A primary ingredient of Shaw's book on the American Revolution is the

Question

A primary ingredient of Shaw's book on the American Revolution is the notion of an adolescent rite of passage, the ritual that in various societies brings about the transition of a person from adolescence to adult-hood. Shaw interprets certain crowd actions that occurred prior to the American Revolution such as the burning of effigies of government officials as adolescent rites of passage. He argues that the Revolution could not have succeeded without these ceremonies. The effigies destroyed were surrogates not merely of the persons represented but of the king, the father who had to be overthrown by the children who were coming of age. The Revolution itself was an adolescent rite of passage a youth movement: not only did the adults who participated in the ritual protests adopt “the spirit or youth initiation” but they were actually joined by children. The colonists could not kill the king until they had prepared themselves by ritually killing other father figures in effigy. The ritual by enabling the colonists to direct their collective dissatisfaction at a single urges emboldened them and thus helped to prepare them for the final rite of passage.

What makes this very questionable diagnosis appealing is that it seems to answer problems raised by three very different interpretations of the American Revolution. Gipson has painted so rosy a picture of the empire that it is difficult to see why the colonists should have rebelled. He suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent. Shaw's work provides the missing piece.

Bailyn has traced the impact on the colonists of the suspicion that there was a conspiracy among English government officials to deprive the colonists of their liberties. He argues that many people of Massachusetts believed that Thomas Hutchinson was at the center of such a conspiracy. Since Hutchinson had done little to deserve the suspicion that fell upon him, the colonists who attacked him appear in Bailyn's work as inexplicably paranoid. Now we have another explanation for this puzzling phenomenon, they were undergoing a preliminary rite of passage using Hutchinson as surrogate father in order to prepare for the overthrow of the king the act that would bring them to the political adulthood for which they yearned.

Shaw's interpretation also provides an explanation for the crowd actions that have fascinated Marxist historians. These historians have been trying to endow the crowds that were a conspicuous feature of the early stages of Revolution and that participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution. None of their attempts has succeeded. Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extrapolitical” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion.    1 
 1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would find Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution less appealing if which of the following were commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events?

I. Very few children participated in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution. 
II. The king of England was very unfair in his treatment of the American colonists. 
III. The people of Massachusetts who attacked Thomas Hutchinson had good reason to believe that he had attempted to deprive them of liberties to which they were entitled.

(A) I only 
(B) II only 
(C) III only 
(D) I and II only 
(E) II and III only

2 
 2. The passage suggests that Shaw would be most likely to agree with which of the following statements regarding the behavior of crowds?

(A) In order to interpret the behavior of crowds historians should seek out the motives that individual members of the crowds give for their actions. 
(B) Interpretations of motives governing individual behavior can be used to illuminate the behavior of crowds.
(C) The behavior of crowds can almost always be understood in terms of adolescent rite of passage.
(D) The behavior or crowds is almost always determined by the motives espoused by their leaders.
(E) Historians theories about the behavior of crowds will almost always founder on the facts

3 
 3. Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution?

(A) He is enthusiastic about it, but feels that it is much too controversial to gain wide acceptance.
(B) He admires its novelty, but finds little else to recommend it.
(C) He is skeptical about it; yet he finds it attractive.
(D) He regards it as reasonable; yet he believes that more information about Revolutionary crowds is needed before it can be accepted. 
(E) He is dubious about its compatibility with other interpretations of the Revolution.

4 
 4. According to Bailyn, Thomas Hutchinson was attacked by some of the colonists because

(A) he attempted to deny the people of Massachusetts liberties to which they were entitled
(B) he opposed the burning of effigies of government officials 
(C) the colonists who yearned for political adulthood viewed him as a surrogate father 
(D) some of the colonists believed that he was involved in a conspiracy to deprive them of their rights 
(E) many colonists viewed him as a leader of the upper class

5 
 5. According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution implies that the crowds that participated in the burning of effigies of government officials would probably be unable to

(A) overthrow the king in reality as opposed to just burning his effigies
(B) explain fully the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals
(C) view their participation in the rituals as a political act
(D) resist the temptation to believe that the king approved of their actions
(E) accept the reasons given by upper-class leaders of the Revolution for the rebellion against the king

6 
 6. According to. Shaw, the burning of effigies of government officials was essential to the success of the American Revolution because it

(A) stirred up resentment among colonists who had previously been loyal to the king 
(B) persuaded the colonists that the colonial government was corrupt and vulnerable 
(C) caused a great deal of fear among the government officials who represented the king in America 
(D) demonstrated to the colonists the essential role-played by ritual in any uprising 
(E) provided the colonists with an initial focus for their dissatisfaction with the king

7 
 7. The passage suggests that Gipson would describe the rebellion of the colonists as

(A) paranoid and cruel behavior 
(B) considerate though cautious behavior 
(C) childish and ungrateful behavior 
(D) reasonable in light of the circumstances 
(E) inconsistent with their stated beliefs about the king

8 
 8. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

(A) presenting a view and demonstrating how it solves certain problems 
(B) reviewing a book and delineating its short-comings 
(C) defending a thesis that has been the subject of much controversy 
(D) arguing that a certain novel thesis c:asts doubt on three more popular views 
(E) advocating a new approach to the interpretation of historical events

Oppenheimer1945 · Answer

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would find Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution less appealing if which of the following were commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events?

