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📖 CHAPTER 11: QUESTION TYPES III: REASONING BEYOND THE TEXT QUESTIONS

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Chapter 11: Question Types III: Reasoning Beyond the Text Questions

Chapter 11: Question Types III: Reasoning Beyond the Text Questions

Chapter 11: Question Types III: Reasoning Beyond the Text Questions

CHAPTER 11

QUESTION TYPES III: *REASONING BEYOND THE TEXT* QUESTIONS

In This Chapter

11.1 Apply Questions

Sample Question Stems

Strategy

Apply Questions—Applied Example

11.2 Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) Questions

Sample Question Stems

Strategy

Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) Questions—Applied Example

**11.3 Other Reasoning Beyond the Text Questions**

Probable Hypothesis

Alternative Explanation

Passage Alteration

Concept and Strategy Summary

Introduction

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After Chapter 11, you will be able to:

As a physician, you’ll quickly realize that patients rarely present with the exact mix of signs and symptoms you may have spent countless hours memorizing in medical school. Additionally, when patients describe their symptoms, the language they use rarely coincides with the sophisticated terminology found in textbooks and journals. As a result, a large part of medical training involves interacting directly with patients in order to better understand how to assimilate the knowledge learned in class with the practicalities of real life. Medical schools are interested in students who can take information they have elicited from a patient and go a step further with it, not just matching symptoms to a diagnosis, but rather, identifying future diagnostic steps and applying information learned from prior patients to new ones. This is why this skill is so heavily tested in the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) section. Like an ICU, the MCAT tests whether you are able to take what you have learned and apply it to a novel situation with speed and precision.

In this chapter, we’ll examine the Apply and Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question types. As in the previous question types chapters, we’ll look at some common question stems, specific strategies, and a few worked examples for each question type. We will conclude with a brief discussion of the rarer kinds of Reasoning Beyond the Text questions.

The AAMC reports that 40 percent of the questions in the CARS section should be classified as Reasoning Beyond the Text. It further divides this categorization into questions that require you to apply or extrapolate ideas from the passage to a new context (Apply questions) and those that require you to evaluate the effect new information would have if it were incorporated into the passage (Strengthen–Weaken [Beyond the Passage]). The fundamental difference between the two question types is one of direction: Apply questions ask you to determine how the passage relates to a new situation, while Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions ask you to determine how the new information might affect the passage. While the AAMC suggests that the Reasoning Beyond the Text category is split evenly between these question types, our intensive study of released AAMC materials has shown that Apply questions tend to be slightly more common than Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions. Note that it is possible, though rare, to get a question that doesn’t fall into either question type but still qualifies as Reasoning Beyond the Text.

KEY CONCEPT

Apply and Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) test your deductive reasoning. In both cases, a new situation is provided. Apply questions focus on how the passage relates to the new information (through a Response, Outcome, or Example). Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions focus on how the new information impacts the passage.

Note: The Question Types, as well as the Kaplan Method for CARS Passages, Kaplan Method for CARS Questions, and Wrong Answer Pathologies, are included as tear-out sheets in the back of this book.

11.1 Apply Questions

Reasoning Beyond the Text questions always contain information in the question or answer choices (or both) that is not stated or suggested by the passage. Reasoning Beyond questions commonly begin with words like suppose, assume, and imagine, followed by an elaborate scenario, ending with a question connecting the new content to the author or passage. Apply questions will ask you to take information from the passage and apply it to a new situation. Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions will test the opposite relationship, providing you with new information and then asking you to determine how it impacts the passage.

Apply questions are one of the most common of the CARS question types covered on the MCAT. In Apply questions, the text is used as a starting point that you must then apply to a new context. There are three common tasks, each constituting roughly one-third of the Apply question pool, that you will be asked to carry out. We categorize them as Response, Outcome, and Example Apply questions based on the words commonly seen in their respective question stems.

Sample Question Stems

At least a third of Apply question stems are similar to the first three samples above, concerning how the author (or, less frequently, another individual discussed in the passage) would respond to a particular situation. These questions commonly ask for the author’s likely response or reply, a claim that the author would be most likely to agree with, or the statement least consistent with one of the views discussed.

MCAT EXPERTISE

A lengthy question stem preceded by words like suppose, imagine, or assume is often a good indication of a Reasoning Beyond the Text question. From there, jump ahead to the last line before the question mark or colon at the end of the question stem to Type the question as either Apply or Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond) and identify the specific task being asked of you. Then, read through the new information and Rephrase carefully, always watching out for analogies to and similarities with the passage text.

Other Apply question stems take the form of the next three samples, investigating the most probable outcome, result, expectation, or consequence in a situation that is in some way analogous to one discussed in the passage. In other words, these questions provide you with a cause and ask about the likeliest effect, based on the passage.

Most of the remaining third of Apply question stems resemble the final three cases, asking for examples or instances of ideas discussed in the passage. Usually, the concept or term will be given, and your task is to find an item from a specified context (or from the “real world”) that best exemplifies it as it was used in the passage. Question stems like the last one are rarer and more difficult, starting with an outside case and asking you how the author would categorize it: What is this an example of?

Strategy

Once you’ve identified that new information is being provided in the question stem, you may find it helpful to jump to the end of the question stem to see what the question is really asking. This particular technique can be very helpful in your Rephrase step. Once you’ve picked up on the key language needed to determine the task, analyze the new information in the question stem closely for hints that connect it back to the passage. Then, go back and reread the relevant portions of the passage to make your prediction. When rephrasing the stem, keep in mind the question type and the task associated with it.

Response

For example, if the stem asks How would the author respond to... ? or Which of the following claims would the author be most likely to endorse?, your task is to get inside the author’s head. The correct answer to a Response question should be consistent with the author’s beliefs, which are typically reflected in the passage through the use of Author keywords, originally discussed in Chapter 5 of MCAT CARS Review. If you find yourself with a prediction that does not match directly with an answer choice, begin by eliminating any answers that are logically inconsistent with the author’s assertions. If you are asked about a viewpoint other than the author’s, utilize a similar strategy by putting yourself in the mind-set of the alternative perspective and recognizing what that person believes.

