Historian Philippe Ariès claimed that in medieval Europe childhood was

Question

Historian Philippe Ariès claimed that in
medieval Europe childhood was not viewed as a
distinct period in human development, with a
special character and needs. His argument for this
  (5)   thesis relied heavily on medieval text illustrations,
which distinguish children from adults principally
by their stature, rather than by a distinctively
childlike appearance: the children look like
miniature adults. Ariès also suggested that high
  (10)   infant mortality rates in the Middle Ages induced
indifference toward offspring as a defense
mechanism against establishing close ties with
infants unlikely to survive. Shulamith Shahar’s
recent research challenges this established
  (15)   conception of the medieval view of childhood.

Shahar has had to work hard to find evidence to
support her interpretation of the medieval
conception of childhood, since works that reveal
parents’ personal attitudes, such as Giovanni
  (20)   Morelli’s journal, are exceptional. Shahar makes
intelligent use of medical writing and theological
works. Particularly illuminating are medieval
accounts of saints’ lives, which despite their
emphasis on personal piety reveal much concerning
  (25)   their subjects’ childhoods and which provide
evidence of parental concern for children. Even
more significant are accounts of saints’ miracles
involving the healing of sick infants and the blessing
of young couples with children.

(30)   Shahar also discusses the period in childhood
from ages 7 to 11 when boys of the wealthier classes
were placed in monasteries or as apprentices in the
household of a “master” of a trade. To some this
custom might imply a perception of childhood
  (35)   insufficiently distinguished from adulthood, or even
indifference to children, evidenced by the
willingness to send young children away from home.
Shahar points out, however, that training was in
stages, and children were not expected to live as
  (40)   adults or to assume all the tasks of maturity at once.
Furthermore, Shahar quotes a telling number of
instances in which parents of apprentices sued
masters for maltreatment of their children. Shahar
concludes that parents placed their children in
  (45)   monasteries or as apprentices not to be rid of them,
but because it was a social norm to ensure one’s
children a future niche in society.

Shahar’s work is highly persuasive, but as a
rebuttal to Ariès, it is uncomfortably incomplete.
  (50)   Shahar succeeds in demonstrating that people in
the Middle Ages did view childhood as a definite
stage in human development and that they were not
indifferent toward their children. But central to
Ariès’ position was the contention that the family as
  (55)   a powerful and private institution organized around
children is a relatively modern ideal, whose origins
Ariès related to the growing influence of the middle
classes in the postmedieval period. Ariès felt that
this implied something novel about the
  (60)   development of perceptions of childhood and of the
family. Shahar does not comment on these larger
issues.    1 
 1. The passage is primarily concerned with

(A) criticizing and dismissing a traditional theory
(B) describing and evaluating recent research
(C) reconciling two explanations for the same phenomenon
(D) refuting a recent hypothesis
(E) summarizing information about an unusual phenomenon

2 
 2. The passage supports which one of the following statements about the treatment of childhood in medieval documents?

(A) Medieval accounts of childhood tend to emphasize the piety of their subjects.
(B) Medieval accounts of saints’ lives focus on stories of miracles rather than on the childhood of their subjects.
(C) Medical and theological writings provide scant evidence of parental concern for children.
(D) In medieval text illustrations, children were distinguished from adults by their appearance rather than by their stature.
(E) In medieval text illustrations, children were not depicted with childlike features.

3 
 3. Which one of the following best describes the function of the first paragraph of the passage?

(A) It presents important evidence that a traditional theory has failed to take into account.
(B) It describes the historical sources that have been the focus of a recent debate.
(C) It describes an argument that will be challenged by evidence provided in the passage.
(D) It describes a puzzling historical phenomenon that will be accounted for in the passage.
(E) It summarizes important information about the historical period that is discussed in the passage.