I. Very few children participated in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution.
II. The king of England was very unfair in his treatment of the American colonists.
III. The people of Massachusetts who attacked Thomas Hutchinson had good reason to believe that he had attempted to deprive them of liberties to which they were entitled.

(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) III only
(D) I and II only
 (E) II and III only (True)

not only did the adults who participated in the ritual protests adopt “the spirit or youth initiation” but they were actually joined by children *(very few children is not mentioned anywhere)

He suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent.

Bailyn has traced the impact on the colonists of the suspicion that there was a conspiracy among English government officials to deprive the colonists of their liberties. He argues that many people of Massachusetts believed that Thomas Hutchinson was at the center of such a conspiracy. Since Hutchinson had done little to deserve the suspicion that fell upon him, the colonists who attacked him appear in Bailyn's work as inexplicably paranoid.

2. The passage suggests that Shaw would be most likely to agree with which of the following gate-menu regarding the behavior of crowds?

(A) In order to interpret the behavior of crowds historians should seek out the motives that individual members of the crowds give for their actions.
 (B) Interpretations of motives governing individual behavior can be used to illuminate the behavior of crowds.(True) 
(C) The behavior of crowds can almost always be understood in terms of adolescent rite of passage.
(D) The behavior or crowds is almost always determined by the motives espoused by their leaders.
(E) Historians theories about the behavior of crowds will almost always founder on the facts

It discovers “extrapolitical” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion.

3. Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution?

(A) He is enthusiastic about it, but feels that it is much too controversial to gain wide acceptance.
 (B) He admires its novelty, but finds little else to recommend it.(gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds) 
(C) He is skeptical about it; yet he finds it attractive.
(D) He regards it as reasonable; yet he believes that more information about Revolutionary crowds is needed before it can be accepted.
(E) He is dubious about its compatibility with other interpretations of the Revolution.

These historians have been trying to endow the crowds that were a conspicuous feature of the early stages of Revolution and that participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution. None of their attempts has succeeded. Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extrapolitical” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion.

4. According to Bailyn, Thomas Hutchinson was attacked by some of the colonists because

(A) he attempted to deny the people of Massachusetts liberties to which they were entitled
(B) he opposed the burning of effigies of government officials
(C) the colonists who yearned for political adulthood viewed him as a surrogate father
 (D) some of the colonists believed that he was involved in a conspiracy to deprive them of their rights (True) 
(E) many colonists viewed him as a leader of the upper class

Bailyn has traced the impact on the colonists of the suspicion that there was a conspiracy among English government officials to deprive the colonists of their liberties. He argues that many people of Massachusetts believed that Thomas Hutchinson was at the center of such a conspiracy. Since Hutchinson had done little to deserve the suspicion that fell upon him, the colonists who attacked him appear in Bailyn's work as inexplicably paranoid

5. According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution implies that the crowds that participated in the burning of effigies of government officials would probably be unable to

(A) overthrow the king in reality as opposed to just burning his effigies (True) 
(B) explain fully the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals
(C) view their participation in the rituals as a political act
(D) resist the temptation to believe that the king approved of their actions
(E) accept the reasons given by upper-class leaders of the Revolution for the rebellion against the king

The effigies destroyed were surrogates not merely of the persons represented but of the king, the father who had to be overthrown by the children who were coming of age.

6. According to. Shaw, the burning of effigies of government officials was essential to the success of the American Revolution because it

(A) stirred up resentment among colonists who had previously been loyal to the king
(B) persuaded the colonists that the colonial government was corrupt and vulnerable
(C) caused a great deal of fear among the government officials who represented the king in America
 (D) demonstrated to the colonists the essential role-played by ritual in any uprising(True) 
(E) provided the colonists with an initial focus for their dissatisfaction with the king

The ritual by enabling the colonists to direct their collective dissatisfaction at a single urges emboldened them and thus helped to prepare them for the final rite of passage.

7. The passage suggests that Gipson would describe the rebellion of the colonists as

(A) paranoid and cruel behavior
(B) considerate though cautious behavior
 (C) childish and ungrateful behavior(True) 
(D) reasonable in light of the circumstances
(E) inconsistent with their stated beliefs about the king

Gipson has painted so rosy a picture of the empire that it is difficult to see why the colonists should have rebelled. He suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent.

Elite097 · Answer

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would find Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution less appealing if which of the following were commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events?

I. Very few children participated in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution- Crowd actions involve children as stated in the passage and Shaw's interpretation indicates that this represents adolescent rites to passages. If it were established that there were few children, Shaw's interpretation could not explain crowd actions as rites of passage.

