A one-child policy was implemented in China in 1979, and for nearly 40

Question

New Project RC Butler 2019  -  Practice 2 RC Passages Everyday   
Passage # 415, Date: 27-Oct-2019
 This post is a part of New Project RC Butler 2019 .  Click here for Details

A one-child policy was implemented in China in 1979, and for nearly 40 years, until the policy was amended to allow two children in 2015, some Han Chinese families could legally have only one child. This rule was implemented in an attempt to slow continued growth of a population that had almost doubled since 1949. The Chinese government claimed that the policy prevented 400 million births, though some have suggested that the decline may be at least partly due to economic reasons, not legal ones.

One result of the policy seems to be the birth and survival of significantly more boys than girls. One study found that China had 33 million more boys than girls under the age of 20, and it is believed that by 2030, 25 percent of Chinese men in their late 30s will never have been married. Research has shown that an excess of men of marriageable age is linked to higher rates of psychological problems, as it creates a  marginalized underclass , and history would suggest such situations may correlate with increased aggression and violence, both inside and outside a country’s borders.

Economist Amartya Sen wrote in 1990 of the phenomenon of “missing women” in population data, noting that in China, “the survival prospects of female children clearly have been unfavorably affected by restrictions on the size of the family.” In a society that has traditionally strongly favored sons, it has been suggested that sex-specific pregnancy terminations and infanticide account for the discrepancy in numbers. But others have countered this argument, believing that disease might better explain the phenomenon, either by making women more likely to give birth to male children or by making it more likely that female children will die prenatally or when very young. For at least some of the missing girls, however, a less sinister explanation may prove the correct one: parents who already had a child, or who wanted to be able to have another in an attempt to have a son, simply never registered their daughters with government officials. A recent study found evidence that as many as 25 million girls were not registered at birth, some of them officially “existing” only many years later and others perhaps never officially existing at all.   1  
 D 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) criticize the accepted explanation for missing girls in China since the implementation of the one-child policy
(B) show why the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was not due to a decrease in the number of males
(C) demonstrate how China’s one-child policy has influenced past and future birth rates
(D) explore the phenomenon of missing girls in China during the years of the one-child policy
(E) argue that the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was due entirely to a decrease in the number of women

2  
 B 
 2. According to the passage, which of the following is true of societies in which there are not enough female partners for men of marriageable age?

(A) They occurred historically but are not known to occur in the modern day.
(B) They may be at increased risk of international conflict.
(C) They are more likely to develop when a significant proportion of the population is psychologically damaged.
(D) They are not known to have occurred prior to the modern day.
(E) They can result in the disappearance of women from official records.

3  
 A 
 3. The last paragraph in the passage serves primarily to

(A) present multiple potential explanations for a phenomenon described in the second paragraph
(B) offer a critique of explanations put forward for the outcome of the policy in which the author is primarily interested
(C) demonstrate that the least sinister explanation of a troubling phenomenon is the correct one
(D) explain fully the phenomenon described in the second paragraph
(E) outline why social attitudes may explain the result of the policy that is the topic of the passage

4  
 B 
 4. According to the passage, each of the following is a possible reason for missing girls in China EXCEPT:

(A) Disease may cause more boys to be born than girls. 
(B) The one-child policy does not require girls to be registered.
(C) Disease may cause more girls to die prenatally than boys.
(D) Infanticide of female children occurs because families prefer sons.
(E) Some girls are not registered so that parents can have another child.

5  
 E 
 5. Based on information in the passage, which of the following outcomes would have been most likely to occur if a Han Chinese family had a baby daughter prior to 2015?

(A) The parents are eventually pleased to have had a daughter, because there are so many marriageable men.
(B) Because disease may kill the daughter, the parents have another child in hopes of having a son.
(C) The parents appeal to the authorities to approve an exception to the number of children allowed.
(D) Because a pregnancy is more likely to result in a son than a daughter, the parents have another child.
(E) The parents fail to officially register the daughter, and they have another child.

