[Spoiler] Big Book Test 13 Section 1 Q6

GRE Verbal Problem Solving
1

The demise of the rigorous academic curriculum in high school resulted, in part, from the progressive rhetoric that ------- the study of subjects previously thought ------- as part of school learning.
(A) advocated … necessary
(B) enhanced . .indispensable
(C) restricted . . impractical
(D) undermined … popular
(E) sanctioned . .inappropriate

The answer is (E), but I chose (A). Let me write down Greg’s double possibility first:

Interpretation 1:

  • Previous view: Subjects were essential (+)
  • Progressive view: Subjects were inappropriate, so they devalue it, contrasting previous view (-)
  • Actual correct and current view: Subjects were actually essential (+)
  • Result: Demise of academic rigor, because they devalued something truly essential

Interpretation 2 (this is answer choice (E)):

  • Previous view: Subjects were inappropriate (-)
  • Progressive view: Subjects were essential, so we advocated for it, contrasting previous view (+)
  • Actual correct and current view: Subjects were actually inappropriate (-)
  • Result: Demise of academic rigor, because they advocated for something truly inappropriate

However, I think it’s possible to have a different interpretation too that lead to the demise of academic rigor:

Interpretation 3:

  • Previous view: Subjects were essential (+)
  • Progressive view: Subjects were essential, so we advocated for it, supporting previous view (+)
  • Actual correct and current view: Subjects were actually inappropriate, contrasting both previous and progressive views (-)
  • Result: Demise of academic rigor, because they reinforced the previous view that was mistaken

Interpretation 4:

  • Previous view: Subjects were inappropriate (-)
  • Progressive view: Subjects were inappropriate, so we devalue it, supporting previous view (-)
  • Actual correct and current view: Subjects were actually essential, contrasting both previous and progressive views (+)
  • Result: Demise of academic rigor, because they reinforced the previous view that was mistaken

Although all interpretations lead to the same result, I think my interpretations (3 and 4) are more accurate, because the use of “previously thought” suggests a contrast with the current actual thought. In other words, it’s not a contrast between the previous view and the progressive view (Greg’s and ETS’s interpretations), but rather a contrast between the previous view and the current view (my interpretation).

Did I make mistake somewhere? Happy to be wrong about this though.

2

You’re right, it is a double possibility.
Demise is a negative thing that has happened,

That could have resulted from

1st blank ; 2nd blank

  1. Supporting a 2. Negative thing

OR

  1. Rejecting a 2. Positive thing

I’m not sure there’s any other structures possible that would work in this sentence.

Negative and positive here would be considered under the context of the sentence of course

–

It looks like in your 3rd and 4th interpretations you’re bringing in this domain of “being mistaken”.

While the sentence says “previously thought”, you would have to make the assumption that because they made the mistake of thinking, it has led to the demise. We don’t have evidence for that connection.

For example, if they advocated for things previously thought as essential.

If the sentence says they were wrong for previously thinking them essential, then we would have evidence to say that advocating for things that were previously thought to be essential but aren’t, led to the demise.

However, it does not. So that sentence would simply be that we advocated for things we previously thought were essential.

–

Hence I’d take out the interpretations that require that assumption to be made

Leaving us with only those two possibilities that I referred to in the beginning.

Of those two, only one is properly represented in the options, and that’s Option E.

Option D follows the idea of rejecting something good, but in this case, popular doesn’t not work as it’s a blanket word representing being well known or well received, but says nothing about the standard/efficacy

*Sanction here refers to the positive meaning i.e to authorize, support etc

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