II. The king of England was very unfair in his treatment of the American colonists- Even if this is so, then also it can Shawn's explanation can be appealing as he stated that people burn effigies due to rites of passage

III. The people of Massachusetts who attacked Thomas Hutchinson had good reason to believe that he had attempted to deprive them of liberties to which they were entitled- Even if this were so Shawn's explanation would be appealing because it is not dependent on what people thought about Thomas but rather rites of passage

Ans A

2. The passage suggests that Shaw would be most likely to agree with which of the following regarding the behavior of crowds?

(A) In order to interpret the behavior of crowds historians should seek out the motives that individual members of the crowds give for their actions.--"Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extrapolitical” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion." this indicates he would be concerned about the motives

(B) Interpretations of motives governing individual behavior can be used to illuminate the behavior of crowds- We are not looking for motives behind their behaviour and specially not individual behaviour to conclude about the group as a whole

(C) The behavior of crowds can almost always be understood in terms of adolescent rite of passage- 'Always' is too strong a word here and we do not have this inference in the passage

(D) The behavior or crowds is almost always determined by the motives espoused by their leaders- Rather we have no evidence for this . Hstorians had proved in failing they are different but we do not know if they are same either

(E) Historians theories about the behavior of crowds will almost always founder on the facts- We do not know if historian theories would collapse with facts

Ans A

3. Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution?

(A) He is enthusiastic about it, but feels that it is much too controversial to gain wide acceptance- Passage does not call it controversial

(B) He admires its novelty, but finds little else to recommend it- We do not know his stance on recommendation

(C) He is skeptical about it; yet he finds it attractive- "questionable diagnosis appealing " hence we can conclude this

(D) He regards it as reasonable; yet he believes that more information about Revolutionary crowds is needed before it can be accepted- He does not say how more information can help

(E) He is dubious about its compatibility with other interpretations of the Revolution- Rather he says that his explanation explains many other interpretations

Ans C

4. According to Bailyn, Thomas Hutchinson was attacked by some of the colonists because

(A) he attempted to deny the people of Massachusetts liberties to which they were entitled- He did not actually attempt this. This was just a conspiracy.

(B) he opposed the burning of effigies of government officials-- Passage does not mention this anywhere

(C) the colonists who yearned for political adulthood viewed him as a surrogate father-- This was not a reason to attack him as per Bailyn. People did attack him as surrogate father but that was Shawn's view

(D) some of the colonists believed that he was involved in a conspiracy to deprive them of their rights- "conspiracy among English government officials to deprive the colonists of their liberties" answers this

(E) many colonists viewed him as a leader of the upper class- No such thing is mentioned in the passage

Ans D

5. According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution implies that the crowds that participated in the burning of effigies of government officials would probably be unable to

(A) overthrow the king in reality as opposed to just burning his effigies- We do not know what would happen in a real situtation as per Shaw so we cannot conclude this

(B) explain fully the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals-- we cannot say this. Rite of passage could very well be a full explanation

(C) view their participation in the rituals as a political act--"It discovers “extrapolitical” motives" indicates that they would not be able to consider their participation as political act

(D) resist the temptation to believe that the king approved of their actions- We cannot claim that they would think that king approved their actions

(E) accept the reasons given by upper-class leaders of the Revolution for the rebellion against the king-- "motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution". the motves are distinct but we dont know if they wont be able to accept the same or not

Ans C

6. According to. Shaw, the burning of effigies of government officials was essential to the success of the American Revolution because it

(A) stirred up resentment among colonists who had previously been loyal to the king- We cannot conclude that it would stir up resentment

(B) persuaded the colonists that the colonial government was corrupt and vulnerable- That was not why it was considered essential but more cuz of their ritual

(C) caused a great deal of fear among the government officials who represented the king in America- This was not done to ignite fear

(D) demonstrated to the colonists the essential role-played by ritual in any uprising- it was not essential to show the role played by ritual but to empower them

(E) provided the colonists with an initial focus for their dissatisfaction with the king- "The ritual by enabling the colonists to direct their collective dissatisfaction at a single urges empowered them" indicates this

Ans E

7. The passage suggests that Gipson would describe the rebellion of the colonists as

(A) paranoid and cruel behavior-- no he does not think he is paranoid

(B) considerate though cautious behavior- It is not considerate

(C) childish and ungrateful behavior- " as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent" indicates this

(D) reasonable in light of the circumstances- he totally does not find it reasonable

(E) inconsistent with their stated beliefs about the king- it is not inconsistent with their beliefs necessarily

Ans C

8. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

(A) presenting a view and demonstrating how it solves certain problems--- yes it presents Shaw's view in the first para and shows in the remaining paras how it solves the problems by providing an explanation

(B) reviewing a book and delineating its short-comings--- The passage has not outlined any shortcomings of the work rather talked about a view and then presented how this was useful to solve for different interpretations

(C) defending a thesis that has been the subject of much controversy--- The fact that this is questionable does not mean that it is controversial and we have no info to indicate that this was subject to controversy

(D) arguing that a certain novel thesis casts doubt on three more popular views--- It is not casting doubt but rather solving problems 'raised by three very different interpretations of the American Revolution'

(E) advocating a new approach to the interpretation of historical events--- There is no new approach presented and that is clearly not being advocated

Ans A

Catman · Answer

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would find Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution less appealing if which of the following were commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events?

