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Passage breakdown


In the first paragraph, the author introduces two opposing views regarding healthcare in 1938.

  • Organized labor activists wanted to guarantee universal healthcare in the US.
  • Physicians opposed universal healthcare.

In the second paragraph (P2), the author discusses the position of labor leaders BEFORE 1935

  • Leaders of the labor movement, such as the AFL's Gompers, did NOT previously support universal healthcare.
  • Privacy concerns were, in part, at the heart of Gompers' position.
  • Other labor organizations (the AALL) DID want universal healthcare at this time.

In the third paragraph, the author critiques Gompers' motivations

  • He/she suggests that Gompers' resistance to reforms was, in part, due to in-fighting within the labor movement.

In the fourth paragraph, the author explains why the AFL ultimately reversed its position.

  • The AFL "unequivocally" supported universal healthcare by 1935 because of limitations of the current healthcare system.

For more on the process of breaking down RC passages, check out this article or our live RC videos.


Explanations for individual questions


General Discussion
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P1: In 1938, at the government-convened NHC. The American Medical Association argued for preserving physicians’ free-market prerogatives. Labor activists countered them.
P2: AFL president Samuel Gompers opposed the proposals for national health insurance. Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled
P3: AFL’s voluntarism had accommodated certain exception but drew the line at national health insurance, however, partly out of concern for their own power.
P4: AFL unequivocally reversed its position on health legislation.

Got 1 and 3 wrong

1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
(AFL president Samuel Gompers had positioned the AFL as a leading [b]opponent of the proposals for national health insurance that were advocated beginning in 1915 by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL).
I understand that AFL opposes AALL. but opposite is the option A.)[/b]
(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.(The labor activists’ position represented a departure from the voluntarist view held until 1935 by leaders of the American Federation of labor (AFL).)
(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.(This is only mentioned in 1st para.wrong)
(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.(No such preference is mentioned)
(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.(adult workers is not mentioned)

Why A is right and B is wrong?

3) Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 42-45 (“Yet … child laborers”)?
(A) It elaborates a point about why the AFL advocated a voluntarist approach to health insurance.(No such explanation)
(B) It identifies issues on which the AFL took a view opposed to that of the AALL.(not opp but supportive as well)
(C) It introduces evidence that appears to be inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by AFL leaders.
(D) It suggests that a view described in the previous sentence is based on faulty evidence.
(E) It indicates why a contradiction described in the previous paragraph has been overlooked by historians.

could not understand C, D and E options clearly. can someone explain?
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Need some explanation for Q1 of this passage.

Although not fully convinced with my choice (b), I found it the best, especially because of this phrase "Samuel Gompers, presuming to speak for all workers". However, I do not fully agree with choice (a), because the passage expressly states that Samuel was a leading opponent of AALL, while being silent on AALL's position. It may be completely neutral not knowing Samuel's position, even more so because Samuel could have opined his position only after AALL expressed it.

Pls elaborate.
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Hi GMATNinja,

Could you please explain how to tackle this long passage? Could you please explain below questions?

3) Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 42-45 (“Yet … child laborers”)?
(A) It elaborates a point about why the AFL advocated a voluntarist approach to health insurance.
(B) It identifies issues on which the AFL took a view opposed to that of the AALL.
(C) It introduces evidence that appears to be inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by AFL leaders.
(D) It suggests that a view described in the previous sentence is based on faulty evidence.
(E) It indicates why a contradiction described in the previous paragraph has been overlooked by historians.

4) The primary purpose of this passage is to
(A) account for the labor organization's success in achieving a particular goal
(B) discuss how a labor organization came to reverse its position on a particular issue
(C) explain how disagreement over a particular issue eroded the power of a labor organization
(D) outline the arguments used by a labor organization`s leadership in a particular debate
(E) question the extend to which a labor organization changed its position on a particular issue
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4) The primary purpose of this passage is to
(A) account for the labor organization's success in achieving a particular goal
(B) discuss how a labor organization came to reverse its position on a particular issue
(C) explain how disagreement over a particular issue eroded the power of a labor organization
(D) outline the arguments used by a labor organization`s leadership in a particular debate
(E) question the extend to which a labor organization changed its position on a particular issue

Thanks for the thorough explanation. I answered the question related to purpose of the passage (q4) correctly; however, I wasted a lot of time hovering between B (right answer) and D(contender). Can you please explain why D is wrong? because there is a partial truth to it.

Hey oasis90!
Not sure if you still have the doubt, but i shall try explaining.


