In a 1984 book, Claire C. Robertson argued that, before colonialism, age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally. British colonialism imposed European-style male dominant notions upon more egalitarian local situations to the detriment of women generally, and gender became a defining characteristic that weakened women’s power and authority. Subsequent research in Kenya convinced Robertson that she had overgeneralized about Africa. Before colonialism, gender was more salient in central Kenya than it was in Ghana, although age was still crucial in determining authority. In contrast with Ghana, where women had traded for hundreds of years and achieved legal majority (not unrelated phenomena), the evidence regarding central Kenya indicated that women were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, as were European women at that time. Factors like strong patrilinearity and patrilocality, as well as women’s inferior land rights and lesser involvement in trade, made women more dependent on men than was generally the case in Ghana. However, since age apparently remained the overriding principle of social organization in central Kenya, some senior women had much authority. Thus, Robertson revised her hypothesis somewhat, arguing that in determining authority in precolonial Africa age was a primary principle that superseded gender to varying degrees depending on the situation. 1 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to (A) present evidence undermining a certain hypothesis (B) describe a particular position and its subsequent modification (C) discuss two contrasting viewpoints regarding a particular issue (D) describe how a social phenomenon varied by region (E) evaluate an assumption widely held by scholars 2 2. The passage indicates that Robertson’s research in Kenya caused her to change her mind regarding which of the following? (A) Whether age was the prevailing principle of social organization in Kenya before colonialism (B) Whether gender was the primary determinant of social authority in Africa generally before colonialism (C) Whether it was only after colonialism that gender became a significant determinant of authority in Kenyan society (D) Whether age was a crucial factor determining authority in Africa after colonialism (E) Whether British colonialism imposed European-style male-dominant notions upon local situations in Ghana 3 3. The passage suggests that after conducting the research mentioned in highlighted text, but not before, Robertson would have agreed with which of the following about women’s status and authority in Ghana? (A) Greater land rights and greater involvement in trade made women in precolonial Ghana less dependent on men than were European women at that time. (B) Colonialism had a greater impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women than on Kenyan women. (C) Colonialism had less of an impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women that it had on the status and authority of other African women. (D) The relative independence of Ghanaian women prior to colonialism was unique in Africa. (E) Before colonialism, the status and authority of Ghanaian women was similar to that of Kenyan women. 4 4. The author of the passage mentions the status of age as a principle of social organization in precolonial central Kenya in highlighted text most likely in order to (A) indicate that women’s dependence on men in precolonial Kenya was not absolute (B) contrast the situation of senior women to that of less senior women in precolonial Kenyan society (C) differentiate between the status and authority of precolonial Kenyan women and that of precolonial Ghanaian women (D) explain why age superseded gender to a greater extent in precolonial Kenya than it did elsewhere in Africa (E) identify a factor that led Robertson to revise her hypothesis about precolonial Africa

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In a 1984 book, Claire C, Robertson argued that, before colonialism

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GMAT1034

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20 May 2024, 09:34

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GMATNinja

Sumi1010

Read your wonderful explanations on Qn 4- the passage mentions the status of age most likely to??
I am sorry but I still am not convinced how E is better than A.

(E) identify a factor that led Robertson to revise her hypothesis about precolonial Africa
You wrote - According to this choice, the status of age was most likely mentioned in order to identify a factor that led Robertson to revise the hypothesis.

(A) indicate that women’s dependence on men in precolonial Kenya was not absolute
You wrote - The author never stated that women's dependence on men in precolonial Kenya was absolute in the first place. So why would the author need to indicate that women's dependence was not absolute?

The passage says :
Subsequent research in Kenya...Before colonialism, gender was more salient in central Kenya..although age was still crucial....Factors like...However, since age apparently remained the overriding principle of social organization in central Kenya, some senior women had much authority. Thus, Robertson revised her hypothesis.

My understandings :
1.
The age was a crucial factor in Kenya before colonialism ( but not as much as gender was). Why someone will talk about less crucial factor here? - Just to showcase some reservation on general scenario. Reference of age does the same. It shows that the gender was not absolute determiner and women got some power because of age.
In the last sentence " Thus ....revised her hypothesis" of passage, " Thus" responds to what has been noticed ( from research) in the 2nd paragraph and not just to the sentence prior to it.

2.
One more note : If I erase the "However, since age apparently remained the overriding principle of social organization in central Kenya, some senior women had much authority" . Does it change anything in final conclusion?
Before colonialism, gender was more salient in central Kenya --> Thus, Robertson revised her hypothesis.

