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azhrhasan

GMATNinja daagh

Question No. 6: Why is C wrong ? Both C & E seem the same to me. I marked E only because it matches the language in the passage but had no reason to refute C
Question 6 asks us to complete this statement:

    "According to the author, Shakespeare’s poems differ from Byron’s in that Shakespeare’s poems..."

How do Shakespeare's poems differ from Byron's poems? As you've pointed out, there's only one place in the passage where the author states a difference:

Quote:
I believe we cannot often read a poem of Byron’s, as we often can one of Shakespeare’s, without wondering what events or circumstances in his life prompted him to write it.
According to the author, the difference lies in how these poems can be read by us. The author believes that when we read one of Byron's poems, we wonder what events or circumstances in Byron's life prompted him to write the poem.

In contrast, the author believes that we can often read one of Shakespeare's poems without wondering what life circumstances prompted Shakespeare to write the poem.

Quote:
(C) (According to the author, Shakespeare’s poems differ from Byron’s in that Shakespeare’s poems) do not grow out of, or are not motivated by, actual events or circumstances in the poet’s life
Notice that C says absolutely nothing about how we read these poems. The author never wrote that Shakespeare's poems do or do not grow out of Shakespeare's life circumstances. The author only wrote that when we read Shakeapeare's poems, we often can do so without wondering about how those life circumstances prompted Shakespeare's work.

This is why choice (C) is incorrect.

Quote:
(E) (According to the author, Shakespeare’s poems differ from Byron’s in that Shakespeare’s poems) can often be read without the reader’s being curious about what biographical factors motivated the poet to write them
As you've noticed, choice (E) is a much tighter fit to what the author actually wrote.

Choice (E) recalls precisely what the author wrote. Choice (C) shifts the focus from what readers experience to what motivated by Shakespeare's poetry, which is not covered in the passage. That's why (E) is a much better choice than (C).

I hope this helps!
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Hi everyone,
Took 13:40 minutes and got 7/8 correct. Took 4:20 minutes to read, write down paragraphs summaries and main point.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

P1
Paragraph 1 talks about three kind of studies done on Byron. The last one is then analyzed more in detail. The takeaway of this last analysis is no evaluate Byron not solely on his verbal abilities, which appear to be not so good, but also on the feelings that one can get reading his poetry and all the questions one can ask HimHerself about Byron's life

P2
Paragraphs 2 can be broken down into 2 contrasting semi-paragraphs. While the first semi paragraphs talks about other reasons why Byron can be considered as a "not great" poet, the second paragraph tells us why Byron is a figure of interest to us. The answer is that is personality and the emotions that reading byron give to the reader makes the poet very appealing.

P3
Finally paragraphs 3 goes more into detail about Byron's work and what differentiates him from other poets.
It appears that his voice is most of the time present in his work


MP
The main point is to analyze Byron through the studies conducted on him and through an analysis of the core interest of a reader with regards to Byron's work

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


1. Which one of the following titles best expresses the main idea of the passage?

Pre-thinking:

Main point question
Refer to main point above


(A) An Absence of Method: Why Byron Is Not a “Great” Poet
Why byron is not a great poet is just a small part of the passage. Hence incorrect

(B) Byron: The Recurring Presence in Byron’s Poetry
This is correct because the passage keeps stressing how the personality of Byron is key to understand his greatness. Hence correct

(C) Personality and Poetry: The Biographical Dimension of Nineteenth-Century Poetry
Too general. Hence incorrect

(D) Byron’s Poetry: Its Influence on the Imagination of Early-Nineteenth-Century Europe
Its influence is not discussed. Hence incorrect

(E) Verbal Shadings: The Fatal Flaw of TwentiethCentury Literary Criticism
Not broad enough. Hence incorrect.[b][/b]


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. The author’s mention of Russell and Praz serves primarily to

Pre-thinking:

Detail question
To give an example of scholars studying byron's history of ideas


(A) differentiate them from one another
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(B) contrast their conclusions about Byron with those of Escarpit
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(C) point out the writers whose studies suggest a new direction for Byron scholarship
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(D) provide examples of writers who have written one kind of study of Byron
In line wit pre-thinking. Hence correct

(E) give credit to the writers who have composed the best studies of Byron
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Which one of the following would the author most likely consider to be a valuable study of Byron?

