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605-655 Level|   Business|   Long Passage|         
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gagansh1840
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 20 Sep 2020, 21:38
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Can someone please explain me the approach for Q1?
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 23 Sep 2020, 09:30
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gagansh1840
Can someone please explain me the approach for Q1?
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Hi gagansh1840,

Please refer the below replies for question 1:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-united-s ... l#p2037615
https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-united-s ... l#p1249043


Let me know if you still have issues.
Thanks.
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 20 Nov 2020, 11:30
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2. Which of the following best describes the function of the second paragraph in the passage as a whole?

(A) It narrows the scope of the topic introduced in the first paragraph.
(B) It presents an example of the type of change discussed in the first paragraph.
(C) It cites the most striking instance of historical change in a particular government policy.

I think all these options seem to fit the answer, but the most likely one would be the winner. Being a non-native English speaker, it is challenging to get the right perspective to get this answer. Can anyone help me with how to approach this question?

A.I selected A because the first paragraph was an overview, and then the second one zoomed a certain part of the first para and elaborated further.
B. Author has defined an inflection point, which is not equivalent to an example.
C. If you just read the second paragraph's first line, then this also looks like a valid answer.
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 25 Nov 2020, 06:31
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HASTOWINGMAT
2. Which of the following best describes the function of the second paragraph in the passage as a whole?

(A) It narrows the scope of the topic introduced in the first paragraph.
(B) It presents an example of the type of change discussed in the first paragraph.
(C) It cites the most striking instance of historical change in a particular government policy.

I think all these options seem to fit the answer, but the most likely one would be the winner. Being a non-native English speaker, it is challenging to get the right perspective to get this answer. Can anyone help me with how to approach this question?

A.I selected A because the first paragraph was an overview, and then the second one zoomed a certain part of the first para and elaborated further.
B. Author has defined an inflection point, which is not equivalent to an example.
C. If you just read the second paragraph's first line, then this also looks like a valid answer.
Show more



Hi HASTOWINGMAT

Please refer the below reply for Question 2:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-united-states-government-has-a-long-standing-policy-of-using-feder-156465.html#p1810913

Let me know if this doesn't suffice.

Thanks.
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 05 Jun 2021, 04:42
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Zarrolou
It can be inferred that the "ownership gap" (see underlined text) would be narrowed if which of the following were to occur?

"At the time, minorities constituted seventeen percent of the nation's population, but only four percent of the nation's self-employed. This ownership gap was held to be the result of past discrimination."
Minorities = 17% population.
Minorities = 4% self employed. <== this is the "gap"
"Increasing the number of minority-owned firms was seen as a way to remedy this problem". In "inference" questions the answer is already in the passage.
This is how the text says that the gap can be narrowed. Which answer can be seen as a rewording of this?

A: Minority entrepreneurs received a percentage of government contracts equal to that received by nonminority entrepreneurs.
B: Middle- and high-income minority entrepreneurs gave more assistance to their low-income counterparts in the business community.
C: Minority entrepreneurs hired a percentage of minority emlpoyees equal to the percentage of minority residents in their own communities.
D: The percentage of self-employed minority persons rose to more than ten percent of all self-employed persons.<==CORRECT
E: Seventeen percent of all persons employed in small businesses were self-employed.

Which of the following best describes the function of the second paragraph in the passage as a whole?


....
Since then, the answer given to the fundamental question of who the recipients should be-the most economically disadvantaged or those with the best prospects for business success-has changed, and the social goals of the programs have shifted, resulting in policy changes.

The first shift occured during the early 1970's.
...

The second paragraph is connected to the first one because it discusses something that the first one presented.

A: It narrows the scope of the topic introduced in the first paragraph.
B: It presents an example of the type of change discuseed in the first paragraph.<==CORRECT
C: It cites the most striking instance of historical change in a particular government policy.
D: It explains the rationale for the creation of the government agency whose operations are discussed in the first paragraph.
E: It presents the results of policies adpoted by the federal government.


According to the passage, in 1970 funding to minority entrepreneurs focused primarily on which of the following?

While the goal of assisting the economically disadvantaged entrepreneur remained, a new goal emerged: to remedy the effects of past discrimination. (...) This ownership gap was held to be the result of past discrimination.Increasing the number of minority-owned firms was seen as a way to remedy this problem.
Increasing the number of minority-owned firms ==> reduce the GAP (the new goal or priority/focus in 1970).

