My skills are deficient so I don’t know how to reply directly to @toast2139 or the responders there, but I also believe, based on the grammatical structure, that one could readily support that B is correct, not C. The author has constructed the statement to say that “a survey of the condition….allows one to to account for the origin of woman’s subjection to man” - that condition being one of might makes right, or strength overcoming weaker parties (male or female). The author goes on to emphasize this as the ultimate cause by adding “WITHOUT even referring the fact to the general inferiority….” etc. He seems to want to make it clear that while women are unquestionably inferior (Nature’s law), they would be subjugated in any event because “in those barbarous periods” “physical force” ruled. This, according to the author, is the cause - “the main reason” in the words of the question - they were originally enslaved. Their inferiority is secondary, not primary, to the cause of their enslavement, if the words are interpreted exactly as written. And yet, the question asks not why they were enslaved, but why they were “able” to be enslaved. Thereby the question becomes “tricky” as one tries to determine whether it wants the exact meaning of the author’s words, or the implied meaning that women’s inferiority would have made them vulnerable to enslavement even in a different, less “barbarous” environment. If this is the case - if we are reading beyond the plain words of the author to attitudes about gender expressed in what was written - then C would appear to be what the question constructors wanted readers to take note of, even though it goes against the author’s unequivocal statement. Not knowing clearly whether the reader was being asked, “what does this say?” (answer B) or “what might this be said to mean?” (answer C), I plain didn’t like the question.
This is a general idea versus specific detail question. "Might makes right" is a general assertion that applies to society at large. However later in the paragraph, it refers to the inferiority of the female sex, which is more specific, making C the correct answer to the question.
My skills are deficient so I don’t know how to reply directly to @toast2139 or the responders there, but I also believe, based on the grammatical structure, that one could readily support that B is correct, not C. The author has constructed the statement to say that “a survey of the condition….allows one to to account for the origin of woman’s subjection to man” - that condition being one of might makes right, or strength overcoming weaker parties (male or female). The author goes on to emphasize this as the ultimate cause by adding “WITHOUT even referring the fact to the general inferiority….” etc. He seems to want to make it clear that while women are unquestionably inferior (Nature’s law), they would be subjugated in any event because “in those barbarous periods” “physical force” ruled. This, according to the author, is the cause - “the main reason” in the words of the question - they were originally enslaved. Their inferiority is secondary, not primary, to the cause of their enslavement, if the words are interpreted exactly as written. And yet, the question asks not why they were enslaved, but why they were “able” to be enslaved. Thereby the question becomes “tricky” as one tries to determine whether it wants the exact meaning of the author’s words, or the implied meaning that women’s inferiority would have made them vulnerable to enslavement even in a different, less “barbarous” environment. If this is the case - if we are reading beyond the plain words of the author to attitudes about gender expressed in what was written - then C would appear to be what the question constructors wanted readers to take note of, even though it goes against the author’s unequivocal statement. Not knowing clearly whether the reader was being asked, “what does this say?” (answer B) or “what might this be said to mean?” (answer C), I plain didn’t like the question.
Thanks for your feedback. Good luck with your test.
This is bizarre! I’d like to see samples of the rest of the test.
For more free samples please go to:
test-prep-guides.com/classic-learning-test-clt/
6:30 I’m pretty sure B is the correct answer and not C
This is a general idea versus specific detail question. "Might makes right" is a general assertion that applies to society at large. However later in the paragraph, it refers to the inferiority of the female sex, which is more specific, making C the correct answer to the question.
@@ExamSAM This is a trick question. Might makes right is equated to the law in the passage. Neither is specific.
You will see many tricky questions like this on the exam. Good luck!
To clarify, females are a specific group of larger society in general, that's why it is labeled as a general versus specific question.