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555-605 Level|   Long Passage|   Social Science|               
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 30 Jun 2022, 18:59
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GraceSCKao
I was stuck between (D) and (E), because even though the passage does not mention any change in the attitudes toward reform movements, it does not mention the change in the attitudes towards the marketplace either, at least literally.
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Hi GraceSCKao,

I'd argue that the word sacralization alone points to some kind of process (less or not sacred to sacred or more sacred), but the author makes it even clearer that we're looking at a process ("a cultural process ‘of sacralization’ of children’s lives").

GraceSCKao
But I am concerned that my thinking process might not be efficient--I spent two minutes on this question. Hence, I would like to learn how you experts attack (D) quickly.
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To add to AndrewN's point: I'm not the biggest fan of superfast (magical!) ways of getting to the right answer. All test takers miss something at some point during their test, and that does affect timing.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 02 Jul 2022, 02:59
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zhanbo

(2) Question 3.
Sociological economists must believe in their theories, and they will use their theories to explain any economical phenomenon. The recompense disparity for the loss of a child in public courts is something Viviana Zelizer uses to advance her points, but sociological economists may disagree.

"Wait a minute," Sociological economists says, "it proves that we are right". Why? Well, this question asks us to pick a possible explanation sociological economists may provide. They analyze everything solely in terms of its economic determinants. So we have to pick an answer that is based on economic factors.

I eliminated (D) because "a child’s emotional value made child labor taboo". I do not think sociological economists would like to price taboo topics.

(Note that, if we apply this line of logic, the two-year-old child in 1896 case was certainly not worthless. But that is beyond the scope of this question. )
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AjiteshArun

I'd argue that the word sacralization alone points to some kind of process (less or not sacred to sacred or more sacred), but the author makes it even clearer that we're looking at a process ("a cultural process ‘of sacralization’ of children’s lives").
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AndrewN

The demonstrative this in this sacralization must link to the previous time sacralization was mentioned, and we do not really need to infer much at all.
*
Since the question 3 asks us to consider what sociological economists would have to say about the change in the cash value of children between the 19th and 20th centuries, we should root our answer in the paragraph that describes this group, the final paragraph of the passage. There, we are told that practitioners analyze sociological topics... in terms of their economic determinants, and that they tend to view all human behaviors as directed primarily by the principle of maximizing economic gain. If we focus on maximizing economic gain specifically, there is little to be drawn into in answer choice (D).

Laws of supply and demand are certainly economic concerns, but reduced supply and raised costs of child labor sound somewhat contrary to maximizing economic gain in a maturing industrial economy, to quote from paragraph three. We have no reason to believe that sociological economists would champion the notion that fewer child laborers would lead to maximizing economic gain for the whole society.

Contrast with (B), which builds off the premise, again from paragraph three, that there was a decline in birth and death rates, especially in child mortality during the twentieth century. More children might logically lead to more workers, even down the road a bit, and thus maximize economic gain, in the eyes of sociological economists. (We have no reason to doubt that Zelizer was citing actual statistics on birth and mortality rates. The interpretation of this information, though, can lead to divergent views on the change in the cash value of children.)
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Thank you experts zhanbo AndrewN AjiteshArun so much for your responses and explanations!

I've definitely learned more with your posts. :) I cannot bring a new constructive view to the discussion, so I will stop here. But as a side note, I want to say that it seems that the option (D) in the Question 3 can be interpreted in several ways and thus be eliminated with different lines of thinking. I guess this might be one of the characteristics of the most puzzling incorrect options in the RC section--they are not obviously wrong and make me want to think more, but often I only get an uncertain interpretation in the end. In contrast, there is usually only one consistent explanation for why a correct option is correct.

Thank you once again for your help!

AndrewN

GraceSCKao
I am concerned that my thinking process might not be efficient--I spent two minutes on this question. Hence, I would like to learn how you experts attack (D) quickly.
Stop worrying about it. Consider your average timing across a given set of RC questions. I will let you in on a little secret: I spent over two minutes on this question as well. We can celebrate our inefficiency together! If you are curious, the following is an exact report of my timing and outcome per question for this passage when I laid eyes on it for the first time on 24 November 2021.