Outcome

If a question asks you about the probable outcomes of a scenario, look for words in the passage that indicate cause-and-effect relationships (Logic keywords). Identify any causes in the passage that are analogous to what is presented in the question stem and use their corresponding effects as the basis for your prediction.

Example

When you are called upon to identify examples, begin by finding the relevant text from the passage. Specifically focus on text that provides definitions, explanations, or the author’s own examples of the concept in question. Take note of necessary conditions (which MUST occur in all instances of the concept) and sufficient conditions (which are enough on their own to make an instance qualify as that concept). Sufficient conditions are easier to match to, prediction-wise, but necessary conditions are useful when using an elimination strategy as they can be easily ruled out.

Apply Questions—Applied Example

There is no shortage of evidence for the existence of systemic biases in ordinary human reasoning. For instance, Kahneman and Tversky in their groundbreaking 1974 work proposed the existence of a heuristic—an error-prone shortcut in reasoning—known as “anchoring.” In one of their most notable experiments, participants were exposed to the spin of a roulette wheel (specially rigged to land randomly on one of only two possible results) before being asked to guess what percentage of United Nations member states were African. The half of the sample who had the roulette wheel stop at 65 guessed, on average, that 45 percent of the UN was comprised of African states, while those with a result of 10 guessed only 25 percent, demonstrating that prior presentation of a random number otherwise unconnected to a quantitative judgment can still influence that judgment.

The anchoring effect has been observed on repeated other occasions, such as in Dan Ariely’s experiment that used digits in Social Security numbers as an anchor for bids at an auction, and in the 1996 study by Wilson et al. that showed even awareness of the existence of anchoring bias is insufficient to mitigate its effects. The advertising industry has long been aware of this bias, the rationale for its frequent practice of featuring an “original” price before showing a “sale” price that is invariably reduced. Of course, anchoring is hardly alone among the defective tendencies in human reasoning; other systemic biases have also been experimentally identified, including loss aversion, the availability heuristic, and optimism bias.

Example:

Solution: The question starts with “suppose” so we are likely dealing with a Reasoning Beyond question. For your Type step, this should lead you to identify Apply as the question type, and given the relative level of difficulty of Apply questions, you may want to consider saving this question for later. Given the long question stem, you might consider skipping the new information in the stem on first read, in order to prioritize determining the task required. Your Rephrase step should result in needing to determine what the author would warn the consumer, which is a type of response. As a result, as you work through the question, you want to be thinking about views that the author holds. The ads for the sale should draw you to paragraph 2, in which the author states: “The advertising industry has long been aware of this bias, the rationale for its frequent practice of featuring an ‘original’ price before showing a ‘sale’ price that is invariably reduced.” Although the author is not explicit, the use of quotation marks here is a case of “scare quotes,” suggesting that the so-called “original” price is just there to make the “sale” price seem lower. Thus, it’s reasonable to infer that the author would warn the consumer about the anchoring effect intended with pre-sale prices.

The closest match to this prediction is (B). (A) can be ruled out as a Distortion because the language is too strong. Advice or admonitions that an author would provide should both be consistent with what the author says in the passage and also similar in tone. (D) is also a Distortion because of the word impossible. Finally, (C) is Out of Scope. The author suggests that discounts are offered to manipulate buyers into believing they have found a better deal, not to trick them into buying products that turn out to be faulty.

Example:

Solution: The question stem is relatively short, so there’s no need to jump to the end before reading the part after Imagine. Because we’re searching for something this psychologist could most reasonably be expected to do, you can Type this as an Outcome question. Ask yourself whether the passage suggests anything about what happens to psychologists with greater knowledge of these biases in reasoning. Since there is no explicit reference, and the question stem is not heavy on other clues, expect to briefly look through the answer choices for additional clues on what to search for in the passage as the first part of your Investigate step.

The very first possibility suggests a consequence that would occur without the presentation of an anchor; however, the passage is only concerned about what happens when an anchor is present. It does not tell us anything about how accurate people’s judgments of quantities are without the anchoring effect. We therefore have no basis to determine what effect having no anchor would have. Eliminate (A) as Out of Scope.

(B) suggests that such a psychologist would make fewer mistakes because of knowledge of the anchoring effect. Is there anything in the passage that would warrant this conclusion? The second paragraph states that Wilson and his colleagues “showed even awareness of the existence of anchoring bias is insufficient to mitigate its effects." Not only does this rule out (B) as an Opposite, but it also gives you an idea of what you can expect in a correct answer—that a psychologist is just as likely as anybody else to fall into these errors due to anchoring.

This revision to your Investigation pays off when you read (C), which is almost an exact match for the new prediction. On Test Day, you would select this choice and move on to the next question without paying much attention to (D)—which could be ruled out for being a Distortion or an Opposite, constituting an even more extreme version of (B).

MCAT EXPERTISE

Although forming a prediction prior to looking at the answer choices is generally recommended, since Reasoning Beyond the Text questions contain new elements in the answers, sometimes looking at the first one or two answer choices can give you a better idea of the form that the correct answer will take. If the options diverge significantly from what you expected, go back and modify your original expectations before moving on to any remaining choices. Matching to the correct answer is generally less time-consuming than crossing out all three incorrect choices, so revising your prediction is usually a more optimal strategy than process of elimination.

Example:

Solution: Despite asking for the LEAST likely case, we should still be able to Type this as an Example Apply question. It is hard to know what to predict based on the limited information in the question stem, but you can still set expectations about the correct answer by investigating the concept mentioned. The anchoring effect is the primary subject of this short passage, but the author only provides examples of the phenomenon without giving it an explicit definition. It’s difficult to say precisely what would be sufficient to constitute anchoring bias, but we can isolate some necessary conditions. In each of the passage examples, a baseline numerical expectation, or “anchor,” is set (either at random, as in the case of the experiments mentioned, or deliberately high in order to manipulate purchasers), which then skews the judgments people make about quantities. Any answer choice that satisfies these prerequisites should be eliminated because you are asked to find the LEAST likely example. Your Match will be found by process of elimination.

