Those scholars who are engaged in the attempt to explain human

Question

Those scholars who are engaged in the attempt to explain human experience realize that while experience is ungraspable in one sense, it is also a human construct. Feminist theory brings the added awareness that the construction of women's experience has never been adequate. Whether that experience was made trivial or enviable, sanctified or mystified, it has been peripheral. Described and explained primarily not by women themselves, but by men. Since women's experience has so rarely been a direct focus for theoretical consciousness, a whole range and spectrum of human life remains to be explored, depicted, and understood.

For this reason, feminist theory is  fundamentally experiential . Its subject is women's lives, past or present, historically recorded or known only by inference, experienced in association with men of the dominant culture or with men who are also oppressed. Feminist theory reconsiders historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations. It brings to theoretical consciousness facets of women's experience that have hitherto escaped attention because they have not been part of, and may even have contradicted, predominant theoretical accounts of human life. It rethinks thinking itself, for to conceive women's lives as actual often fractures the theoretical and philosophical constructs that Ica those lives out of amount.

Thus, the essential first step in feminist theory is consciousness-raising, which supplies, as Catharine MacKinnon points out,  "the major technique of analysis, structure of organization, method of practice, and theory of social change   the women's movement."  At one level, all women's experiences must be embraced in statements about women in general; and yet, as Mary O'Brien puts it,  "There is no Woman but real flesh and blood female creatures with brains and pains and aspirations."  Individual women have become conscious of their situation by a personal re-vision of the economic practices, sexual mores, and political realities that have assigned that situation to them. Those of them who are feminist theorists must also come to terms with the philosophical constructs that shape their milieu, and with the theorists who first produced those constructs as living thought Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul. They must scan  the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture , asking whether any one of those beacons is  their own  lighthouse.

Feminist theory must also criticize itself and counter the tendency to congeal into a new ideology. Ideologies encompass unexamined thoughts about people's lives; they are frozen theory, adopted as convenient or embraced fervently as dogma, unquestioned. To remain true to their own vision of the truth, feminist theorists must continue to test thinking against experience, making sure that it remains rooted in the real lives of women.    1 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. refute a theoretical argument
B. discuss a theoretical approach
C. broaden a theoretical category
D. support a hypothesis
E. modify an explanation

2 
 2. According to the passage, feminist theory is "fundamentally experiential" ( Highlighted ) in that it

A. considers experience to be the source of all knowledge
B. infers the usefulness of traditional theoretical constructs on the basis of experience
C. rejects the principle that experience is ungraspable
D. takes women's experience as its subject
E. compares women's experiences to those of men

3 
 3. According to the author, the construction of women’s experience has in the past inadequate in which of the following ways?

I. Women's experience has been recounted mainly by men, rather than by women.
II. Women's experience has typically been the focus of experiential rather than theoretical analysis by male theorists.
III. Woman's experience has usually been a marginal rather than a primary subject for male theorists.

A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I and III only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III

4 
 4. In the context of the passage, the quotation from Catharine MacKinnon ( Highlighted ) most clearly functions as which of the following?

A. A description of the multiple purposes of consciousness-raising in the construction of feminist theory
B. A refutation of the argument that consciousness-raising is of little importance to feminist theory
C. A suggestion that consciousness-raising is more important to the women's movement than it is to feminist theory
D. An explanation of how the technique of consciousness-raising operates
E. An analysis of the importance of consciousness-raising in the growth of the women's movement

5 
 5. According to the author, feminist theory can avoid becoming a new ideology if feminist theorists do which of the following?

A. Continually test feminist theory against the actual experiences of women
B. Strongly emphasize the role of feminist theory in women's social consciousness
C. Critically challenge theories produced by members of the dominant culture
D. Carefully question the philosophical constructs produced by Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul
E. Frequently reject new historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations

6 
 6. The author quotes Mary O'Brien ( Highlighted ) most probably in order to

A. provide a contrast to the next sentence concerning individual women
B. qualify the preceding statement concerning all women's experiences
C. allude to women's physical beings as well as to their intellectual and emotional experiences
D. suggest that women have too rarely been viewed as individuals
E. reinforce the argument that consciousness raising is the major technique of analysis of the women's movement

7 
 7. It can be inferred from the passage that "the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture" ( Highlighted ) are most probably meant to symbolize which of the following?

A. Philosophical constructs that have become influential
B. Unexamined ideologies that many embrace as dog-ma
C. Economic practices, sexual mores and political realities of which women are aware
D. Feminist philosophical constructs that draw on Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul
E. Religious philosophies formulated by Confucius, Saint Paul, and other well-known thinkers

8 
 8. According to the author, some aspects of women's experiences have in the past been overlooked for which of the following reasons?