6  
 A 
 6. The author mentions a “marginalized underclass” ( Highlighted ) most likely in order to

(A) show one potential societal risk of the one-child policy
(B) give an example of why there are more men than women in China
(C) demonstrate that men are inherently more violent than women
(D) argue that widespread poverty may cause people to value boys more than girls
(E) illustrate the effect of the one-child policy on average family income

siddhantmittal · Accepted Answer

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

Pre thinking- The passage discusses about the one-child policy and how it has affected the girl population in China

(A) criticize the accepted explanation for missing girls in China since the implementation of the one-child policy- Incorrect, the author hasn't criticized the accepted explanation
(B) show why the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was not due to a decrease in the number of males Incorrect- doesn't match to our pre-thinking
(C) demonstrate how China’s one-child policy has influenced past and future birth rates Incorrect- the passage doesnt talk about future births
(D) explore the phenomenon of missing girls in China during the years of the one-child policy Correct- matches our pre-thinking
(E) argue that the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was due entirely to a decrease in the number of women Incorrect- the population decline wasn't due to decrease in number of women

2. According to the passage, which of the following is true of societies in which there are not enough female partners for men of marriageable age?

Pre-thinking: Men become more aggressive ("higher rates of psychological problems, as it creates a marginalized underclass, and history would suggest such situations may correlate with increased aggression and violence, both inside and outside a country’s borders")

(A) They occurred historically but are not known to occur in the modern day. Incorrect
(B) They may be at increased risk of international conflict. Correct (matches with our pre-thinking)
(C) They are more likely to develop when a significant proportion of the population is psychologically damaged. Incorrect- they dont develop when population is psychologically damaged
(D) They are not known to have occurred prior to the modern day. Incorrect
(E) They can result in the disappearance of women from official records. Incorrect

3. The last paragraph in the passage serves primarily to

Pre-thinking: The last paragraph discusses the various possibilities for the phenomenon of missing women in population data

(A) present multiple potential explanations for a phenomenon described in the second paragraph BANG-ON! Correct
(B) offer a critique of explanations put forward for the outcome of the policy in which the author is primarily interested Incorrect
(C) demonstrate that the least sinister explanation of a troubling phenomenon is the correct one Incorrect- it is one of the possible explanations
(D) explain fully the phenomenon described in the second paragraph Incorrect
(E) outline why social attitudes may explain the result of the policy that is the topic of the passage Incorrect

4. According to the passage, each of the following is a possible reason for missing girls in China EXCEPT:

(A) Disease may cause more boys to be born than girls. Incorrect "But others have countered this argument, believing that disease might better explain the phenomenon,"
(B) The one-child policy does not require girls to be registered. Correct- It is not because of the policy that girls aren't registered
(C) Disease may cause more girls to die prenatally than boys. "making it more likely that female children will die prenatally or when very young"
(D) Infanticide of female children occurs because families prefer sons. "In a society that has traditionally strongly favored sons, it has been suggested that sex-specific pregnancy terminations and infanticide account for the discrepancy in numbers"
(E) Some girls are not registered so that parents can have another child. "simply never registered their daughters with government"

5. Based on information in the passage, which of the following outcomes would have been most likely to occur if a Han Chinese family had a baby daughter prior to 2015?

(A) The parents are eventually pleased to have had a daughter, because there are so many marriageable men. Incorrect- this doesnt happen
(B) Because disease may kill the daughter, the parents have another child in hopes of having a son. Incorrect- the disease either causes the birth of a son or prenatal death of daughter
(C) The parents appeal to the authorities to approve an exception to the number of children allowed. Incorrect- doesnt happen
(D) Because a pregnancy is more likely to result in a son than a daughter, the parents have another child. Incorrect- is not mentioned 
(E) The parents fail to officially register the daughter, and they have another child. Yes Correct

6. The author mentions a “marginalized underclass” (Highlighted) most likely in order to

Pre-thinking: it has been mentioned with the negative effects of one-child policy

(A) show one potential societal risk of the one-child policy Correct
(B) give an example of why there are more men than women in China Incorrect- no example given
(C) demonstrate that men are inherently more violent than women Incorrect- irrelevant/nothing mentioned in the passage
(D) argue that widespread poverty may cause people to value boys more than girls Incorrect- irrelevant
(E) illustrate the effect of the one-child policy on average family income Incorrect- the passage doesnt mention any effect on the family income

Skywalker18 · Answer

All correct in 8 mins 45 seconds, including 3 mins 45 seconds to read.
Para 1- 1-child policy - to slow continued growth of a population; economic reasons might be a factor
Para 2- effect of 1-child policy- inc married men; marginalized underclass
Para 3- AS's view ; others view- disease ; less sinister explanation- Not registering the girl child