(A) is clearly a case of the anchoring effect; the passage even made mention of an experiment that used bids at an auction as the dependent variable. You can reason that the lofty opening bid must have caused other participants to heighten their appraisals of the items for sale, which in turn led to larger final sale prices and increased total proceeds.

Even though (B) is unlike anything found directly in the passage, it follows the model we anticipated for wrong answers. In this case, the original film is serving as the anchor that biases judgments of its sequel. Stating that the new movie could not quite beat the record-smashing box office receipts of the original suggests that it still generated a lot of revenue, meaning that the assessment of failure was probably in error. Because the anchoring effect is said to be a systemic bias, this implication of error should quell any remaining doubts about eliminating (B).

Turning to (C), we find another case that departs from the passage. Here, the anchor would be the estimated time of arrival for a particular shipment. If the site deliberately overestimates shipping times, its customers will consistently have to wait less time than they are told to expect, which will lead many to think that they are receiving excellent service. This situation is precisely analogous to the example of the original price marked down for sale, and hence it should also be eliminated.

Thus, (D) must be correct. While similar to one of the examples discussed on a superficial level, the monetary value of the sales (which would undoubtedly be orders of magnitude higher than the original price of one individual console) does not bias the manufacturer to lower the cost per system. Rather, this is a case of a rational response to an economic problem: when demand is too low, reduce the price.

Now, to be clear, this reduction in price could lead to a case of anchoring bias if, say, consumers started to purchase the console in greater quantities, believing it now to be a better deal. But the answer choice does not focus on that effect nor on any of the effects of cutting the cost, rather only mentioning its cause. And so, (D) is indubitably the one LEAST likely to count as anchoring bias for the author.

11.2 Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) Questions

Like Strengthen–Weaken (Within the Passage) questions, Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions explore evidence–conclusion relationships. Two notable distinctions between the two question types are that Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions (1) contain at least one claim not from the passage that is unique to the question stem or answer choices and (2) treat the passage as flexible, in that they can be modified by outside forces.

Sample Question Stems

If the question includes new information and asks about logical relationships using words like support, challenge, and consistency, you can safely Type the question as a Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question. In some cases, the new information may be hidden in the answer choices, so watch out for clues that suggest the correct answer will come from outside the passage, such as words like would and could.

Strategy

As with Strengthen–Weaken (Within the Passage) questions, your primary task is to identify the three relevant parts: the conclusion, the evidence or refutation, and the nature of the connection (strengthen, weaken, or some unspecified relevance). Begin by determining which component (or, rarely, which two components) you are looking for, which you can target by rephrasing the question stem. Rather than reading all the new details during your first pass, jump to what immediately precedes the question mark or colon in order to figure out what the question is asking. Then, reread the question stem, keeping an eye out for any hints of analogy. Then, return back to the passage to confirm the relationship as the last step of your Investigation. Remember that Logic keywords from the passage can help you identify relevant evidence–conclusion relationships. For example, if a new experimental finding described in the question stem is similar to a study in the passage that was used to support the author’s thesis, a good prediction is that this new finding will strengthen the author’s thesis.

Note that the correct answers to Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions rarely match predictions exactly the way they did for Strengthen–Weaken (Within the Passage) questions. As a result, it is more important to focus on relationships in your predictions, rather than specific wording, especially since answer choices are usually only incidentally related to the text.

BRIDGE

Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions are extremely similar to Strengthen–Weaken (Within the Passage) questions, except that the former bring in new information, while the latter ask about arguments contained in the passage. Thus, a similar strategic approach can be used for both question types. Make sure to review Strengthen–Weaken (Within the Passage) questions, discussed in Chapter 10 of MCAT CARS Review, in tandem with this discussion of Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions.

Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) Questions—Applied Example

One of the first examples of the ascendance of abstraction in 20th-century art is the Dada movement, which Lowenthal dubbed “the groundwork to abstract art and sound poetry, a starting point for performance art, a prelude to postmodernism, an influence on pop art…and the movement that laid the foundation for surrealism.” Dadaism was ultimately premised on a philosophical rejection of the dominant culture, which is to say the dominating culture of colonialist Europe. Not content with the violent exploitation of other peoples, Europe’s ruling factions once again turned inward, reigniting provincial disputes into the conflagration that came to be known by the Eurocentric epithet “World War I”—the European subcontinent apparently being the only part of the world that mattered.

The absurd destructiveness of the Great War was a natural prelude to the creative absurdity of Dada. Is it any wonder that the rejection of reason made manifest by senseless atrocities should lead to the embrace of irrationality and disorder among the West’s subaltern artistic communities? Marcel Janco, one of the first Dadaists, cited this rationale: “We had lost confidence in our culture. Everything had to be demolished. We would begin again after the tabula rasa.” Thus, we find the overturning of what was once considered art: a urinal becomes the Fountain after Marcel Duchamp signs it “R. Mutt” in 1917, the nonsense syllables of Hugo Ball and Kurt Schwitters transform into “sound poems,” and dancers in cardboard cubist costumes accompanied by foghorns and typewriters metamorphosize into the ballet Parade. Unsurprisingly, many commentators, including founding members, have described Dada as an “anti-art” movement. Notwithstanding such a designation, Dadaism has left a lasting imprint on modern Western art.

Example:

Solution: With such a long question stem, you’ll want to skip right to the question itself, which asks for the effect on the passage. Type this as a Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question, and therefore, your task will be to determine the relevance of this new data. As you Rephrase the question stem, think about how the information presented either supports or challenges statements from the passage. The evidence provided has nothing to do directly with the Dada movement, which doesn’t start until after the commencement of the war, but it does pertain to the author’s discussion of Europe and World War I at the end of the first paragraph. So, your Investigate step will require rereading that portion of the text to see whether anything there would be impacted. The figure cited supports the author’s opinionated characterization of the dominating culture of colonialist Europe.

