Feminist sociolinguists

[G.Unit]

Feminist sociolinguists, over the course of the last few decades, have conducted studies that they believe support the conclusion that women are routinely discriminated against in English-speaking society. They point to the words used to describe women, as well as the words used to describe society as a whole, as indications that the English language, and therefore the English-speaking culture, is slanted towards the advantage of males.

The words used to describe women are used an instrument by feminist sociolinguists to denote an inherent sexism in the English language. Word pairs such as master and mistress and sir and madam, they claim, epitomize such sexism. All of the words in question once held positive connotations but, while the masculine forms have retained their respectable associations, the feminine forms have undergone pejoration and now imply sexual promiscuity and other negative characteristics. Feminist researchers posit that such pejorations indicate that the status of women in English-speaking society is relatively low.

These researchers also find fault with the use of masculine words to describe unisex entities. For example, they feel that there is nothing inherently manly about mankind, the best man for the job, or the common man. Similarly, the use of such constructions such as the average student is worried about his grades indicate to these researchers an inherent sexism in English that is reflective of the cultures in which they are produced.

Carolyn Jacobson, author of Non-Sexist Language, has proposed a solution to this conundrum. She advocates the elimination of all sexed words in favor of gender-neutral terms. No longer should we refer to actors and actresses, or waiters and waitresses, as such dichotomies allow for the possibility of negative connotations being associated with the feminine designation. Likewise, she believes that phrases such as mankind should give way to human kind, and that the use of the masculine pronoun as the default should be relinquished in favor of neutral constructions. Thus, when sexism is eliminated from the English language, the culture will be more amenable to the deliverance of women as well.

The primary purpose of this passage is to:


A. compare and contrast ideology in various cultures

B. refute a commonly held belief

C. describe a problem and a possible solution

D. analyze the historical origins of a modern situation

E. illustrate several approaches to a problem and advocate for the most practical

[charu_mulye]

IMO C.
Paragraphs 1,2,3 introduce and describe the problem.
4 th gives a possible solution.

[G.Unit]

Bullseye!

The author describes a problem, namely sexism in the English Language, and provides examples of the problem. In the last paragraph, the author illustrates the solution proposed by Carolyn Jacobson, which is the elimination of sexed terms and constructions. (C) best sums it up.


Even if you were not able to prephrase this answer, the other answer choices are pretty lousy. (A) talks about comparing and contrasting various cultures. This is wrong. The author never even mentions other cultures - only English-speaking culture.


(B) says refute a commonly held belief. The author never does this either. If she did, she would say something to the effect of: It is commonly accepted that...but. But she does not, so (B) is out.


(D) says analyze the historical basis of the situation. That never happens either. The author never describes how things have become the way they are.


Finally, the author never, as (E) suggests, illustrates various approaches. She only mentions the Jacobson solution. And naturally if she only mentions one approach, she cannot advocate for the best one. So the correct answer is (C).

[karta]

C C and only C can be the solution !!

[meghago]

Imho C.

[gmatguru]

Clearly C

[jonnysunn]

Clearly C.

BTW:
-what do you mean with "Even if you were not able to prephrase this answer"??
-what is to "pharaphrase" an answer

If heard that those are good strategies in reading comprehension...

thanks!!