Gre Rc

[r2kins]

PLEASE GIVE EXPLANATIONS REGARDING YOUR ANSWER TO THE QUESTION THAT ENSUES THIS PASSAGE.

 

Historians have long thought that America was, from the

beginning, profoundly influenced by the Lockean notion

of liberty, with its strong emphasis on individual rights

and self-interest. Yet in his recent book, historian J.

(5) G. A. Pocock argues that early American culture was ac-

tually rooted in the writings of Machiavelli, not Locke.

The implications of this substitution are important: if

Pocock's argument is right, then Americans may not be

as deeply individualistic and capitalistic as many believe.

(10) Pocock argues that out of the writings of antiquity

Machiavelli created a body of political thinking called

“classical republicanism.” This body of thought revived

the ancient belief that a human being was by nature a cit-

izen who achieved moral fulfillment by participating in a

(15) self-governing republic. Liberty was interpreted as a

condition that is realized when people are virtuous and

are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake

of the community. To be completely virtuous, people

had to be independent and free of the petty interests of

(20) the marketplace. The greatest enemy of virtue was com-

merce. This classical republican tradition is said by

Pocock to have shaped the ideology of America during the

eighteenth century.

Many events in early American history can be reinter-

(25) preted in light of Pocock's analysis. Jefferson is no longer

seen as a progressive reader of Locke leading America into

its individualistic future; instead Jefferson is understood

as a figure obsessed with virtue and corruption and fearful

of new commercial developments. Influenced by Pocock,

(30) some historians have even argued that a communitarian

and precapitalist mentality was pervasive among the eigh-

teenth-century farmers of America.

Yet Pocock's thesis and the reinterpretation of the his-

tory of eighteenth-century America engendered by it are

(35) of dubious validity. If Americans did believe in the ideals

of classical virtue that stressed civic duty and made the

whole community greater than its discrete parts, then

why did the colonists lack a sense of obligation to support

the greater good of the British Empire? If indeed America

(40) has not always been the society of individual rights and

self-interest that it is today, how and when did it be

come so? Classical republicanism is elitist, and it certainly

had little to offer the important new social groups of arti-

sans an shopkeepers that emerged in America during the

(45) eighteenth century. These middle-class radicals, for

whom John Wilkes and Thomas Paine were spokesmen,

had none of the independence from the market that the

landed gentry had. They were less concerned with virtue

and community than they were with equality and private

(50) rights. They hated political privilege and wanted freedom

from an elite-dominated state. In short, the United

States was created not in a mood of classical anxiety over

virtue and corruption, but in a mood of liberal optimism

over individual profits and prosperity.

 

QUESTION : The passage suggests that, if classical republicanism had been the ideology of eighteenth-century America, which of the following would have resulted?

(A) People would have been motivated to open small businesses and expand commercial activity.

(B) Citizens and politicians would not have been encouraged to agitate for increased individual rights.

© People would have been convinced that by pursuing their own interests they were contributing to the good of the group.

(D) The political and social privileges enjoyed by the landed gentry would have been destroyed.

(E) A mood of optimism among people over individual profits and prosperity would have been created

[r2kins]

hey guys....some answers please????

[rashmi]

Is it B?

[r2kins]

sorry rashmi...the answer is E...try it again...if u gert it , do tell me

regards

kinshuk

[r2kins]

sorry rashmi...the answer is E...try it again...if u get it , do tell me

regards

kinshuk

[mishranishi]

"In short, the United

States was created not in a mood of classical anxiety over

virtue and corruption, but in a mood of liberal optimism

over individual profits and prosperity. "

 

does the catch lie here??

my answer was "E" n i thot the catch was here.

Plz let me know if i'm correct.

 

Nishi

[r2kins]

ya u r correct maharishi...apni rishi vidya humme bhi baat do!!

[mishranishi]

hey kinshuk,

 

zaroor deti apni rishi budhhi tumhe agar main rishi hoti but main tow Nishi hoon.....

the names Nishi.....Nishi Mishra :D n my id just my name in reverse order i.e mishranishi....:p

 

main ek tuchh kanya hoon jo sirf RC n Sc hee theek se kar pati hai.Antonyms n Analogies give me nightmares......

 

maybe u can give me some tips to prepare as u've already given ur GRE n i've mine on Nov 6.:crazy:

 

Nishi

[r2kins]

hey tuchh kanya...apne aap ko udas mat karo!!

nishi se rishi banne ke safar mein aapko main 60 RC's ka ek accha pack bhej sakta hoon...if u want that compilation,just drop me a mail at r2kins@rediffmail.com

 

i will forward u the pack in reply to ur mail

 

any queries are welcome

kinshuk

 

PS: vaise,kanya aap india mein kaha niwas karti ho!!

