Increasingly, historians are blaming diseases imported from the Old

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) refute a common misconception
(B) provide support for a hypothesis
(C) analyze an argument
(D) suggest a solution to a dilemma
(E) reconcile opposing viewpoints

Often, for main idea questions it is possible to just skim just the intro and conclusion paragraphs to get the main idea. The passage begins by positing a theory that "historians are blaming diseases imported from the Old World for the staggering disparity between the indigenous population of America in 1492... and the few million full-blooded Native Americans alive at the end of the nineteenth century," that the author agrees with in the second sentence by stating that "there is no doubt that chronic disease was an important factor in the precipitous decline". The passage then concludes with further evidence even going beyond the initial timeframe by citing that "in 1952 an outbreak of measles among the Native American inhabitants of Ungava Bay, Quebec, affected 99 percent of the population and killed 7 percent, even though some had the benefit of modern medicine". From this information, it can be predicted that the reason the author wrote this passage was to provide additional support for a new theory.

Choice A is a reversal, since the author agrees with the historians. Choice B is an accurate paraphrase. Choice C is only half right, because the author does not only analyze the position, he adds to it. Choice D is incorrect because no solution is offered to the decline in the Native American population. Choice E is a reversal, since the author and the historians agree on the idea that disease dramatically impacted the Native American population. The correct choice for question 1 is B.

8. Which of the following, if newly discovered, would most seriously weaken the author’s argument concerning the importance of virgin-soil epidemics in the depopulation of Native Americans?

(A) Evidence setting the pre-Columbian population of the New World at only 80 million
(B) Spanish tribute records showing periodic population fluctuations
(C) Documents detailing sophisticated Native American medical procedures
(D) Fossils indicating Native American contact with smallpox prior to 1492
(E) Remains of French settlements dating back to the sixteenth century

To answer specific detail questions, first determine what the passage said about the topic. In the second paragraph the author writes, "virgin-soil epidemics are those in which the populations at risk have had no previous contact with the diseases that strike them and are therefore immunologically almost defenseless. That virgin-soil epidemics were important in American history is strongly indicated by evidence that a number of dangerous maladies—smallpox, measles, malaria, yellow fever, and undoubtedly several more—were unknown in the pre-Columbian New World". To weaken this argument based on the information in the passage alone, an answer must show that the evidence does not support the conclusion that virgin-soil epidemics were integral in the depopulation of Native Americans.

The actual population number to start has no impact on the scale of the population loss, so eliminate choice A as an irrelevant variable. Choice B refers to unknown "population fluctuations", so eliminate choice B for being vague. Sophisticated medical procedures need not be successful in fighting the virgin-soil diseases, so eliminate choice C as an irrelevant variable. If fossils indicate smallpox prior to 1492, then one of the main mortal disease was not by definition a "virgin-soil epidemic" as defined by the passage. This weakens the author's argument, so keep choice D. Finally, French settlements would have no impact on the likelihood that virgin-soil epidemics devastated the Native American population. The correct answer for question 8 is choice D.

Hope this helps on these two questions, and please let me know if you have questions on any of the others!
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Can anyone please explain the answers for question 1 and question 8 ??
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can someone explain why a) and not c) in Q4?
thanks!

Hope it helps

SOLUTION SECTION


Questions Solving

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) refute a common misconception
(B) provide support for a hypothesis
(C) analyze an argument
(D) suggest a solution to a dilemma
(E) reconcile opposing viewpoints
Increasingly, historians are blaming diseases imported from the Old World for the staggering disparity between the indigenous population of America in 1492—new estimates of which soar as high as 100 million, or approximately one-sixth of the human race at that time—and the few million full-blooded Native Americans alive at the end of the nineteenth century. There is no doubt that chronic disease was an important factor in the precipitous decline, and it is highly probable that the greatest killer was epidemic disease, especially as manifested in virgin-soil epidemics.

BOLD VOCAB SHOW THE AUTHOR WANT TO SAY HYPOTHESIZE


Central idea exercise –
1. The author’s hypothesis that one main reason for the decline of North American population in the fifteenth century was epidemic diseases, especially virgin – soil epidemic.
2. How virgin – soil epidemics make common diseases become fatal for people who have not been exposed to it earlier.
3. Examples from different periods in the history of America, when several lives were lost due to these epidemics, illustrating that even less fatal diseases have tragic consequences when they strike immunologically defenseless communities.