A. They occurred before the development of Freud's theories.
B. They were experienced by only a few individual women.
C. They did not fit feminist theorists' ideology.
D. They did not fit generally accepted theories of human experience.
E. They were not consistent with women's theoretical insights.

nivivacious · Accepted Answer

https://gmatclub.com/forum/download/file.php?mode=view&id=72358 Note: highlighted option is the correct answer; options that have been been stricken through are incorrect 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to A. refute a theoretical argument The passage discusses the importance and role of feminist theory and does not refute an argument B. discuss a theoretical approach The passage discusses the theoretical approach of feminist theory, its importance, and how it should evolve to accurately represent women's experiences. C. broaden a theoretical category While the passage discusses the need for feminist theory to encompass all women's experiences, it does not specifically aim to broaden a theoretical category. Option B is better D. support a hypothesis The passage does not present a hypothesis and then provide evidence or arguments to support it. Instead it discusses a theoretical approach. E. modify an explanation The passage does not aim to modify an existing explanation. It discusses the role and importance of feminist theory. ---- 2. According to the passage, feminist theory is "fundamentally experiential" (Highlighted) in that it A. considers experience to be the source of all knowledge While feminist theory values experience, the passage does not state that it considers experience to be the source of all knowledge. B. infers the usefulness of traditional theoretical constructs on the basis of experience The passage does mention that feminist theory reconsiders various constructs but it does not state that it infers their usefulness based on experience C rejects the principle that experience is ungraspable The passage does not state that feminist theory rejects this principle D. takes women's experience as its subject The passage clearly states that the subject of feminist theory is women's lives and experiences. E. compares women's experiences to those of men Passage does not state that feminist theory's main function is to compare women's experiences to those of men -- 3. According to the author, the construction of women’s experience has in the past inadequate in which of the following ways? I. Women's experience has been recounted mainly by men, rather than by women. This is stated in the passage, so correct II. Women's experience has typically been the focus of experiential rather than theoretical analysis by male theorists. Passage says that women's experience has rarely been a direct focus for theoretical consciousness but it does not compare experiential and theoretical analysis by male theorists III. Woman's experience has usually been a marginal rather than a primary subject for male theorists. This is implied in the passage when it says that women's experience has been peripheral. A. I only B. I and II only C. I and III only D. II and III only E. I, II, and III Answer: C: I and III only --- 4. In the context of the passage, the quotation from Catharine MacKinnon (Highlighted) most clearly functions as which of the following? A. A description of the multiple purposes of consciousness-raising in the construction of feminist theory The quote from Catharine MacKinnon outlines the various roles of consciousness-raising in feminist theory B. A refutation of the argument that consciousness-raising is of little importance to feminist theory The passage does not present an argument that states that consciousness-raising is of little importance to feminist theory C. A suggestion that consciousness-raising is more important to the women's movement than it is to feminist theory The quote does not suggest that consciousness-raising is more important to one than the other D. An explanation of how the technique of consciousness-raising operates While the quote does mention the roles of consciousness-raising, it does not explain how the technique operates. E. An analysis of the importance of consciousness-raising in the growth of the women's movement The quote does mention the women's movement but it does not specifically analyze the importance of consciousness-raising in its growth. --- 5. According to the author, feminist theory can avoid becoming a new ideology if feminist theorists do which of the following? A. Continually test feminist theory against the actual experiences of women The passage states that to avoid becoming a new ideology, feminist theorists must continue to test thinking against experience, ensuring it remains rooted in the real lives of women. B. Strongly emphasize the role of feminist theory in women's social consciousness Passage does not state that this will prevent feminist theory from becoming a new ideology C. Critically challenge theories produced by members of the dominant culture While the passage does mention the need for feminist theorists to come to terms with the philosophical constructs, it does not state that this will prevent feminist theory from becoming a new ideology. D. Carefully question the philosophical constructs produced by Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul Again, while the passage mentions these theorists, it does not state that questioning their constructs will prevent feminist theory from becoming a new ideology E. Frequently reject new historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations The passage does not suggest that rejecting new constructs and explanations will prevent feminist theory from becoming a new ideology --- 6. The author quotes Mary O'Brien (Highlighted) most probably in order to A. provide a contrast to the next sentence concerning individual women The quote from Mary O'Brien does not provide a contrast to the next sentence. Instead, it complements the discussion about individual women's experiences B. qualify the preceding statement concerning all women's experiences The quote from Mary O'Brien emphasizes that while all women's experiences must be considered, to remember that women are individual, real beings with their own unique experiences. C. allude to women's physical beings as well as to their intellectual and emotional experiences While the quote does mention "real flesh and blood female creatures," it does not specifically allude to women's intellectual and emotional experiences D. suggest that women have too rarely been viewed as individuals The quote emphasizes the individuality of women but it does not comment on how often women have been viewed as individuals E. reinforce the argument that consciousness raising is the major technique of analysis of the women's movement The quote does not relate to the discussion about consciousness-raising. ---- 7. It can be inferred from the passage that "the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture" (Highlighted) are most probably meant to symbolize which of the following? A. Philosophical constructs that have become influential The "beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture" are likely symbolic of influential philosophical constructs that shape societal understanding and norms. B. Unexamined ideologies that many embrace as dog-ma The passage does not suggest that the "beacons" symbolize unexamined ideologies C. Economic practices, sexual mores and political realities of which women are aware While these are mentioned in the passage, they are not suggested to be the "beacons" that the author refers to D. Feminist philosophical constructs that draw on Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul The passage does not suggest that the "beacons" symbolize feminist philosophical constructs specifically E. Religious philosophies formulated by Confucius, Saint Paul, and other well-known thinkers The passage does not suggest that the "beacons" symbolize religious philosophies specifically --- 8. According to the author, some aspects of women's experiences have in the past been overlooked for which of the following reasons? A. They occurred before the development of Freud's theories. The passage does not suggest that the timing of women's experiences in relation to the development of Freud's theories has caused some aspects to be overlooked. B. They were experienced by only a few individual women. The passage does not suggest that the experiences of only a few individual women have been overlooked. C. They did not fit feminist theorists' ideology. The passage does not suggest that experiences that did not fit feminist theorists' ideology have been overlooked. D. They did not fit generally accepted theories of human experience. The passage states that facets of women's experience that have not been part of, or contradicted, predominant theoretical accounts of human life have escaped attention. E. They were not consistent with women's theoretical insights. The passage does not suggest that experiences inconsistent with women's theoretical insights have been overlooked. Feminist Theory.png

