Passage Discussion

[CourtneyH949]

Since this passage is broken up into six small paragraphs, I struggled to create an efficient passage map. As a result, I struggled to determine the main point of the passage, and struggled to find relevant information in the passage.

What are methods for creating passage maps for passages which are this fragmented?

[CharlesT757]

I just wanted to give my thoughts on this passage. At first, it seemed not extremely hard to understand but the last paragraph gave me some trouble. This is what I came up with for my passage map.

P1: Movie hero analogy

P2: Universe is comparable to the plot of a protagonist movie. If you change the plot or the constraints of a movie, there will be a different end to the movie. Like our universe, if you change the physics or constraints that govern our universe, there will have a different ending to what is known as our universe.

P3. Cosmologist Hypothesis: Tons of universes gives a greater chance of the right set of laws that govern our universe (Multiverse)

P4: How well are the laws of physics that govern life in our universe?

P5 (AV): Scientists tweak one constraint and the author finds that tweaking several constraints produces an interesting result. The possibility of life that is different from our laws of physics!

P6 (AV): Does this disprove the multiverse theory in P3? The author says no! There very well could be a multiverse from our models and the multiverse could be a solution for the cosmologists.

Sort of a devilish abstract theory that LSAC chose as a passage 2. Nonetheless, I hope this helps and correct me if I am wrong with any of my points.

[Laura Damone]

I think your understanding was spot on, though those wouldn't be passage map entries, per se, because of their length.

I don't personally map my passages on paper. I use annotation to create a map of sorts, and just think through the role each paragraph serves. Still, I recommend both thoughts and notes be limited to 5-10 words per paragraph.

For example...

P1. Action movies...
P2. ...analogous to universe. Nuclear Ex. --> universe improbable
p3. Multiverse reconciles improbability- lots of universes --> one will be good
p4. Q: how improbable, really? Experiments maybe unrealistic
p5. change multiple variables --> more life-supporting scenarios
p6. Even if not that improbable, multiverse still possible

And as for strategies for many paragraphs vs. just the typical 3-4, I find more smaller paragraphs easier, if anything, because each typically contains just 1 main point. longer paragraphs can be harder to map bc they cover more ground.

Hope this helps!