The primary purpose of the author refers to the chief objective of the author in writing the passage. The author is offering a supposition about a theory and then proposing explanations to support it. He states that a primary reason for the decline of population in 15th century. North America may be due to virgin – soil epidemics and then proceeds to elaborate this theory by providing evidence. This is precisely what option (B) states. Hence, it is the correct answer.
There is no misconception that the author is refuting in the passage, so option (A) is incorrect.
The author is not analyzing an argument, hence option (c) is incorrect.
Similarly, the author is neither suggesting a solution, nor reconciling opposing viewpoints. Hence option (D) and (E) can be eliminated too.

2.According to the passage, virgin-soil epidemics can be distinguished from other catastrophic outbreaks of disease in that virgin-soil epidemics
(A) recur more frequently than other chronic diseases
(B) affect a minimum of one-half of a given population
(C) involve populations with no prior exposure to a disease
(D) usually involve a number of interacting diseases
(E) are less responsive to medical treatment than are other diseases

To answer this questions, we need to refer to the first line of the second paragraph, “Virgin-soil epidemics are those in which the populations at risk have had no previous contact with the diseases that strike them and are therefore immunologically almost defenseless.” Option (C) points out the difference between virgin – soil epidemics from other diseases, the way in which the author tries to convey in the passage. Hence it is the correct answer.
All the other options are not mentioned by the author, as the distinguishing factor between virgin –soil epidemics and other diseases. Hence, all can be eliminated.

3.According to the passage, the British colonists were unlike the Spanish colonists in that the British colonists
(A) collected tribute from the native population
(B) kept records from a very early date
(C) drove Native Americans off the land
(D) were unable to provide medical care against epidemic disease
(E) enslaved the native populations in America

We need to refer to the last line of the second paragraph, “Furthermore, the British tended to drive the native populations away, rather than enslaving them as the Spaniards did, so that the epidemics of British America occurred beyond the range of colonists’ direct observation.” It states that the British drove the native population off their lands, rather than enslaving them as the Spaniards did. Hence, option (C) is the correct answer.
Option (A) is not mentioned, hence incorrect.
Option (B) is contrary to the information provided by the author. Hence, this can be eliminated too.
Option (D) is again not mentioned, hence incorrect.
Option (E) is wrong fact, as the lines above suggest. Hence incorrect.

Level of difficulty
Reading – Medium
Questions – Medium
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+1 Kudos to posts containing answer explanation of all questions

Please explain Q5 and Q7?

It mentions French and British how these are Spanish tributes?

Can you share your viewpoint on this question? what should be the answer according to you and why?

7 minutes 30 seconds
7/8 correct.

Why E in Q4. is wrong? This is also mentioned in para 2.

Hi TBT,

In addition to the below reply by expert here:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/increasingly-historians-are-blaming-diseases-imported-from-the-old-250999.html#p2305471

My take on the question is as below:

What's mentioned in the passage is: "That virgin-soil epidemics were important in American history is strongly indicated by evidence that a number of dangerous maladies—smallpox, measles, malaria, yellow fever, and undoubtedly several more—were unknown in the pre-Columbian New World. The effects of their sudden introduction are demonstrated in the early chronicles of America, which contain reports of horrendous epidemics and steep population declines, confirmed in many cases by recent quantitative analyses of Spanish tribute records and other sources.The evidence provided by the documents of British and French colonies is not as definitive because the conquerors of those areas did not establish permanent settlements and begin to keep continuous records until the seventeenth century.

Options and C and E are no doubt the best contenders, as both are present in the 2nd para and really to what's asked about the Spanish tribute records. However, if we look closely to what is mentioned in the 2nd para of the passage, we can infer that Spanish records never explicitly prove that certain diseases were unknown in the pre-Columbian New World, they are the quantitative analyses that in many cases confirm reports of horrendous epidemics and steep population declines. If look at the line mentioned just after that, we see that documents of British and French colonies are not as conclusive as the Spanish tribute records.

So in my opinion C is a better answer than E.



Hope This Helps.
Thanks.

Please explain why C is not correct for Question no.5? Also please explain why A is wrong!! Thankyou

I have tried to explain why C is incorrect but keep in mind (A) is the correct answer.