Pre-thinking:


Detail question
The word valuable is used by the author in the first paragraph. She states that a study would not be valuable if it considers only the verbal angle. This information is contrasted with a study of Byron that would consider also emotions and feelings. Hence a valuable study would consider also emotions and feelings per the author


(A) a study that compared Byron’s poetic style with Keats’ poetic style
Out of context. Hence incorrect

(B) a study that argued that Byron’s thought ought not to be analyzed in terms of its importance in the history of ideas
Incorrect

(C) a study that sought to identify the emotions felt by Byron at a particular time in his life
In line with pre-thinking. Hence correct

(D) a study in which a literary critic argues that the language of Byron’s poetry was more subtle than that of Keats’ poetry
Out of context. hence incorrect

(E) a study in which a literary critic drew on experiences from his or her own life
Incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Which one of the following statements best describes the organization of the first paragraph of the passage?

Pre-thinking:
Structure question
3 studies are described and a particular angle relevant to understand the author greatness is discussed

(A) A generalization is made and then gradually refuted.
[b]Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect[/b]

(B) A number of theories are discussed and then the author chooses the most convincing one.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(C) Several categories are mentioned and then one category is discussed in some detail.
Correct

(D) A historical trend is delineated and then a prediction about the future of the trend is offered.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(E) A classification is made and then a rival classification is substituted in its place.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. The author mentions that “Byron’s literary craftsmanship is irregular” (lines 27–28) most probably in order to

Pre-thinking:
Purpose question
stress why is not considered a Great Poet

(A) contrast Byron’s poetic skill with that of Shakespeare
Out of context

(B) dismiss craftsmanship as a standard by which to judge poets
Incorrect

(C) offer another reason why Byron is not a “great” poet
In line with pre-thinking. hence correct

(D) point out a negative consequence of Byron’s belief that the cosmos is incomprehensible
Incorrect

(E) indicate the most-often-cited explanation of why Byron’s poetry lacks subtle verbal nuances
most-often-cited is incorrect. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. According to the author, Shakespeare’s poems differ from Byron’s in that Shakespeare’s poems

Pre-thinking:
Detail question
Let's refer to the end of the first paragraph.
It is said that while reading Byron we ask ourselves how was Byron's life, reading shakespeare would not make us ask ourselves things about his life


(A) have elicited a wider variety of responses from both literary critics and biographers
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(B) are on the whole less susceptible to being read as subtle verbal creations
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(C) do not grow out of, or are not motivated by, actual events or circumstances in the poet’s life
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(D) provide the attentive reader with a greater degree of illumination concerning his or her own weaknesses and aspirations
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(E) can often be read without the reader’s being curious about what biographical factors motivated the poet to write them
In line with pre-thinking. hence correct

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


7. The author indicates which one of the following about biographers’ speculation concerning Byron’s life?

Pre-thinking:
Detail question
Let's refer to P1: "Escarpit’s 1958 work is an example
(5) of this kind of study, and biographers to this day
continue to speculate about Byron’s life."


(A) Such speculation began in earnest with Escarpit’s study.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(B) Such speculation continues today.
In line with pre-thinking. hence correct

(C) Such speculation is less important than consideration of Byron’s poetry.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(D) Such speculation has not given us a satisfactory sense of Byron’s life.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

(E) Such speculation has been carried out despite the objections of literary critics.
Not in line wit pre-thinking. Hence incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. The passage supplies specific information that provides a definitive answer to which one of the following questions?

Pre-thinking:
Detail question
Let's read the answer choices.


