carcass wrote:
Two divergent definitions have dominated sociologists' discussions of the nature of ethnicity. The first emphasizes the primordial and unchanging character of ethnicity. In this view, people have an essential need for belonging that is satisfied by membership in groups based on shared ancestry and culture. A different conception of ethnicity de-emphasizes the cultural component and defines ethnic groups as interest groups. In this view, ethnicity serves as a way of mobilizing a certain population behind issues relating to its economic position. While both of these definitions are useful, neither fully captures the dynamic and changing aspects of ethnicity in the United States. Rather, ethnicity is more satisfactorily conceived of as a process in which preexisting communal bonds and common cultural attributes are adapted for instrumental purposes according to changing real-life situations.
One example of this process is the rise of participation by Native American people in the broader United States political system since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. Besides leading Native Americans to participate more actively in politics (the number of Native American legislative officeholders more than doubled), this movement also evoked increased interest in tribal history and traditional culture. Cultural and instrumental components of ethnicity are not mutually exclusive, but rather reinforce one another.
The Civil Rights movement also brought changes in the uses to which ethnicity was put by Mexican American people. In the 1960's, Mexican Americans formed community-based political groups that emphasized ancestral heritage as a way of mobilizing constituents. Such emerging issues as immigration and voting rights gave Mexican American advocacy groups the means by which to promote ethnic solidarity. Like European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States, late-twentieth-century Mexican American leaders combined ethnic with contemporary civic symbols. In 1968 Henry Cisneros, then mayor of San Antonio, Texas, cited Mexican leader Benito Juarez as a model for Mexican Americans in their fight for contemporary civil rights. And every year, Mexican Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo as fervently as many Irish American people embrace St. Patrick's Day (both are major holidays in the countries of origin), with both holidays having been reinvented in the context of the United States and linked to ideals, symbols, and heroes of the United States.
1. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
(A) In their definitions of the nature of ethnicity, sociologists have underestimated the power of the primordial human need to belong.
(B) Ethnicity is best defined as a dynamic process that combines cultural components with shared political and economic interests.
(C) In the United States in the twentieth century, ethnic groups have begun to organize in order to further their political and economic interests.
(D) Ethnicity in the United States has been significantly changed by the Civil Rights movement.
(E) The two definitions of ethnicity that have dominated sociologists' discussions are incompatible and should be replaced by an entirely new approach.
2. Which of the following statements about the first two definitions of ethnicity discussed in the first paragraph is supported by the passage?
(A) One is supported primarily by sociologists, and the other is favored by members of ethnic groups.
(B) One emphasizes the political aspects of ethnicity, and the other focuses on the economic aspects.
(C) One is the result of analysis of United States populations, and the other is the result of analysis of European populations.
(D) One focuses more on the ancestral components of ethnicity than does the other.
(E) One focuses more on immigrant groups than does the other.
3. The author of the passage refers to Native American people in the second paragraph in order to provide an example of
(A) the ability of membership in groups based on shared ancestry and culture to satisfy an essential human need
(B) how ethnic feelings have both motivated and been strengthened by political activity
(C) how the Civil Rights movement can help promote solidarity among United States ethnic groups
(D) how participation in the political system has helped to improve a group's economic situation
(E) the benefits gained from renewed study of ethnic history and culture
4. The passage supports which of the following statements about the Mexican American community?
(A) In the 1960's the Mexican American community began to incorporate the customs of another ethnic group in the United States into the observation of its own ethnic holidays.
(B) In the 1960's Mexican American community groups promoted ethnic solidarity primarily in order to effect economic change.
(C) In the 1960's leaders of the Mexican American community concentrated their efforts on promoting a renaissance of ethnic history and culture.
(D) In the 1960's members of the Mexican American community were becoming increasingly concerned about the issue of voting rights.
(E) In the 1960's the Mexican American community had greater success in mobilizing constituents than did other ethnic groups in the United States.
5. Which of the following types of ethnic cultural expression is discussed in the passage?
(A) The retelling of traditional narratives
(B) The wearing of traditional clothing
(C) The playing of traditional music
(D) The celebration of traditional holidays
(E) The preparation of traditional cuisine
6. Information in the passage supports which of the following statements about many European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States?
(A) They emphasized economic interests as a way of mobilizing constituents behind certain issues.
(B) They conceived of their own ethnicity as being primordial in nature.
(C) They created cultural traditions that fused United States symbols with those of their countries of origin.
(D) They de-emphasized the cultural components of their communities in favor of political interests.
(E) They organized formal community groups designed to promote a renaissance of ethnic history and culture.
7. The passage suggests that in 1968 Henry Cisneros most likely believed that
(A) many Mexican Americans would respond positively to the example of Benito Juárez
(B) many Mexican Americans were insufficiently educated in Mexican history
(C) the fight for civil rights in the United States had many strong parallels in both Mexican and Irish history
(D) the quickest way of organizing community-based groups was to emulate the tactics of Benito Juárez
(E) Mexican Americans should emulate the strategies of Native American political leaders
:
Para 1: Two definitions of the nature of ethnicity:
1) based on ancestry and culture
2) based on ethnic groups being considered as interest groups
A third definition: ethnicity as a process in which preexisting communal bonds and common cultural attributes are adapted for instrumental purposes according to changing real-life situations.
Para 2: cities example of Native Americans (lays emphasis on ethnic feelings- participation in politics)
Para 3: Another example- Mexican Americans – (emphasizing on ancestral heritage). Combined ethnic and contemporary symbols
Questions1. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
(A) In their definitions of the nature of ethnicity, sociologists have underestimated the power of the primordial human need to belong. -
passage doesn't say that this has been underestimated(B) Ethnicity is best defined as a dynamic process that combines cultural components with shared political and economic interests. -
Correct. the passage describes it as a dynamic process - combining political (US Example) and economic (interest groups) interests.