(A) matches this prediction perfectly. Overbearing and dominating are synonyms, so even the language in the answer choice closely matches that in the passage. On Test Day, select this answer and then move on to the next question without reading the wrong answers.

For our purposes, however, it’s worth reviewing where the others go wrong. While (B) may point to a claim that the author actually makes, the new information provided in the question stem does not pose a threat to it, making it a Faulty Use of Detail. The catalyst for World War I could still have been provincial disputes, regardless of how much land each country controlled. (C) is wrong for two reasons: first, it’s Out of Scope because this is not something the author endorses; the author sarcastically states “the European subcontinent apparently being the only part of the world that mattered” when pointing out that “World” War I actually took place exclusively in Europe. Also, even if the author did have this view, the statement is a value judgment—a matter of opinion—which cannot be directly affected by geographic facts. Finally, (D) is also Out of Scope. Though it does contain a factual claim that would be challenged by the question stem, the author never insinuated that European rulers ignored the rest of the globe. Rather, the author refers to rulers “turn[ing] inward” after “violent exploitation of other peoples,” suggesting they were actually gazing outward before the start of the war, the time period noted in the question stem.

Example:

Solution: The hypothetical if true is strong evidence that the answer choices will be new elements and that this should be Typed as a Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question. The word threaten further implies that the task is to Weaken the author’s claim.

After the Rephrase step, the first part of your Investigate step should involve returning to paragraph 2 and reading the last line, as referenced in the question stem, in addition to reading the preceding one for context. Though second to last sentence suggests that some people think of Dada as “anti-art,” the last one contests this by pointing out Dada’s “lasting imprint on modern Western art.” Thus, we are most likely looking for a refutation of the author’s idea that Dada was influential.

It’s also possible that the correct answer challenges the author’s rejection of the term anti-art. So, if we cancel out the confusing double negatives, the correct answer could also support the idea that Dada is anti-art.

Our first prediction matches (C) since the scholars’ idea of a “brief departure” clashes directly with the “lasting imprint” from the text. An appeal to expert opinion is an acceptable form of evidence for most arts and literary passages. Also, since the author name drops and cites quotations frequently in the passage, consensus among experts should carry even more weight in this case.

While (A) does not support what the author says, it also does not pose a large challenge. Popular opinion does not necessarily reflect whether a work of art is influential or not. Additionally, leaving a “lasting imprint” is not identical to being the singularly most important movement of the century. Thus, the threat presented by (A) is weak at best. (B) is consistent with the passage, strengthening the point that simply calling a movement “anti-art” does not necessarily make it so. (D) has no impact on the last sentence of paragraph two. Even if some of the “founding members” of Dadaism did not think of the movement as being “anti-art,” this answer choice targets the penultimate sentence—not the last one.

MCAT EXPERTISE

Appeals to authority or expert opinion are common in CARS passages, particularly those involving disciplines like the arts or literature, in which value judgments and other opinions play a prominent role. As you read, take note of the field you are reading about and the types of argumentation the author chooses to use. Quoting experts may provide decent support for a passage on an artistic movement, but such testimony will carry far less weight in more empirical social sciences like psychology or economics. Nonexpert opinions tend to carry even less weight: while authors may occasionally draw on popular opinion to support arguments, actual surveys of public opinion are seldom seen outside of a small number of cases, confined primarily to political science.

11.3 Other *Reasoning Beyond the Text* Questions

Some questions that require you to think beyond the passage won’t necessarily fall under the categories of Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) or Apply question. Since these types of questions do not occur frequently, we will limit our discussion to three examples that have appeared on past MCAT exams.

MCAT EXPERTISE

According to our research of released AAMC material, Reasoning Beyond the Text questions that are neither Apply nor Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) questions are rare, numbering only one to two, on average, per CARS section.

Probable Hypothesis

In many ways, Probable Hypothesis questions are similar to Apply questions, but instead of asking about the outcomes of new situations, they ask about the likely causes. After presenting the new details, these stems will ask for a probable hypothesis, the likely cause, or the most reasonable explanation based on the passage. Though working backward from a given effect to its probable cause may seem more challenging, you will still use Logic keywords that reveal analogous cause–effect relationships in the passage to form your predictions. If no match to your prediction can be found, eliminate any answers that contradict claims the author states or suggests elsewhere in the passage.

Alternative Explanation

Alternative Explanation questions are also interested in potential causes. They begin by providing a phenomenon that may be pulled directly from the passage but then ask you to provide a cause that is not provided in the passage and may be dissimilar from anything previously discussed. Since it is almost impossible to form a focused prediction, expect to evaluate each answer choice and eliminate those that would not produce the result in the question stem. If you get stuck between multiple answers that seem equally likely to serve as the cause, eliminate those that would most conflict with other parts of the passage. While a correct alternative explanation won’t be one the author has already provided, it should also not significantly contradict what the author has already stated.

Passage Alteration

One other less common Reasoning Beyond the Text question type will ask about changes that the author could make to the passage to make it consistent with new information. These are appropriately called Passage Alteration questions. In many ways, these are like the rare instances of Reasoning Within the Text questions that require resolving paradoxes, except that they will include some new information that contradicts what the author says or implies. The correct answer to these questions will typically be the one that produces the desired effect with the least amount of modification to ideas originally presented in the passage.

Conclusion

And so, this brings us to the end of our discussion of question types. If you are still confused about which name corresponds to which type, don’t worry! The common stems, tailored strategies, and Worked Examples you have seen thus far are designed to serve only as your first exposure to the intricacies of the Kaplan Method for CARS questions, the question types and tasks, and the Wrong Answer Pathologies. Continue practicing until the Method becomes second nature for you. In the end, it will be less important to be able to name the question type than to know how to approach it. The best way to improve your performance with CARS questions is practice accompanied by effective review—the subject of our final chapter.

