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In a 1984 book, Claire C, Robertson argued that, before colonialism
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Updated on: 04 Aug 2019, 00:07
Updated on: 04 Aug 2019, 00:07
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Question 2
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(01:35) wrong
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44% (01:50) correct 56%
(01:53) wrong
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E
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45% (01:28) correct 55%
(01:29) wrong 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her hypothesis somewhat, arguing that in determining authority in precolonial Africa age was a primary principle that superseded gender to varying degrees depending on the situation.
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. 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. 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. 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. 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
(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. 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. 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. 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
Originally posted by JarvisR on 13 Jun 2015, 08:52.
Last edited by Sajjad1994 on 04 Aug 2019, 00:07, edited 8 times in total.
Last edited by Sajjad1994 on 04 Aug 2019, 00:07, edited 8 times in total.
Updated complete topic (70).
Re: In a 1984 book, Claire C, Robertson argued that, before colonialism
[#permalink]
12 Jun 2019, 06:59
12 Jun 2019, 06:59
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jawele
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.
Relevant text: <...> 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.
Could anybody please explain what's wrong with A in Q3? I highlighted the portions of the text that made me pick A. As the situation of women in Europe was a lot similar to that of women in Kenya, I supposed that it was reasonable to come to such conclusion. Does A provide a stretched idea because we know only that women in Europe were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, but we know almost nothing about their land rights and involvement in trade?
Thanks
u1983 GMATNinja SajjadAhmad workout GMATNinjaTwo Gnpth
Question #3 asks what Robertson would have agreed with after conducting additional research, but would not have agreed with before conducting that research regarding women's status and authority in Ghana. Before jumping into answer choices, let's examine her ideas from before and after the research in question:(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.
Relevant text: <...> 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.
Could anybody please explain what's wrong with A in Q3? I highlighted the portions of the text that made me pick A. As the situation of women in Europe was a lot similar to that of women in Kenya, I supposed that it was reasonable to come to such conclusion. Does A provide a stretched idea because we know only that women in Europe were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, but we know almost nothing about their land rights and involvement in trade?
Thanks
u1983 GMATNinja SajjadAhmad workout GMATNinjaTwo Gnpth
Before the research, Robertson believed that:
- In pre-colonial times "age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally."
- After colonization, "gender became a defining characteristic that weakened women’s power and authority."
After the research, she believed that:
- She had overgeneralized about the role of gender in pre-colonial Africa
- In Ghana, "women had traded for hundreds of years and achieved legal majority." This aligns with Robertson's previous belief that gender was not as important as age as an indicator of status and authority.
- However, in pre-colonial Kenya, "women were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, as were European women at that time." This differs from Robertson's previous views, so she revised her hypothesis to say that gender played a more important role in some African locations before colonization.
Notice that Robertson's beliefs about the role of gender in Ghana did not change substantially from before the research to after it -- in both cases, she thought that gender did not play the most important role in determining status and authority. The significant change in her hypothesis concerned Kenya, where women had less power in pre-colonial times than she had previously thought.
Take another look at answer choice (A):
Quote:
(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.
Remember that we are looking for a statement with which Robertson would have disagreed before her additional research, but with which she would have agreed after that research.As discussed above, even before the additional research Robertson thought that women in Ghana had a higher status than women in Europe before colonization. So even if the specific factors of land rights and involvement in trade are not discussed in the context of her earlier beliefs, we can't say that she would disagree with the notion that "women in precolonial Ghana less dependent on men than were European women at that time."
The piece of the passage that you pointed out ("women’s inferior land rights and lesser involvement in trade, made women more dependent on men than was generally the case in Ghana") actually compares women in Kenya to women in Ghana. This is a much different comparison than the one in answer choice (A), which compares women in Europe to women in Ghana.
Because there is no evidence that Robertson would have disagreed with (A) before her additional research, it is not the correct answer.
Now look at (B):
Quote:
(B) Colonialism had a greater impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women than on Kenyan women.
Before completing her additional research, Robertson believed that colonialism "weakened women’s power and authority" in Africa generally. So, she believed that colonialism would have a roughly equal impact on Kenyan and Ghanaian women. From this, we know that Robertson would have disagreed with (B) before her additional research. So far, so good.How about after her research? From the discussion above, we know that Robertson's views on the status of women in pre-colonial Ghana did not change. So, her previous belief that women's power and status were weakened after European colonization holds true.
Her understanding of Kenyan society, however, changed substantially -- she learned that even before colonization, in Kenya "women were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, as were European women at that time." So, once the Europeans arrived, Kenyan women didn't have much power for the "European-style male dominant notions" to take away -- they were already relatively powerless in their society. This means that colonial rule would have less of an impact on the status of Kenyan women than the status of Ghanaian women.
