have been --> there must have been other factors.

2. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Hopis' geographic situation between 1680 and 1880?
From this:
The Hopis’ retention of their distinctive socio-cultural system has been attributed to the Hopi religious elite’s determined efforts to preserve their religion and way of life, and also to a geographical isolation greater than that of many other Native American groups, an isolation that limited both cultural contact and exposure to European diseases. 
Infer: not state explicitly in the passage
(A) It prevented the Hopis from experiencing a diminution in population.
--> No it helps to retain Hopis’ distinctive socio-cultural system, not prevent diminution.

(B) It helped to promote flexibility within their social system.
--> Nowhere mentioned.

(C) It limited but did not eliminate contact with other cultural groups.

(D) It reinforced the religious elite's determination to resist cultural change.
--> There’s no causation relationship between geographic situation and elite’s determination. The passage only mentioned about A (retention) has been attributed to B (elite’s efforts) and C (geographic situation).

E) It tended to limit contact between certain Hopi clans.
--> Wrong.
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 20 Dec 2020, 18:57
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Hey GMATNinja, for Q3, I'm wondering why this passage is expanding on an explanation of a phenomenon. I might be too mechanical here, but doesn't expanding on an explanation mean clarifying or adding supporting information to an existing explanation (i.e. the geographic position and the determined efforts)? i.e. Not offering an additional explanation (the inherent flexibility) that is as important as the existing explanation?

For this reason I rejected D and picked B instead. Would you mind clarifying what a good reason to eliminate B would be? My rationale for picking it was that the second paragraph states "But equally important was the inherent flexibility" and gives examples of how that flexibility manifested.

Thanks!
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 26 Dec 2020, 09:31
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Question 3


jackbauer96
Hey GMATNinja, for Q3, I'm wondering why this passage is expanding on an explanation of a phenomenon. I might be too mechanical here, but doesn't expanding on an explanation mean clarifying or adding supporting information to an existing explanation (i.e. the geographic position and the determined efforts)? i.e. Not offering an additional explanation (the inherent flexibility) that is as important as the existing explanation?

For this reason I rejected D and picked B instead. Would you mind clarifying what a good reason to eliminate B would be? My rationale for picking it was that the second paragraph states "But equally important was the inherent flexibility" and gives examples of how that flexibility manifested.

Thanks!
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If you haven’t already, it may be helpful to take a look at the passage breakdown in our previous post. With that in mind, let’s take a look at (B):

Quote:
(B) assessing the relative importance of two factors underlying a phenomenon
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The problem with (B) is that the passage mentions the importance of more than two factors underlying the Hopi’s cultural persistence. It mentions the determination of the Hopi religious elite, the Hopi’s geographical isolation, and the inherent flexibility in the Hopi’s social system. That third factor is said to be as important as the first two factors. So, the passage actually assesses the relative importance of THREE factors underlying the Hopi’s cultural persistence.

Moreover, I still wouldn’t say that the passage is primarily concerned with ASSESSING the relative importance of these factors. The passage merely mentions the first two factors, states that the third factor is “equally important,” and then delves into an explanation of the third factor. The remainder of the passage is NOT dedicated to an exploration of the relative importance of these factors. It does not compare the importance of the three factors nor does not expound on the impact of the first two factors. For those reasons, we can eliminate (B).

And here’s (D):

Quote:
(D) expanding on an explanation of a phenomenon
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To expand on something simply means “to make larger or more extensive.” So, is the passage making the explanation of the Hopi’s cultural persistence larger or more extensive? Definitely. The passage takes the current explanation (the determination of the religious elite and the geographical isolation) and adds to it that the Hopi social system was inherently flexible. The author is not replacing the current explanation or presenting an alternative explanation. Rather, he/she takes the current explanation and adds to it, making it larger and more extensive. That’s exactly what “expanding” means, so (D) is correct.

I hope that helps!
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 06 Mar 2024, 11:02
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Hi KarishmaB MartyMurray DmitryFarber

Quote:
2. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Hopis' geographic situation between 1680 and 1880?

(A) It prevented the Hopis from experiencing a diminution in population.
(B) It helped to promote flexibility within their social system.
(C) It limited but did not eliminate contact with other cultural groups.
Show more

Why cant we say 'limited exposure to european disease' didn't led to diminution in population ? We are asked to make connections in RC and thats the obvious link, How and why to avoid 'A' as answer if option 'C' would not have been given ?

Kindly can you help ?

Thanks !
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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 06 Mar 2024, 22:04
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Quote:
Hi KarishmaB MartyMurray DmitryFarber
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Quote:
2. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Hopis' geographic situation between 1680 and 1880?

(A) It prevented the Hopis from experiencing a diminution in population.
(B) It helped to promote flexibility within their social system.
(C) It limited but did not eliminate contact with other cultural groups.
Show more
 
Quote:
Why cant we say 'limited exposure to european disease' didn't led to diminution in population ? We are asked to make connections in RC and thats the obvious link, How and why to avoid 'A' as answer if option 'C' would not have been given ?

Kindly can you help ?

Thanks !
Show more

You can avoid (A) as the answer because there will be something better than (A) available. Right now it is (C). If (C) were not there, there would be something else. 
(A) is problematic. It says "the geo location prevented populaton diminution" while the passage tells us that it was a period of population diminution. What was causing reduction in population, we are not given. Of course, we know that diseases were causing issues in Europe but were there other issues also (say birth rate was low), we don't know. So we don't know the exact factors responsible for population diminution in that period.
Besides, the passage tells us that geo location "limited" exposure to European diseases. It did not completely eliminate exposure.
Hence, saying "geo location prevented population diminution" is not justified. 


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Anthropologists studying the Hopi people of the southwestern United St 02 Apr 2025, 10:07
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