In 1977 the prestigious Ewha Womens University in Seoul, Korea, annou

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Sreyoshi007

Please read the following excerpt again.



"Like Western feminist critique, the Korean critique finds Freudian theory culture-bound" implies that Western feminist critique is culture-bound and another way of saying option A

Option C "It acknowledges the universality of the nuclear, male-headed family" is incorrect because it is only the Korean theorists claim and may not be true. Hence option E cannot be inferred.
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I too had selected D. I felt that the founders (of the program) were the ones who carried out the work that had the close examination of theories. Not the program itself.

However, after reading through the first paragraph again, I realized D is wrong. It's too vague and overarching, and talks about womens studies programs in general. Here have only 1 program that too in a Korean University. D's scope is way too big.

I agree B has some wording problem - it sounded like the students part of the program carried out the work (the close examination of theories). But it's the least wrong option.

2. It can be inferred from the passage that Korean scholars in the field of women’s studies undertook an analysis of Freudian theory as a response to which of the following?

(A) Attacks by critics of the Ewha women’s studies program
(B) The superficiality of earlier critiques of Freudian theory
(C) The popularity of Freud in Korean psychiatric circles
(D) Their desire to encourage Korean scholars to adopt the Freudian model
(E) Their assessment of the relevance and limitations of Western feminist theory with respect to Korean culture


I had selected A for this option. I felt that E was the trap answer. Turns out, OA is E.

This was my reasoning -
Critics/supporters attacked them calling "imitation" --> Founders felt some reservations, felt theories should be closely examined --> So, Korean scholars undertook Analysis

The question asks what the scholars (or are they the founders of the program, I still can't say) were responding to. They didn't respond to their assessment/reservations. They were responding to the attacks of critics.

Did I miss something here?

Hi All,

Can someone please clarify the following points?

Q1 -> Why is OA B and not D? How is this passage a report and not an analysis of the underlying philosophy through examples?

Q2 -> How is the IA here B and not D?

Q6 -> I was left with the final 2 options of C and E and eventualy chose E. Can someone please guide on how to eliminate E here?

This was a good RC which i eventualy got but I am unable to crack how to crack such 700+ level RCs. Any insights here would be highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Somesh.

Question 1:

Option D talks about multiple programs , but we are concerned only about one particular Korean School of thiught . Moreover, I dont think the word "analysis" fits in here . The authir is just reporing about a particular discipline. He doesnot talk about the positive and negatives of this discipline.


Question 2: OA for Question 2 is E , not D
This excerpt from the passage might help you
They had some reservations about the applicability of Western feminist theories to the role of women in Asia and felt that such theories should be closely examined.

Question 6:

The usage of word " NO " makes the choice extreme . There might be a theory which might do so , but has not been talked about in the pasage



.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the broadcast media in Korea considered the establishment of the Ewha women’s studies program
(A) praiseworthy
(B) insignificant
(C) newsworthy
(D) imitative
(E) incomprehensible


I chose option D rather than C, because of these lines in the passage - "Few academic programs have ever received such public attention. In broadcast debates, critics dismissed the program as a betrayal of national identity, an imitation of Western ideas, and a distraction from the real task of national unification and economic development. "

Could someone please explain why is D incorrect? Is it because C is more general compared to D?



7. Which of the following statements about the Western feminist critique of Freudian theory can be supported by information contained in the passage?

(A) It recognizes the influence of Western culture on Freudian theory.
(B) It was written after 1977.
(C) It acknowledges the universality of the nuclear, male-headed family.
(D) It challenges Freud’s analysis of the role of daughters in Western society.
(E) It fails to address the issue of competitiveness in Western society.

In Q.7, why is option C incorrect? I did not understand what the question is asking clearly. I got confused by these lines "The Korean theorists claim that Freudian theory assumes the universality of the Western nuclear, male-headed family and focuses on the personality formation of the individual, independent of society."

Thanks!!

Sreyoshi007, for question 4, answer C is newsworthy because the passage says that few academic courses received such public attention as this one in the past. If you read closely, the question is -"It can be inferred from the passage that the broadcast media in Korea considered the establishment of the Ewha women’s studies program - ", the establishment was not imitative, it was rather newsworthy, by being one of the few catching attention. Please hit kudos, if that helped.

workout, need insights.