GO ONLINE

You’ve reviewed the strategy, now test your knowledge and critical thinking skills by completing a test-like passage set in your online resources!

CONCEPT AND STRATEGY SUMMARY

Apply Questions

Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) Questions

Other *Reasoning Beyond the Text* Questions

Worked Example

Use the Worked Example below, in tandem with the subsequent practice passages, to internalize and apply the strategies described in this chapter. The Worked Example matches the specifications and style of a typical MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) passage.

Take a few moments to quickly glance over the passage in order to Preview and Choose your approach. An initial glance at this passage reveals that there are multiple types of art described in the body paragraphs. Interrogating this passage is a strong choice, as drawing connections between each of the mentioned art types and their underlying purpose in building the author’s argument will be key to answering test questions. Further, this passage is not too long and has a structure that appears to lend itself well to chunking. Outlining would also be a strong choice, given that there are multiple terms with descriptive detail for each, and an outline is a simple way of keeping track of the location of a large number of details. In any case, we can predict during our passage Preview that the structure and high detail content of this passage will necessitate some referral back into the passage for questions regardless of Distill method chosen. As with all passages, any approach could be chosen and work for this passage, so, remember to practice all approaches as you start your CARS prep in order to determine which work best for you and in what situations!

INTERROGATING METHOD Passage Expert Thinking

Summer to winter to summer yet again, morning to night and then dawn once more. All things in life seem to cycle, and so, too, do trends in art. Styles, of course, do coexist and always have. Life is rarely as neatly divided between night and day as we might wish. But throughout history, art has followed one main avenue and then reversed direction time and time again, thus producing the Classicism vs. Romanticism (or Expressionism) dichotomy. S1–4. Why does the author talk about such different concepts as life and art?

The author is drawing a parallel between life and art, as both life and art are apparently cyclical (in art, this refers to “style”). The author then brings up life being not neatly divided; we can predict from the start of the next sentence (“But”) that art IS evenly divided, and the author is going to talk about that.

S5. Why does the author bring up Classicism and Romanticism? What do you think the author will discuss next?

These are the two main streams that art follows according to the author. Art following one path, then reversing direction seems to be a connection to the cyclical art trend noted in earlier sentences. We can anticipate that the author is going to elaborate more on the dichotomy.

Classicism in art primarily refers to clean, cool imagery. In the High Classical period in ancient Greece, idealized sculpted figures of young men and women were perfect in proportion, the picture of health and vitality. The subsequent ancient Greek Hellenistic art swept in a more expressive era in which figures depicted actual people, with an emphasis on their individuality. Eschewing the sleek lines of the Classical period, sculptors lent their images a sense of weight so that clothing and hair looked a bit waterlogged. However, this additional substance often produced a sense of expressive motion: the goddess Nike (Victory) of Samothrace races forward as her windswept drapery creates wet wings behind her. The rational distance of the earlier Classical sculptures has given way to expressions that convey a more passionate, romantic essence. S1–7. Why is High Classical art contrasted with Greek Hellenistic art?

High Classical art is defined by ideal sculptures with perfect proportions, whereas Greek Hellenistic art is subsequent to High Classical art, and is more expressive and weighted. The two are presented in this paragraph as examples of the two bigger art types in paragraph 1: High Classical art is the first type (Classicism), and Greek Hellenistic art is the second type (Romanticism).

Not surprisingly, the French Neoclassicists, from about 1750 to 1850, looked to the Classical age for inspiration. Painting and sculpture contained the same refined, dignified qualities as the earlier work, although employing contemporary subjects. Portraits of both aristocrats and commoners reveal the late 18th- to early 19th-century “re-vision” of Classical times in everything from fashion to furniture and architecture. It was the Romanticists, though, who put the soul back into art. Their technique was looser, emitting the sense that the artist’s hand had just lifted off the canvas or finished chiseling the stone. Brooding compositions described exotic locales in the Middle and Far East. Heroic stories detailed contemporary shipwrecks, battles, and civilian revolutions. Neoclassical works tasted of buttered toast where romantic pieces tasted of hot spice. S1–8. Why is Neoclassical art contrasted with the Romanticists?

The refined Neoclassical art, which is similar to the Classical art in paragraph 2, is contrasted with the looser but exotic Romantic art. The contrast serves to highlight the dichotomy brought up in paragraph 1, were art starts in one direction (Classical) then reverses (Romanticism). We can now see a clear trend: the author is trying to provide recurring examples of the cyclic nature of art.

Classicism evolved into two camps during the 20th century. A realism trend continued, in which artists depicted the world along the lines of human perception. The Regionalists in the early part of the century reflected life in America’s backcountry. Grant Wood’s 1930 painting “American Gothic” presents a no-nonsense farm couple staring the viewer straight in the eye. They exude the basic goodness and solidity of their nature. They stand together for eternity, more as emblems of an age and ideal than true individuals. Interestingly, the same cool distance resulted later on in the abstraction of Minimalism, beginning around the early 1960s. Minimalist artists created no figures or references to the outside world. Instead, the sharp edges of their geometric shapes, unmixed colors, and lack of visible brush or carving stroke embodied the same distilled, classical calm. S1–9. How does this paragraph differ from paragraphs 2 and 3? Why does the author bring up Regionalists and Minimalists?

Paragraphs 2 and 3 focused on the Classical vs. Romanticism dichotomy, but in paragraph 4, the author is only talking about two streams of Classicism in the 20th century. Regionalist, focusing on ideal goodness, and Minimalists, focusing on abstract geometric shapes, are both Classical streams that embody the same cool distance. This diverges from the cyclic trend that has been emphasized since P1.

Between these two periods, America birthed Abstract Expressionism, its most fervent art form. Painters abandoned realistic, figurative images and thrust their inner emotions or the invisible vibrations of the universe onto canvas. Virtuoso brushwork and color flash across flat surfaces with a magnetism and energy unknown before. These huge compositions take your breath away. Abstract Expressionism, the nation’s first unique art movement, exudes all the brashness of a young upstart, even as the more classically oriented works that bracket this movement recall an esteemed, stately heritage. S1–5.Why does the author bring up Abstract Expressionism as occurring between the two styles from P4?