I. Very few children participated in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution.  ~ Correct, refer to the line "The Revolution itself was an adolescent rite of passage a youth movement: not only did the adults who participated in the ritual protests adopt “the spirit or youth initiation” but they were actually joined by children." If very few children participated in various crowd actions than the Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution will be wrong.

II. The king of England was very unfair in his treatment of the American colonists.  ~ Incorrect, refer to the line "He suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent. Shaw's work provides the missing piece. King was treating the american colonist unfairly.

III. The people of Massachusetts who attacked Thomas Hutchinson had good reason to believe that he had attempted to deprive them of liberties to which they were entitled.  ~ InCorrect, refer to the line "Since Hutchinson had done little to deserve the suspicion that fell upon him" and later author says that the Shaw's interpretation also provides an explanation for the crowd actions .

(A) I only  Correct

(B) II only

(C) III only

(D) I and II only

(E) II and III only

2. The passage suggests that Shaw would be most likely to agree with which of the following gate-menu regarding the behavior of crowds?

(A) In order to interpret the behavior of crowds historians should seek out the motives that individual members of the crowds give for their actions.  ~ Incorrect, Shaw does not mention what historian should seek out.

(B) Interpretations of motives governing individual behavior can be used to illuminate the behavior of crowds.  ~Incorrect, Shaw mention “extra-political” motives as the reasons, which was their transition from adolescence to adult-hood

(C) The behavior of crowds can almost always be understood in terms of adolescent rite of passage.  ~ Correct, refer to the line "Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extra-political” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion." This means that the reason was their transition from adolescence to adult-hood.

(D) The behavior or crowds is almost always determined by the motives espoused by their leaders.  ~ Incorrect, refer to the line "These historians have been trying to endow the crowds that were a conspicuous feature of the early stages of Revolution and that participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution"

(E) Historians theories about the behavior of crowds will almost always founder on the facts  ~ Incorrect, it is not mentioned that it will always dependent on the facts.

3. Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution?

(A) He is enthusiastic about it, but feels that it is much too controversial to gain wide acceptance.  ~ Incorrect author does not mention that it is controversial and does not mentions about it's acceptance.

(B) He admires its novelty, but finds little else to recommend it.  ~ Incorrect, refer to the line "Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds." Author admires Shaw's novelty, but there is no mention about author recommendation of this theory in the passage. 
 
(C) He is skeptical about it; yet he finds it attractive.  Correct, refer to the line "Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds." Author admires Shaw's novelty. Author mentions that "What makes this very questionable diagnosis appealing" , but author is skeptical about the theory.

(D) He regards it as reasonable; yet he believes that more information about Revolutionary crowds is needed before it can be accepted.  ~ Incorrect, author is not mentions criterion needed for it's acceptance.

(E) He is dubious about its compatibility with other interpretations of the Revolution.  ~ Incorrect, compatibility with other interpretations of the revolution is not discussed.

4. According to Bailyn, Thomas Hutchinson was attacked by some of the colonists because

(A) he attempted to deny the people of Massachusetts liberties to which they were entitled  ~Incorrect, this is not the view of Bailyn.
 
(B) he opposed the burning of effigies of government officials  ~ Incorrect, not mentioned .

(C) the colonists who yearned for political adulthood viewed him as a surrogate father  ~ Incorrect, this was another explanation why he was attacked, but not according to Bailyn

(D) some of the colonists believed that he was involved in a conspiracy to deprive them of their rights  ~ Correct, refer to the line He argues that many people of Massachusetts believed that Thomas Hutchinson was at the center of such a conspiracy".

(E) many colonists viewed him as a leader of the upper class ~  Incorrect, he was not the leader he was the government official.

5. According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution implies that the crowds that participated in the burning of effigies of government officials would probably be unable to

(A) overthrow the king in reality as opposed to just burning his effigies  ~ Incorrect, not mentioned they were unable to or able to remove the king.

(B) explain fully the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals  ~ Correct, refer to the line "Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extra-political” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion." So unconsciously they want to participate in this rebellion to transition from adolescence to adult hood.

(C) view their participation in the rituals as a political act  ~ Incorrect, it is not mentioned that whether they are able to view their participation in ritual as political act or not.

(D) resist the temptation to believe that the king approved of their actions  ~ Incorrect, it is not mentioned in their passage how king's perceive their actions.

(E) accept the reasons given by upper-class leaders of the Revolution for the rebellion against the king  ~ Incorrect, refer to the line"These historians have been trying to endow the crowds that were a conspicuous feature of the early stages of Revolution and that participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution." Their motives were distinct but it is not mentioned that they were unable to accept the reasons given by the upper class.