I don't see any difference. Request you to help.

Quote:

(A) indicate that women’s dependence on men in precolonial Kenya was not absolute

Choice (A) states that the author is trying to indicate that women's dependence on men was not absolute. This is NOT the same as trying to indicate that gender wasn't the absolute determinant of women's greater power in Kenya.

And getting back to the question we're trying to answer... how would choice (A) fit into the passage itself?

Well, it doesn't. As I pointed out earlier, the author never states that women's dependence on men was absolute. In fact, the author explicitly states that women were "more dependent on men than generally was the case in Ghana." The issue of dependence is raised to contrast the treatment of women in two countries and ultimately to help explain why Robertson revised her hypothesis about precolonial Africa — NOT to support a conclusion about whether or not women absolutely depended on men in precolonial Kenya.

Choice (A) sounds sensible, but it doesn't fit the purpose of the paragraph or reflect the goal of the author in writing this passage.

(E) remains a much better answer to the question we were asked, and that's why we keep (E) and eliminate (A).

I hope this helps!

GMATNinja, can you please throw some light on option C as well, confused between options C and E. Doesnt the previous lines of the passage to the highlighted text when connected with option highlighted term AGE, infer exactly what option c says?

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05 Jun 2024, 07:37

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More on Question 4

Aishna1034

Remember that we're trying to figure out why the author included the highlighted bit in the passage. How does it serve the passage as a whole?

The last sentence of the passage starts with the word "thus." This is a clear indication that this last sentence is some kind of conclusion that is supported by the preceding sentences.

That conclusion is: "Thus, Robertson revised her hypothesis somewhat, arguing that in determining authority in precolonial Africa age was a primary principle that superseded gender to varying degrees depending on the situation."

How does Robertson support this conclusion? She presents two situations that show the "varying degrees" mentioned in her conclusion. Those two situations are:

Ghana: "Factors like strong patrilinearity and patrilocality, as well as women’s inferior land rights and lesser involvement in trade, made women more dependent on men than was generally the case in Ghana."
Kenya: "Since age apparently remained the overriding principle of social organization in central Kenya, some senior women had much authority."

You're right that these two situations contrast one another. But the purpose of including this contrast is to support the overall conclusion in the last sentence. That's why (C) doesn't capture the role of the highlighted portion.

(C) is out, and (E) is the correct answer to question 4.

I hope that helps!

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in the explanation you have written a statement "Choice (A) states that the author is trying to indicate that women's dependence on men was not absolute. This is NOT the same as trying to indicate that gender wasn't the absolute determinant of women's greater power in Kenya." I think instead of "women", it will be men.

GMATNinja

In your point #1, you ask, "Why someone will talk about less crucial factor here?"

We were not asked to consider why "someone" would raise the issue of age. We were asked why the author raised the issue of age in the context of this passage. We have the choose the answer that's most reflected by the passage, NOT the answer that we think would generally make the most sense.

So let's step back and refresh on the passage itself. The purpose of the second paragraph is to explain how and why Robertson revised her hypothesis. Subsequent research about precolonial Ghana and Kenya convinced Robertson that she had overgeneralized, and the role of age in central Kenya is raised as one of the factors that led to Robertson's revision.

Choice (E) fits perfectly into the structure and purpose of the paragraph.

Now, in your interpretation of choice (A), you write, "It shows that the gender was not absolute determiner and women got some power because of age." But this is not what choice (A) says:

Choice (A) states that the author is trying to indicate that women's dependence on men was not absolute. This is NOT the same as trying to indicate that gender wasn't the absolute determinant of women's greater power in Kenya.

And getting back to the question we're trying to answer... how would choice (A) fit into the passage itself?

Well, it doesn't. As I pointed out earlier, the author never states that women's dependence on men was absolute. In fact, the author explicitly states that women were "more dependent on men than generally was the case in Ghana." The issue of dependence is raised to contrast the treatment of women in two countries and ultimately to help explain why Robertson revised her hypothesis about precolonial Africa — NOT to support a conclusion about whether or not women absolutely depended on men in precolonial Kenya.

Choice (A) sounds sensible, but it doesn't fit the purpose of the paragraph or reflect the goal of the author in writing this passage.

(E) remains a much better answer to the question we were asked, and that's why we keep (E) and eliminate (A).

I hope this helps!