It is their sensitive response to human circumstance that accounts for

Question

It is their sensitive response to human circumstance that accounts for the persistence of certain universal ideas. Rabbi Meir, a second-century scholar, admonished his disciples to look not at the pitcher but at its contents because, he stated, "Many anew pitcher has been found to be full of old wine. “This was his way of emphasizing the importance of the distinction between form and idea and of stressing that the integrity of an idea is more important than the form of its expression. Creative ideas not only produce their own instruments of survival as time and circumstances demand, but permit the substitution of new forms for old under the pressure of changed circumstances. For example democracy, as an idea originated in ancient Greece and was carried from there to Western Europe and the Americas. But it did not retain the ancient Greek form: it passed through several reforming processes and exists today in many countries. Democratic governments differ in form because democracy is in principle dynamic and has therefore responded to local needs.
   1 
 B 
 1. The author is primarily concerned with 
A. illustrating the teachings of a historical figure
B. discussing an important characteristic of human ideas
C. describing the history of the growth of democracy
D. contrasting ancient and modern views of the importance of creative ideas
E. explaining the difference between form and idea

2 
 B 
 2. According to the passage, democracy is an example of 
A. a human circumstance that has molded creative ideas
B. an instrument of survival that has altered its original form
C. an attribute of a creative idea that has allowed that idea to persist
D. a creative idea that has persisted because of its adaptability
E. a reforming process that has culminated in the creation of modern governments

3 
 E 
 3. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with all of the following statements EXCEPT: 
A. Changing circumstances sometimes give rise to original ideas.
B. Creative ideas may have universal applications.
C. Changing human needs influence universal ideas.
D. Democracy is an old idea but exists widely in new forms
E. An idea must be expressed in a traditional way.

arora1 · Accepted Answer

Creative ideas not only produce their own instruments of survival as time and circumstances demand, but permit the substitution of new forms for old under the pressure of changed circumstances. For example democracy, as an idea

2. According to the passage, democracy is an example of 
A. a human circumstance that has molded creative ideas
B. an instrument of survival that has altered its original form
C. an attribute of a creative idea that has allowed that idea to persist
D. a creative idea that has persisted because of its adaptability
E. a reforming process that has culminated in the creation of modern governments

My take is D, though the OA is B. As per my understanding of the passage, creative ideas produce instruments of survival... It is also stated that democracy as an  idea , thus i eliminated B. B says democracy is an example of an instrument of survival... D looks a much better option

gaurav2m · Answer

Please explain question 2

NischalP · Answer

Q2) Answer B

A - That it has moulded creative thinking is out of its scope.

B - The passage states democracy as an example for this: ?Creative ideas not only produce their own instruments of survival as time and circumstances...? Only option B satisfies this scope.

C - It is an example of a creative idea itself and not an ?attribute? of it.

D - Although D seems possible, realize that Democracy is an example of a creative idea that has existed and over time adapted. That it has existed because it adapted goes a little too far ? and is not completely supported by the passage.

E ?This does not answer the question.

NischalP · Answer

1)
A - The focus is not on the teachings of any particular figure ? the case of Rabbi Meir has been taken only to illustrate a bigger idea.

B - The passage is primarily concerned with discussing human ideas and the important quality of these ideas. Option B is therefore apt.

C - History of growth of democracy? No.

D - The word ―chronicle‖ suggests a description of events in the order of their occurrence. This is not the case here.

E - The passage doesn‖t really explain the difference between form and idea.

jaisonsunny77 · Answer

1. The author is primarily concerned with

The passage deals with discussing salient features of ''human ideas''. the following keywords are used in the passage: Integrity, creative, dynamic. (all of these keywords are related to the central idea of the passage: human ideas). (B) captures this thought perfectly.

(B). discussing an important characteristic of human ideas

Hence,   (B) is the right answer choice .  
 
 2. According to the passage, democracy is an example of

Towards the middle of the passage, we have "Creative ideas not only produce their own instruments of survival as time and circumstances demand, but permit the substitution of new forms for old under the pressure of changed circumstances. For example democracy.." Hence, democracy is an example of an instrument of survival that has changed from it's original form based on need. This idea is perfectly captured in (B)

B. an instrument of survival that has altered its original form

Hence,   (B) is the right answer choice. 
 
  3. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with all of the following statements EXCEPT:  
 
A. Changing circumstances sometimes give rise to original ideas.  -  mentioned in the first line of the passage.  
 B. Creative ideas may have universal applications . -  also mentioned in the first line of the passage.  
 C. Changing human needs influence universal ideas . -  mentioned in the passage; democracy is cited as an example.  
 D. Democracy is an old idea but exists widely in new forms  -  Cited in the passage. 
 E. An idea must be expressed in a traditional way. - not mentioned anywhere in the passage. Hence, (E) is the right answer to this EXCEPT question.

SatvikVedala · Answer

In Q2

It is stated that " Creative ideas  not only produce their own instruments of survival as time and circumstances demand, but permit the substitution of new forms for old under the pressure of changed circumstances."

and the example of Democracy, as an idea is provided in the subsequent part.

Can anyone explain how to interpret Democracy "whether it is an idea here or an instrument of idea"

Thanks in Advance

It is their sensitive response to human circumstance that accounts for

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It is their sensitive response to human circumstance that accounts for

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