6. According to. Shaw, the burning of effigies of government officials was essential to the success of the American Revolution because it

(A) stirred up resentment among colonists who had previously been loyal to the king  ~ Incorrect, not mentioned that it was done to stirred up resentment among colonist who were loyal to king.
 
(B) persuaded the colonists that the colonial government was corrupt and vulnerable  ~ Incorrect, refer to the line "Bailyn has traced the impact on the colonists of the suspicion" This was the view of the Baliyn.
 
(C) caused a great deal of fear among the government officials who represented the king in America  ~ Incorrect not mentioned that the other government official was feared by this act.

(D) demonstrated to the colonists the essential role-played by ritual in any uprising  ~ Correct, Refer to the lines "The colonists could not kill the king until they had prepared themselves by ritually killing other father figures in effigy. The ritual by enabling the colonists to direct their collective dissatisfaction at a single urges emboldened them and thus helped to prepare them for the final rite of passage." "Now we have another explanation for this puzzling phenomenon, they were undergoing a preliminary rite of passage using Hutchinson as surrogate father in order to prepare for the overthrow of the king the act that would bring them to the political adulthood for which they yearned." The burning of effigies of the government official was colonist ritual which would finally rise to overthrowing the king and transformation from adolescence to adult-hood.

(E) provided the colonists with an initial focus for their dissatisfaction with the king ~  Incorrect, colonist intial focus was not to show their dissatisfication with the king.

7. The passage suggests that Gipson would describe the rebellion of the colonists as

(A) paranoid and cruel behavior  ~ Incorrect not mentioned.

(B) considerate though cautious behavior  ~ Incorrect not mentioned.

(C) childish and ungrateful behavior  ~ Correct, refer to the line "He suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent. Shaw's work provides the missing piece."

(D) reasonable in light of the circumstances  ~ Incorrect not mentioned.

(E) inconsistent with their stated beliefs about the king  ~ Incorrect not mentioned.

8. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

(A) presenting a view and demonstrating how it solves certain problems  ~ Incorrect, author is not demonstrating how it solves certain problems. In fact author mentions that "None of their attempts has succeeded".

(B) reviewing a book and delineating its short-comings  ~ Incorrect, author does not delineating shortcoming of the Shaw's book. He praises shaw interpretation in line "Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds .

(C) defending a thesis that has been the subject of much controversy  ~Incorrect, Author is not defending the thesis, in fact author mentions that "None of their attempts has succeeded".

(D) arguing that a certain novel thesis c:asts doubt on three more popular views  ~ Incorrect, Although author agree that it cast doubt on the three popular views but at last mentions that "None of their attempts has succeeded".

(E) advocating a new approach to the interpretation of historical events  ~ Correct, refer to the line "What makes this very questionable diagnosis appealing is that it seems to answer problems raised by three very different interpretations of the American Revolution.". Also in the last line of the passage author mentions that "Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds."

$!vakumar.m · Answer

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would find Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution less appealing if which of the following were commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events? 
The author found Shaw’s interpretation to be appealing because it seemed to answer problems raised by three very different interpretations of the American Revolution. However, if Shaw’s interpretation does not answer the problems or if the problems never existed then Shaw’s interpretation will lose its appeal. 
  I. Very few children participated in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution.   
Shaw’s interpretation is that “The Revolution itself was an adolescent rite of passage a youth movement: not only did the adults who participated in the ritual protests adopt “the spirit or youth initiation” but they were actually joined by children.” The crux is that the participants of ritual protests adopted the spirit or youth initiation and the protest itself was an adolescent rite of passage. So even if it is known reliably that very few children had participated in the protests, Shaw’s interpretation should not lose its appeal. It is the notion of an adolescent rite of passage that is important.
  II. The king of England was very unfair in his treatment of the American colonists.   
If this be the case then there is no missing piece of why the colonists behaved as a spoiled child. In such a case, the colonists had to revolt against their father figures because of the unfair treatment and also due to their coming off age. And we can see that Shaw’s interpretation now loses its appeal. 
  III. The people of Massachusetts who attacked Thomas Hutchinson had good reason to believe that he had attempted to deprive them of liberties to which they were entitled.   
If the people of Massachusetts did not suspect but had reasonable grounds to believe that TH had attempted to deprive the colonists of their liberties, then the colonists actions against TH is justified. In that cast, Shaw’s interpretation of “the colonists undergoing a preliminary rite of passage using Hutchinson as surrogate father in order to prepare for the overthrow of the king the act that would bring them to the political adulthood for which they yearned” loses its appeal. 
So both statement II and III leads to loss of appeal of Shaw’s interpretations.  Option E is the answer .

3. Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution? 
  (A) He is enthusiastic about it, but feels that it is much too controversial to gain wide acceptance.  
Option A is incorrect because the author has not discussed about Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution to be controversial or about it gaining wide acceptance. In fact, the author states that Shaw’s interpretation seems to answer the problems raised by three very different interpretations of the AR.