PK1 · Answer

Para 1: Scholars trying to explain human experience realize that experience could be human construct. Feminist theory suggests women experiences have never been adequate as they have been described explained by men. Women experience has rarely been a direct focus and need to be explored

Para 2: For the reason that women experience has been rarely a focus, feminist theory considers facets of women and all such constructs that affects them and that escaped attention

Para 3: thus essential first part of feminist theory is conscious raising where one individual become conscious of their situation and feminist theorist come into terms with philosophical constructs and people who proposed those constructs

Para 4: What Feminist theory can do- criticise itself, test thinking against experience and ensure this thought process remains rooted in lives of women

Purpose: feminist theory highlights issues with women's experience construct and discusses the approach it should take to study women's experiences

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. refute a theoretical argument
-- No where any argument is refuted...passage is more descriptive in nature

B. discuss a theoretical approach
-- The passage does discuss how the theoretical approach should be

This is the answer

C. broaden a theoretical category
-- The passage does talk about what theory must do but in most of the passages it is discussing the theoretical approach

D. support a hypothesis
-- The passage is not about supporting hypothesis. Nowhere author is seen supporting explicitly

E. modify an explanation
-- The passage does not talk about modifying explanation rather emphasizing

2. According to the passage, feminist theory is "fundamentally experiential" ( Highlighted ) in that it

"Since women's experience has so rarely been a direct focus for theoretical consciousness, a whole range and spectrum of human life remains to be explored, depicted, and understood.
 For this reason, feminist theory is fundamentally experiential . Its subject is women's lives, past or present, historically recorded or known only by inference, experienced in association with men of the dominant culture"

A. considers experience to be the source of all knowledge
-- It does not focus on experience as source of knowledge rather considers that so far women's experience has rarely been explored, depicted and understood properly

B. infers the usefulness of traditional theoretical constructs on the basis of experience
-- It does not infer usefulness of traditional theoretical constructs as that construct has been of men rather than women's experiences. It says "Described and explained primarily not by women themselves, but by men"

C. rejects the principle that experience is ungraspable
-- The purpose of fundamentally experiential is not to reject the principle that experience is ungraspable

D. takes women's experience as its subject
-- It mentions fundamental experiential to mention that to understand women's experience the focus should be on women and all the constructs around it

This is the answer

E. compares women's experiences to those of men
-- No discussion of comparison is indicated

3. According to the author, the construction of women’s experience has in the past inadequate in which of the following ways?

I. Women's experience has been recounted mainly by men, rather than by women.
-- Passage does say this..."Feminist theory brings the added awareness that the construction of women's experience has never been adequate... and has been peripheral. Described and explained primarily not by women themselves, but by men." Looks good

II. Women's experience has typically been the focus of experiential rather than theoretical analysis by male theorists.
-- "Since women's experience has so rarely been a direct focus for theoretical consciousness" and male theorists describe women's experiences so inference is it should be focus of experiential. Looks good

III. Woman's experience has usually been a marginal rather than a primary subject for male theorists.
-- on construction of women's experience it says it is inadequate "Whether that experience was made trivial or enviable, sanctified or mystified, it has been peripheral" . ALso it says women experience has so rarely been direct focus for theoretical consciousness. Looks good

A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I and III only
D. II and III only
E. I, II, and III
This is the answer

4. In the context of the passage, the quotation from Catharine MacKinnon ( Highlighted ) most clearly functions as which of the following?

