If you make a marked increase in the amount of light falling upon the

Question

If you make a marked increase in the amount of light falling upon the normal eye, you observe an immediate adjustment of the iris to reduce the size of the pupil. This is called an unconditioned response, and the increased light is called an unconditioned stimulus. Now, if you make numerous trials taking care to sound a buzzer whenever the light is increased, the iris can be “taught,” that is to say, conditioned, to reduce the pupil at the sound of the buzzer alone. This learned response is called a conditioned response and the sound of the buzzer, a conditioned stimulus.

Now symbols are our most important conditioned stimuli, and successful communication depends upon complementary conditioning, or complementary experience. Just as we find ourselves shouting at listeners who do not speak our language, so by a similar irrational impulse we assume that those with whom we attempt to communicate are equipped with complementary sets of conditioned responses to our own common stock of symbols. It is easy to see the stupidity of expecting one who does not speak English to converse with you in English. It is not so easy to realize that one who does speak English may not have been conditioned to operate with the same set of senses for the familiar terms common to your vocabulary and his.    1 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. define an aspect of a topic.
B. reconcile differing theories.
C. propose a topic for investigation.
D. solve a puzzle.
E. analyze a phenomenon.

2 
 2. Which of the following may be best described as an unconditioned stimulus?

A. an unanswered telephone ringing in an empty office
B. a whistle that blows at five o’clock every weekday
C. a shoelace that breaks in two 
D. a match that burns the finger of a careless pipe smoker
E. an alarm clock that rings at midnight

3 
 3. Applying information from the passage, we may conclude that a child who begins feeling hungry as the school lunch bell rings each day may be exhibiting

A. an awareness of time.
B. a complementary structure.
C. a conditioned response.
D. an unconditioned stimulus.
E. a conditioned appetite.

4 
 4. The passage suggests that those who speak English attempting to communicate with those who do not speak English are

A. bound to fail completely.
B. still dependent upon complementary responses to common symbols.
C. likely to be more successful if they raise their voice.
D. likely to be able to communicate where there are familiar words common to both speakers’ vocabularies.
E. subject to the limitations of thirdparty translations.

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 160 Date: 20-Apr-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: Cliffs Test Prep

EDUZENI · Answer

I am confused with Question no 2. Can someone please provide an explanantion for it

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

2. Which of the following may be best described as an unconditioned stimulus?

Difficulty Level:   650-700

Explanation

An unconditioned stimulus is unprepared for and leads to an unconditioned response—in this case, no doubt, the holder’s crying out and dropping the match.

Answer: D

swasthing · Answer

Explanation for queston no.3 and 4?

autexercitationem · Answer

for question 1:Why not E can be the answer these are the two phenomena happening ...

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. Applying information from the passage, we may conclude that a child who begins feeling hungry as the school lunch bell rings each day may be exhibiting

Explanation

The passage describes classical conditioning:

An unconditioned stimulus (increased light) leads to an unconditioned response (pupil reduction). 
 When a neutral stimulus (buzzer sound) is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus, it becomes a conditioned stimulus that can elicit the same response on its own (conditioned response).

In the scenario described:

The school lunch bell rings each day (a neutral stimulus that becomes a conditioned stimulus through repeated pairing). 
 The child begins feeling hungry (a response that was originally elicited by the actual food/unconditioned stimulus, but now is elicited by the bell alone). 
 This is a classic example of conditioning. The feeling of hunger in response to the bell is a learned response, similar to the pupil reducing at the sound of the buzzer.

A.  In the context of the passage not time awareness.

B.  This term from the passage refers to shared conditioning for communication, not directly to this scenario.

C.  This matches exactly: the hunger response is conditioned by the repeated pairing of the bell with food.

D.  The unconditioned stimulus would be the food itself, which naturally causes hunger. The bell is not unconditioned; it becomes conditioned.

E.  While this might seem plausible, the passage uses the term  "conditioned response,"  not  "conditioned appetite."  The response (hunger) is conditioned, not the appetite itself.

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. The passage suggests that those who speak English attempting to communicate with those who do not speak English are

Explanation

The passage states:

Symbols (like words) are conditioned stimuli. 
 Successful communication depends on  "complementary conditioning"  or  "complementary experience,"  meaning that both parties must have similar conditioned responses to the same symbols.  
 
 It is obvious that expecting someone who doesn't speak English to converse in English is stupid. 
 However, even among English speakers, people might not have the same conditioned responses to familiar words due to different experiences. 
 Now, the question asks about those who speak English attempting to communicate with those who do not speak English.

From the passage:

The passage compares shouting at non-English speakers (which is irrational) to assuming that even English speakers have complementary conditioning. This implies that communication with non-English speakers is problematic because they lack the complementary conditioning to English symbols.

Specifically, the passage says:  "successful communication depends upon complementary conditioning, or complementary experience."  Without shared conditioning (which non-English speakers lack), communication fails.

Option B says: "still dependent upon complementary responses to common symbols."  This aligns perfectly. Even though one party speaks English, the other does not, so they do not share the conditioned responses to English symbols. Therefore, communication is dependent on having those complementary responses, which are absent.

A.  The passage doesn't say it must fail completely; it might be possible through other means, but it highlights the dependence on complementary conditioning.

C.  The passage mentions shouting as an  "irrational impulse,"  implying it is not effective.

D.  But if one doesn't speak English, there are no common English words; the vocabularies are different.

E.  The passage doesn't discuss translations; it focuses on direct communication and conditioning.

Thus, the passage suggests that communication with non-English speakers is still dependent on having complementary responses to common symbols, which they lack.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Question #1  is debateable. E looks better than A. Not a worthful question to consider.

If you make a marked increase in the amount of light falling upon the

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