(B) He admires its novelty, but finds little else to recommend it.  
Option B is incorrect because the author states that Shaw’s interpretation seems to answer the problems raised by three very different interpretations of the AR and thus he recommends it.

(C) He is skeptical about it; yet he finds it attractive.  
The author states that Shaw’s interpretation of American Revolution is appealing because it seems to answer problems raised by three very different interpretations of the AR. Hence, we can say that though the author is skeptical about it, he finds it attractive. Option C is correct.

(D) He regards it as reasonable; yet he believes that more information about Revolutionary crowds is needed before it can be accepted.  
Option D is incorrect because the author has not commented upon requirement of additional information before accepting Shaw’s interpretation. In fact, the author states that Shaw’s interpretation seems to answer the problems raised by three very different interpretations of the AR.

(E) He is dubious about its compatibility with other interpretations of the Revolution.  
Option E is incorrect because the author has doubted its compatibility with other interpretations of the Revolution. In fact, he states that Shaw’s interpretation seems to answer the problems raised by three very different interpretations of the AR.

4. According to Bailyn, Thomas Hutchinson was attacked by some of the colonists because

(A) he attempted to deny the people of Massachusetts liberties to which they were entitled  
Option A is incorrect because Bailyn states that the people of M suspected that TH was involved in the conspiracy and they had no reliable reason for the same.

(B) he opposed the burning of effigies of government officials  
Option B is incorrect because Bailyn has not stated that TH opposed the burning of effigies rather it is that the people of M suspected that TH was involved in the conspiracy.

(C) the colonists who yearned for political adulthood viewed him as a surrogate father   
Option C is incorrect because this is authors interpretation and not Bailyn’s.

(D) some of the colonists believed that he was involved in a conspiracy to deprive them of their rights  
True. Bailyn argues that many people of Massachusetts believed/suspected that Thomas Hutchinson was at the center of a conspiracy to deprive them of their rights.

(E) many colonists viewed him as a leader of the upper class  
Option E is incorrect because Bailyn has not stated that many colonists viewed TH as a leader of the upper class.

5. According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution implies that the crowds that participated in the burning of effigies of government officials would probably be unable to

(A) overthrow the king in reality as opposed to just burning his effigies   
Even though Shaw states that “The colonists could not kill the king until they had prepared themselves by ritually killing other father figures in effigy. The ritual by enabling the colonists to direct their collective dissatisfaction at a single urges emboldened them and thus helped to prepare them for the final rite of passage”, this implies that the crowd would eventually be able to overthrow the king in reality. Option A is incorrect.

(B) explain fully the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals  
According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extrapolitical” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion. Which implies that the individuals may not be aware of their motives but are acting upon the motives promoted by their leaders. Hence option B is correct.

(C) view their participation in the rituals as a political act   
According to the passage the crowds may not be aware of their motives but are acting collectively upon the motives promoted by their leaders. Therefore, we cannot say whether they will be able to view their participation in the rituals as a political act. Option C seems incorrect.

(D) resist the temptation to believe that the king approved of their actions  
Option D is incorrect because no such support is present in the passage.

(E) accept the reasons given by upper-class leaders of the Revolution for the rebellion against the king   
Option E is incorrect because the Marxist historians have stated that the colonists participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution.

7. The passage suggests that Gipson would describe the rebellion of the colonists as 
 (A) paranoid and cruel behavior  - This was Bailyn’s view.
 (B) considerate though cautious behavior  – A spoiled child would not be considerate towards his caring parents. Option B is incorrect.
  (C) childish and ungrateful behavior  
According to the passage, Gipson has painted so rosy a picture of the empire that it is difficult to see why the colonists should have rebelled. He suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a spoiled child would respond to a caring parent. This implies that Gipson described the rebellion as childish and ungrateful behavior. Option C is correct.

(D) reasonable in light of the circumstances 
Incorrect because Gipson viewed their actions as that of a spoiled child.
 (E) inconsistent with their stated beliefs about the king 
Incorrect because Gipson has not mentioned anything about the views/beliefs of the colonists.

8. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

(A) presenting a view and demonstrating how it solves certain problems  
The passage begins with Shaw’s interpretation of American Revolution and the author mentions that Shaw’s interpretations are appealing because it seems to answer problems raised by three very different interpretations of the American Revolution. The author further describes how Shaw’s interpretation provides information to understand the problems raised by others. So option A is correct as the author is primarily concerned with presenting a view and demonstrating how it solves certain problems.

(B) reviewing a book and delineating its short-comings  
Option B is incorrect because the author is not outlining the short comings of Shaw’s interpretations.

(C) defending a thesis that has been the subject of much controversy  
Option C is incorrect because no Shaw’s book is not subject to any controversy as per the passage.

