Q21

[rbolden]

Hello,

Can you please explain why A is the incorrect answer and why D is the correct answer? Thank you.

[giladedelman]

Thanks for posting!

(D) is correct because it most closely expresses the author's main point, which is that modern criticisms of Victorian philanthropy are misleading because they're based on a theoretical fallacy. Notice that we don't get this main point until the last paragraph! That's why we have to be flexible in developing our mental scale image, and constantly on the lookout for the introduction of the author's point of view.

(A) is incorrect because the passage never suggests that Victorian philanthropists successfully dealt with the social ills of their era. If anything, its discussion of the first criticism implies that the philanthropy was not successful.

(B) is unsupported. The passage never indicates that private philanthropy has been replaced.

(C) is tempting, but it's too broad in scope. The passage is fundamentally about criticisms of Victorian philanthropy, not about revisionist views of institutions in general.

(E) out of scope and laughably extreme. Devious methods!

Does that answer your question?

[ericha3535]

However, wouldn't you say that D is badly worded question?
I was stuck between A and D.

I believe the last paragraph of the passage is where the conclusion lies.
However, the author does concede to the some of the criticisms made by the modern commentators, despite the fact that he ultimately takes opposite side that of them.

In the end, it said "they were perhaps..." which I thought was implicating that the author is definitely leaving the room for doubts.

Thus, calling modern criticisms "incorrect" seems way too extreme; that's like calling them wrong. if the AC were to say "leads to an skeptical interpretation of history" or something along that line, it would be wayyyyy better.

Thoughts anybody?

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

In the end, it said "they were perhaps..." which I thought was implicating that the author is definitely leaving the room for doubts.

Thus, calling modern criticisms "incorrect" seems way too extreme; that's like calling them wrong. if the AC were to say "leads to an skeptical interpretation of history" or something along that line, it would be wayyyyy better.

Thoughts anybody?

Love that you're on the lookout for details like that. Though the issue in this case is that the word "perhaps" is not used to describe the author's main idea, but rather a minor concession the author is willing to make in spite of the author's main idea that the modern critics of Victorian Philanthropy had it wrong. Answer choice (D) is worded just fine.

[vai2]

Can someone please explain what part of the passage the "theoretical bias" in the answer choice refer to? Does it have to do with the quotation marks around the "social control" theory? If yes, than I would say it is a pretty subtle hint that the modern commentator's theory is flawed. I dismissed "D" because I just did not see any reference to the theoretical biases in the passage. That just seemed off and out of scope