Question 1 (3:25) - Correct
Question 2 (0:25) - Correct
Question 3 (2:07) - Correct
Question 4 (0:38) - Correct
Question 5 (1:04) - Correct
Question 6 (1:04) - Correct (No, this is not a transcription error—I spent the same amount of time on back-to-back questions.)
Question 7 (0:54) - Correct

The above is not an uncommon pattern for me at all in RC. I spend a lot of time upfront reading and understanding the passage. (I am not the fastest of readers.) Then, I spend time on questions when I feel the need to do so. I let other questions balance the timing out. It is not as though I know such a balancing act will occur, but practice has taught me to trust that the timing will sort of work itself out. If not, then I will look to make up a little time on some other question, or I might get lucky somewhere on another RC passage and hit my stride. Looking at the above, I spent an average of 1:22 per question, and that is just fine. Even on an exam in which I saw only my worst three questions, by timing, I would average 2:12 per question, and that is not the sort of time I feel would be beyond my reach to gain back, little more than a minute in all. To be honest, I am much more pleased that I went seven for seven.

Do not sweat the small stuff. - Andrew
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AjiteshArun

To add to AndrewN's point: I'm not the biggest fan of superfast (magical!) ways of getting to the right answer. All test takers miss something at some point during their test, and that does affect timing.
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Thank you Andrew and Ajitesh for your advice!

Because of my horrible pacing in my last attempt, I became more concerned with my speed in the verbal section during my daily practice. Although I know some experts encourage people to practice without timing, I still want to time my practice, just because my pacing was severely problematic. But appreciate your suggestions and I will pay more attention to the average timing across a given set of RC questions. Thank you!
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 26 Jul 2022, 04:40
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KarishmaB

In Q5) -> It's asked for in the course of the 19th century right?, but the transformation (with family members being more emotionally bonded) happens a century after 1896 right (ie in the 20th century (1900-1999)).

So how can we say option C is the correct one in this case?

Please let me know if I'm missing something.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 26 Jul 2022, 23:27
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muralis18
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KarishmaB

In Q5) -> It's asked for in the course of the 19th century right?, but the transformation (with family members being more emotionally bonded) happens a century after 1896 right (ie in the 20th century (1900-1999)).

So how can we say option C is the correct one in this case?

Please let me know if I'm missing something.
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muralis18

Note the following from the passage, paragraph 2
During the 19th century, she argues, the concept of the “useful” child ... gave way gradually to the present-day notion of the “useless” child who ... is yet considered emotionally “priceless.” Well established among segments of the middle and upper classes by the mid-1800’s, this new view of childhood spread throughout society in the late-19th and early-twentieth centuries

During the 19th century, the concept of the emotionally priceless child developed.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 11 Jan 2023, 11:30
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Hi Experts,
I agree that there is no mention of the 'attitudes toward reform movements', but I am not very clear why option B for question 6 is incorrect.
If i am not wrong, the nature of industry is nowhere mentioned, there is only mention of the 'maturing industrial economy'.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 11 Jan 2023, 22:02
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rabjeet
Hi Experts,
I agree that there is no mention of the 'attitudes toward reform movements', but I am not very clear why option B for question 6 is incorrect.
If i am not wrong, the nature of industry is nowhere mentioned, there is only mention of the 'maturing industrial economy'.
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For Zelizer the origins of this transformation were many and complex. The gradual erosion of children’s productive value in a maturing industrial economy,
...
Yet “expulsion of children from the ‘cash nexus,’ although clearly shaped by profound changes in the economic, occupational, and family structures,” Zelizer maintains,

It shows that nature of occupation/industry/economy changed and that had a role to play in the transformation.
'Maturing industrial economy' means the industry was maturing (perhaps using more skilled labour etc.) Hence the nature of the industry did have an impact.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 30 Apr 2023, 05:25
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Quote:
3. Which of the following alternative explanations of the change in the cash value of children would be most likely to be put forward by sociological economists as they are described in the passage?

(A) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because parents began to increase their emotional investment in the upbringing of their children.

(B) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because their expected earnings over the course of a lifetime increased greatly.

(C) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because the spread of humanitarian ideals resulted in a wholesale reappraisal of the worth of an individual.

(D) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because compulsory education laws reduced the supply, and thus raised the costs, of available child labor.

(E) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because of changes in the way negligence law assessed damages in accidental death cases.
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The question is asking which of the given alternative explanations for the change in the cash value of children during the nineteenth century would be most likely to be put forward by sociological economists as they are described in the passage. According to the passage, sociological economists tend to view all human behaviors as directed primarily by the principle of maximizing economic gain.

Option (B) states that:
Quote:
The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because their expected earnings over the course of a lifetime increased greatly.
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This option focuses on the expected earnings of children over their lifetime as a factor that influenced the increase in their cash value. Expected earnings are directly related to economic gain, as they represent the potential future income that an individual can generate. Since this option focuses on economic gain, it is most likely to be put forward by sociological economists as an explanation for the change in the cash value of children.