Since it is a purpose question, most of the wrong answer choices focus only on some part of the passage. They do not focus on the entire passage. So when you're stuck, such as in option D above, then try to find if it is referring only to some part of the passage or if it is referring to the entire passage.

So now with that in mind. Where does option D fit in? Which part of the passage is it relating to?
You can observe that it is only describing the purpose of the 2nd part mostly and maybe the 3rd part of the passage as well. Definitely not the passage as a whole!

Hope this helps! :)
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P1 - organized labor ~ universal health care in US. A want it free. B want healthcare surety as it is fundamental right.
P2 - law before thi one shaken. steps taken for reform. some fears.
P3 - fears solved.
P4 - more trouble and AFL stand.

1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
Lines to read - had positioned the AFL as a leading opponent of the proposals for national health insurance that were advocated beginning in 1915 by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL),

(A) It was opposed by the AALL.

----------------------------------------------
2) According to the passage, Gompers' objection to national health insurance was based in part on his belief that
Last line from P2.
(D) it could result in certain workers unfairly losing their jobs

-----------------------------------------------
3) Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 42-45 (“Yet … child laborers”)?
Pre-think = Last line of p2 defines a problem AFL chief had. those doubts solved in P3.

(C) It introduces evidence that appears to be inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by AFL leaders.

---------------------------------------------------
4) The primary purpose of this passage is to

(B) discuss how a labor organization came to reverse its position on a particular issue
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Quote:
Need some explanation for Q1 of this passage.

Although not fully convinced with my choice (b), I found it the best, especially because of this phrase "Samuel Gompers, presuming to speak for all workers". However, I do not fully agree with choice (a), because the passage expressly states that Samuel was a leading opponent of AALL, while being silent on AALL's position. It may be completely neutral not knowing Samuel's position, even more so because Samuel could have opined his position only after AALL expressed it.

Pls elaborate.
Quote:
1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.
First, let's consider choice B. From the first sentence of the second paragraph, we know that the leaders of the AFL held the voluntarist view until 1935, but what about most unionists? From the final paragraph, we know that many unionists "worked to enact compulsory health insurance in their state legislatures," something that goes against the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL... but when? The next sentence tells us that this activism came to prevail in the US labor movement in 1935, which implies that the activism of the unionists (which opposed the voluntarist view) was going on prior to 1935. This suggests that most unionists did NOT share the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL, and that, even though Samuel Gompers presumed to speak for all workers, he actually did not speak for most unionists. Choice B can be eliminated.

As for choice A, the second paragraph tells us that Gompers "had positioned the AFL as a leading opponent of the proposals for national health insurance that were advocated beginning in 1915 by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL)" This tells us that the AALL advocated FOR national health insurance, and this directly opposes the voluntarist view, which "represented national health insurance as a threat to workers’ privacy." Thus, the passage suggests that the voluntarist view was opposed by the AALL (choice A).

Hi GMATNinja

Is it that we are choosing A, because it is the best not the perfect one?
I still can not digest that given for example A opposed B, we are assuming correct answer to be "B also opposed A".
Yes, they had opposite views, but it is not explicitly given that AAL went to the extent of opposing it, the way it has been given for AFL.
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Question 1


shanks2020
GMATNinja
Quote:
Need some explanation for Q1 of this passage.

Although not fully convinced with my choice (b), I found it the best, especially because of this phrase "Samuel Gompers, presuming to speak for all workers". However, I do not fully agree with choice (a), because the passage expressly states that Samuel was a leading opponent of AALL, while being silent on AALL's position. It may be completely neutral not knowing Samuel's position, even more so because Samuel could have opined his position only after AALL expressed it.

Pls elaborate.
Quote:
1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.
First, let's consider choice B. From the first sentence of the second paragraph, we know that the leaders of the AFL held the voluntarist view until 1935, but what about most unionists? From the final paragraph, we know that many unionists "worked to enact compulsory health insurance in their state legislatures," something that goes against the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL... but when? The next sentence tells us that this activism came to prevail in the US labor movement in 1935, which implies that the activism of the unionists (which opposed the voluntarist view) was going on prior to 1935. This suggests that most unionists did NOT share the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL, and that, even though Samuel Gompers presumed to speak for all workers, he actually did not speak for most unionists. Choice B can be eliminated.

As for choice A, the second paragraph tells us that Gompers "had positioned the AFL as a leading opponent of the proposals for national health insurance that were advocated beginning in 1915 by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL)" This tells us that the AALL advocated FOR national health insurance, and this directly opposes the voluntarist view, which "represented national health insurance as a threat to workers’ privacy." Thus, the passage suggests that the voluntarist view was opposed by the AALL (choice A).

