It is possible for students to obtain advanced degrees in English

Question

It is possible for students to obtain advanced degrees in English while knowing little or nothing about traditional scholarly methods. The consequences of this neglect of traditional scholarship are particularly unfortunate for the study of women writers. If the canon—the list of authors whose works are most widely taught—is ever to include more women, scholars must be well trained in historical scholarship and textual editing. Scholars who do not know how to read early manuscripts, locate rare books, establish a sequence of editions, and so on are bereft of crucial tools for revising the canon.

To address such concerns, an experimental version of the traditional scholarly methods course was designed to raise students’ consciousness about the usefulness of traditional learning for any modern critic or theorist. To minimize the artificial aspects of the conventional course, the usual procedure of assigning a large number of small problems drawn from the entire range of historical periods was abandoned, though this procedure has the obvious advantage of at least superficially familiarizing students with a wide range of reference sources. Instead students were engaged in a collective effort to do original work on a neglected eighteenth-century writer, Elizabeth Griffith, to give them an authentic experience of literary scholarship and to inspire them to take responsibility for the quality of their own work.

Griffith’s work presented a number of advantages for this  particular pedagogical purpose . First, the body of extant scholarship on Griffith was so tiny that it could all be read in a day; thus students spent little time and effort mastering the literature and had a clear field for their own discoveries. Griffith’s play  The Platonic Wife  exists in three versions, enough to provide illustrations of editorial  issues  but not too many for beginning students to manage. In addition, because Griffith was successful in the eighteenth century, as her continued productivity and favorable reviews demonstrate, her exclusion from the canon and virtual disappearance from literary history also helped raise issues concerning the current canon.

The range of Griffith’s work meant that each student could become the world’s leading authority on a particular Griffith text. For example, a student studying Griffith’s  Wife in the Right  obtained a first edition of the play and studied it for some weeks. This student was suitably shocked and outraged to find its title transformed into  A Wife in the Night  in Watt’s Bibliotheca Britannica. Such experiences, inevitable and common in working on a writer to whom so little attention has been paid, serve to vaccinate the student—I hope for a lifetime—against credulous use of reference sources.    1 
 1. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

(A) revealing a commonly ignored deficiency
(B) proposing a return to traditional terminology
(C) describing an attempt to correct a shortcoming
(D) assessing the success of a new pedagogical approach
(E) predicting a change in a traditional teaching strategy

2 
 2. It can be inferred that the author of the passage expects that the experience of the student mentioned as having studied  Wife in the Right  would have which of the following effects?

(A) It would lead the student to disregard information found in the  Bibliotheca Britannica. 
(B) It would teach the student to question the accuracy of certain kinds of information sources when studying neglected authors.
(C) It would teach the student to avoid the use of reference sources in studying neglected authors.
(D) It would help the student to understand the importance of first editions in establishing the authorship of plays.
(E) It would enhance the student’s appreciation of the works of authors not included in the canon.

3 
 3. The author of the passage suggests that which of the following is a disadvantage of the strategy employed in the experimental scholarly methods course?

(A) Students were not given an opportunity to study women writers outside the canon.
(B) Students’ original work would not be appreciated by recognized scholars.
(C) Little scholarly work has been done on the work of Elizabeth Griffith.
(D) Most of the students in the course had had little opportunity to study eighteenth-century literature.
(E) Students were not given an opportunity to encounter certain sources of information that could prove useful in their future studies.

4 
 4. Which of the following best states the “particular pedagogical purpose” mentioned in line ( Highlighted )?

(A) To assist scholars in revising the canon of authors
(B) To minimize the trivial aspects of the traditional scholarly methods course
(C) To provide students with information about Griffith’s work
(D) To encourage scholarly rigor in students’ own research
(E) To reestablish Griffith’s reputation as an author

5 
 5. Which of the following best describes the function of the last paragraph in relation to the passage as a whole?

(A) It summarizes the benefits that students can derive from the experimental scholarly methods course.
(B) It provides additional reasons why Griffith’s work raises issues having to do with the canon of authors.
(C) It provides an illustration of the immediate nature of the experiences students can derive from the experimental scholarly methods course.
(D) It contrasts the experience of a student in the experimental scholarly methods course with the experience of a student in the traditional course.
(E) It provides information that emphasizes the suitability of Griffith’s work for inclusion in the canon of authors.

6 
 6. It can be inferred that which of the following is most likely to be among the “issues” mentioned in line ( Highlighted )?

(A) Why has the work of Griffith, a woman writer who was popular in her own century, been excluded from the canon?
(B) In what ways did Griffith’s work reflect the political climate of the eighteenth century?
(C) How was Griffith’s work received by literary critics during the eighteenth century?
(D) How did the error in the title of Griffith’s play come to be made?
(E) How did critical reception of Griffith’s work affect the quantity and quality of that work?