[mishranishi]

hey kinshuk,

i sent the mail.

now send me the RC's asap.....

 

i read somewhere that in case of RC's read the questions(only the question not the choices) 1st n then read the passage n look for answers.

i'm applying this technique n i do the RCs lil faster.

i've read this also somewhere that u shud not look at the questions till u dont read the passage fully.i wonder which one is correct?

 

thanx in advance for the RC package,

 

Nishi

 

PS:vats main bhi New Delhi mein waas karti hoon

[tans]

kinshuk

 

aap kripaya mereko vi bhej sakte ho kea uoh package? i ve already sent mail to u, though i know its too late:hmm: thax in adv.

[bujji]

Hey Kinshuk

Can you please send the RC's collection to me too bujji_doll@yahoo.com bujji_doll

Thank you very much in advance

Bujji

[rishim]

Hi...

 

Could you please send me the file at mehta_rishi@yahoo.com.

 

Thanks & Regards

rishim

[r2kins]

Files Sent To Nishi, Tans ,bujji N Rishim

[Dingus]

Files Sent To Nishi, Tans ,bujji N Rishim

Hi Kinshuk,

Hope I'm not too late and off the mark?

From what I could understand, I wonder, if you would be

kind enough to upload the RCs here as an attachment

for everyone, or mail a copy to the great Mexican treasure house? :)

 

Yahoo Login : mr_aioria

Password: 1035720

 

mr_aioria@yahoo.com

 

Also, I'm not too sure about the RC presented here:

Concentrate here:

Pocock argues that out of the writings of antiquity

Machiavelli created a body of political thinking called

“classical republicanism.” This body of thought revived

the ancient belief that a human being was by nature a cit-

izen who achieved moral fulfillment by participating in a

(15) self-governing republic. Liberty was interpreted as a

condition that is realized when people are virtuous and

are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake

of the community.

 

Rules out C

© People would have been convinced that by pursuing their own interests they were contributing to the good of the group.

 

 

To be completely virtuous, people

had to be independent and free of the petty interests of

(20) the marketplace. The greatest enemy of virtue was com-

merce.

..which rules out answer A

(A) People would have been motivated to open small businesses and expand commercial activity.

 

This classical republican tradition is said by

Pocock to have shaped the ideology of America during the

eighteenth century.

.......

Yet Pocock's thesis and the reinterpretation of the his-

tory of eighteenth-century America engendered by it are

(35) of dubious validity. ...(series of questions

punching holes into Pocock's theory)

 

..which implies the author disapproves of Pocock's

beliefs. Then he sums up towards the end:

 

In short, the United States was created not in a mood of

classical anxiety over virtue and corruption, but in a

mood of liberal optimism over individual profits and

prosperity.

 

Which would mean choice E is not right, since it corresponds

to what the author believes and NOT what Pocock believed.

Note carefully that Pocock believed in “classical republicanism.”

influencing the States.

 

(E) A mood of optimism among people over individual profits and prosperity would have been created

 

 

Classical republicanism is elitist, and it certainly

had little to offer the important new social groups of arti-

sans an shopkeepers that emerged in America during the

(45) eighteenth century. These middle-class radicals, for

whom John Wilkes and Thomas Paine were spokesmen,

had none of the independence from the market that the

landed gentry had. They were less concerned with virtue

and community than they were with equality and private

(50) rights. They hated political privilege and wanted freedom

from an elite-dominated state.

 

..this implies the rise of "the important social group

of artisans and shopkeepers" would've coincided with

the fall of the landed gentry. Since it seems to be

true (assuming the author knew the truth about the

old times) that landed gentry faded out of prominence,

choice D would be true of old US, which was NOT

influenced by "classical republicanism".

 

(D) The political and social privileges enjoyed by the landed gentry would have been destroyed.

 

 

 

QUESTION : The passage suggests that, if classical republicanism had been the ideology of eighteenth-century America, which of the following would have resulted?

 

This seems to be right, as increased individual rights would

have also meant increased self-interest (?) , which goes against

"classical republicanism"

 

(B) Citizens and politicians would not have been encouraged to agitate for increased individual rights.

 

 

What does everyone think? :-?

[r2kins]

Hi Dingus

Rc's Sent To Mr Aioria -- The Above Mentioned Account

Kinshuk

[Dingus]

Hi Dingus

Rc's Sent To Mr Aioria -- The Above Mentioned Account

Kinshuk

 

 

Thanks a lot! :)

[mallelac]

Precisely for the reasons quoted by Dingus, I got B as my answer and I am shocked to learn that E is the answer. If E were the answer, there is no 'would have been' because as per the passage, that is how the US is created.