Hi GMATNinja

Is it that we are choosing A, because it is the best not the perfect one?
I still can not digest that given for example A opposed B, we are assuming correct answer to be "B also opposed A".
Yes, they had opposite views, but it is not explicitly given that AAL went to the extent of opposing it, the way it has been given for AFL.
If question 1 asked us which answer choice was proven without a doubt by the information in the passage, then we might get in trouble by choosing (A). Luckily, it actually asks which answer choice is "suggested" by the passage -- so it's okay that the information in (A) is not stated explicitly.

The AALL argued for national healthcare. The AFL opposed this, arguing instead for a voluntarist program. The two viewpoints went head-to-head in the decades before 1935, until the AFL changed its mind and joined in the call for national healthcare. This is enough to suggest that the AALL wasn't too thrilled about the voluntarist program.

That's why (A) is the correct answer for question 1.

I hope that helps!
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P1: 2 opp. Povs: Docs and labours: Universal Health Care Vs Free Market
P2: Explains another pov which labours departed from AFL: No govt. interventions of national health insurance
P3: Discusses exception from P2’s pov: why? -> Less power-> Threat to union-sponsored benefit to Gompers
P4: Talks about developments that led to AFL reversing its position

All this passage talks about is certain opposing povs and developments that reversed one of the povs



1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
Type: Detail
Focus of the question: Voluntarist View


(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
The passage says that Grompers positioned itself as the leading opposition of AALL’s proposals.

(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
Trap: Stretch Choice
AFL was a leading affiliation of labor unions, but that doesn’t mean that their view was shared by most unions.

(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
Nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that the volunteer view antagonized the AMA.

(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
Trap: Opposite
The last sentence of Paragraph 3 says “That this reform threatened union-sponsored benefit programs championed by Gompers made national health insurance even more objectionable.”

(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.
Paragraph 2 says “the voluntarist view stressed workers’ right to freedom from government intrusions into their lives and represented national health insurance as a threat to workers’ privacy”
Government intervention for child laborers was an accommodation to the view not a premise.
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P1: 2 opp. Povs: Docs and labours: Universal Health Care Vs Free Market
P2: Explains another pov which labours departed from AFL: No govt. interventions of national health insurance
P3: Discusses exception from P2’s pov: why? -> Less power-> Threat to union-sponsored benefit to Gompers
P4: Talks about developments that led to AFL reversing its position

All this passage talks about is certain opposing povs and developments that reversed one of the povs



1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
Type: Detail
Focus of the question: Voluntarist View


(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
The passage says that Grompers positioned itself as the leading opposition of AALL’s proposals.

(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
Trap: Stretch Choice
AFL was a leading affiliation of labor unions, but that doesn’t mean that their view was shared by most unions.

(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
Nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that the volunteer view antagonized the AMA.

(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
Trap: Opposite
The last sentence of Paragraph 3 says “That this reform threatened union-sponsored benefit programs championed by Gompers made national health insurance even more objectionable.”

(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.
Paragraph 2 says “the voluntarist view stressed workers’ right to freedom from government intrusions into their lives and represented national health insurance as a threat to workers’ privacy”
Government intervention for child laborers was an accommodation to the view not a premise.


2) According to the passage, Gompers' objection to national health insurance was based in part on his belief that
Type:
Detail
Focus of the question: Gompers’ objection to national health insurance

(A) union-sponsored health programs were less expensive than government-sponsored programs
Trap: Wrong Comparison
We have to be careful when one of the answer choice presents us with a comparison.
Nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that union-sponsored health programs were less expensive than government-sponsored programs.

(B) most unionists were covered by and satisfied with union-sponsored health programs
Trap: Near-by Choice
Paragraph 3 does say “Many unionists, recognizing that union-run health programs covered only a small fraction of union members and that unions represented only a fraction of the nation’s workforce, worked to enact compulsory health insurance in their state legislatures”
However, this fact isn’t part of Gromper’s reasoning for his objection.

(C) it would lead some employers to reduce company-sponsored benefits
Trap: Near-by choice
Paragraph 2 does say “Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled, arising from the premise that governments under capitalism invariably served employers’, not workers’, interests.”
However, nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that national health insurance would lead some employers to reduce company-sponsored benefits.