(C) In the United States in the twentieth century, ethnic groups have begun to organize in order to further their political and economic interests. -
United states case is given as example; passage as whole does not talk about this.
(D) Ethnicity in the United States has been significantly changed by the Civil Rights movement. -
Does not highlight this at all(E) The two definitions of ethnicity that have dominated sociologists' discussions are incompatible and should be replaced by an entirely new approach. -
too strong, the author states a new dynamic approach that takes changes into account, is better but does suggest that the previous ones are incompatible, rather, it is stated that even these difinitions are useful but not as good as the dynamic one.
2. Which of the following statements about the first two definitions of ethnicity discussed in the first paragraph is supported by the passage?
(A) One is supported primarily by sociologists, and the other is favored by members of ethnic groups.
(B) One emphasizes the political aspects of ethnicity, and the other focuses on the economic aspects.
(C) One is the result of analysis of United States populations, and the other is the result of analysis of European populations.
(D)
One focuses more on the ancestral components of ethnicity than does the other. - This can be directly inferred from the primary purpose.
(E) One focuses more on immigrant groups than does the other.
3. The author of the passage refers to Native American people in the second paragraph in order to provide an example of
(A) the ability of membership in groups based on shared ancestry and culture to satisfy an essential human need -
Though the political movement was based on a common ancestry that brought the natives together, there wasn't an essential need to satisfy.
(B) how ethnic feelings have both motivated and been strengthened by political activity -
correct. (C) how the Civil Rights movement can help promote solidarity among United States ethnic groups -
CRM is mentioned in third para(D) how participation in the political system has helped to improve a group's economic situation -
this example talks about ethnic feelings and not economic interest
(E) the benefits gained from renewed study of ethnic history and culture -
does not describe benefits described from STUDYING it4. The passage supports which of the following statements about the Mexican American community?
(A) In the 1960's the Mexican American community began to incorporate the customs of another ethnic group in the United States into the observation of its own ethnic holidays. -
The passage states" " Mexican Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo as fervently as many Irish American people embrace St. Patrick's Day (both are major holidays in the countries of origin), with both holidays having been reinvented in the context of the United States and linked to ideals, symbols, and heroes of the United States". Nowhere is it stated that the Mexican Americans (MAs) incorporated customs of another ethnic group into the observation of its own ethnic holidays. It just says that MAs celebrate the Mexican festival Cinco de Mayo in US in a form that has been reinvented in the context of US (this does not imply that they have adopted customs)
(B) In the 1960's Mexican American community groups promoted ethnic solidarity primarily in order to effect economic change. -
not mentioned.
(C) In the 1960's leaders of the Mexican American community concentrated their efforts on promoting a renaissance of ethnic history and culture. -
not mentioned and not even indirectly implied
(D) In the 1960's members of the Mexican American community were becoming increasingly concerned about the issue of voting rights. -
The passage states: "In the 1960's, Mexican Americans formed community-based political groups that emphasized ancestral heritage as a way of mobilizing constituents. Such emerging issues as immigration and voting rights gave Mexican American advocacy groups the means by which to promote ethnic solidarity". - The Mexican Americans used emerging issues such as voting right to emphasize ancestral heritage and promote ethnic solidarity. MAs concentrated on this emerging issue>> promoted ethnic solidarity to it>> means they brought together all people concerned about this and promoted ethnicity.
(E) In the 1960's the Mexican American community had greater success in mobilizing constituents than did other ethnic groups in the United States. -
no such comparison is talked about
5. Which of the following types of ethnic cultural expression is discussed in the passage?
(A) The retelling of traditional narratives
(B) The wearing of traditional clothing
(C) The playing of traditional music
(D) The celebration of traditional holidays -
last paragraph very clearly cites this; the others can be eliminated easily.
(E) The preparation of traditional cuisine
6. Information in the passage supports which of the following statements about many European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States?
The below statement from the passage is sufficient to guide us to the correct answer choice for this one:
Like European ethnic groups in the nineteenth-century United States, late-twentieth-century Mexican American leaders combined ethnic with contemporary civic symbols(A) They emphasized economic interests as a way of mobilizing constituents behind certain issues.
(B) They conceived of their own ethnicity as being primordial in nature.
(C) They created cultural traditions that fused United States symbols with those of their countries of origin.-
Correct. (D) They de-emphasized the cultural components of their communities in favor of political interests.
(E) They organized formal community groups designed to promote a renaissance of ethnic history and culture.
7. The passage suggests that in 1968 Henry Cisneros most likely believed that
Statement from the last para:
In 1968 Henry Cisneros, then mayor of San Antonio, Texas, cited Mexican leader Benito Juarez as a model for Mexican Americans in their fight for contemporary civil rights(A) many Mexican Americans would respond positively to the example of Benito Juárez -
he cited Benito as a model for their fight means he believed that this model will be successful and will be perceived positively. If you suggest something, you believe that you are suggesting the correct thing and since you believe that it will be successful, you also tend to believe that your suggestion will be perceived positively.
(B) many Mexican Americans were insufficiently educated in Mexican history
(C) the fight for civil rights in the United States had many strong parallels in both Mexican and Irish history
(D) the quickest way of organizing community-based groups was to emulate the tactics of Benito Juárez
(E) Mexican Americans should emulate the strategies of Native American political leaders
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Updated on: 17 Apr 2024, 07:20
25%
(medium)
29%
(03:25) wrong 
I thought "best defined" was pretty strong language. I think (B) could reasonably be implied, but "best defined" was a little too certain for my liking, so I eliminated it.