1. Which of the following best summarizes the content of the passage?

(A) A critique of a particular women’s studies program

The passage is more factual based, at no piont we can actually determine what are authors's opinion

(B) A report of work in social theory done by a particular women’s studies program

"report" is a rather neutal term, furthermore we should also note how the author initially introduces/outlines the concept and then most of the passage harps about the findings/work of the program

(C) An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of a particular women’s studies program
No where in the passage we can find author's opinion or any +/- program, the criticism mentioned at the initial part was on behalf of locals of seoul not author

(D) An analysis of the philosophy underlying women’s studies programs

Nowhere in passage we can see something related to philosophy underlying women's studies prog.

(E) An abbreviated history of Korean women’s studies programs
NO mention of previous history
"Few academic programs have ever received such public attention."
This is the closest I could find anything related to history



2. It can be inferred from the passage that Korean scholars in the field of women’s studies undertook an analysis of Freudian theory as a response to which of the following?
One can easily narrow down option A and E on this, comparing them together

(A) Attacks by critics of the Ewha women’s studies program

"In broadcast debates, critics dismissed the program as a betrayal of national identity, an imitation of Western ideas, and a distraction from the real task of national unification and economic development."

passage no where states explicitly that critics forced them also, not even a small hint is given to support this Option

(E) Their assessment of the relevance and limitations of Western feminist theory with respect to Korean culture

"The founders of the program, however, realized that neither view was correct. They had some reservations about the applicability of Western feminist theories to the role of women in Asia and felt that such theories should be closely examined."


3. Which of the following conclusions about the introduction of Western ideas to Korean society can be supported by information contained in the passage?

(A) Except for technological innovations, few Western ideas have been successfully transplanted into Korean society.

"Even supporters underestimated the program; they thought it would be merely another of themany Western ideas that had already proved useful in Asian culture, akin to airlines, electricity, and the assembly line."

(B) The introduction of Western ideas to Korean society is viewed by some Koreans as a challenge to Korean identity.
"In broadcast debates, critics dismissed the program as a betrayal of national identity"

(C) The development of the Korean economy depends heavily on the development of new academic programs modeled after Western programs.

of the many Westernideas that had already proved useful in Asian culture
Does not mean at all that the Korean economy is dependent



4. It can be inferred from the passage that the broadcast media in Korea considered the establishment of the Ewha women’s studies program

(C) newsworthy
"Few academic programs have ever received such public attention."
Nowhere in the passage, views of Broadcast media are mentioned

(D) imitative
One should not confuse this with views of broadcast media, this was critics's position

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the position taken by some of the supporters of the Ewha women’s studies program was problematic to the founders of the program because those supporters

(A) assumed that the program would be based on the uncritical adoption of Western theory

"Even supporters underestimated the program; they thought it would be merely another of the many Western ideasthat had already proved useful in Asian culture, akin to airlines, electricity, and the assembly line"
only mention of supporters position throughout the passage, basically they believed this would be another adoption of western thory that has happened in the past.

We can reach to this by eliminating other options also.


(B) failed to show concern for the issues of national unification and economic development
this was an issue related to critcs not supporters

(C) were unfamiliar with Western feminist theory
But how will this make any difference ? furthermore passage has nothing to say in relation to this

(D) were not themselves scholars in the field of women’s studies
supporters we not the one who had to do study, so even if they were not scholars themselves would hardly make a difference.

(E) accepted the universality of Freudian theory
No mention in regards to this in passage

6. Which of the following statements is most consistent with the view of personality development held by the Ewha women’s studies group?


Such a concept projects the competitive model of Western society onto human personalities.


Only Option C supports this

(C) Personality development is influenced by the characteristics of the society in which a person lives.



7. Which of the following statements about the Western feminist critique of Freudian theory can be supported by information contained in the passage?

For instance,like the Western feminist critiqueof the Freudian model of the human psyche, the Korean critique finds Freudian theory culture-bound, but in ways different from those cited by Western theorists.


(A) It recognizes the influence of Western culture on Freudian theory.

It is explicitly stated : like the Western feminist critique of the Freudian model of the human psyche, the Korean critique finds Freudian theory culture-bound

A wins



8. According to the passage, critics of the Ewha women’s studies program cited the program as a threat to which of the following?
I. National identity
II. National unification
III. Economic development
IV. Family integrity

totally depends upon how you've mapped the passage

critics dismissed the program as a betrayal of national identity, an imitation of Western ideas, and a distraction from the real task of national unification and economic development.

Family integration was a suggestion by Work of social theory we should not at all correlate that with critic's opinion.

I got wrong in the Q1, I was thinking critique is criticize something, and I feel there is no criticize of the women’s studies program, so I cross out A.
Can someone explain what exactly does critique mean?

What is the source of this passage?
Looks quite close to the GMAT style...
Some of the questions (Q1 and Q4) are also very tricky..
All correct in 11 minutes!