CM

A. A description of the multiple purposes of consciousness-raising in the construction of feminist theory
-- CM does not mean just to describe multiple purpose of consciousness in construction of feminist theory

B. A refutation of the argument that consciousness-raising is of little importance to feminist theory
-- CM purpose is not to do any refutation of argument

C. A suggestion that consciousness-raising is more important to the women's movement than it is to feminist theory
-- CM does not compare feminist theory to women's movement

D. An explanation of how the technique of consciousness-raising operates
-- CM does not provide explanation of the technique as in how it operates

E. An analysis of the importance of consciousness-raising in the growth of the women's movement
-- CM does emphasize on the importance of consciousness raising ...Conscious raising is "the major technique of analysis, structure of organization, method of practice, and theory of social change   the women's movement."

This is the answer

5. According to the author, feminist theory can avoid becoming a new ideology if feminist theorists do which of the following? 
"Feminist theory must also criticize itself and counter the tendency to congeal into a new ideology. Ideologies encompass unexamined thoughts about people's lives; they are frozen theory, adopted as convenient or embraced fervently as dogma, unquestioned."

A. Continually test feminist theory against the actual experiences of women
-- Author suggests to avoid new ideology but not to test feminist theory against actual experiences of women. not supported

B. Strongly emphasize the role of feminist theory in women's social consciousness
-- It does not want to emphasize role by asking feminist theory to avoid new ideology

C. Critically challenge theories produced by members of the dominant culture
-- It does ask to criticise itself and critically challenge theories, examine thoughts which are conveniently adopted and embraced as unquestioned. It asks to test thinking against experience.

This is the answer

D. Carefully question the philosophical constructs produced by Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul
-- It does not suggest to carefully question philosophical constructs..It wants to say that critically examine ideologies as they are unexamined thoughts and adopted conveniently and rather than adopt new ideology conveniently criticise itself.

E. Frequently reject new historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations
-- It does not say that frequently reject the constructs....not supported

6. The author quotes Mary O'Brien ( Highlighted ) most probably in order to 
"At one level, all women's experiences must be embraced in statements about women in general; and yet, as Mary O'Brien puts it, "There is no Woman but real flesh and blood female creatures with brains and pains and aspirations." Individual women have become conscious of their situation by a personal re-vision of the economic practices, sexual mores, and political realities that have assigned that situation to them."

MB = Mary O'Brien
A. provide a contrast to the next sentence concerning individual women
-- MB does not want to say the highlighted sentence to contrast against next sentence concerning individual woemen.

B. qualify the preceding statement concerning all women's experiences
-- MB statement does qualify preceding statement as her statement is there is no women but flesh and blood female creatures with brains and pains and aspirations. Preceding statement is at one level all women's experiences must be embraced in statements about women in general. So it reinforces that idea
This is the answer

C. allude to women's physical beings as well as to their intellectual and emotional experiences
-- MB statement does say brains, pains and aspirations but not to physical being ...also that is not why MB puts her statement

D. suggest that women have too rarely been viewed as individuals
-- MB statement does not want to emphasize women has rarely been viewed as individuals

E. reinforce the argument that consciousness raising is the major technique of analysis of the women's movement
-- MB statement though comes after conscious raising as fundamental first step but her statement is to make give one view for women's experiences in general

7. It can be inferred from the passage that "the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture" ( Highlighted ) are most probably meant to symbolize which of the following? 
"Those of them who are feminist theorists must also come to terms with the philosophical constructs that shape their milieu, and with the theorists who first produced those constructs as living thought Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul. They must scan the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture, asking whether any one of those beacons is their own lighthouse."

A. Philosophical constructs that have become influential
-- It does not want to emphasize philosophical constructs that are influential

B. Unexamined ideologies that many embrace as dog-ma
-- It does not talk about unexamined ideology which is discussed in last paragraph.

C. Economic practices, sexual mores and political realities of which women are aware
-- It does not want to emphasize economic practise, political realities with which women are aware

D. Feminist philosophical constructs that draw on Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul
-- It asks for scanning beacon that flare along horizon of all cultures and hence we can say that find feminist philosophical constructs that draw on these theorists

This is the answer

E. Religious philosophies formulated by Confucius, Saint Paul, and other well-known thinkers
-- it does not mean to say religious philosophies , it is out of scope

8. According to the author, some aspects of women's experiences have in the past been overlooked for which of the following reasons? 
Discussed in second para
"It brings to theoretical consciousness facets of women's experience that have hitherto escaped attention because they have not been part of, and may even have contradicted, predominant theoretical accounts of human life. It rethinks thinking itself, for to conceive women's lives as actual often fractures the theoretical and philosophical constructs that Ica those lives out of amount."