Because Robertson would have disagreed with (B) before her additional research and agreed with it after, (B) is the correct answer to question #3.
I hope that helps!
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Re: In a 1984 book, Claire C, Robertson argued that, before colonialism
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05 Jul 2017, 21:06
05 Jul 2017, 21:06
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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.
Robertson’s hypothesis in determining status and authority- Before colonialism
AGE > important indicator > GENDER (in Ghana and Africa in general)
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.
Colonialism- Gender became a defining characteristic.
Subsequent research in Kenya convinced Robertson that she had overgeneralized about Africa. (Q2)
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.
elaborate on the difference of gender domninance bwteeen ghana and kenya
Ghana- women traded and had legal majority
Kenya- women legal minors- treated as male property
Ghana was impacted to a higher degree as women in Kenya had low authority before colonialism too. (Q3)
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.
Factors leading to women’s dependence on men
Thus she revised her hypothesis after identifying all the stated factors. (Q4)
1)R argued on something,
Subsequent research made R to believe something else,
based on that belief R modifies her hypothesis.
Hence, B is correct. As it clearly depicts that R took a position and subsequent research forced her to change her hypothesis.
2) The passage indicates that Robertson’s research in Kenya caused her to change her mind regarding which of the following?
Ans- caused her to changer her mind regarding over generalization about Africa. As seen through the passage, women in kenyan society were treated as legal minors and sometimes as male property. This shows the gender played a prominent role in determining authority in kenyan society even before colonialism.
Since the question mentioned "research in Kenya," we should zero in on the portion of the passage that discusses this research, lines 18-24:
"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."
Compare this with R's initial theory (note that this is conveniently located near the beginning of the passage, in lines 3-7): "Before colonialism, age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally."
R has learned that even before colonialism, gender was more important in Kenya than she'd thought it was in Africa generally. This leads us straight to C.
3)The passage suggests that after conducting the research mentioned in the highlighted text, but not before, Robertson would have agreed with which of the following about women’s status and authority in Ghana?
Ans- After conducting the research she would have agreed that she over generalized and gender had played different role in ghana and kenya. Women in Ghana were more independent as compared to women in other African countries (see Kenya), so colonialism affected their lives the most, since they went from independent to legal minors. " "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". Hence B.
4)The author of the passage mentions the status of age as a principle of social organization in precolonial central Kenya in the highlighted text most likely in order to
Ans- “Thus” she revised her hypothesis after identifying all the stated factors. (Last line). Hence E.
Robertson’s hypothesis in determining status and authority- Before colonialism
AGE > important indicator > GENDER (in Ghana and Africa in general)
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.
Colonialism- Gender became a defining characteristic.
Subsequent research in Kenya convinced Robertson that she had overgeneralized about Africa. (Q2)
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.
elaborate on the difference of gender domninance bwteeen ghana and kenya
Ghana- women traded and had legal majority
Kenya- women legal minors- treated as male property
Ghana was impacted to a higher degree as women in Kenya had low authority before colonialism too. (Q3)
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.
Factors leading to women’s dependence on men
Thus she revised her hypothesis after identifying all the stated factors. (Q4)
1)R argued on something,
Subsequent research made R to believe something else,
based on that belief R modifies her hypothesis.
Hence, B is correct. As it clearly depicts that R took a position and subsequent research forced her to change her hypothesis.
2) The passage indicates that Robertson’s research in Kenya caused her to change her mind regarding which of the following?
Ans- caused her to changer her mind regarding over generalization about Africa. As seen through the passage, women in kenyan society were treated as legal minors and sometimes as male property. This shows the gender played a prominent role in determining authority in kenyan society even before colonialism.
Since the question mentioned "research in Kenya," we should zero in on the portion of the passage that discusses this research, lines 18-24:
"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."
Compare this with R's initial theory (note that this is conveniently located near the beginning of the passage, in lines 3-7): "Before colonialism, age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally."
R has learned that even before colonialism, gender was more important in Kenya than she'd thought it was in Africa generally. This leads us straight to C.
3)The passage suggests that after conducting the research mentioned in the highlighted text, but not before, Robertson would have agreed with which of the following about women’s status and authority in Ghana?
Ans- After conducting the research she would have agreed that she over generalized and gender had played different role in ghana and kenya. Women in Ghana were more independent as compared to women in other African countries (see Kenya), so colonialism affected their lives the most, since they went from independent to legal minors. " "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". Hence B.
4)The author of the passage mentions the status of age as a principle of social organization in precolonial central Kenya in the highlighted text most likely in order to
Ans- “Thus” she revised her hypothesis after identifying all the stated factors. (Last line). Hence E.