Abstract Expressionism is not Classicism, and it is stated to be unique. However, from its description, we can see links to Romanticism, and given that this new style arises between the two Classical trends in P4, we are again returning to the theme of the cyclic nature of art.

The time between the cycle from cool to expressive and ideal to romantic has shortened of late. The current art scene hosts art from both sides now. Perhaps the future will bring us more artists who freely sew the two ends of the continuum together. S1–3. Why does the author see the future art movement possibly combining both dichotomies?

The time between cycles of Classicism and Romanticism seems progressively shorter and shorter until the present movement has a mix of both, and the author hopes for more mixes of the two dichotomies in the future. Overall, the author has built an argument that the nature of art styling is cyclical and alternates between versions of Classicism and Romanticism.

Question Analysis 1. Assume that most people at the time said the work of the Regionalists was emotionally overwhelming. What effect would this have on the author’s arguments? Because this question brings in new information and asks about its effect, this is a Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question. Regionalism supposedly evolved from Classicism, but emotionally overwhelming is a much better descriptor for Abstract Expressionism, as described in paragraph 5: these artists “thrust their inner emotions…onto canvas, creating huge compositions [that] take your breath away.” Because the new information in the question stem seems to go against the author, investigate the answer choices that include the word weaken.

A. It would strengthen the assertion that the time period between styles is currently shortening. (A) and (B) can be eliminated immediately because they say strengthen.

B. It would strengthen the claim that Classicism primarily refers to clean, cool imagery.

C. It would weaken the claim that art styles can coexist. Because the new information implies that Regionalists have some expressive attributes, the claim that Classicism and Romanticism can coexist is strengthened, not weakened—making (C) an Opposite answer.

D. It would weaken the claim that Regionalism was a type of classicism. The new evidence suggests that Regionalism could have been misclassified as Classicism when it has expressive aspects, confirming (D) as the correct answer.

2. In 1801, a French Neoclassicist announced that “I seek to infuse the modern era with the historical weight of a great past.” On the evidence of the passage, he could have best achieved his goal by producing: This is an Apply question of the Example subtype. Given the Roman numerals, it is a Scattered Apply question. As a French Neoclassicist, this artist would aim to have the “refined, dignified qualities” of classicism, “although employing contemporary subjects.” The quote in the stem also indicates that a reference to something historical or the past should also appear in the answer choice.

I. a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte in which he is costumed plainly as an ancient Greek emperor. In Statement I, we see Napoleon is the contemporary subject matter, but the artist is inspired by ancient times and uses a plain costume, reminiscent of Classical style. This fits the criteria, so Statement I must appear in the correct answer.

II. a full-length portrait of Romantic novelist Victor Hugo resembling one of his heroic characters. In Statement II, representing Hugo as a hero makes no connection to the past—"refined" and “dignified” or otherwise. This falls short of what we need, so Statement II must not appear in the correct answer.

III. a painting of Queen Marie Antoinette in which she is indistinguishable from the courtiers who surround her. Statement III similarly does not make a connection to the past, and therefore must not appear in the correct answer. Further, to make the Queen blend in with her court would be the opposite of making her appear “refined” and “dignified.”

A. I only (A) contains the correct statement and is the right answer.

B. III only (B), (C), and (D) contain incorrect statements.

C. I and II only

D. II and III only

3. According to the passage, which of the following musical experiences is most analogous to Minimalism? This is an Apply question asking for a musical example that is similar to Minimalism in art. Minimalism is described at the end of paragraph 4, and all of the characteristics of this style are said to “embody…distilled, classical calm” and is a form of Classicism that involves abstraction and ideals like calm.

A. Agitated classical music in a large concert hall (A) intentionally uses the word classical as a Faulty Use of Detail, but the word agitated indicates that this music is anything but calm. Eliminate this answer choice.

B. Electronic elevator music playing quietly Elevators are typically calm places—the phrase elevator music even tends to have the connotation of innocuous or boring, implying that this music is quite calm. This makes (B) the correct answer.

C. Hard rock music blasting through speakers We can rule out (C) because hard rock and blasting indicate that this music anything but calm.

D. A repetitive tape loop of country music A repetitive tape loop would likely be irksome and not particularly calm, making (D) incorrect as well. This answer choice is a good trap if you are familiar with music history, as many Minimalist composers did indeed employ tape loops in their music; however, this answer is not supported by the passage and is therefore incorrect.

4. With which statement would the author most likely DISAGREE? This is an Inference question of the Implication subtype; we are looking for something that the author would not agree with. It is hard to form a solid prediction for this question, so analyze each answer choice and eliminate the ones that are consistent with the author’s opinions or that are Out of Scope.

A. Late 18th- to early 19th-century French Romantic art had a sense of personality that Neoclassicism lacked. (A) clearly addresses the dichotomy we are getting comfortable with: classical = cool, romantic = expressive. The author would agree that Romantic art has more personality than a Classical movement, so eliminate this answer choice.

B. At any given time, it can be difficult to pinpoint a strong dichotomy between prevailing styles and previous ones. (B) reflects what the author tells us in the first paragraph: that “styles, of course, do coexist” and that “life is rarely as neatly divided…as we might wish.” This answer can be eliminated as well.

C. French Romanticism lacked an immediacy that was apparent in Neoclassical painting. (C) goes against the author’s description of Classicism as having a coolness and distance to it, whereas Romanticism has more expressive, emotional impact. Romanticism should have the immediacy that Classicism lacks—this answer choice is an Opposite, meaning the author would DISAGREE with the statement, making (C) the correct choice.

D. French Romanticism was the polar opposite of Neoclassicism. This passage repeatedly draws a polar contrast between Classicism and Romanticism. (D) is a valid inference based on the passage and therefore can be eliminated.