A. They occurred before the development of Freud's theories
-- Not supported.

B. They were experienced by only a few individual women.
-- It does not say that it has been overlooked as it was experienced by only a few individual women

C. They did not fit feminist theorists' ideology.
-- It did not fit predominant theoretical account of human life not feminist theorists ideology

D. They did not fit generally accepted theories of human experience.
-- predominant is generally accepted and goes well with the text "hey have not been part of, and may even have contradicted, predominant theoretical accounts of human life"

This is the answer

E. They were not consistent with women's theoretical insights.   
-- It is not supported.No where it mentions that they were not consistent with women's theoretical insights.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Explanation

(B)  This option is correct because the passage primarily discusses the theoretical approach of feminist theory. It explains how feminist theory focuses on women's experiences, reconsiders various constructs and explanations in different fields, and emphasizes consciousness-raising as a technique for analyzing and understanding women's lives. The passage is centered on the discussion of this theoretical approach.
Now, let's examine why the other options are incorrect:

A.  The passage does not aim to refute a theoretical argument. It discusses feminist theory and its approach but does not engage in direct refutation of any particular theoretical argument.

C.  While the passage does broaden the understanding of women's experiences within the realm of theoretical discussion, it doesn't primarily focus on broadening a theoretical category itself. It is more about emphasizing the importance of considering women's experiences within existing theoretical frameworks.

D.  The passage doesn't put forth a specific hypothesis that it aims to support. It discusses feminist theory as an approach but doesn't present a specific hypothesis for validation.

E.  The passage does discuss how feminist theory reconsiders and challenges existing explanations and constructs, but the primary purpose is not to modify an explanation. It's more about presenting a new approach to understanding women's experiences.

In summary,  (B)  is the correct choice because the passage's primary purpose is to discuss the theoretical approach of feminist theory and how it considers women's experiences within various fields of study.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

2. According to the passage, feminist theory is "fundamentally experiential" (Highlighted) in that it

Explanation

A.  This option suggests that feminist theory believes experience is the ultimate source of all knowledge. However, the passage doesn't make such a broad claim. While it acknowledges the importance of experience, it does not state that it's the sole source of all knowledge. This option is not supported by the passage.

B.  This option suggests that feminist theory evaluates traditional theoretical constructs based on experience. The passage does mention that feminist theory reconsiders historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations, but it doesn't specifically state that it infers their usefulness solely from experience. This option is somewhat related but not explicitly supported by the passage.

C.  The passage acknowledges that experience is  "ungraspable in one sense,"  but it doesn't state that feminist theory rejects this principle. Instead, it recognizes that experience is a human construct and works within that understanding. This option goes beyond what the passage states.

D.  This option aligns with the passage's description of feminist theory. The passage clearly states that feminist theory is fundamentally experiential because it focuses on women's lives and experiences as its subject. This is a direct and accurate representation of the passage's content.

E.  The passage does not explicitly state that feminist theory's fundamental nature is to compare women's experiences to those of men. While it does mention women's experiences in association with men, the primary focus is on women's experiences themselves and how they have been inadequately described and explained. This option is not explicitly supported by the passage.
Therefore, option  (D)  is the most accurate representation of the passage's description of feminist theory.

Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. According to the author, the construction of women’s experience has in the past inadequate in which of the following ways?

Explanation

I.   The passage mentions that women's experience has been  "described and explained primarily not by women themselves, but by men."  This supports statement I.

II.  The passage doesn't specifically mention that male theorists have focused on experiential rather than theoretical analysis of women's experience. Therefore, statement II is not directly supported by the passage.

III.   The passage states that women's experience  "has been peripheral"  and  "rarely been a direct focus for theoretical consciousness,"  which aligns with statement III.

Based on the support in the passage, the correct answer is:

C. I and III only

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

4. In the context of the passage, the quotation from Catharine MacKinnon (Highlighted) most clearly functions as which of the following?

Explanation

Now, let's analyze each option:

A.  This option is correct because the quotation describes the various roles and purposes of consciousness-raising, including its significance in feminist theory.

B.  This option is not supported by the passage. The quotation does not refute an argument; instead, it emphasizes the importance of consciousness-raising.

C.  This option is not accurate. The quotation doesn't suggest a comparison between the importance of consciousness-raising in the women's movement and feminist theory. It underscores its significance in both contexts.

D.  This option is not the primary function of the quotation. While it mentions the technique of consciousness-raising, its main purpose is to emphasize its importance rather than provide a detailed explanation of how it operates.

E.  This option is quite close to the correct interpretation, but it is not as precise as option (A). The quotation does provide an analysis of the importance of consciousness-raising, but option (A) better captures the multifaceted nature of its purposes.