(D) arguing that a certain novel thesis casts doubt on three more popular views  
Option D is incorrect because the author states that Shaw’s interpretation in his book on the American Revolution appears to answer problems raised by three very different interpretations of the AR.
  (E) advocating a new approach to the interpretation of historical events   
Option E is incorrect because the author is not advocating a new approach rather he is skeptical about it but finds it useful in interpretation of historical events.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would find Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution less appealing if which of the following were commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events?

Explanation

Option I  states that very few children participated in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution. However, the passage explicitly states that children participated in the protests along with the adults who adopted "the spirit of youth initiation." Therefore, if Option I were widely accepted by historians as an accurate view of historical events, it would contradict Shaw's interpretation of the Revolution as an adolescent rite of passage, which includes the participation of children in symbolic preparations for the overthrow of the king. Hence, the author would find Shaw's interpretation less appealing if historians widely accepted Option I. However, this option is not regarded as an accurate view of historical events, and it is not mentioned as a potential contradiction to Shaw's interpretation in the passage. Therefore, Option I is incorrect.

Option II  suggests that the king of England was very unfair in his treatment of the American colonists. If widely accepted, this view could contradict Shaw's interpretation by suggesting that the colonists did not need to engage in symbolic preparations in order to justify their rebellion.

Option III , which suggests that the people of Massachusetts who attacked Thomas Hutchinson had good reason to believe that he had attempted to deprive them of liberties, could also contradict Shaw's interpretation by suggesting that the colonists' rebellion was a response to specific grievances rather than a symbolic rite of passage. Therefore, the correct answer is indeed (E) II and III only.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

2. The passage suggests that Shaw would be most likely to agree with which of the following statement regarding the behavior of crowds?

Explanation

The correct answer is  (B)  Interpretations of motives governing individual behavior can be used to illuminate the behavior of crowds. The passage explains Shaw's interpretation of certain crowd actions as adolescent rites of passage and argues that this interpretation provides an explanation for the behavior of crowds that had previously puzzled other historians. Shaw's interpretation of the motives governing individual behavior in the crowd is used to illuminate the behavior of the crowd as a whole. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer.

Option (A)  is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that individual motives are necessary to interpret the behavior of crowds.

Option (C)  is incorrect because while Shaw interprets certain crowd actions as adolescent rites of passage, the passage does not suggest that all behavior of crowds can be understood in these terms.

Option (D)  is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that the behavior of crowds is always determined by their leaders.

Option (E)  is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that historians' theories about the behavior of crowds will almost always founder on the facts.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. Which of the following best describes the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation of the, American Revolution?

The passage describes Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution as an adolescent rite of passage and its appeal to various historians. The author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation is described as skeptical yet attractive.  Option (C)  is the correct answer as it accurately captures the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation.

The author finds Shaw's interpretation appealing because it provides a new perspective on the Revolution, but is also skeptical of it due to the need for more information about Revolutionary crowds before it can be fully accepted.  Options (A), (B), (D),  and  (E)  are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the author's attitude toward Shaw's interpretation.

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

4. According to Bailyn, Thomas Hutchinson was attacked by some of the colonists because

Explanation

The passage explains that Bailyn traced the impact of the suspicion among the colonists that there was a conspiracy among English government officials to deprive the colonists of their liberties. Hutchinson was believed to be at the center of this conspiracy by many people in Massachusetts. The colonists who attacked him were undergoing a preliminary rite of passage using Hutchinson as a surrogate father to prepare for the overthrow of the king. Therefore, option (D) is the correct answer.

Option (A)  is incorrect because the passage does not mention that Hutchinson attempted to deny the people of Massachusetts their liberties.

Option (B)  is also incorrect because the passage does not suggest that Hutchinson opposed the burning of effigies of government officials.

Option (C)  is incorrect because while the colonists viewed Hutchinson as a surrogate father, it was because they believed he was involved in a conspiracy, not because they yearned for political adulthood.

Option (E)  is also incorrect because the passage does not mention that many colonists viewed Hutchinson as a leader of the upper class.

Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. According to the author of the passage, Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution implies that the crowds that participated in the burning of effigies of government officials would probably be unable to

Explanation

The correct answer is (B) explain fully the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals.

The author of the passage explains how Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution reveals that the burning of effigies of government officials was an adolescent rite of passage, which helped prepare the colonists for the final rite of passage of overthrowing the king. According to Shaw's interpretation, the effigies destroyed were surrogates not merely of the persons represented but of the king, the father who had to be overthrown by the children who were coming of age.

Therefore, the author suggests that Shaw's interpretation gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds and discovers "extrapolitical" motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion. However, the author does not suggest that Shaw's interpretation provides a full explanation of the motivation behind their participation in the effigy-burning rituals.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

6. According to. Shaw, the burning of effigies of government officials was essential to the success of the American Revolution because it

Explanation

Shaw argues that the burning of effigies of government officials was an adolescent rite of passage, and the Revolution itself was a youth movement. The effigies destroyed were surrogates of the king, the father who had to be overthrown by the children who were coming of age. The ritual allowed the colonists to direct their collective dissatisfaction at a single target, the king, and emboldened them, thus helping to prepare them for the final rite of passage. Therefore, the burning of effigies provided the colonists with an initial focus for their dissatisfaction with the king.

