Specialists in international communications almost unanimously assert

Question

Specialists in international communications almost unanimously assert that the broadcasting in developing nations of television programs produced by industrialized countries amounts to cultural imperialism: the phenomenon of one culture’s productions overwhelming another’s, to the detriment of the flourishing of the latter. This assertion assumes the automatic dominance of the imported productions and their negative effect on the domestic culture. But the assertion is polemical and abstract, based on little or no research into the place held by imported programs in the economies of importing countries or in the lives of viewers. This is not to deny that dominance is sometimes a risk in relationships between cultures, but rather to say that the assertion lacks empirical foundation and in some cases goes against fact. For one example, imported programs rarely threaten the economic viability of the importing country’s own television industry. For another, imported programs do not uniformly attract larger audiences than domestically produced programs; viewers are not part of a passive, undifferentiated mass but are individuals with personal tastes, and most of them tend to prefer domestically produced television over imported television.

The role of television in developing nations is far removed from what the specialists assert. An anthropological study of one community that deals in part with residents’ viewing habits where imported programs are available cites the popularity of domestically produced serial dramas and points out that, because viewers enjoy following the dramas from day to day, television in the community can serve an analogous function to that of oral poetry, which the residents often use at public gatherings as a daily journal of events of interest.

An empirical approach not unlike that of anthropologists is needed if communications specialists are to understand the impact of external cultural influences on the lives of people in a society. The first question they must investigate is: Given the evidence suggesting that the primary relationship of imported cultural productions to domestic ones is not dominance, then what model best represents the true relationship? One possibility is that, rather than one culture’s productions dominating another’s, the domestic culture absorbs the imported productions and becomes enriched. Another is that the imported productions fuse with domestic culture only where the two share common aspects, such as the use of themes, situations, or character types that are relevant and interesting to both cultures.

Communications researchers will also need to consider how to assess the position of the individual viewer in their model of cultural relationships. This model must emphasize the diversity of human responses, and will require engaging with the actual experiences of viewers, taking into account the variable contexts in which productions are experienced, and the complex manner in which individuals ascribe meanings to those productions.    1 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) determine which of two hypotheses considered by a certain discipline is correct
(B) discredit the evidence offered for a claim made by a particular discipline
(C) argue that a certain discipline should adopt a particular methodology
(D) examine similar methodological weaknesses in two different disciplines
(E) compare the views of two different disciplines on an issue

2 
 2. Which one of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) The author takes issue with an assertion, suggests reasons why the assertion is supported by its proponents, introduces a new view that runs counter to the assertion, and presents examples to support the new view.
(B) The author takes issue with an assertion, presents examples that run counter to the assertion, suggests that a particular approach be taken by the proponents of the assertion, and discusses two questions that should be addressed in the new approach.
(C) The author takes issue with an assertion, introduces a new view that runs counter to the assertion, presents examples that support the new view, and gives reasons why proponents of the assertion should abandon it and adopt the new view.
(D) The author takes issue with an assertion, presents examples that run counter to the assertion, suggests a change in the approach taken by the proponents of the assertion, and discusses two ways in which the new approach will benefit the proponents.
(E) The author takes issue with an assertion, presents examples that run counter to the assertion, introduces a new view that runs counter to the assertion, and suggests ways in which a compromise may be found between the view and the assertion.

3 
 3. Which one of the following is the most logical continuation of the last paragraph of the passage?

(A) Lacking such an emphasis, we cannot judge conclusively the degree to which cultural relationships can be described by an abstract model.
(B) Without such an emphasis, we can be confident that the dominance view asserted by communications specialists will survive the criticisms leveled against it.
(C) Unless they do so, we cannot know for certain whether the model developed describes accurately the impact of external cultural influences on the lives of people.
(D) Until they agree to do so, we can remain secure in the knowledge that communications specialists will never fully gain the scientific credibility they so passionately crave.
(E) But even with such an emphasis, it will be the extent to which the model accurately describes the economic relationship between cultures that determines its usefulness.

4 
 4. The author most likely discusses an anthropological study in the second paragraph primarily in order to

(A) provide to international communications specialists a model of cultural relationships
(B) describe to international communications specialists new ways of conducting their research
(C) highlight the flaws in a similar study conducted by international communications specialists
(D) cite evidence that contradicts claims made by international communications specialists
(E) support the claim that international communications specialists need to take the diversity of individual viewing habits into account

5 
 5. Which one of the following can most reasonably be concluded about the television viewers who were the subject of the study discussed in the second paragraph?

(A) They will gradually come to prefer imported television programs over domestic ones.
(B) They are likely someday to give up oral poetry in favor of watching television exclusively.
(C) They would likely watch more television if they did not have oral poetry.
(D) They enjoy domestic television programs mainly because they have little access to imported ones.
(E) They watch television for some of the same reasons that they enjoy oral poetry.

6 
 6. According to the author, an empirical study of the effect of external cultural influences on the lives of people in a society must begin by identifying

(A) the viewing habits and tastes of the people in the society
(B) an accurate model of how imported cultural productions influence domestic ones
(C) the role of the external cultural influences in the daily life of the people in the society
(D) shared aspects of domestic and imported productions popular with mass audiences
(E) social factors that affect how external cultural productions are given meaning by viewers

7 
 7. Suppose a study is conducted that measures the amount of airtime allotted to imported television programming in the daily broadcasting schedules of several developing nations. Given the information in the passage, the results of that study would be most directly relevant to answering which one of the following questions?