Therefore,  option (A)  is correct because it accurately characterizes the quotation's role in the passage as a description of the multiple purposes of consciousness-raising in the construction of feminist theory and the women's movement.

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

5. According to the author, feminist theory can avoid becoming a new ideology if feminist theorists do which of the following?

Explanation

A.  While this is important, it's not explicitly mentioned as the primary way to prevent feminist theory from becoming a new ideology in the passage. The emphasis in the passage is on consciousness-raising and the need to remain rooted in the real lives of women.

(B)  This answer is correct.   The author argues that consciousness-raising is a major technique of feminist analysis and an essential first step in feminist theory. By emphasizing the role of feminist theory in raising women's social consciousness, feminist theorists can prevent it from becoming a new ideology. This aligns with the author's point that feminist theory must remain connected to the real experiences of women.

C.  While the passage discusses feminist theory's role in challenging various constructs and explanations, it does not specifically highlight the need to challenge theories produced by members of the dominant culture as the primary method to prevent feminist theory from becoming an ideology. This option oversimplifies the author's argument.

D.  This option is correct in part, as the passage does mention the need for feminist theorists to engage with philosophical constructs, including those produced by prominent figures like Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul. However, it does not single out this action as the primary means of preventing feminist theory from becoming an ideology.

E.  The passage does not suggest that feminist theory should frequently reject new constructs and explanations as the primary strategy to prevent it from becoming an ideology. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of continually testing theory against real experiences.

In summary, option (A) is correct because it directly aligns with the author's central argument, emphasizing the need to continually test feminist theory against the actual experiences of women to prevent it from becoming a new ideology. The other options either oversimplify the author's argument or focus on aspects that are not explicitly presented as the primary means of avoiding ideology.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

6. The author quotes Mary O'Brien (Highlighted) most probably in order to

Explanation

B.  The quote from Mary O'Brien,  "There is no Woman but real flesh and blood female creatures with brains and pains and aspirations,"  serves to qualify or modify the preceding statement that all women's experiences must be embraced in statements about women in general. Mary O'Brien's statement suggests that while it's essential to recognize the common experiences of women as a group, it's equally important to acknowledge the individuality and uniqueness of each woman's experience. In other words, Mary O'Brien's quote adds nuance to the author's argument by emphasizing that women are not just a homogeneous mass but are individual beings with their own distinct experiences and identities.

Now, let's discuss why the other options are incorrect:

A.  The quote doesn't provide a contrast to the next sentence; instead, it complements and qualifies the preceding statement.

C.  While the quote does acknowledge women as real flesh-and-blood individuals, it goes beyond that to encompass their intellectual and emotional experiences as well. However, the primary purpose of the quote is to qualify the preceding statement about women's experiences.

D.  While the passage does discuss how women's experiences have often been overlooked or marginalized, the quote from Mary O'Brien does not specifically suggest that women have rarely been viewed as individuals. It focuses on the need to recognize both the collective and individual aspects of women's experiences.

E.  The quote from Mary O'Brien does not reinforce the argument about consciousness-raising; instead, it adds a layer of complexity to the author's discussion about acknowledging both the collective and individual dimensions of women's experiences.

In summary,  option (B)  is correct because the quote from Mary O'Brien qualifies or adds nuance to the preceding statement concerning all women's experiences, emphasizing the importance of recognizing both collective and individual aspects of women's experiences.

Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

7. It can be inferred from the passage that "the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture" (Highlighted) are most probably meant to symbolize which of the following?

Explanation

The phrase  "the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture"  is used metaphorically in the passage to symbolize influential and significant aspects or ideas within culture. These  "beacons"  represent elements that play a prominent role in shaping cultural understanding and thought. Let's evaluate the options based on this understanding:

A.  This is a plausible interpretation. Philosophical constructs often have a significant impact on culture, and the passage discusses the need for feminist theorists to come to terms with such constructs. However, the phrase is more general and can encompass various influential cultural elements, not just philosophical constructs.

B.  This option is not accurate. The passage discusses ideologies as "frozen theory" and emphasizes the importance of feminist theorists avoiding the congealing of feminist theory into a new ideology. The "beacons" represent influential aspects of culture but not necessarily unexamined ideologies.

C.  This interpretation is somewhat specific and does not capture the broader meaning of the phrase. While these elements may be important, the passage refers to the need for feminist theorists to scan the beacons of all culture, suggesting a more general concept.

D.  This is not an accurate interpretation. The passage mentions the need for feminist theorists to come to terms with philosophical constructs but does not specifically link these constructs to the "beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture."

E.  This option is somewhat specific and does not encompass the full range of influential cultural elements that the  "beacons"  symbolize. While religious philosophies may be among these elements, they are not the sole focus of the passage's discussion.

In summary,  option (A)  is the most appropriate interpretation because it aligns with the general idea that the "beacons" represent influential aspects of culture, which can include philosophical constructs but are not limited to them.