5. Suppose that most late 18th-century French drawings are exotic and exciting. Which passage assertion would be most WEAKENED by this conclusion? This is another Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question that provides new evidence and asks us to identify the conclusion that is most WEAKENED by it. The late 18th-century is a reference to the time period given at the beginning of the third paragraph, “1750 to 1850.” This is the French Neoclassicist era—a Classical period—but exotic and exciting are descriptors of Romanticism. This implies that many artists were not actually using Classical themes at the time.

A. Classicism was more popular than Romanticism in late 18th-century France. (A) uses comparative language, but how popular one style is in comparison to another is not addressed at all in the passage and so this choice can be eliminated.

B. The Neoclassicists’ inspiration had pervasive effects. This claim is made in paragraph 3: according to the author, Neoclassicism impacted “everything from fashion to furniture and architecture.” However, because we were surprised to hear about Romanticism in a Classical period, it no longer seems that the Neoclassicists were as “pervasive” as the author described. Therefore, (B) is the correct answer.

C. Inner emotions can be imbued into artwork. (C) is certainly a valid inference, but it is not affected in any way by the question stem’s information.

D. Neoclassical works are less dramatic than works of the Classical age. (D) also makes a comparison that was never mentioned explicitly in the passage—the author never addresses how dramatic one Classical style is compared to another Classical style.

6. Suppose that romantic artists and Classically oriented artists began borrowing heavily from one another. This finding would support the view that: This is a Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question, based on the words Suppose and would support the view. The new evidence in the question stem is consistent with the final point the author makes—that these two styles may eventually be “sew[n]…together.” To carry out your Investigation, scan for an answer choice that is consistent with the passage goal.

A. Romanticism and Classicism are independent movements. (A) contradicts the author’s point in the last paragraph. Further, the question stem shows a case where the two movements are converging—not that they are independent of each other. Eliminate this answer choice.

B. the past inevitably influences the future. (B) uses extreme language and was never overtly claimed by the author. While the author provides some examples of the “past…influenc[ing] the future,” such as French Neoclassicism, the word inevitably is far too strong, as many movements that are not strongly influenced by the past, such as Abstract Expressionism, are also described.

C. the cycle from cool to expressive art styles is shortening. (C) might be tempting because it is a claim the author makes. However, “borrowing heavily” from each other at one point in time would mean there wouldn’t be two distinct styles that are cycling.

D. artists might be beginning to make less of a distinction between these two schools of art. (D) uses the Moderating keyword might and correctly states the author’s main point at the end of the last paragraph. That’s our match.

7. Which of the following, if true, would constitute a reason Neoclassicists looked to Classical Greece for inspiration? For this Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question, we are looking for a reason Neoclassicists would look to the High Classicism style in ancient Greece for inspiration. It is challenging to make a prediction, but we should look at the answers with an eye toward the themes the author has identified as part of the Classical mode.

A. Nineteenth-century French nobility admired the ancient period because it was one in which even ordinary citizens acquired important art. (A) does not address the idea of Classicism at all; further, there is no obvious reason why nobility would like an art style that even ordinary citizens could acquire. Eliminate this answer choice.

B. Neoclassical painters and architects were impressed by the wide range of human feelings that Classical Greek sculptors captured in their marble works. (B) discusses feelings, which the passage indicates are actually the hallmark of the opposite art style: Expressionism. Eliminate this Opposite answer choice.

C. Nineteenth-century French elite idealized the cultural expressions of the ancient past as conveying regal grandeur, devoid of intense emotions. (C) references the absence of emotions, which matches our understanding of Classical values. In addition, it makes sense that the French elite would be attracted to art that convey[ed] regal grandeur. This is the correct answer choice.

D. Neoclassicists found that appealing to patrons’ interest in antiquity allowed them to move their style toward the Expressionist ideal. (D) implies that Neoclassicists desired to move their style out of the Classical mode and into the Expressionist mode, but there is no evidence in the passage that these artists desired to do so.

Chapter 11: Question Types III: Reasoning Beyond the Text Questions

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Passage 1 (Questions 1–5)

Post-structuralist literary criticism was developed largely in reaction to Saussurian linguistic theory, which first expressed the relationship between words and the concepts they denote. In Saussurian linguistics, an actual word is referred to as a “signifier”—the “sound image” made by the word “train,” for instance, constitutes a signifier. At the same time, the idea evoked by the signifier is termed a “signified.” Saussure argued that the structural relationship between a signifier and a signified constituted a “linguistic sign.” He saw language as made up entirely of such signs, or structural relationships, and argued that the relationship that constituted these signs was actually arbitrary and based on common usage rather than on some necessary link. He did believe, however, that certain “signifiers” (words) could be permanently linked to specific “signifieds” (concepts) in order to create stable, predictable relationships that evoked constant meanings.

In contrast to Saussurian linguistics, the post-structuralist view contends that there exists no system of describing ourselves, or of communicating with one another, which does not somehow use our indigenous language systems. To post-structuralists, language defines our identities and is required if we are to maintain those identities. In this view of language, any signifier always signifies another signifier. Definitions and meanings always take the form of metaphors: one term can only be defined as being another term. To change the meaning of a term, one must only change the metaphor through which that term is defined. Meaning shifts from one signifier to another, and because of this, no act of signification is ever fully closed or fully complete.

Because the post-structuralists do not view necessary connections as composing permanent linguistic sign relationships, they reject the idea of absolute meaning. Because language constantly shifts along a chain of meaning, “absolute” meanings cannot exist. Language in this view can never be viewed as entirely stable. Whereas Saussure believed that linguistic sign relationships could create stable, consistent meanings between terms and the images they evoke, post-structuralists argue that meaning can be established only through discourse. Thus, meaning is never absolute, immutable, or concrete because it is always dependent on the differing and constantly shifting discourse in which language terms operate.

