Question 2
ADiCR7 wrote:
Could you please explain how option D is right for the second question?
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2. Which of the following best describes one of the "elements of irony" referred to in the highlighted text?
Remember to use process of elimination on ALL GMAT verbal questions:
Quote:
A. Although the more scientific-minded historians of the second half of the nineteenth century considered women appropriate subjects for historical writing, earlier historians did not.
The passage describes the "
disappearance of women as objects of historical studies during this period". Choice (A) suggests the opposite, so it can be eliminated.
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B. Although archival research uncovered documentary evidence of women's role in history, historians continued to rely on secondary sources for information about women.
The passage specifically states that "the shift to more rigorous research methods
required that secondary sources be disregarded." Choice (B) directly contradicts this information and be eliminated.
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C. Although historians were primarily concerned with writing about the public sphere, they generally relegated women to the private sphere.
This seems in line with the information in the passage, but does it describe "elements of irony"? If women belong to the private sphere and historians are primarily focused on the public sphere, we would EXPECT a disappearance of women as objects of historical studies. There is nothing inconsistent or contradictory about that result, but leave choice (C) for now if you aren't sure.
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D. The scientific approach to history revealed more information about women, but that information was ignored.
The new approach revealed more information about women.. great! Oh wait, that new approach also means that we are going to IGNORE much of the additional information. The same approach that helped us GATHER the new information also tells us that we should IGNORE that same information.
We would expect an approach that reveals more information about women to INCREASE historical studies of women. But that same approach caused historians to ignore the very information they discovered. This surprising and seemingly contradictory result (much like a discrepancy) has "elements of irony", unlike the facts stated in choice (C). (D) seems like the best answer so far.
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E. The professionalization of history, while marginalizing much of women's writing about history, enhanced the importance of women as historical subjects.
As stated for choice (A), the passage describes the "
disappearance of women as objects of historical studies during this period". This implies that the importance of women as historical subjects was not ENHANCED during this period, so (E) can be eliminated.
Choice (D) is the best answer.
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