(A) What does the author consider to be the primary enjoyment derived from reading Byron?
Metioned in P2, line 35. Hence correct

(B) Who among literary critics has primarily studied Byron’s poems?
Incorrect

(C) Which moments in Byron’s life exerted the greatest pressure on his poetry?
Incorrect

(D) Has Byron ever been considered to be a “great” poet?
Incorrect

(E) Did Byron exert an influence on Europeans in the latter part of the nineteenth century?
Incorrect

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Explanation

8. The passage supplies specific information that provides a definitive answer to which one of the following questions?

Explanation

(A) Lines 35-37 relate that, “Our main pleasure in reading Byron’s poetry is the contact with a singular personality.”

(B) The passage never mentions any literary critics by name, let alone which critics have studied Byron’s poems most thoroughly.

(C) All the author says is that “Byron’s poems record the emotional pressure of certain moments in his life” (lines 18-20). She doesn’t specify which particular moments “exerted the greatest pressure on his poetry.”

(D) The author doesn’t consider Byron to be a “great” poet (lines 24-26); but the passage doesn’t tell us what others think about his greatness.

(E) Lines 45-46 say that Byron had an affect on early 19th-century Europeans; the passage is silent on any possible affect he may have had on late 19th-century Europeans.

Answer: A

Explanation Credit: Kaplan LSAT
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SajjadAhmad , can you please explain how to figure out answer for question no 4.

I am confused between option B and C
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SajjadAhmad , can you please explain how to figure out answer for question no 4.

I am confused between option B and C

Hey bhupendersingh27,

Hope this helps you in understanding the difference between B and C :)

After reading the first para, we get the idea that the author is talking about three kinds of study namely - biographical study, study of Byron as a figure important in the history of ideas and studies that primarily consider Byron’s poetry.

And post this part he gives us a little more detail on the third kind of study.

Now if you notice, the author at no point compares these studies but for option B it says,
A number of theories are discussed and then the author chooses the most convincing one.

Now to have the most convincing one out of the list you definitely need to compare the studies present, which is no where indicated in the first para.

Hence we can safely eliminate B.
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GMATNinja - Can you please explain the first question - primary purpose of the paragraph?

summary of the passage
The first para talks about the three kinds of study that have been done on Bryon.
The second para focusses on what is a valuable study - that doesnt solely focusses on verbal shadings but also includes biographical study since the poems of Bryon had emotional aspect in his poems.
Then 3rd para says how he isnt a great poet but his poem is of interest to the population because they can resonate with it.
Last para - why his work enthralled 19th century people.

Not able to do analysis of the answer ans..can you please help
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[url=https://gmatclub.com:443/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&un=GMATNinja%5D%5Bb%5DGMATNinja%5B/b%5D%5B/url%5D - Can you please explain the first question - primary purpose of the paragraph?

summary of the passage
The first para talks about the three kinds of study that have been done on Bryon.
The second para focusses on what is a valuable study - that doesnt solely focusses on verbal shadings but also includes biographical study since the poems of Bryon had emotional aspect in his poems.
Then 3rd para says how he isnt a great poet but his poem is of interest to the population because they can resonate with it.
Last para - why his work enthralled 19th century people.

Not able to do analysis of the answer ans..can you please help
­Your paragraph-by-paragraph breakdown of the passage is spot-on. It's about how Byron's poems resonate because they contain so much of the author.

Looking at the answer choices, you can kill (C) and (E) immediately, because they don't even mention Byron.

(D) is a pretty easy elimination too, as the passage isn't about something as broad as the poet's impact on the imagination of 19th century Europe.

(A) is something that's mentioned in the passage, but certainly isn't the main idea. After all, the essence of the passage is that Bryon's poetry is important even though he's not a great poet by traditional standards. Why is it important? Because it contains so much of the author. 

(B) does the best job of capturing this idea. Byron's poetry is important because it's so darn personal. So (B) is our answer.

I hope that helps!
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