7 
 7. It can be inferred that the author of the passage considers traditional scholarly methods courses to be

(A) irrelevant to the work of most students
(B) inconsequential because of their narrow focus
(C) unconcerned about the accuracy of reference sources
(D) too superficial to establish important facts about authors
(E) too wide-ranging to approximate genuine scholarly activity

Jammmy · Answer

bm2201  In 1 I marks A and C why A is wrong

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Sajjad1994 · Answer

I find no problem picking up the option C in question #1. Words  "revealing"  and  "proposing"  are key to the answer. After reading the complete passage we can easily conclude that "revealing" is not suitable and didn't match the tempo of the passage instead the word "proposing" is more suitable coherent and concise for the purpose of question.

In the start of second paragraph focus on the words  "To address such concerns"  as these words suggests that author is trying to solving a problem so this is inline with author's attempt to correct a shortcoming.

Thank you!

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. It can be inferred that the author of the passage expects that the experience of the student mentioned as having studied Wife in the Right would have which of the following effects?

Explanation

In the passage, the student studying Griffith's play  "Wife in the Right"  discovered that its title was transformed into  "A Wife in the Night"  in Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica. This experience highlights the discrepancy between the original title and its representation in a reference source, indicating that the student encountered an error or inconsistency. The passage states that such experiences are common when working on a neglected author like Griffith, and they serve to  "vaccinate the student... against credulous use of reference sources."

From this, we can infer that the author expects the student's experience to teach them to question the accuracy of certain kinds of information sources when studying neglected authors. The student's encounter with the title discrepancy encourages a critical approach to reference sources, indicating that they should be used with caution and that not all information found in such sources can be blindly trusted. Therefore, the correct answer is  (B)  It would teach the student to question the accuracy of certain kinds of information sources when studying neglected authors.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

6. It can be inferred that which of the following is most likely to be among the “issues” mentioned in line (Highlighted)?

Explanation

In the passage, it is mentioned that Elizabeth Griffith, an eighteenth-century writer, was successful in her own time, as indicated by her continued productivity and favorable reviews. However, despite her success, her work has been excluded from the canon and has virtually disappeared from literary history. The passage states that Griffith's exclusion from the canon raises issues concerning the current canon.

Based on this information, it can be inferred that one of the likely  "issues"  mentioned in the passage (line M) is why Griffith's work, despite being popular in her own century, has been excluded from the canon. The passage suggests that the neglect of traditional scholarship and lack of training in historical scholarship and textual editing may have contributed to the exclusion of women writers like Griffith from the canon. Therefore, the correct answer is  (A)  Why has the work of Griffith, a woman writer who was popular in her own century, been excluded from the canon?

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

7. It can be inferred that the author of the passage considers traditional scholarly methods courses to be

Explanation

In the passage, it is mentioned that traditional scholarly methods courses have artificial aspects and typically involve assigning a large number of small problems drawn from the entire range of historical periods. However, the experimental version of the scholarly methods course described in the passage deviated from this conventional approach. Instead of the broad range of small problems, students engaged in a collective effort to do original work on a neglected eighteenth-century writer, Elizabeth Griffith. This approach aimed to give students an authentic experience of literary scholarship and inspire them to take responsibility for the quality of their own work.

Based on this information, it can be inferred that the author of the passage considers traditional scholarly methods courses to be too wide-ranging to approximate genuine scholarly activity. The traditional approach of assigning numerous small problems from different historical periods is seen as artificial and lacking in authenticity. The passage suggests that focusing on a specific writer and allowing students to delve deeply into their work, as in the case of Elizabeth Griffith, provides a more meaningful and genuine scholarly experience.

Therefore, the correct answer is  (E)  too wide-ranging to approximate genuine scholarly activity.

Answer: E

ArmaanBajaj · Answer

Need good explanations for Q5 & 6

guddo · Answer

5. Which of the following best describes the function of the last paragraph in relation to the passage as a whole?

The passage argues that students need traditional scholarly methods and describes an experimental course built around original research on Elizabeth Griffith.  The last paragraph gives a concrete example  of what students experienced in that course: one student discovered an error in a reference source and learned not to rely on such sources  uncritically .

(A) It summarizes the benefits that students can derive from the experimental scholarly methods course.

This is too broad. The last paragraph does mention one benefit, but it does not summarize all the benefits of the course.

(B) It provides additional reasons why Griffith’s work raises issues having to do with the canon of authors.

This is not the main function. The canon issue is discussed earlier, especially in the third paragraph. The last paragraph focuses more on students’ research experience.

(C) It provides an illustration of the immediate nature of the experiences students can derive from the experimental scholarly methods course.

This is correct. The last paragraph gives a specific example of a student doing real scholarly work and discovering a mistake in a reference source. That illustrates the kind of direct learning experience the course was designed to provide.

(D) It contrasts the experience of a student in the experimental scholarly methods course with the experience of a student in the traditional course.

This is incorrect. The last paragraph does not compare one student’s experience with a traditional-course experience.

(E) It provides information that emphasizes the suitability of Griffith’s work for inclusion in the canon of authors.

This is incorrect. The paragraph is not mainly arguing that Griffith should be included in the canon. It shows how studying neglected writers gives students authentic scholarly experience.

