piyush1995 wrote:
I found the language of the passage really complex and highly convoluted. The more questions I answered, I feel the less I actually understood the passage. I request someone to summarize the passage with special emphasis on question 7 and 9.
As described in the
Ultimate RC Guide for Beginners, it helps to get engaged and think about the PURPOSE of each paragraph. You might not understand all of the details in the first paragraph, but force yourself to think about WHY it is there. What is the author trying to accomplish?
I might not get everything the author says, but I see that he/she is comparing two drastically different things. The "Old World" economics are described by words/phrases such as settled possessiveness, cupidity of retention, a 'status quo' defended, property, haves and have-nots, non-starters, stability, and authority. Meanwhile, the "liberal idea of the economic market" in America is described with words/phrases such as unsettling deprivation, cupidity of seizure, 'status quo' attacked, a wheel spinning faster and faster, opportunity (not property), and mobility (not stability), with speculators/self-starters/runners being economic leaders and agents of change.
These comparisons are not all clear to me, but instead of trying to muscle my way through the facts (the
what), let me think about the purpose (the
why) of the first paragraph. The author is clearly trying to compare the "settled" and "stable" state of "Old World" economics to the instability and hectic nature of the free enterprise system in America. In other words, the first paragraph compares the highly-regulated and manipulated race of the Old World to the hectic and scrambled race of the free enterprise system.
The purpose of the second paragraph is to explain how things like reform, serving others, and helping those in need have been hindered because America can't let go of the "race". American legends glorify the race and those that run it but not those who quietly keep the system working and create social interdependence and stability. I might not understand all of the details of the second paragraph, but I see that the author is explaining problems with America's economic "racing".
Next, ask yourself, "What was the purpose of the entire passage?" Again, the point is to get engaged and think about what you are reading. Trying to think about WHY everything is there is more important than understanding all of the details.
See if that helps you tackle questions 7 and 9!
To post additional questions not already addressed in this thread, feel free to use the
request verbal experts' reply button. Try to be as specific as possible and to let us know your thoughts so far. Thanks, and welcome to GMAT Club!!
_________________
GMAT Club Verbal Expert | GMAT/GRE tutor @ www.gmatninja.com (Now hiring!) | GMAT blog | Food blog | Notoriously bad at PMs
Beginners' guides to GMAT verbal
Reading Comprehension | Critical Reasoning | Sentence Correction
YouTube LIVE verbal webinars
Series 1: Fundamentals of SC & CR | Series 2: Developing a Winning GMAT Mindset -- Wednesdays, February 14 - April 4!
SC & CR Questions of the Day (QOTDs), featuring expert explanations
All QOTDs | Subscribe via email | RSS
Need an expert reply?
Hit the request verbal experts' reply button -- and please be specific about your question. Feel free to tag @GMATNinja and @GMATNinjaTwo in your post.
Sentence Correction articles & resources
How to go from great (760) to incredible (780) on GMAT SC | That "-ing" Word Probably Isn't a Verb | That "-ed" Word Might Not Be a Verb, Either | No-BS Guide to GMAT Idioms | "Being" is not the enemy | WTF is "that" doing in my sentence?
Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and other articles & resources
All GMAT Ninja articles on GMAT Club | Using LSAT for GMAT CR & RC |7 reasons why your actual GMAT scores don't match your practice test scores | How to get 4 additional "fake" GMAT Prep tests for $29.99 | Time management on verbal