Prior to the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), M

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Prior to the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Mikhail Gorbachev, seeing a country falling behind its Western rival and a people increasingly clamoring for change, addressed the growing internal unrest in the summer of 1987 by introducing a series of reforms known as perestroika (literally, restructuring). In Perestroika: New Thinking for Our Country and the World, Mikhail Gorbachev discussed his analysis of the problems facing the USSR and his plans to solve them.

Perhaps the most pressing and visible problem facing the USSR in the last 1980s came in the form of the country’s consistently mediocre economic performance, despite its vast natural resource wealth and large labor force. Gorbachev flatly admitted that economic failures were increasing and current policies were failing to offer a sustainable remedy. Failing to take advantage of the numerous scientific and technological advancements available, the USSR relied on inefficient and outdated business models. As a result, Gorbachev said, "in the last fifteen years the national income growth rates had declined by more than a half and by the beginning of the eighties had fallen to a level close to economic stagnation." With business executives focused on using more resources (in order to employ more people) instead of becoming more efficient, the country produced poor quality products unable to compete in a global economy. Further, this inefficiency led to shortages: "the Soviet Union, the world’s biggest producer of steel, raw materials, fuel and energy, has shortfalls in them due to wasteful or inefficient use."

The decrepit economy engendered social unrest and woe that only compounded economic difficulties and societal misery. Gorbachev wrote of "a gradual erosion of the ideological and moral values of our people" and noted the considerable growth in "alcoholism, drug addiction and crime." Accentuating these difficulties, the Communist
government often ignored the needs of the average citizen, causing distrust and resentment. Perhaps the most destructive element of the social unraveling and inadequate
government response was the mediocre education system. Gorbachev said, "Creative thinking was driven out from the social sciences, and superfluous and voluntarist
assessments and judgments were declared indisputable truths."

Although Gorbachev also opined about the growing public disbelief in the content of the immense government propaganda campaigns, the extent to which economic underdevelopment and social deviance gripped Soviet culture made the collapse of the USSR virtually inevitable in the minds of many observers. When combined with glasnost (literally, openness), Gorbachev’s plan that allowed greater transparency, perestroika actually served to hasten the collapse of the USSR. Contrary to its purpose, perestroika ensured that the fall of the USSR would occur sooner rather than later. Only a few years after Gorbachev implemented changes that would have been unthinkable and antithetical to the philosophy of previous leaders like Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev, the USSR fell.

In the context of the passage, the author most likely uses the word "unthinkable" (in the last sentence) to help convey which of the following points about the changes Gorbachev implemented in perestroika?

A) They would have never crossed the mind of Lenin as being conceptually possible, let alone desirable or feasible
B) They would have been difficult for the mind of Lenin to comprehend intelligibly
C) They would have been seen by Lenin as undesirable and poor choices
D) They would have been seen by Lenin as incomprehensible yet appealing
E) They would have been considered highly desirable

Which of the following best describes the primary objective of the passage?

A) Argue that the implementation of perestroika caused the fall of the Soviet Union
B) Explain perestroika along with its roots and consequences
C) Analyze the pros and cons of Mikhail Gorbachev's decision to implement perestroika
D) Explain the short-falls of a communist system and offer remedies
E) Discuss the role of Mikhail Gorbachev in propelling the USSR towards ceasing to exist

Which of the following words best describes the passage's tone?

A) Primarily Analytical
B) Highly Critical
C) Frustrated
D) Not Objective
E) Deeply Introspective

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deepak824 · Answer

In the context of the passage, the author most likely uses the word "unthinkable" (in the last sentence) to help convey which of the following points about the changes Gorbachev implemented in perestroika?
A)  They would have never crossed the mind of Lenin as being conceptually possible, let alone desirable or feasible --> Correct

B) They would have been difficult for the mind of Lenin to comprehend intelligibly -->author doesn't mean that it is difficult to understand
C) They would have been seen by Lenin as undesirable and poor choices --> no sign that lenin would have seen these as poor choices
D) They would have been seen by Lenin as incomprehensible yet appealing-->not appealing
E) They would have been considered highly desirable --> not desirable

Which of the following best describes the primary objective of the passage?
A) Argue that the implementation of perestroika caused the fall of the Soviet Union --> no, author was not against perestroika. 
B) Explain perestroika along with its roots and consequences --> consequences are not explained. The author just mentioned that it didn't work.
C) Analyze the pros and cons of Mikhail Gorbachev's decision to implement perestroika --> no cons analysis. 
D) Explain the short-falls of a communist system and offer remedies --> not relevant
E)  Discuss the role of Mikhail Gorbachev in propelling the USSR towards ceasing to exist --> Correct: the author started by saying that gorbachev introduced bla bla policy to bring in the change, but ultimately could not succeed.

Which of the following words best describes the passage's tone?
A) Primarily Analytical
B) Highly Critical
C ) Frustrated --> correct 
D) Not Objective
E) Deeply Introspective

dbaremberg · Answer

These would be my answers... OA?

In the context of the passage, the author most likely uses the word "unthinkable" (in the last sentence) to help convey which of the following points about the changes Gorbachev implemented in perestroika?
 A) They would have never crossed the mind of Lenin as being conceptually possible, let alone desirable or feasible 
B) They would have been difficult for the mind of Lenin to comprehend intelligibly
C) They would have been seen by Lenin as undesirable and poor choices
D) They would have been seen by Lenin as incomprehensible yet appealing
E) They would have been considered highly desirable

Which of the following best describes the primary objective of the passage?
A) Argue that the implementation of perestroika caused the fall of the Soviet Union
 B) Explain perestroika along with its roots and consequences
 C) Analyze the pros and cons of Mikhail Gorbachev's decision to implement perestroika
D) Explain the short-falls of a communist system and offer remedies
E) Discuss the role of Mikhail Gorbachev in propelling the USSR towards ceasing to exist

Which of the following words best describes the passage's tone?
 A) Primarily Analytical 
B) Highly Critical
C) Frustrated
D) Not Objective
E) Deeply Introspective

deepak824 · Answer

Correct answers with explanations please ??

junkostem · Answer

@gaurav245, please follow the guidelines and properly set up the RC passage and questions, accordingly.

This post should've been locked. Anyways! Here Are The Answers: 1) Choice C : They would have been seen by Lenin as undesirable and poor choices - C. This concept of the word unthinkable fits the context within which the word is used. Due to the fact that Gorbachev's plans amounted to clear breaks with the past, it is reasonable to assume that past leaders did not find these programs desirable since the USSR was previously governed such that the economic policies of perestroika and social policies of glasnost were absent. 2) Choice B : Explain perestroika along with its roots and consequences 1st Paragraph--Introduction: What is perestroika 2nd Paragraph--Why Perestroika: Explaining the business and economic problems facing the USSR 3rd Paragraph--Why Perestroika: Explaining the social and cultural problems facing the USSR 4th Paragraph--Conclusion 3) Choice A : primarily analytical Throughout the passage, the author is explaining perestroika, discussing why Gorbachev felt it was necessary, and arguing about its impact on the fall of the USSR. The passage focuses on describing the roots of perestroika and its consequences, "primarily analytical" describes the passage's tone.

gaurav245 · Answer

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in posting the OA.
Was out of town n didnt have internet access.

Anyways, As said by dbaremberg , The OA is indeed 1)C 2)B 3)A...

Prior to the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), M

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