The other options focus on factors such as emotional investment, humanitarian ideals, compulsory education laws, and changes in negligence law. While these factors may have played a role in the change in the cash value of children, they are not directly related to economic gain. Therefore, these options are less likely to be put forward by sociological economists as explanations for the change in the cash value of children.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 06 Jun 2023, 23:35
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1. It can be inferred from the passage that accidental-death damage awards in America during the nineteenth century tended to be based principally on the (A) earnings of the person at the time of death.
The passage mentions that in 1896, the Georgia couple was told that there was no liability for damages because the child had made no real economic contribution to the family. This suggests that the awards were based principally on the earnings of the person at the time of death.
2. It can be inferred from the passage that in the early 1800s children were generally regarded by their families as individuals who (C) were important to the economic well-being of a family.
The passage states that during the nineteenth century, the concept of the "useful" child who contributed to the family economy gradually gave way to the present-day notion of the "useless" child who was emotionally "priceless." This indicates that in the early 1800s, children were generally regarded as individuals important to the economic well-being of a family.
3. The alternative explanation of the change in the cash value of children that would be most likely put forward by sociological economists, as described in the passage, is (B) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because their expected earnings over the course of a lifetime increased greatly.
The passage mentions that the gradual erosion of children's productive value in a maturing industrial economy, decline in child mortality rates, and the development of the companionate family were factors critical in changing the assessment of children's worth. This implies that the cash value of children rose because their expected earnings over a lifetime increased greatly.
4. The primary purpose of the passage is to (B) present the central thesis of a recent book.
The passage introduces Viviana Zelizer's book, Pricing the Priceless Child, and discusses the transformation in social values regarding the worth of children. It presents the central thesis of the book and provides background information on the subject.
5. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following statements was true of American families over the course of the nineteenth century? (C) Family members became more emotionally bonded to one another.
The passage mentions the development of the companionate family, where members were united by explicit bonds of love rather than duty. This suggests that family members became more emotionally bonded to one another.
6. Zelizer refers to all of the following as important influences in changing the assessment of children's worth EXCEPT changes in (D) attitudes toward reform movements.
The passage mentions that changes in the mortality rate, the nature of industry, and the nature of the family were all factors critical in changing the assessment of children's worth. However, it does not mention changes in attitudes toward reform movements as an influence.
7. The practice of sociological economics as described in the passage would be most consistent with (C) arguing that most decisions about marriage and divorce are based on rational assessments of the likelihood that each partner will remain committed to the relationship.
The passage describes sociological economics as analyzing traditionally sociological topics solely in terms of their economic determinants. It mentions that these sociologists tend to view human behaviors as directed primarily by the principle of maximizing economic gain. Analyzing decisions about marriage and divorce based on rational assessments of commitment likelihood aligns with this perspective.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 26 Aug 2023, 06:05
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GMATNinja
Sorry, I'm late to the party yet again, and I think VeritasKarishma already covered this really, really nicely. But just in case my two cents help somebody...

sayan640
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In question 3 , why is option D incorrect and option B the correct answer ?
Question #3 asks which answer choice would likely be put forward by the "sociological economists" discussed in the passage. In the last paragraph, we learn that these economists "tend to view all human behaviors as directed primarily by the principle of maximizing economic gain." This is contrasted with Zizeler's view, which emphasizes instead "the power of social values to transform price."

Let's first take a look at answer choice (B):
Quote:
(B) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because their expected earnings over the course of a lifetime increased greatly.
This answer choice directly ties the rising cash value of children to the "principle of maximizing economic gain." As their expected lifetime earnings increase, so does their cash value. This purely economic view of the value of children is right in line with the beliefs of the sociological economists. (B) is the correct answer.

Now look at (D):
Quote:
(D) The cash value of children rose during the nineteenth century because compulsory education laws reduced the supply, and thus raised the costs, of available child labor.
On a surface level, this answer choice also seems to emphasize economic factors to explain the increase in the value of children -- supply of child labor decreased, so the cost of that labor increased.

However, (D) identifies another factor as the root cause of this economic situation: "compulsory education laws." Remember, sociological economists believe that all human behavior tends to be directed by the desire to maximize economic gain. So, from their perspective, the "compulsory education laws" must also have been put into place in order to maximize economic gain! There is just no evidence to suggest that this is true -- if anything, it is more likely that these laws were a result of changing social values, which in turn would increase the price of the remaining available child labor. This is more in line with Zelizer's argument against the sociological economists' views. (D) is out.

I hope that helps!
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GMATNinja - Is my reasoning for eliminating D correct?

The last para implies that children's "exchange" or "surrender" value is conversion value of their intangible worth into cash terms. AC D seems to imply that cash value is the exchange value of a child in "some market". Hence incorrect.

B implies that cash-value is value of their intangible worth in cash terms.
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In 1896 a Georgia couple suing for damages in the accidental death of 07 Sep 2025, 21:46
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