4 
 4. In the third paragraph, the author mentions the period in childhood from ages 7 to 11 most likely in order to

(A) compare perceptions of childhood in the Middle Ages with perceptions of childhood in the postmedieval period
(B) suggest that Shahar was unaware of important social norms in medieval communities
(C) show how Shahar supports her argument about the conception of childhood in the Middle Ages
(D) suggest that class and gender had important effects on the way in which children were treated in the Middle Ages
(E) point out the differences between medieval and modern conceptions of children’s role in the family

5 
 5. Which one of the following, if true, would provide the LEAST support for Shahar’s arguments as they are described in the passage?

(A) Medieval documents contain stories of children, seemingly stillborn, who were miraculously restored to life by the intercession of saints.
(B) The children of peasants remained at home in the later stages of childhood, gradually taking on more serious tasks until the time came for marriage.
(C) Impoverished parents left their children at foundling hospitals because they were confident that their children would be better cared for there than they would have been at home.
(D) The details of the saints’ childhoods in the accounts of saints’ lives were invented by medieval writers and did not reflect the attitudes of parents in the Middle Ages.
(E) Parents in the wealthier classes who did not place their children as apprentices were criticized for not providing their children with a secure future.

6 
 6. It can be inferred from the passage that Ariès would be likely to agree with all of the following statements EXCEPT:

(A) Parents in the Middle Ages felt indifferent toward their children.
(B) Conceptions of childhood and the family changed in the postmedieval period as a result of the growing influence of the middle classes.
(C) The ideal of the family as a powerful and private institution developed in the Middle Ages.
(D) People in the Middle Ages viewed their children as miniature adults.
(E) The family in the Middle Ages was not organized around the children.

7 
 7. Shahar’s work as it is described in the passage does NOT provide an answer to which one of the following questions?

(A) Did parents feel affection for their children in spite of the fact that many infants were unlikely to survive?
(B) How did social norms influence parents’ decisions about their children’s futures?
(C) How did the changing perception of the family in the Middle Ages affect the perception of childhood?
(D) Were parents concerned about their children when they reached the ages of 7 to 11?
(E) Did parents in the Middle Ages view childhood as a distinct stage in human development?

8 
 8. The author would most likely agree with which one of the following statements about Shahar’s research in relation to Ariès’ theories about childhood in the Middle Ages?

(A) Shahar’s research challenges some of Ariès’ arguments, but it does not refute his central position.
(B) Shahar’s research is provocative, but it does not add anything to Ariès’ arguments.
(C) Shahar’s research effectively refutes Ariès’ central position and presents a new interpretation of childhood and the family in the Middle Ages.
(D) Shahar’s research confirms some of Ariès’ arguments but casts doubt on other of Ariès’ arguments.
(E) Shahar’s research is highly informative and provides more information about infant mortality rates during the Middle Ages than did Ariès’ work.

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 91 Date: 05-Apr-2023
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

LSAT Preptest February 1997

tanujgautam · Answer

Why cannot option "C" be the answer in Q1 ? Explain.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. The passage is primarily concerned with

The question asks for the primary concern, or purpose, of the passage. Once we finish the passage, we can confidently predict that the author’s purpose is to outline and evaluate Shahar’s research into the medieval view of childhood. And  (B)  matches that prediction perfectly.

(A)  is a common Distortion. Criticizing a traditional theory may be something that Shahar is concerned with, but we’re asked to find the author’s primary concern.

(C)  The author never attempts to reconcile Shahar’s interpretation with that of Aries.

(D)  is too Extreme. The author isn’t saying that Shahar’s hypothesis is invalid, just that it doesn’t universally succeed as a challenge to the views of Aries.

(E)  The passage summarizes certain viewpoints, but the author never characterizes any phenomenon as unusual.

Answer: B

ashutosh_73 · Answer

Hi  Sajjad1994 , Can you please post answer for Q2? I am unable to find support for Ans. E or to reject D.

Thanks!!

Sajjad1994 · Answer

The clues in the question stem tell us what to look for in the passage: the treatment of childhood in medieval documents. The author discusses Aries’s source documents in Para 1, and discusses those of Shahar in Para 2. We can expect the answer to be supported by information in either (or both) of these paragraphs. But don’t bother predicting; there’s too much information here to predict with any accuracy. Instead, be prepared to go back to specific lines to verify the right answer and rule out the wrong ones.

(D)  is directly contradicted by lines 6–8, which state that the illustrations distinguished parents from children by stature and not by appearance. Eliminate this choice. Also, the same sentence says that children did not have a distinctively childlike appearance in medieval text illustrations and that they looked like  “miniature adults.”  If so, then it would have to be true that the children were not depicted with childlike features, and that makes  (E)  the correct answer choice.

Sazimordecai · Answer

Can you help me with number 6. Why is it to E

Posted from my mobile device

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Paragraph 4  says, Aries believes that the family only began to be organized around children after the post medieval period, then Aries would believe that in the Middle Ages, the family was not organized around the children.  Eliminate.

ruplekhabora · Answer

Please explain question no 5.

Yoshita98 · Answer

Can someone please explain Question no. 8? As per my understanding the answer should be C.

chetan2u · Answer

8. The author would most likely agree with which one of the following statements about Shahar’s research in relation to Ariès’ theories about childhood in the Middle Ages?

(A) Shahar’s research challenges some of Ariès’ arguments, but it does not refute his central position.
(B) Shahar’s research is provocative, but it does not add anything to Ariès’ arguments.
(C) Shahar’s research effectively refutes Ariès’ central position and presents a new interpretation of childhood and the family in the Middle Ages.
(D) Shahar’s research confirms some of Ariès’ arguments but casts doubt on other of Ariès’ arguments.
(E) Shahar’s research is highly informative and provides more information about infant mortality rates during the Middle Ages than did Ariès’ work.

So the para above and the bold portion clearly states that although Shahar could question certain views of Aries(on indifference towards children), Shahar does not comment on central and larger issues.

Therefore A is the correct answer and not C.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. Which one of the following, if true, would provide the LEAST support for Shahar’s arguments as they are described in the passage?

Explanation

Be sure to pay close attention to any words that the LSAT chooses to capitalize (in this case, “LEAST”). This means that four of the answers will strengthen Shahar’s arguments and one will not. The right answer here will either weaken Shahar’s argument or have no effect on it whatsoever. But don’t predict; the focus here is on eliminating answers. Shahar’s arguments are primarily discussed in  Para 2  and  Para 3 , so focus your research here as you eliminate.

(A)  supports the idea that both parents and saints were concerned with the well-being of children, an idea that is central to Shahar’s point of view. Eliminate.

(B)  The gradual assumption of tasks by children in later childhood would suggest that children were not expected to live as adults immediately, but rather that their development was seen as occurring in stages, distinct from the state of adulthood. This is another of Shahar’s main ideas. Eliminate.

(C)  would be direct evidence that parents were genuinely interested in the well-being of their children. Eliminate.

(D)  If the accounts of saints’ lives, accounts on which Shahar’s arguments rely significantly, turned out to be fabricated, her main points would be seriously called into question. Because  (D)  actually would weaken Shahar’s arguments, it’s the clear winner here. For the record:

(E)  At the end of  Para 3 , Shahar concludes that social norms dictated that parents should work to provide their children with a secure future.  (E)  would confirm the existence of these social norms. Eliminate.

Answer: D

kashu · Answer

Can you please share an explanation for question number 3? There is no argument that is being challenged then how can the answer be "C"?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

3. Which one of the following best describes the function of the first paragraph of the passage?

Explanation

Whenever you’re asked to find the function of an entire paragraph in a passage, consult your Roadmap. We know that the author uses  paragraph 1  primarily to introduce the argument of Philippe Aries, which is the argument that Shahar attempts to rebut. And the only match for this prediction is  (C) .

(A)  doesn’t present any evidence that Aries has not taken into account. In fact, there’s no critique of Aries at all in  paragraph 1 —there’s just a description of his argument.

(B)  Aries’s sources aren’t the focus of any debate, and the author only describes Aries’s sources in order to discuss how they formed the basis for his argument, which is the true focus of the  first paragraph.

(D)  The author never mentions that any historical phenomenon is puzzling.

(E)  is far too broad, and misses the points of view that are presented in the paragraph. The author doesn’t simply provide information about the medieval period; she lays out a viewpoint and sets up an opposing one.

Answer: C

juicelissa · Answer

For question 2 "the passage supports which one of the following statements about the treatment of childhood in medieval documents?" I understand why the answer is E, but why can it not be answer A?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi juicelissa

The clues in the question statement tell us what to look for in the passage: the treatment of childhood in medieval documents. The author discusses Aries’s source documents in paragraph 1, and discusses those of Shahar in paragraph 2. We can expect the answer to be supported by information in either (or both) of these paragraphs. But don’t bother predicting; there’s too much information here to predict with any accuracy. Instead, be prepared to go back to specific lines to verify the right answer and rule out the wrong ones. 
 
Answer option  (A)  distorts  lines 22–26 , which tell us that medieval accounts of saints’ lives emphasize their piety, yet at the same time manage to reveal much about their childhoods. This is not the same as saying that piety is emphasized across the board in medieval accounts of childhood. Hence  (A)  is incorrect.

vasu1104 · Answer

passage 1- Aries claimed that childhood was not included in human development. he relied heavily on medieval text. But shahars recent research challenges this conception.
Passage 2- shahar need to find evidence to back her position. she use medical writing and theological works. 
passage 3- shahar discusses example of wealthy families putting their kid in monasteries or as apprentices. she argued that it was not for children to live as adult but ton prepare them for future in this world.
passage 4- author says shahar's theory was persuasive but incomplete. shahar did not comment on much larger issue.

Que 1.
A. no criticism and dismissal of theory.
B. this properly summarise the core.
C. no its not reconciling two theory for same phenomenon.
D. no it was not refuting at whole. author dis say shahar was right with one thing but for other he didnt comment much.
E. its partial but not complete. last passage evaluate those summaries.

Ques 2.
A. texts says that despite being religious they, showed concern about subject childhood.
B. it didnt just focus on miracle stories but it was part of descriptions.
C. nowhere its mentioned that those texts shared the concern of parents for children.
D. its actually the other way around
E. only left. passage says that children looked like miniature adults.

Ques 3-
A. its not providing any evidence.
B. its not focusing on historical source.
C. yes. there is claim that got challenged by other research.
D. there is no description of puzzling phenomenon.
E. its not summarising any info.

Ques 4-
A. no comparison of childhood between middle ages and post medieval period.
B. not about her unawareness of social norms.
C. perfect. shows how family send their children away to prepare them for life. tells about conception of childhood.
D. no class and gender effect in discussion.
E. not about child's role in the family.

Ques 5-
A. lines 25-29
B. lines 57-61
C passage 3 talks about this. and in that parents even complained when not getting right services.
D. if details were from writing and not from parents it would weaken shahar stand.
E. lines 41-44

Ques 6.
A. end of the passage talks about this.
B. lines 55-57
C. last left. 
D. passage 1 says bout this.
E. he says in the last passage that this part was relatively modern

Ques 7.
A passage 2 talks about this. line 25-27.
B last line in passage 3.
C only left.
D they were concern thats why they sent them to monasteries.
E she says that people in middle ages did view childhood as part of human development

Ques 8
Shahar’s work is highly persuasive, but as a rebuttal to Ariès, it is uncomfortably incomplete.

option A states the same thing

Historian Philippe Ariès claimed that in medieval Europe childhood was

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Historian Philippe Ariès claimed that in medieval Europe childhood was

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