A: Alleviating chronic unemployment in urban areas
B: Narrowing the ownership gap<== CORRECT
C: Assisting minority-owned businesses with growth potential
D: Awarding subcontracts to businesses that encouraged community development
E: Targeting the most economically disadvantaged minority-owned businesses
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bm2201,
But I don't understand how can that be an "example"ò. Isn't it something specific? it's saying the first shift occurred... it does not sound like an example to me...Please help.
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 09 Jun 2021, 13:07
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Pet700


bm2201,
But I don't understand how can that be an "example"ò. Isn't it something specific? it's saying the first shift occurred... it does not sound like an example to me...Please help.
Show more


Hi Pet700,

I believe your doubt is related to the 2nd Question.

2. Which of the following best describes the function of the second paragraph in the passage as a whole?

Quote:
(B) It presents an example of the type of change discussed in the first paragraph.
Show more

the type of change discussed in the first paragraph : "Since then, the answer given to the fundamental question of who the recipients should be—the most economically disadvantaged or those with the best prospects for business success—has changed, and the social goals of the programs have shifted, resulting in policy changes." and then the author goes on to mention about the first shift that occurred in occurred during the early 1970's, where in a new goal to remedy the effects of past discrimination emerged.

Thus we can infer that the 2nd para is an example of the type of change discussed in the first paragraph and the passage as a whole. It is an example in terms of how the shift in the social goals of the programs started. Author uses the second paragraph to support the context that has been set in the previous paragraph.


Hope This Helps.
Thanks.
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 24 Aug 2021, 02:46
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GMATNinja


The fact that the recipients have changed tell us that those administering the programs are considering WHO should receive the funding. If choice (D) were not a basic consideration, then those administering the programs would NOT ask the fundamental question of who the recipients should be. We are told that the question of who the recipients should be (i.e. which groups should be given funding) is fundamental, impacting the basic goals and directions of such programs.

The passage mentions a couple shifts in policy that impacted who received funding. For example, "in 1970 the SBA explicitly stated that their main goal was to increase the number of minority-owned businesses." In the late 1970s, one agency adopted "the goal of creating and assisting more minority-owned substantive firms with future growth potential."

However, the passage makes no mention of analyzing/predicting which entrepreneurs are likely to succeed. Choosing the individual people and businesses within those groups might be a secondary question that involves considering which entrepreneurs are likely to succeed, but the passage does not talk about such considerations.

Thus, (D) is a better answer than (E).
Show more


Hi GMATNinja

Can I interpret the above explanation as follows:

In the battle of D vs E:

E is wrong because E is not the most basic consideration.
Knowing what firms are likely to succeed comes AFTER once you have decided who the funding recipients should be (option D).

I choice E because, simply, D looked too simple to be true :')

Any suggestions on how should I control this urge?

Thank you!
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 02 Sep 2021, 08:22
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Question 4


abhola
GMATNinja


The fact that the recipients have changed tell us that those administering the programs are considering WHO should receive the funding. If choice (D) were not a basic consideration, then those administering the programs would NOT ask the fundamental question of who the recipients should be. We are told that the question of who the recipients should be (i.e. which groups should be given funding) is fundamental, impacting the basic goals and directions of such programs.

The passage mentions a couple shifts in policy that impacted who received funding. For example, "in 1970 the SBA explicitly stated that their main goal was to increase the number of minority-owned businesses." In the late 1970s, one agency adopted "the goal of creating and assisting more minority-owned substantive firms with future growth potential."

However, the passage makes no mention of analyzing/predicting which entrepreneurs are likely to succeed. Choosing the individual people and businesses within those groups might be a secondary question that involves considering which entrepreneurs are likely to succeed, but the passage does not talk about such considerations.

Thus, (D) is a better answer than (E).


Hi GMATNinja

Can I interpret the above explanation as follows:

In the battle of D vs E:

E is wrong because E is not the most basic consideration.
Knowing what firms are likely to succeed comes AFTER once you have decided who the funding recipients should be (option D).

I choice E because, simply, D looked too simple to be true :')

Any suggestions on how should I control this urge?

