J. G. A. Pocock’s numerous investigations have all revolved around the

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Got 5/6 correct in 15:30 minutes.

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P1

Paragraph one gives us the point of view o the writer J.G.A. Pocock (JP) on what is necessary to understand political thoughts. What is needed is knowing the language because the latter identifies the subject matter and the conceptualization. We are also given two examples of people to which this standard does not apply: M&H. Lastly we are given a contrast: while it is acknowledged that when evaluating a writer traditions should be taken into consideration, most of the times this concept is not applied. Plus it is thought that the close analysis of a Philosopher is enough.

Brief summary: JP's view on how to understand political thoughts.

P2

Paragraph 2 tells us that JP investigated Civic Humanism and that Jp thinks that political though in England in the 18th century is expressed by a conflict of virtues.
These virtues are very well identified in the two main english political parties: Tories and Whigs. Through the language used by each of the parties we can infer that the first one had an ideal linked with the landowner while the second one had an ideal linked with the merchant

Brief summary: Jp investigates CH and gives us two examples of where contrasting virtues are applied.

P3

Paragraph 3 tells us that JP's studies cannot be applied to the united states as well. An example about Jefferson supports this idea and the same JP admits that what is valid for 18th century England is not as well valid for the late18th century United stated. Lastly we are given that rankings are not important and that what's ideal is just to consider the different implications of language while studying political thought.

Brief summary: JP's studies cannot be applied to US

Main point

The Main point is to discuss JP's studies on political thought and to understand their scope and validity

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1. The main idea of the passage is that

Pre-thinking

Main point question

Refer to main point above


(A) civic humanism, in any of its manifestations, cannot entirely explain eighteenth-century political discourse
partial scope

(B) eighteenth-century political texts are less likely to reflect a single vocabulary than to combine several vocabularies
Not in line with pre-thinking

(C) Pocock’s linguistic approach, though not applicable to all eighteenth-century political texts, provides a useful model for historians of political theory
This is very in line with the structure of the passage

(D) Pocock has more successfully accounted for the nature of political thought in eighteenthcentury Englandthan in the eighteenthcentury United States
Not in line with pre-thinking.

(E) Pocock’s notion of the importance of language in political texts is a logical extension of the insights of historians of literature
Not in line with pre-thinking

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2. According to the passage, Pocock most clearly associates the use of a vocabulary of economic progress with

Pre-thinking

Detail question

Refer to P2. Economic progress is used for Whighs and merchants


(A) Jefferson
Not in line with pre-thinking. out of context

(B) Federalists
Not in line with pre-thinking

(C) English Whigs
In line with pre-thinking

(D) English Tories
Not in line with pre-thinking. opposite

(E) rural English landowners
Not in line with pre-thinking. opposite

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3. The author’s attitude toward Pocock is best revealed by which of the following pairs of words?

Pre-thinking

inference question

The strategy here is to look for the words in the passage and to analyze the context in which they are present. For example the word "can't" of option A is used in the third passage to tdescribe the point of view f someone else. So it can be eliminated because it is not about JP. Also we don't need to do this analysis for both the words. Once we can rule out one option, then we can rule out the entire answer choice


(A) “fruitful” (line 2) and “cant” (line 39)
Cant is wrong

(B) “sharp” (line 16) and “elitist” (line 46)
The 2 words do not refer to JP

(C) “naively” (line 17) and “controversial” (line 41)
The 2 words do not refer to JP

(D) “fertile” (line 40) and “applaud” (line 60)
Correct as there is a reference to JP

(E) “simply” (line 44) and “importance” (line 55)
The 2 words do not refer to JP

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4. The passage suggests that one of the “assumptions of the 1950s” (line 17) regarding the meaning of a political text was that this meaning

Pre-thinking

inference question

We can infer that the meaning was examined without looking at the context/historical background. Refer to the last sentence of the paragraph


(A) could be established using an approach similar to that used by literary historians
Not in line with pre-thinking

(B) could be definitively established without reference to the text’s historical background
in line with pre-thinking

(C) could be closely read in several different ways depending on one’s philosophic approach
Not in line with pre-thinking

(D) was constrained by certain linguistic preconceptions held by the text’s author
Not in line with pre-thinking

(E) could be expressed most clearly by an analytic philosopher who had studied its historical context
Not in line with pre-thinking. this is opposite


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5. The author of the passage would most likely agree that which one of the following is a weakness found in Pocock’s work?

Pre-thinking

Inference

It cannot be applied to contexts such as the one in the united states


(A) the use of the term “language” to describe the expressive features of several diverse kinds of discourse
Not in line with pre-thinking

(B) the overemphatic denigration of the role of the analytic philosopher in establishing the meaning of a political, or indeed any, text
Not in line with pre-thinking

(C) the emphasis on the overriding importance of civic humanism in eighteenth-century English political thought
Jp does not give an overriding importance to CH.

(D) the insistence on a single linguistic dichotomy to account for political thought in eighteenth century England and the United States
in line with pre-thinking

(E) the assignment of certain vocabularies to particular parties in eighteenth-century England without taking note of how these vocabularies overlapped
Not in line with pre-thinking


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6. Which one of the following best describes the organization of the passage?

Pre-thinking

Structure question

JP's methodology to analyze political thought is described--> an example of language investigated is given---> a context in which his methodology does not apply is presented


(A) A description of a thesis is offered, specific cases are considered, and an evaluation is given.
in line with pre-thinking

(B) A thesis is brought forward, the thesis is qualified, and evidence that calls the qualification into question is stated.
altough P3 gives us an example in which the JP's methodology does not work, P3 does not undermine the qualification of JP's methodology, which remains valid for england.

(C) A hypothesis is described, examples that suggest it is incorrect aresummarized, and supporting examples are offered.
Not in line with pre-thinking

(D) A series of evaluations are given, concrete reasons are put forward, and a future directionfor research is suggested.
Not in line with pre-thinking

(E) Comparisons and contrasts are made, some categories of evaluation are suggested, and a framework for applying these categories is implied.
Not in line with pre-thinking

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