Option (A)  is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage to suggest that the burning of effigies stirred up resentment among colonists who had previously been loyal to the king.

Option (B)  is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage to suggest that the burning of effigies persuaded the colonists that the colonial government was corrupt and vulnerable.

Option (C)  is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage to suggest that the burning of effigies caused a great deal of fear among the government officials who represented the king in America.

Option (D)  is incorrect because there is no evidence in the passage to suggest that the burning of effigies demonstrated to the colonists the essential role played by ritual in any uprising.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

7. The passage suggests that Gipson would describe the rebellion of the colonists as

Explanation

The passage suggests that Gipson has painted a "rosy picture" of the empire and suggests that the colonists responded to the king's treatment of them as a "spoiled child" would respond to a caring parent. This implies that Gipson would view the colonists' rebellion as "childish and ungrateful behavior."

Option (A)  is incorrect because the passage does not suggest that the colonists' behavior was paranoid and cruel. Bailyn's work is described as presenting the colonists who attacked Hutchinson as "inexplicably paranoid," but this does not apply to Gipson's view.

Option (B)  is incorrect because although Gipson may be described as "considerate," there is no indication that his view of the colonists' rebellion was cautious.

Option (D)  is incorrect because the passage does not provide enough information to suggest that Gipson's view was that the colonists' behavior was reasonable.

Option (E)  is incorrect because there is no information in the passage to suggest that the colonists' behavior was inconsistent with their stated beliefs about the king.

Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

8. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with

Explanation

The correct answer is  (A)  presenting a view and demonstrating how it solves certain problems. The author presents Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution as an adolescent rite of passage and explains how it answers problems raised by other historians' interpretations. The author is not reviewing a book and delineating its shortcomings (B), defending a thesis that has been the subject of much controversy (C), arguing that a certain novel thesis casts doubt on three more popular views (D), or advocating a new approach to the interpretation of historical events (E).

Answer: A

Elite097 · Answer

How is option 1 not mentioned as potential contradiction? And why cant this be regarded as an accurate view of historiacal event- its writtten as hypothetical in question stem so it need not be actually accurate? Also did not get exacty hot to think of this question. Sajjad1994

In option 2, how does king being unfair lead to this- "did not need to engage in symbolic preparations"

Also what about scoring?

In option 2, how does king being unfair lead to this- "did not need to engage in symbolic preparations"

Also what about scoring?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Understanding the requirement of the question is important here. All those selected (A) went to the opposite side. Any statement which is regarded by the historians as opposite to Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution will make Shaw's interpretations less appealing. Statement I is non-directional, it did not tell us whether it is actually favors Shaw's interpretation or not. Hence the statement has no impact. On the other side Statement II and Statement III contradicts Shaw's views on American Revolution. Now read the explanation I posted earlier hopefully it will clear the picture, below is the link. https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-club-s- ... l#p3168265 Also what about scoring? Final result will be announced after the final day of this Quiz.

Elite097 · Answer

Sajjad1994  till did not get this
How is option 1 not mentioned as potential contradiction? And why cant this be regarded as an accurate view of historiacal event- its writtten as hypothetical in question stem so it need not be actually accurate?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

All three statements are hypothetical and we are given a condition that IF THEY ARE THEY ARE TRUE and commonly regarded by historians as an accurate view of historical events that what would be the their impact on Shaw's interpretation of the American Revolution.

"Shaw's interpretation also provides an explanation for the crowd actions that have fascinated Marxist historians. These historians have been trying to endow the crowds that were a conspicuous feature of the early stages of Revolution and that participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution.  None of their attempts has succeeded.  Shaw's interpretation, however, gives new dimensions to the actions of the crowds. It discovers “extrapolitical” motives, albeit unconscious ones, for their rebellion."

Read the last paragraph carefully what it says is that the participation of children in the various crowd actions that took place prior to and during the American Revolution will not make any difference in Shaw's views.

prakharpandeylaw · Answer

Hi  Sajjad1994

thank you for posting the OAs and the explanations. I am finding it a little difficult to connect the dots to appreciate the explanation to Question 2. is it possible for you to show the part of the passage which has been relied upon in your explanation? Thanks in advance.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

From the first half of last paragraph:

Shaw's interpretation also provides an explanation for the crowd actions that have fascinated Marxist historians. These historians have been trying to endow the crowds that were a conspicuous feature of the early stages of Revolution and that participated in the effigy burning with motives distinct from those espoused by the upper-class leaders of the Revolution.

B  can be inferred.

rgoel2305 · Answer

What is the difference between option A and Option B of question 2?

Sajjad1994

A primary ingredient of Shaw's book on the American Revolution is the

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A primary ingredient of Shaw's book on the American Revolution is the

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