Answer: (C)

egmat · Answer

Hi ArmaanBajaj,

Both of these come down to finding the  exact  line the question is pointing at, and not letting the vivid title-error story pull you toward the wrong paragraph. Let me take them one at a time.

Q5 - Function of the last paragraph

The last paragraph doesn't add a new argument - it drops in a single concrete story: a student gets a first edition of  Wife in the Right , then is "shocked and outraged" to find the title miscopied as  A Wife in the Night . That's a real, firsthand thing that happened to a student in the course.

So ask:  why  is that story here? To  show what the course actually feels like  - the direct, real experiences it gives students. That's exactly  (C)  - an illustration of the  immediate  (direct, hands-on) nature of those experiences.

Why the tempting ones fail:

-  (A)  says  summarizes benefits . But one anecdote isn't a summary - it's a single example. Too broad.
-  (B)  and  (E)  are about the  canon  - that's paragraph  3 's business, not this paragraph's.
-  (D)  claims a  contrast  with a traditional-course student. No such comparison appears here.

Q6 - The "issues" mentioned

Here's the key move: the word "issues" lives in  paragraph 3 , not the last paragraph. Reread that line:

"because Griffith was successful in the eighteenth century... her exclusion from the canon and virtual disappearance from literary history also helped raise issues concerning the current canon."

The issue is the  clash : she was popular then, yet she's shut out of the canon now. That is precisely  (A)  - why has a woman writer who was popular in her own century been excluded from the canon?

The trap is  (D)  - "How did the error in the title come to be made?" It feels relevant because the title mix-up is the most memorable moment in the passage. But that error is about  credulous use of reference sources , not about the  canon . Different paragraph, different point.

-  (B) ,  (C) ,  (E)  all dwell on Griffith's  era  - her politics, her reviews, her output. None of them touches the canon question, which is what "issues" refers to.

Bottom line for both: pin the quoted word to its own paragraph, and the right answer follows.

Answer: C; A

guddo · Answer

6. It can be inferred that which of the following is most likely to be among the “issues” mentioned in line ( Highlighted )?

The passage says Griffith was successful in the eighteenth century, but later disappeared from literary history and was excluded from the canon.  The key issue  is therefore why a once-successful woman writer was left out of the  current canon .

(A) Why has the work of Griffith, a woman writer who was popular in her own century, been excluded from the canon?

This is correct. The passage says Griffith’s success in the eighteenth century makes her exclusion from the canon significant. That naturally raises the question of why her work was excluded despite her earlier popularity.

(B) In what ways did Griffith’s work reflect the political climate of the eighteenth century?

This is not the issue. The passage does not focus on Griffith’s political context.

(C) How was Griffith’s work received by literary critics during the eighteenth century?

This is related background, but not the issue raised. The passage already says she received favorable reviews.

(D) How did the error in the title of Griffith’s play come to be made?

This is an editorial or reference-source issue, not a canon issue. It belongs more to the final paragraph’s example.

(E) How did critical reception of Griffith’s work affect the quantity and quality of that work?

This is not supported. The passage does not discuss how reviews affected Griffith’s productivity or quality.

Answer: (A)

ArmaanBajaj · Answer

But in Q6, the highlighted part is specifically about Editorial issues

egmat · Answer

Hi ArmaanBajaj,

Good catch that the word "issues" shows up twice in paragraph 3. The whole doubt comes down to  which occurrence Q6 is pointing at , so let's separate them.

The two sentences in paragraph 3:

-  "The Platonic Wife exists in three versions, enough to provide illustrations of  editorial issues ..."  - this is about the three-version editing problem.
-  "...her exclusion from the canon and virtual disappearance from literary history also helped  raise issues concerning the current canon ."  - this is a different "issues."

Q6 asks about the  "issues"  that are  "raised"  - and the only sentence that talks about issues being  raised  is the second one, the canon sentence. The "editorial issues" phrase describes what the three versions  illustrate  for teaching purposes; nothing is being "raised" there. So the highlighted word the question tracks is the canon one, not the editorial one.

Now read what that canon sentence actually sets up:

Griffith  was  successful in the eighteenth century (continued productivity, favorable reviews), yet she's been  dropped  from the canon. That clash is the issue. Put as a question:  why was a popular woman writer excluded from the canon?  That's exactly choice  (A) .

Here's the useful test for the tempting choices: does the answer touch the  canon ?

-  (B)  her politics,  (C)  her critical reception,  (E)  how reviews affected her output - all about Griffith's  era , none about the canon. Out.
-  (D)  the title error - that's a  reference-source / editorial  matter (the last-paragraph point), not a canon matter. This is the version of your instinct that the question is baiting.

So your radar for "editorial" was firing on a real phrase in the passage - it just isn't the "issues" this question quotes. Pin the quoted word to  its own sentence  ("raise issues concerning the current canon"), and  (A)  is the only fit.

Answer: A

It is possible for students to obtain advanced degrees in English

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