Answer: A

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

8. According to the author, some aspects of women's experiences have in the past been overlooked for which of the following reasons?

Explanation

The passage explains that women's experiences have often been described and explained primarily by men and that these descriptions often did not align with the generally accepted theories of human experience. Women's experiences were marginalized or considered peripheral because they did not fit into the predominant theoretical accounts of human life. Therefore,  option D  is the correct answer.

Let's briefly discuss why the other options are incorrect:

A.  The passage does not mention the timing of these experiences in relation to the development of Freud's theories. It focuses on the fact that women's experiences have been overlooked due to their inconsistency with prevailing theories, not their chronological relationship to Freud's theories.

B.  While the passage acknowledges the importance of individual women becoming conscious of their situations, it does not suggest that aspects of women's experiences were overlooked solely because they were experienced by only a few individuals. The author's point is that women's experiences were ignored in general due to their divergence from mainstream theories.

C.  The passage does not suggest that feminist theorists ignored aspects of women's experiences because they didn't align with their ideology. In fact, feminist theory is presented as a means to bring awareness to these overlooked aspects.

E.  The passage doesn't imply that aspects of women's experiences were overlooked because they were inconsistent with women's theoretical insights. Instead, it emphasizes that these aspects were overlooked because they contradicted predominant theoretical accounts of human life.

Answer: D

AditiDeokar · Answer

KarishmaB ,  GMATNinja ,  MartyMurray  how do we approach such complex RC's in one-go, as I'm finding it difficult to understand the essence of this passage despite re-reading

KarishmaB · Answer

I have been discussing how to approach complex RCs in my webinars in the last few weeks. Here are some discussion links. They are GMAT Focus Official Practice Tests passages though. https://youtu.be/iXHU5oUq804 https://youtu.be/eeR0q-GD0Nc https://youtu.be/JNZr800hXXk Further, you can join me tonight in our discussion on complex RC passages on my platform. It is open to all.

MuditKapoor · Answer

Hi Experts,

Needed your insights on a question- How relevant are these Very Long RC's as per the focus edition? I understand the concepts tested are the same but as the OG mentions that Long Passages will be more or less of 400words.

Also, is it worthy from exam point of view to to have a through practice of such RC's (Pre 2000) as what i have observed for the focus edition the approach is more time constrained and for that matter the RC's selected in the focus edition's OG are more precise. I have notified some RC's like this one and really feel them to be of high importance to polish the skill but was skeptical on their relevance with the exam.

Regards, 
MK 
 KarishmaB ,  GMATNinja ,  MartyMurray

MartyMurray · Answer

Hi Mudit, as you've suggested, while this passage is good to use for practice, it's different from what you'll see on the current version of the GMAT both because of its length, 439 words, and the vocabulary it uses. For example, the words "facet," "hitherto," "mores," and "milieu" are unlikely to appear on the GMAT because the test has been changed so that it is more appropriate for international test-takers whose first language is not English.

EpicKnot · Answer

In Question 5, what is the correct answer, A or B? I marked A and believe that should be the answer but the system says otherwise. Even the explanations are mixed.

guddo · Answer

5. According to the author, feminist theory can avoid becoming a new ideology if feminist theorists do which of the following?

The passage says feminist theory should remain grounded in women’s actual lives and experiences. In the final paragraph, the author warns that feminist theory can become ideology if its ideas become fixed, unquestioned, and detached from real experience.  To avoid this , feminist theorists must keep testing theory against  the real lives of women .

A. Continually test feminist theory against the actual experiences of women

Correct. The final sentence states this directly: feminist theorists must continue to test thinking against experience so that theory remains rooted in women’s real lives.

B. Strongly emphasize the role of feminist theory in women's social consciousness

Wrong. Consciousness-raising is important, but this is not what the author gives as the way to avoid ideology.

C. Critically challenge theories produced by members of the dominant culture

Wrong. The passage says feminist theorists must engage with such theories, but avoiding ideology requires testing theory against experience.

D. Carefully question the philosophical constructs produced by Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul

Wrong. This is part of feminist theorists’ broader intellectual task, but it is not the specific safeguard against becoming ideology.

E. Frequently reject new historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations

Wrong. The passage says feminist theory reconsiders these constructs, not that it should frequently reject them.

Answer: (A)

Gmat860sanskar · Answer

AbhishekP220108   gmatt1476

Please change or edit the answer of question 5 from B to A. Thanks.