Thank you!
Show more
For RC questions that ask about specific details in the passage, it's best to find the most relevant piece of the passage first and then answer the question with the exact language of the passage in mind.

Question 4 asks which answer choice is mentioned as a "basic consideration" in administering minority-business funding programs. As we pointed out in our earlier explanation, the most relevant portion of the passage to answer this question is at the end of the first paragraph, where we learn that a "fundamental question" is "who the recipients should be."

With that context in mind, (D) is clearly mentioned as a basic consideration, while (E) is not.

Is (D) too simple to be true? Not at all! The way to resist this kind of thinking is to realize that the people who write the test are not trying to trick you. If they ask for a detail mentioned in the passage, go find that detail and answer the question accordingly.

That's not to say that RC questions can't be hard. Sometimes details are difficult to parse, or the language is very convoluted, or they ask for a nuanced inference. But the questions are asked in good faith, so all you can do is hone and refine your process to give yourself the best shot at answering questions accurately. There's no need to make your life harder by worrying that an answer choice is too simple to be true. :)

I hope that helps!
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 12 Mar 2022, 17:46
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bm2201, GMATNinja



Can you please explain Q-1 in detail?
How cannot A be not an answer?
Confused with A.

Thanks
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 29 Mar 2022, 08:20
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Question 1


krndatta
bm2201, GMATNinja



Can you please explain Q-1 in detail?
How cannot A be not an answer?
Confused with A.

Thanks
Show more
The "ownership gap" mentioned in the passage shows that minorities make up 17% of the population, but only 4% of the nation's self-employed. To close this gap, we'd need more minority-owned small businesses.

Would (A) close the gap?
Quote:
(A) Minority entrepreneurs received a percentage of government contracts equal to that received by nonminority entrepreneurs.
Show more
There are a couple of issues with (A). First, we don't actually know what percentage of government contracts are currently awarded to minority entrepreneurs -- it could be true that these entrepreneurs already receive an equal percentage of these contracts. After all, government contracts are only one category of small business. So it's possible that these are already equal, and yet the ownership gap described in the passage remains.

Additionally, notice that (A) talks about the percentage of contracts awarded, NOT the number of businesses to which they are awarded.

We can't assume that these contracts would be parceled out to a large number of minority-owned businesses -- it could also be true that a small number of minority entrepreneurs are awarded the contracts. That wouldn't help close the ownership gap. Instead, it would just make a couple of entrepreneurs even more successful.

For those reasons, you can get rid of (A) for question 1.

I hope that helps!
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 05 Aug 2022, 11:08
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Is this really a 600-700 level passage as stated in the Tag? :(
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 05 Aug 2022, 22:32
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TheAlchemist36
Is this really a 600-700 level passage as stated in the Tag? :(
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The following is the difficulty level of each question.

Question #1: 700
Question #2: 600
Question #3: 650
Question #4: 600
Question #5: 500


Overall: 600-650
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 27 Jun 2023, 23:32
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For question no 2 , you avoid extreme words like most etc.

Posted from my mobile device
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Got all questions right but taking more than 4 mins to read and understand the passage and 11 mins to answer the questions. :(
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 06 May 2025, 01:44
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Thanks Sajjad1994
I have a quick question, the tag shows this passage is 655-705, how is it determined? I saw this in some other RCs too where questions difficulty level didn't sync with the overall tag.
I wanted to check on this so I can track my accuracy statistics with difficulty level. What should be the best way to track it for RCs?


Sajjad1994
TheAlchemist36
Is this really a 600-700 level passage as stated in the Tag? :(

The following is the difficulty level of each question.

Question #1: 700
Question #2: 600
Question #3: 650
Question #4: 600
Question #5: 500


Overall: 600-650
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The United States government has a long-standing policy of using feder 08 May 2025, 00:14
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agrasan
Thanks Sajjad1994
I have a quick question, the tag shows this passage is 655-705, how is it determined? I saw this in some other RCs too where questions difficulty level didn't sync with the overall tag.
I wanted to check on this so I can track my accuracy statistics with difficulty level. What should be the best way to track it for RCs?
Show more
Hi agrasan

You should consider the individual difficulty level of each question with in a passage. The overall difficulty will always be a subjective matter prone to discussion. This is because one passage contains different types of questions with different difficulty levels. The overall difficulty of the passage can best be categorized based on average difficulty of each question in it.
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