GMATCoachBen thanks for indirectly pointing me to this RC

1. Which of the following best summarizes the content of the passage?

(A) A critique of a particular women’s studies program
(B) A report of work in social theory done by a particular women’s studies program
(C) An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of a particular women’s studies program
(D) An analysis of the philosophy underlying women’s studies programs
(E) An abbreviated history of Korean women’s studies programs

2. It can be inferred from the passage that Korean scholars in the field of women’s studies undertook an analysis of Freudian theory as a response to which of the following?

(A) Attacks by critics of the Ewha women’s studies program
(B) The superficiality of earlier critiques of Freudian theory
(C) The popularity of Freud in Korean psychiatric circles
(D) Their desire to encourage Korean scholars to adopt the Freudian model
(E) Their assessment of the relevance and limitations of Western feminist theory with respect to Korean culture


3. Which of the following conclusions about the introduction of Western ideas to Korean society can be supported by information contained in the passage?

(A) Except for technological innovations, few Western ideas have been successfully transplanted into Korean society.
(B) The introduction of Western ideas to Korean society is viewed by some Koreans as a challenge to Korean identity.
(C) The development of the Korean economy depends heavily on the development of new academic programs modeled after Western programs.
(D) The extent to which Western ideas must be adapted for acceptance by Korean society is minimal.
(E) The introduction of Western ideas to Korean society accelerated after 1977.


4. It can be inferred from the passage that the broadcast media in Korea considered the establishment of the Ewha women’s studies program
(A) praiseworthy
(B) insignificant
(C) newsworthy
In 1977 the prestigious Ewha Women’s University in Seoul, Korea, announced the opening of the first women’s studies program in Asia. Few academic programs have ever received such public attention (broadcast media)--> This is the 1st program that receives this public attention
(D) imitative
(E) incomprehensible

5. It can be inferred from the passage that the position taken by some of the supporters of the Ewha women’s studies program was problematic to the founders of the program because those supporters

(A) assumed that the program would be based on the uncritical adoption of Western theory
Even supporters underestimated the program; they thought it would be merely another of the many Western ideas that had already proved useful in Asian culture
(B) failed to show concern for the issues of national unification and economic development
(C) were unfamiliar with Western feminist theory
(D) were not themselves scholars in the field of women’s studies
(E) accepted the universality of Freudian theory


6. Which of the following statements is most consistent with the view of personality development held by the Ewha women’s studies group?

(A) Personality development occurs in identifiable stages, beginning with dependency in childhood and ending with independence in adulthood.
(B) Any theory of personality development, in order to be valid, must be universal.
(C) Personality development is influenced by the characteristics of the society in which a person lives.
But in the Asian concept of personality there is no ideal attached to individualism or to the independent self.
(D) Personality development is hindered if a person is not permitted to be independent.
(E) No theory of personality development can account for the differences between Korean and Western culture.


7. Which of the following statements about the Western feminist critique of Freudian theory can be supported by information contained in the passage?

(A) It recognizes the influence of Western culture on Freudian theory.
the Korean critique finds Freudian theory culture-bound, but in ways different from those cited by Western theorists
(B) It was written after 1977.
(C) It acknowledges the universality of the nuclear, male-headed family.
(D) It challenges Freud’s analysis of the role of daughters in Western society.
(E) It fails to address the issue of competitiveness in Western society.


8. According to the passage, critics of the Ewha women’s studies program cited the program as a threat to which of the following?
In broadcast debates, critics dismissed the program as a betrayal of national identity, an imitation of Western ideas, and a distraction from the real task of national unification and economic development.
I. National identity
II. National unification
III. Economic development

IV. Family integrity - No infomation.

(A) I only
(B) I and II only
(C) I, II, and III only
(D) II, III, and IV only
(E) I, II, III, and IV

Hi GMATNinja Can you please explain Q7?

Thanks in Advance!

Question 7

Here's question 7:


The Western feminist critique of Freud is found at the beginning of the second paragraph. The author compares and contrasts this Western view with the view developed at Ewha Women’s University.

The author says the views are similar in that they both find Freudian theory to be "culture-bound." In other words, Freud thought he was saying stuff that was completely universal, but in fact it was informed and limited by his culture.

This provides support for answer choice (A):



(A) is the correct answer for question 7.

I hope that helps!
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Why is 7 A? The western feminist Critiques - yes. It does not recognize the influence of any western culture on Freudian theory. That is an unnecessary assumption.

­Check out this post and let us know if you have any further questions!­
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