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to 
(A) criticize the accepted explanation for missing girls in China since the implementation of the one-child policy- incorrect, no accepted explanation was given and criticized
(B) show why the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was not due to a decrease in the number of males- irrelevant
(C) demonstrate how China’s one-child policy has influenced past and future birth rates- irrelevant, future birth rates have not been discussed
(D) explore the phenomenon of missing girls in China during the years of the one-child policy - Correct
(E) argue that the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was due entirely to a decrease in the number of women- incorrect, no such argument is made

2. According to the passage, which of the following is true of societies in which there are not enough female partners for men of marriageable age? 
(B) They may be at increased risk of international conflict.- Correct
(C) They are more likely to develop when a significant proportion of the population is psychologically damaged.- incorrect, it can lead to higher rates of psychological problems

Research has shown that an excess of men of marriageable age is linked to higher rates of psychological problems, as it creates a marginalized underclass, and history would suggest such situations may correlate with increased aggression and violence, both inside and outside a country’s borders.

3. The last paragraph in the passage serves primarily to

(A) present multiple potential explanations for a phenomenon described in the second paragraph- Correct, three potential explanation for phenomenon of 'missing women'

4. According to the passage, each of the following is a possible reason for missing girls in China EXCEPT:

(A) Disease may cause more boys to be born than girls. - incorrect, believing that disease might better explain the phenomenon, either by making women more likely to give birth to male children or by making it more likely that female children will die prenatally or when very young.
(B) The one-child policy does not require girls to be registered.- Correct, a less sinister explanation may prove the correct one: parents who already had a child, or who wanted to be able to have another in an attempt to have a son, simply never registered their daughters with government officials
(C) Disease may cause more girls to die prenatally than boys.- incorrect, in the same sentence as option A
(D) Infanticide of female children occurs because families prefer sons.- incorrect; “the survival prospects of female children clearly have been unfavorably affected by restrictions on the size of the family.”
(E) Some girls are not registered so that parents can have another child.- incorrect; a less sinister explanation may prove the correct one: parents who already had a child, or who wanted to be able to have another in an attempt to have a son, simply never registered their daughters with government officials.

5. Based on information in the passage, which of the following outcomes would have been most likely to occur if a Han Chinese family had a baby daughter prior to 2015? 
(E) The parents fail to officially register the daughter, and they have another child.
a less sinister explanation may prove the correct one: parents who already had a child, or who wanted to be able to have another in an attempt to have a son, simply never registered their daughters with government officials.

6. The author mentions a “marginalized underclass” ( Highlighted ) most likely in order to

(A) show one potential societal risk of the one-child policy
 Research has shown that an excess of men of marriageable age is linked to higher rates of psychological problems, as it creates a marginalized underclass, and history would suggest such situations may correlate with increased aggression and violence, both inside and outside a country’s borders.

Kunal760 · Answer

But does not C justify that because the Chinese people wanted a male child they kept on producing babies until they had a male child, which in turn results in a male dominated society. Similarly after the policy implemented they wanted a male child than a female , reason why many female children went unregistered. This explains the whole purpose

mSKR · Answer

(A) criticize the accepted explanation for missing girls in China since the implementation of the one-child policy
Primary purpose is not to criticize an explanation. Furthermore, we don’t have proof of the right explanations . All are potential explanations

(B) show why the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was not due to a decrease in the number of males
Para focus on decrease in number of females; not males

(C) demonstrate how China’s one-child policy has influenced past and future birth rates
Primary purpose is looking for potential explanations of result of one child policy ; not about birth rates. ( we already know the birth rate was slowed down). it is just mentioned in 1 statement in 1st para to give reason for implementation of one child policy and then para is discussing the possible effects of one child policy.

(D) explore the phenomenon of missing girls in China during the years of the one-child policy
Yes it explores potential phenomenal . -correct

(E) argue that the expected population decline in China due to the one-child policy was due entirely to a decrease in the number of women
There is no disagreement that population decline has missing girls . para focus on finding possible explanations of the result of one child policy

such situations may correlate with increased aggression and violence, both inside and outside a country’s borders.

(A) They occurred historically but are not known to occur in the modern day.- not mentioned if it can happen in future 
 (B) They may be at increased risk of international conflict.
Yes ,such situations may correlate with increased aggression and violence, both inside and outside a country’s borders.

(C) They are more likely to develop when a significant proportion of the population is psychologically damaged.
Soeitues wouldn’t develop when population is psychologically damaged.-wrong

(D) They are not known to have occurred prior to the modern day.
History suggests implies that it has happened before as well.

(E) They can result in the disappearance of women from official records.
It is a possible explanation but it is not true. The possible outcome is mentioned that such situation can result in aggression and violence in and out of the country.