(D) it could result in certain workers unfairly losing their jobs
Paragraph 2 says “Gompers feared the probing of government bureaucrats into workers’ lives, as well as the possibility that government-mandated health insurance, financed in part by employers, could permit companies to require employee medical examinations that might be used to discharge disabled workers.”
Discharge of disabled workers according to Gompers, certain workers unfairly losing their jobs

(E) the AFL should distance itself from the views of the American Medical Association
Trap: Speculation
Paragraph 2 does say “Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled, arising from the premise that governments under capitalism invariably served employers’, not workers’, interests.”
And, AMA represented physician’s free-market prerogatives, which is part of capitalism.
However, the views of AMA were not the basis of Gompers’ objection.
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P1: 2 opp. Povs: Docs and labours: Universal Health Care Vs Free Market
P2: Explains another pov which labours departed from AFL: No govt. interventions of national health insurance
P3: Discusses exception from P2’s pov: why? -> Less power-> Threat to union-sponsored benefit to Gompers
P4: Talks about developments that led to AFL reversing its position

All this passage talks about is certain opposing povs and developments that reversed one of the povs



1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?
Type: Detail
Focus of the question: Voluntarist View


(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
The passage says that Grompers positioned itself as the leading opposition of AALL’s proposals.

(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
Trap: Stretch Choice
AFL was a leading affiliation of labor unions, but that doesn’t mean that their view was shared by most unions.

(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
Nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that the volunteer view antagonized the AMA.

(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
Trap: Opposite
The last sentence of Paragraph 3 says “That this reform threatened union-sponsored benefit programs championed by Gompers made national health insurance even more objectionable.”

(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.
Paragraph 2 says “the voluntarist view stressed workers’ right to freedom from government intrusions into their lives and represented national health insurance as a threat to workers’ privacy”
Government intervention for child laborers was an accommodation to the view not a premise.


2) According to the passage, Gompers' objection to national health insurance was based in part on his belief that
Type:
Detail
Focus of the question: Gompers’ objection to national health insurance

(A) union-sponsored health programs were less expensive than government-sponsored programs
Trap: Wrong Comparison
We have to be careful when one of the answer choice presents us with a comparison.
Nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that union-sponsored health programs were less expensive than government-sponsored programs.

(B) most unionists were covered by and satisfied with union-sponsored health programs
Trap: Near-by Choice
Paragraph 3 does say “Many unionists, recognizing that union-run health programs covered only a small fraction of union members and that unions represented only a fraction of the nation’s workforce, worked to enact compulsory health insurance in their state legislatures”
However, this fact isn’t part of Gromper’s reasoning for his objection.

(C) it would lead some employers to reduce company-sponsored benefits
Trap: Near-by choice
Paragraph 2 does say “Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled, arising from the premise that governments under capitalism invariably served employers’, not workers’, interests.”
However, nowhere in the passage is it mentioned that national health insurance would lead some employers to reduce company-sponsored benefits.

(D) it could result in certain workers unfairly losing their jobs
Paragraph 2 says “Gompers feared the probing of government bureaucrats into workers’ lives, as well as the possibility that government-mandated health insurance, financed in part by employers, could permit companies to require employee medical examinations that might be used to discharge disabled workers.”
Discharge of disabled workers according to Gompers, certain workers unfairly losing their jobs

(E) the AFL should distance itself from the views of the American Medical Association
Trap: Speculation
Paragraph 2 does say “Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled, arising from the premise that governments under capitalism invariably served employers’, not workers’, interests.”
And, AMA represented physician’s free-market prerogatives, which is part of capitalism.
However, the views of AMA were not the basis of Gompers’ objection.

3) Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 42-45 (“Yet … child laborers”)?
Type:
Specific Purpose
Focus of the Question: (“Yet … child laborers”)

The sentence starts with a contrast marker “Yet” and is connected to the previous paragraph.
What were the exceptions to: No govt. intrusions
Who were the exceptions for: injured workers and child laborers

(A) It elaborates a point about why the AFL advocated a voluntarist approach to health insurance.
Trap: Opposite
The sentence begins with a contrast marker and talks about an exception from the voluntarist view. So, it is not elaborating on any previous point from the passage.

(B) It identifies issues on which the AFL took a view opposed to that of the AALL.
This sentence not identifying an issue rather it is providing an exception for something mentioned in the previous paragraph.

(C) It introduces evidence that appears to be inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by AFL leaders.
Because the sentence says “accommodated certain exceptions” and nowhere in the passage does it talk about the AFL leaders being open to exceptions. The exceptions that the AFL had supported government intervention on behalf of injured workers and child laborers are inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by their leaders.