(A) How does the access to imported cultural productions differ among these nations?
(B) What are the individual viewing habits of citizens in these nations?
(C) How influential are the domestic television industries in these nations?
(D) Do imported programs attract larger audiences than domestic ones in these nations?
(E) What model best describes the relationship between imported cultural influences and domestic culture in these nations?

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 300 Date: 27-Jul-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source:   LSAT Official PrepTest 51   
 Difficulty Level:   650-700

Palak1132 · Answer

Sajjad1994  Can you kindly post the explanations of Q3 and Q7?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. Which one of the following is the most logical continuation of the last paragraph of the passage?

Difficulty Level:   600-650

Explanation

A proposed continuation of a passage must fit both the passage as a whole and the paragraph to which it is appended. Rather than wasting time trying to predict where the author might credibly go after the end of the passage as presented, we evaluate the answer choices in turn.

(A)  The author is not concerned with identifying the degree to which cultural relationships can be described by an abstract model; she wants to see a model that is based on the actual relationship between imported programs and domestically produced programs, and that accounts for individual responses to programming. Eliminate  (A) .

(B)  The author begins the passage by attacking the dominance view for its lack of a factual basis—whether or not the communications specialists follow the author’s advice, that criticism still stands. Eliminate  (B) .

(C)  In the last two paragraphs of the passage, the author details what she means by recommending an empirical approach for communications researchers.  (C)  restates the author’s view that the recommended approach will lead to a model based on reality, and so it’s the right answer. For the record:

(D)  The author’s observation that communications specialists almost unanimously support the fact-challenged dominance theory suggests that the specialists don’t particularly crave scientific credibility.

(E)  mischaracterizes the focus of the passage—it’s not the economic relationships between cultures that the models are supposed to reflect, but the relationship between imported and domestic television programming.

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

7. Suppose a study is conducted that measures the amount of airtime allotted to imported television programming in the daily broadcasting schedules of several developing nations. Given the information in the passage, the results of that study would be most directly relevant to answering which one of the following questions?

Difficulty Level:   750

Explanation

A long and unusual question stem signals a question that would be a good candidate for working through only after answering the rest of the questions in the
section. It turns out that this question can be answered without returning to the passage—the passage serves merely as a warning to keep one’s conclusions in line with the evidence one has uncovered.

What could a study comparing the amount of airtime allotted to imported television programming in the daily broadcasting schedules of several developing nations tell us? Such a study could allow us to compare how access to imported cultural productions differs among the nations studied—that’s  (A) .

For the record, such a study would not provide information about individual viewing habits. Eliminate  (B) .

Knowing the relative amount of time spent airing imported versus domestic programs could provide indirect, but no direct evidence as to the influence of the domestic television industry. Eliminate  (C) .

Finding out the minutes of imported programming available in a particular country would not allow us to compare the size of audiences for that programming as opposed to domestic programming. Eliminate  (D) .

The bare information as to the amount of imported programming available in the various countries could not provide a model for describing the relationship between imported cultural influences and domestic culture in these nations. Eliminate  (E) .

Answer: A

AkankshaUniyal · Answer

Please explain why B is incorrect in question 4?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. The author most likely discusses an anthropological study in the second paragraph primarily in order to

Difficulty Level:   600-650

Explanation

Paragraph 2  begins by reiterating the point that the socalled specialists are wrong. What do we expect to come next? Proof that the specialists are wrong, and the author does not disappoint us. Bring on the anthropologists, who apparently know how to conduct a study and uncover facts. The anthropologists’ study shows that even where imported TV programs are available, domes tic programs remain popular, serving a role comparable to that played by oral poetry. So contrary to the views of the specialists, imported programming won’t necessarily overwhelm domestic programs. Scan the answer choices, and we can see that  (D)  captures the author’s use of the anthropologists’ study to refute the specialists.

The anthropologists’ study in paragraph two did not provide a model of cultural relationships  (A) , nor did the author use it show the specialists a new way of conducting their research  (B) , (though as we see in  paragraph 3 , the author would like to see the specialists emulate the anthropologists). The author implies that unlike the anthropologists, the communications specialists don’t currently do empirical research, so we can rule out  (C) .

(E)  distorts the author’s point. The author raises the claim that international communications specialists need to take the diversity of individual viewing habits into account, but that point is not made until  paragraph 4.

Answer: D

nikitathegreat · Answer

Can someone explain Q1? - Primary purpose?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Explanation

After the author dismisses the conclusions of specialists in international communications as lacking a factual basis, she recommends ways that the specialists might approach their research and thereby come up with some defensible theories. The argumentative tone of the passage makes  (B)  and  (C)  good candidates for the correct answer.

If we look more closely, however,  (B)  focuses attention only on the first paragraph, and distorts the author’s point to boot: it’s the specialists’ non-factual approach that the author disdains—not only is there is no evidence to support the specialists’ theories, but the available evidence suggests the specialists are wrong.

(C) , however, focuses on the author’s recommendations for communications researchers. Since the first paragraph show that a new approach is needed, and the final paragraph outline the new approach, it is accurate to say that the author’s purpose is to argue that a particular discipline (international communications) should adopt a particular (fact-based) methodology.

None of the hypotheses considered by the specialists is deemed correct by the author, and so  (A)  is wrong.

The author clearly finds the  “methodology”  of the communications specialists to be weak, but she holds up the methodology of anthropologists as being worthy of emulation. Eliminate  (D) .

The primary purpose of a passage must justify pretty well everything that the author chose to include in it.  (E)  misses the author’s detailed recommendations for further research by communications experts.

Answer: C

Specialists in international communications almost unanimously assert

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Specialists in international communications almost unanimously assert

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