3rd para begins with phenomenon of “missing women” in population data,

(A) present multiple potential explanations for a phenomenon described in the second paragraph
3 possible explanations of a phenomena

(B) offer a critique of explanations put forward for the outcome of the policy in which the author is primarily interested
3 explanations : one was countered by others . Author presented possible explanations what others wrote . he has not mentioned any policy that is primarlily interested in

(C) demonstrate that the least sinister explanation of a troubling phenomenon is the correct one
Doesn’t give any proof of which one is correct one

(D) explain fully the phenomenon described in the second paragraph
3rd para only give possible explanations ; not explain further what is described in para2
A is more closer than D

(E) outline why social attitudes may explain the result of the policy that is the topic of the passage
Social attitudes is not talked about-wrong

mSKR · Answer

some Han Chinese families could legally have only one child. This rule was implemented in an attempt to slow continued growth of a population that had almost doubled since 1949.

(A) Disease may cause more boys to be born than girls. –not talked about but it would result in more boys than girls- reason for more girls
 (B) The one-child policy does not require girls to be registered. –one child policy states to have one child ; not have one daughter 
(C) Disease may cause more girls to die prenatally than boys.- –not talked about but it will lead to more boys birth
(D) Infanticide of female children occurs because families prefer sons. – yes another reason for more boys birth than girls
(E) Some girls are not registered so that parents can have another child.- another reason to have more boys legally than women

parents who already had a child, or who wanted to be able to have another in an attempt to have a son, simply never registered their daughters with government officials.

(A) The parents are eventually pleased to have had a daughter, because there are so many marriageable men. – men would not have women to marry but not talked about their parents 
(B) Because disease may kill the daughter, the parents have another child in hopes of having a son.- disease killing daughter not talked about
(C) The parents appeal to the authorities to approve an exception to the number of children allowed. – no such statement is mentioned
(D) Because a pregnancy is more likely to result in a son than a daughter, the parents have another child. – not true
 (E) The parents fail to officially register the daughter, and they have another child. –true as per the text above

One result of the policy seems to be the birth and survival of significantly more boys than girls. ………..Xxxxxxxxxxx ………….Research has shown that an excess of men of marriageable age is linked to higher rates of psychological problems, as it creates a marginalized underclass,

(A) show one potential societal risk of the one-child policy- correct  
(B) give an example of why there are more men than women in China – no example but shared facts of more men than women
(C) demonstrate that men are inherently more violent than women- no comparison with women
(D) argue that widespread poverty may cause people to value boys more than girls- not poverty but one child policy
(E) illustrate the effect of the one-child policy on average family income- income is not talked about

jigar16496 · Answer

sajjad  3rd question explanation

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. The last paragraph in the passage serves primarily to

Difficulty Level:   650

Explanation

The last paragraph of the passage discusses the phenomenon of "missing women" and presents several potential explanations for the skewed gender ratio observed in China due to the one-child policy. It outlines these various explanations without firmly committing to one particular cause. Let's break down why option (A) is the correct answer and why the other options are not as accurate:

(A)  The paragraph does indeed present multiple potential explanations for the phenomenon of  "missing women"  that is described in the second paragraph. These potential explanations include sex-specific pregnancy terminations, infanticide, disease, and parents not registering their daughters with government officials. The paragraph explores these different possibilities without explicitly favoring one over the others.

(B)  The paragraph does not offer a critique of explanations for the outcome of the policy. While it does present different potential explanations for the phenomenon, it does not engage in critiquing them.

(C)  The paragraph does not conclusively demonstrate that any single explanation is the correct one. It presents multiple potential explanations, indicating that the true cause may vary and that no single explanation is presented as definitively correct.

(D)  The paragraph does not fully explain the phenomenon described in the second paragraph. Instead, it provides additional possible reasons for the gender imbalance in China without providing a comprehensive explanation for why there is a higher number of boys than girls.

(E)  The paragraph does not specifically outline social attitudes as the main reason for the result of the policy. While it does discuss societal preferences for sons and the traditional favoring of sons in China, it does not focus on outlining social attitudes as the primary explanation for the gender imbalance.

In conclusion, the last paragraph of the passage presents multiple potential explanations for the phenomenon of "missing women" without firmly endorsing one explanation over the others. This makes  option (A)  the most accurate description of the paragraph's purpose.

Answer: A

A one-child policy was implemented in China in 1979, and for nearly 40

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

A one-child policy was implemented in China in 1979, and for nearly 40

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards