In April 1841, medical missionary Reverend Peter Parker,

Question

In April 1841, medical missionary Reverend Peter Parker, M.D., addressed an enthusiastic audience gathered at a special meeting of the Boston Medical Association. His subject was "the condition and prospects of the hospitals of China." He described his own work at the hospital he had established in the foreign factory district outside the city walls of Canton where he offered free treatment for both rich and poor. At P’u Ai I Yuan (Hospital of Universal Love, as it was known in Chinese) Parker and his colleagues used western surgical techniques as a means to facilitate religious conversion. Medicine, Parker believed, could be the "handmaid of religious truth," and he held regular religious services for his patients.

 While he had, at best, modest success attracting converts to Christianity, the hospital had fostered tremendous goodwill among the Chinese. It was a bright spot amid the gloomy period of Western-Chinese tension that led to the outbreak of the Opium Wars between Great Britain and China. Forced to flee Canton because of these rising hostilities, Parker returned to the United States to raise money and interest in his operations. In the spring of 1841, he spoke to many religious societies, a few medical bodies, and even the United States Congress, where he preached to members of the House and Senate and lobbied legislators on the need for diplomatic relations with China.

 In his talks, Parker described the state of medical and surgical knowledge--or, rather, scientific ignorance--in China. Despite the surgical feats of legendary ancient doctors such as Hua T’o of the third century A.D., surgery did not develop to any great extent in China. Some accounts attribute this to Confucian precepts about the integrity of the body and proscriptions against any form of mutilation or dismemberment; others emphasize the pharmacological tendencies within traditional Chinese medicine and a preference for moxas and other caustic plasters. 

Whatever the cause, it was undoubtedly the case that Parker’s surgical practice tapped into a huge unmet need. Almost as soon as he opened his Ophthalmic Hospital in Canton, as it was known in English, he acquired a reputation as a surgeon of such skill that the hospital quickly became a general hospital. Parker and his small staff handled thousands of cases each year, treating more than fifty thousand cases by the 1850s. His hospital became the model for other medical missions, and Parker and his British colleagues formed the Medical Missionary Society of China to coordinate the efforts of all the western hospitals springing up in the trading ports of Asia. Parker earned his reputation performing operations to remove tumors and cataracts--forms of surgery with relatively good odds of success and ones that could be accomplished quickly, important in an era without anesthetics. Because of the absence of surgery in China, a large number of patients were afflicted with mature tumors (typically five to thirty-five years old) of a size seldom seen in Europe or the United States. Parker was able to help these patients in ways previously thought impossible in China. He has thus been credited with bringing Western medicine to the most populous country on Earth.



According to the passage, all of the following are true of Peter Parker EXCEPT
 A) He was skilled as a surgeon. 
 B) He believed that the poor deserved quality medical treatment. 
 C) He felt disdain for the medical practices of nineteenth century China. 
 D) He lobbied intensely to bring Western medical knowledge to China. 
 E) He did not achieve his missionary goals in China.

asdert · Answer

I think it's E, because I found a reference for all other 4.

It took me a little while, but I think had I been rushed, I would have picked E anyway. It's the most obvious one.

A) He was skilled as a surgeon. 
 Although not quit the same, I think it's a fair inferrence from this sentence. he acquired a reputation as a surgeon of such skill that the hospital quickly became a general hospital 

B) He believed that the poor deserved quality medical treatment. 
 where he offered free treatment for both rich and poor 

C) He felt disdain for the medical practices of nineteenth century China. 
 Parker described the state of medical and surgical knowledge--or, rather, scientific ignorance--in China 

D) He lobbied intensely to bring Western medical knowledge to China. 
 Parker returned to the United States to raise money and interest in his operations

dkverma · Answer

I also agree for E.

pmenon · Answer

I actually picked C. I wouldnt say he felt "disdain".

As for E, I found " While he had, at best, modest success attracting converts to Christianity" ... dont know if this means that he did NOT achieve his goals as a missionary

jimjohn · Answer

but doesnt the word intensely in D become too extreme?

jimjohn · Answer

ok the OA was C

(A) In the last paragraph, the passage states that Parker "acquired a reputation as a surgeon of such skill that the hospital quickly became a general hospital."

(B) In the first paragraph, the passage states that Parker "offered free treatment for both rich and poor,” so he must have believe that all deserved quality medical treatment.

(C) CORRECT. While Parker did not feel that that nineteenth century Chinese medical practices were advanced, the passage never mentions an emotion similar to "disdain" in describing Parker's feelings towards these practices.

(D) In the second paragraph, the passage states that Parker "returned to the United States to raise money and interest in his operations." Additionally, Parker "and his British colleagues formed the Medical Missionary Society of China to coordinate the efforts of all the western hospitals springing up in the trading ports of Asia."

(E) The second paragraph opens with the statement that Parker “had, at best, modest success attracting converts to Christianity," suggesting that he did not completely achieve his missionary goals.

asdert · Answer

I hate RC.

I guess C makes sense now. Not E.

VerbalBot · Answer

Automated notice from GMAT Club VerbalBot: 

A member just gave Kudos to this thread, showing it’s still useful. I’ve bumped it to the top so more people can benefit. Feel free to add your own questions or solutions.

 This post was generated automatically.

In April 1841, medical missionary Reverend Peter Parker,

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