(D) It suggests that a view described in the previous sentence is based on faulty evidence.
Let’s see one of the premises mentioned in the previous paragraph: “Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled, arising from the premise that governments under capitalism invariably served employers’, not workers’, interests.”
We can see that the exception mentioned is not showing in any way that this premise, or any other premise for the voluntarist view mentioned in the passage is faulty.

(E) It indicates why a contradiction described in the previous paragraph has been overlooked by historians.
Nowhere in the passage is their any view of historians mentioned. It’s a trap answer to distract from finding the correct answer.
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RaviChandra

In 1938, at the government-convened National Health Conference, organized labor emerged as a major proponent of legislation to guarantee universal health care in the United States. The American Medical Association, representing physicians’ interests, argued for preserving physicians’ free-market prerogatives. Labor activists countered these arguments by insisting that health care was a fundamental right that should be guaranteed by government programs.

The labor activists’ position represented a departure from the voluntarist view held until 1935 by leaders of the American Federation of labor (AFL), a leading affiliation of labor unions; the voluntarist view stressed workers’ right to freedom from government intrusions into their lives and represented national health insurance as a threat to workers’ privacy. AFL president Samuel Gompers, presuming to speak for all workers, had positioned the AFL as a leading opponent of the proposals for national health insurance that were advocated beginning in 1915 by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL), an organization dedicated to the study and reform of labor laws. Gompers’ opposition to national health insurance was partly principled, arising from the premise that governments under capitalism invariably served employers’, not workers’, interests. Gompers feared the probing of government bureaucrats into workers’ lives, as well as the possibility that government-mandated health insurance, financed in part by employers, could permit companies to require employee medical examinations that might be used to discharge disabled workers.

Yet the AFL’s voluntarism had accommodated certain exceptions: the AFL had supported government intervention on behalf of injured workers and child laborers. AFL officials drew the line at national health insurance, however, partly out of concern for their own power. The fact that AFL outsiders such as the AALL had taken the most prominent advocacy roles antagonized Gompers. That this reform threatened union-sponsored benefit programs championed by Gompers made national health insurance even more objectionable.

Indeed, the AFL leadership did face serious organizational divisions. Many unionists, recognizing that union-run health programs covered only a small fraction of union members and that unions represented only a fraction of the nation’s workforce, worked to enact compulsory health insurance in their state legislatures. This activism and the views underlying it came to prevail in the United States labor movement and in 1935 the AFL unequivocally reversed its position on health legislation.

1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?

(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.


2) According to the passage, Gompers' objection to national health insurance was based in part on his belief that

(A) union-sponsored health programs were less expensive than government-sponsored programs
(B) most unionists were covered by and satisfied with union-sponsored health programs
(C) it would lead some employers to reduce company-sponsored benefits
(D) it could result in certain workers unfairly losing their jobs
(E) the AFL should distance itself from the views of the American Medical Association


3) Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 42-45 (“Yet … child laborers”)?

(A) It elaborates a point about why the AFL advocated a voluntarist approach to health insurance.
(B) It identifies issues on which the AFL took a view opposed to that of the AALL.
(C) It introduces evidence that appears to be inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by AFL leaders.
(D) It suggests that a view described in the previous sentence is based on faulty evidence.
(E) It indicates why a contradiction described in the previous paragraph has been overlooked by historians.


4) The primary purpose of this passage is to

(A) account for the labor organization's success in achieving a particular goal
(B) discuss how a labor organization came to reverse its position on a particular issue
(C) explain how disagreement over a particular issue eroded the power of a labor organization
(D) outline the arguments used by a labor organization`s leadership in a particular debate
(E) question the extend to which a labor organization changed its position on a particular issue


 
­

It is a tough passage but one has to put their head down and just read it - word by word.

Para 1: In 1938, at a conference, organized labor emerged as a major supporter of universal health care in US. The American Medical Association (AMA), representing physicians wanted to keep it free-market. But Labor activists insisted that health care was a fundamental right that should be guaranteed by government programs.

Para 2: Till 1935, the leaders of the American Federation of labor (AFL) supported the voluntarist view - workers’ right to freedom from government intervention... AFL president Samuel Gompers had positioned the AFL as a leading opponent of national health insurance (NHI) that was advocated in 1915 by the American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL), an organization dedicated to the study and reform of labor laws. Gompers’ opposed NHI because he believed that  governments under capitalism served employers’, not workers’, and he feared that it could permit companies to require employee medical examinations that might be used to discharge disabled workers.