 

Thus I second the answer B.

 

Hi Kinshuk,

Hope I'm not too late and off the mark?

From what I could understand, I wonder, if you would be

kind enough to upload the RCs here as an attachment

for everyone, or mail a copy to the great Mexican treasure house? :)

 

Yahoo Login : mr_aioria

Password: 1035720

 

mr_aioria@yahoo.com

 

Also, I'm not too sure about the RC presented here:

Concentrate here:

Pocock argues that out of the writings of antiquity

Machiavelli created a body of political thinking called

“classical republicanism.” This body of thought revived

the ancient belief that a human being was by nature a cit-

izen who achieved moral fulfillment by participating in a

(15) self-governing republic. Liberty was interpreted as a

condition that is realized when people are virtuous and

are willing to sacrifice their individual interests for the sake

of the community.

 

Rules out C

© People would have been convinced that by pursuing their own interests they were contributing to the good of the group.

 

 

To be completely virtuous, people

had to be independent and free of the petty interests of

(20) the marketplace. The greatest enemy of virtue was com-

merce.

..which rules out answer A

(A) People would have been motivated to open small businesses and expand commercial activity.

 

This classical republican tradition is said by

Pocock to have shaped the ideology of America during the

eighteenth century.

.......

Yet Pocock's thesis and the reinterpretation of the his-

tory of eighteenth-century America engendered by it are

(35) of dubious validity. ...(series of questions

punching holes into Pocock's theory)

 

..which implies the author disapproves of Pocock's

beliefs. Then he sums up towards the end:

 

In short, the United States was created not in a mood of

classical anxiety over virtue and corruption, but in a

mood of liberal optimism over individual profits and

prosperity.

 

Which would mean choice E is not right, since it corresponds

to what the author believes and NOT what Pocock believed.

Note carefully that Pocock believed in “classical republicanism.”

influencing the States.

 

(E) A mood of optimism among people over individual profits and prosperity would have been created

 

 

Classical republicanism is elitist, and it certainly

had little to offer the important new social groups of arti-

sans an shopkeepers that emerged in America during the

(45) eighteenth century. These middle-class radicals, for

whom John Wilkes and Thomas Paine were spokesmen,

had none of the independence from the market that the

landed gentry had. They were less concerned with virtue

and community than they were with equality and private

(50) rights. They hated political privilege and wanted freedom

from an elite-dominated state.

 

..this implies the rise of "the important social group

of artisans and shopkeepers" would've coincided with

the fall of the landed gentry. Since it seems to be

true (assuming the author knew the truth about the

old times) that landed gentry faded out of prominence,

choice D would be true of old US, which was NOT

influenced by "classical republicanism".

 

(D) The political and social privileges enjoyed by the landed gentry would have been destroyed.

 

 

 

QUESTION : The passage suggests that, if classical republicanism had been the ideology of eighteenth-century America, which of the following would have resulted?

 

This seems to be right, as increased individual rights would

have also meant increased self-interest (?) , which goes against

"classical republicanism"

 

(B) Citizens and politicians would not have been encouraged to agitate for increased individual rights.

 

 

What does everyone think? :-?

[gurucool]

I also agree with you , answer E is rather an exact opposition of classical republicanism , I suppose either there is a problem with the framing of question or answer is misprinted

[gurucool]

Hello Dingus, is the mail id that u mention in the above message not functional anymore ?

[Dingus]

Hello Dingus, is the mail id that u mention in the above message not functional anymore ?

 

That is pretty unfortunate. :( Some mean soul changed the password.

 

I'm uploading the RCs here for everyone's benefit. Also, I've uploaded the TOEFL material that was in that inbox in my TOEFL score thread here:

http://www.www.urch.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14057

[Dingus]

The Reading Comprehension passages and their answers are attached.

RCPart2.doc

RCPart1.doc

AnswersToRCs.doc

[oh_nimesh]

hey everyone...wel m really struggling with RC s....help me out...the thing is i can solve those in the book offhand..but cannot concentrate when its on the screen....sounds odd ya....

 

nimesh

[mani.17]

Hey.....did anyone of you tried doing the rc's.....are the answers correct? because i have been getting a lot of answers wrong and can't make any sense of the correct ans :( please reply asap....

thanks mani

[Dingus]

Don't worry, the controversial RC above is also from there. Trust your instincts.

They are just posted to increase your speed at reading, not to agonise over the answers. Quit worrying. :)