It is here that the divergence of these two schools of thought becomes readily apparent, insofar as they concern themselves with fields beyond linguistics. The implications of the nearly irrefutable, albeit bleak, reasoning that is so fundamental to post-structural thought reach far beyond the confines of linguistics. The idea of conceptual instability is a manifestation of the existential phenomenology that heavily influenced the work of innumerable scholars in disparate fields through the 20th century. Where structuralism was grounded in linguistics and made inroads into the human sciences, the very ideas that presuppose post-structuralism are rooted more ambitiously in the central discussion of human nature. It is for this reason that existentialism and post-structuralism continue to flourish and have inserted themselves into our enduring understanding of what it is to be human while structuralism and Saussurian linguistics hold a devoted place in scarcely few discussions beyond linguistic relativism.

Chapter 11: Question Types III: Reasoning Beyond the Text Questions

ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS

Passage 1 (Questions 1–5)

Sample Highlighting

P1. “linguistic signs” and “permanently linked”; P2. “define our identity” and "metaphors"; P3. “reject” and "only through discourse"; P4. “far beyond” and "scarcely few."

Sample Outlining

P1. Saussure: arbitrary signifier (word) relation with signified (concept) = linguistic sign, can become concrete

P2. Post-structuralist: signifier defined only by other signifiers; understand through metaphors that can change

P3. Saussure = language can be stable, post-structuralist = language never stable, depends on discourse

P4. Post-structuralism endures because of broader ties to human nature; Saussurian theory restricted to linguistics

1. B

This question challenges us to apply our understanding of the post-structuralist theory to the answer choices in order to find an example. Paragraph 3 makes clear that the post-structuralists believe that “meaning is never absolute, immutable, or concrete.” Looking for the choice that best fits with this notion brings us to (B). The fact that the “unique interpretations” are due to differences in “academic backgrounds” supports the notion that exposure to different fields of discourse leads to the differences in interpretation, which is consistent with the language of paragraph 3. (A) cleverly uses words from the passage in a new context. The fact that words are expressed differently in different languages does not affect the absolute meaning of these words; they’re expressed in various ways, as one would expect in different languages, but that doesn’t mean they are defined differently. In (C), the relationship between parent and child may shift, but we’d have to see some variation in interpreting the meaning of this shift to get us into post-structuralist territory. As for (D), a lack of consensus would seem more consistent with the post-structuralist view, although it’s conceivable that the ten focus-groupers arrived at their opinions through discourse with each other. However, because such a state of affairs isn’t indicated, we can’t assume it.

2. D

In Application questions like this one, we must determine how the new example relates to what’s in the passage. In passages where the goal is to explain the differences between two things, that usually means figuring out what camp the new situation falls into. The major task here is figuring out what the professor is doing, and how it relates to the theories in the passage. When the “professor describes the mind…as a blank slate, or as a garden,” the professor is using metaphors, which brings us into the post-structuralist camp. Moreover, the metaphor is being shifted, which relates precisely to the penultimate sentence of paragraph 2: “To change the meaning of a term, one must only change the metaphor through which that term is defined.” Therefore, the answer is (D). (A) and (B) are Opposites because they presuppose constant meaning, whether it is described as immutable or Saussurian—Saussure posits “stable, predictable relationships that evoke constant meanings,” according to the end of the first paragraph. (C) is Out of Scope as there is no mention of the use of language in academia in the passage.

3. C

This question provides new information and asks how it impacts the passage, making this a Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question. The new quotation suggests that widely applicable fields of study, such as post-structuralism as described in this paragraph, are frivolous and that narrowly focused fields, such as Saussurian linguistics, advance knowledge. However, let’s consider the author’s argument in this paragraph. The author focuses on the differences in scope between the two camps and why post-structuralism is more enduring. The author makes no mention of the advancement of knowledge or frivolity. The author may imply some partiality to post-structuralism, but there is no argument made regarding the focus of the new quotation. Thus, (C) is correct as this statement has no bearing on the author’s argument.

4. D

This Strengthen–Weaken (Beyond the Passage) question challenges us to identify not only whether the new information strengthens post-structuralism or Saussurian theory, but also why. The first thing to recognize is that the study’s results could support either theory. Even though Saussurian theory suggests that words “could be permanently linked” to concepts, it also recognizes that the relationship between a word and the concept it represents is “actually arbitrary and based on common usage rather than on some necessary link.” We also know that post-structuralism definitely supports changing definitions. Thus, we have to look at the reasoning in the answer choices to determine the correct answer. (A) may sound tempting because the reasoning sounds as if it’s disproving Saussurian theory, but remember that Saussurian theory does account for “signified” changing depending on “common usage.” Also, Saussurian theory being proven incorrect wouldn’t necessarily prove post-structuralism correct. (B) requires assumptions we just can’t make because there is not enough support in the passage for it being a “metaphor that changed” that caused the change in meaning. (C) is also tempting because it mentions Saussurian theory and one of its tenets, although the initial association of signifier and signified does not really add any new information to strengthen the author’s description. More importantly, this answer choice doesn’t explain the all-important second half of the new information: why the association changed. Therefore, the answer must be (D). This answer choice identifies the real problem with the other choices: we don’t know the mechanism behind the change in association. Both theories account for a change in associations, so the mechanism by which the association changed needs to be described before we can draw any conclusions about which theory the study supports.

5. B

The challenge in this Application question is to transfer our knowledge of Saussurian linguistics to find three appropriate analogies or one choice that does not fit. This description appears in paragraph 1 of the passage, where the author makes it clear that “signifiers” are tied to “signifieds” in order to produce a sign, or linguistic understanding. This relationship can be, but is not necessarily, permanent. (A) adheres to this description well. The meaning can be permanently linked or changed, depending on the circumstances. (B) is Extreme in its categorization of semantic links as permanent. The passage said that links are “arbitrary and based on common usage rather than on some necessary link,” so the categorization in this answer choice of all links being concrete is Extreme, and thus correct. (C) fits in perfectly with the previous quotation that links are “based on common usage.” Finally, (D) is also a perfect explanation of Saussurian theory. The signifier is presented, it triggers brain activity, and the definition (signified) is provided.

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