Para 3:  the AFL’s voluntarism had certain exceptions: the AFL had supported government intervention on behalf of injured workers and child laborers. AFL officials did not accept NHI partly out of concern for their own power. Gompers did not like that AALL was supporting NHI and that NHI threatened union-sponsored benefit programs.

Para 4: AFL leadership did face serious organizational divisions. Many unionists, recognizing that union-run health programs covered only a small fraction of union members and that unions represented only a fraction of the nation’s workforce, worked to enact compulsory health insurance in their state legislatures. This activism and the views underlying it came to prevail and in 1935 the AFL supported NHI. 

If I were to summarize the passage, I would say that it tells us why AFL supported voluntarist view before 1935 and was against NHI and then why AFL turned in favour of NHI in 1935. 

Question 1: 

1) The passage suggests which of the following about the voluntarist view held by leaders of the AFL regarding health care?

(A) It was opposed by the AALL.
(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.
(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.
(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.
(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.


(A) It was opposed by the AALL.

We are given that AFL was supporting voluntarist view while AALL was supporting NHI (and hence was against voluntarist view which was the opposite of NHI). Hence this is correct. 

(B) It was shared by most unionists until 1935.

Incorrect. We are given that Gompers supported voluntarist view and had positioned the AFL as a leading opponent of (NHI). Were most unionists actually opposed to NHI and supporting voluntarist, we don't know. In fact we know that AALL were against voluntarist. 

(C) It antagonized the American Medical Association.

AMA (doctors' interests) was opposed to NHI and hence was in favour of voluntarist. 

(D) It maintained that employer-sponsored health care was preferable to union-run health programs.

Voluntarist maintained that union-run health programs were preferable and was against employer-sponsored health care.

(E) It was based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers.

Voluntarist was based on the premise that workers had right to freedom from government intervention. It was not based on the premise that the government should protect child laborers but not adult workers. It made exceptions for injured workers (adults too) and child laborers.
'based on' and 'made exceptions for' are different things. Even if we were to consider them same, it made exceptions for adult injured workers too. Hence this is not correct. 

Answer (A)


Question 2. 

2) According to the passage, Gompers' objection to national health insurance was based in part on his belief that

(A) union-sponsored health programs were less expensive than government-sponsored programs
(B) most unionists were covered by and satisfied with union-sponsored health programs
(C) it would lead some employers to reduce company-sponsored benefits
(D) it could result in certain workers unfairly losing their jobs
(E) the AFL should distance itself from the views of the American Medical Association

We are given that 
Gompers feared the probing of government bureaucrats into workers’ lives, as well as the possibility that government-mandated health insurance, financed in part by employers, could permit companies to require employee medical examinations that might be used to discharge disabled workers...

Hence option (D) makes sense. None of the other options are mentioned in the passage. 

Answer (D)­
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Question 3.

3) Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 42-45 (“Yet … child laborers”)?
(A) It elaborates a point about why the AFL advocated a voluntarist approach to health insurance.
(B) It identifies issues on which the AFL took a view opposed to that of the AALL.
(C) It introduces evidence that appears to be inconsistent with the voluntarist view held by AFL leaders.
(D) It suggests that a view described in the previous sentence is based on faulty evidence.
(E) It indicates why a contradiction described in the previous paragraph has been overlooked by historians.


The previous paragraph describes the voluntarist view. This highlighted sentence describes the exception to that view - they were ok with govt supporting child labour and injured workers. This view is inconsistent with the voluntarist view (our health is our concern and we will worry about it - don't interfere) 
Hence option (C) is correct.

Answer (C)

Question 4.

4) The primary purpose of this passage is to

(A) account for the labor organization's success in achieving a particular goal
(B) discuss how a labor organization came to reverse its position on a particular issue
(C) explain how disagreement over a particular issue eroded the power of a labor organization
(D) outline the arguments used by a labor organization`s leadership in a particular debate
(E) question the extend to which a labor organization changed its position on a particular issue

As we have discussed above in our summary - the passage tells us why AFL supported voluntarist view before 1935 and was against NHI and then why AFL turned in favour of NHI in 1935. 
Hence it discusses how a labor organization came to reverse its position on a particular issue.

Answer (B)
 
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I got all the questions right, and took under 8 mins, but im not satisified with the way ive gotten them. Luckily the answer choices were fairly different from each other.
An issue i faced in this paragraph is that by not knowing the definition of a few words, i couldnt understand the logic/meaning behind some of the sentences. For example, not knowing the word "Voluntarism" was unfortunate ;(
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