Bunuel · Answer

______________________
Edited the OA. Thank you!

Farah2000 · Answer

Line by line explanation of the entire passage:

Paragraph 1
 “Those scholars who are engaged in the attempt to explain human experience realize that while experience is ungraspable in one sense, it is also a human construct.” 
 Scholars who study human life know that experience is hard to fully capture or define. At the same time, the way we understand and describe experience is shaped by human ideas, culture, and language.
 “Feminist theory brings the added awareness that the construction of women's experience has never been adequate.” 
 Feminist theory adds an important point: the usual explanations of women’s lives have been incomplete and unfair.
 “Whether that experience was made trivial or enviable, sanctified or mystified, it has been peripheral.” 
 Women’s experiences have been treated as secondary, even when they were praised or romanticized. Whether dismissed as unimportant or idealized as special, they were still not treated as central to understanding human life.
 “Described and explained primarily not by women themselves, but by men.” 
 Most theories about women were created by men, not by women speaking for themselves.
 “Since women's experience has so rarely been a direct focus for theoretical consciousness, a whole range and spectrum of human life remains to be explored, depicted, and understood.” 
 Because women’s lives were not seriously studied, much of human reality is still missing from theory. There is still a large area of life left unexplored.

Paragraph 2
 “For this reason, feminist theory is fundamentally experiential.” 
 So feminist theory begins with lived experience. It is grounded in what women actually go through.
 “Its subject is women's lives, past or present, historically recorded or known only by inference, experienced in association with men of the dominant culture or with men who are also oppressed.” 
 Feminist theory studies women’s lives across all times and contexts: documented in history or reconstructed indirectly, and involving both powerful men and oppressed men.
 “Feminist theory reconsiders historical, economic, religious, biological, artistic, and anthropological constructs and explanations.” 
 It reexamines all major systems of thought—history, economics, religion, biology, art, and anthropology—to see how they have interpreted women.
 “It brings to theoretical consciousness facets of women's experience that have hitherto escaped attention because they have not been part of, and may even have contradicted, predominant theoretical accounts of human life.” 
 Feminist theory highlights parts of women’s lives that traditional theories ignored, especially when those experiences challenged accepted ideas about society and humanity.
 “It rethinks thinking itself, for to conceive women's lives as actual often fractures the theoretical and philosophical constructs that leave those lives out of account.” 
 It does more than add women into old theories—it changes the way theory works. Once women’s lives are taken seriously, many old ideas break down because they were built without including women.

Paragraph 3
 “Thus, the essential first step in feminist theory is consciousness-raising...” 
 The first important step is helping women become aware of their shared oppression and their own situation.
 “...which supplies, as Catharine MacKinnon points out, ‘the major technique of analysis, structure of organization, method of practice, and theory of social change   the women's movement.’” 
 MacKinnon says consciousness-raising is central to feminism in every way: how it studies society, organizes politically, acts in practice, and creates change.
 “At one level, all women's experiences must be embraced in statements about women in general...” 
 Feminism sometimes has to make general claims about women as a group.
 “...and yet, as Mary O'Brien puts it, ‘There is no Woman but real flesh and blood female creatures with brains and pains and aspirations.’” 
 But there is no single abstract “Woman.” There are only real individual women, each with their own lives, suffering, intelligence, and hopes.
 “Individual women have become conscious of their situation by a personal re-vision of the economic practices, sexual mores, and political realities that have assigned that situation to them.” 
 Women become aware of their oppression by rethinking the social rules and structures—economic systems, sexual norms, and politics—that shaped their lives.
 “Those of them who are feminist theorists must also come to terms with the philosophical constructs that shape their milieu...” 
 Women who become feminist thinkers must also examine the big ideas and philosophies that dominate their society.
 “...and with the theorists who first produced those constructs as living thought—Marx, Confucius, Freud, and Saint Paul.” 
 They must critically engage with major male thinkers whose ideas strongly influenced culture, morality, psychology, religion, and politics.
 “They must scan the beacons that flare along the horizon of all culture, asking whether any one of those beacons is their own lighthouse.” 
 They must look at the guiding ideas of civilization and ask: do any of these truly guide women, or were they made mainly for men?
Paragraph 4
 “Feminist theory must also criticize itself and counter the tendency to congeal into a new ideology.” 
 Feminism must remain self-critical. It should not harden into another rigid belief system.
 “Ideologies encompass unexamined thoughts about people's lives; they are frozen theory, adopted as convenient or embraced fervently as dogma, unquestioned.” 
 An ideology is a set of ideas people accept without questioning. It is theory that has become fixed and dogmatic.
 “To remain true to their own vision of the truth, feminist theorists must continue to test thinking against experience...” 
 If feminist theory wants to stay truthful, it must always compare ideas with real lived experience.
 “...making sure that it remains rooted in the real lives of women.” 
 The theory must stay connected to actual women’s lives, not become abstract or detached.

Main idea of the whole passage
 The passage argues that traditional theories of human life have ignored or misrepresented women’s experiences. Feminist theory corrects this by starting from women’s real lives, questioning old ideas, raising consciousness, and constantly checking theory against lived reality.

Those scholars who are engaged in the attempt to explain human

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Those scholars who are engaged in the attempt to explain human

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