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Ghana & Kenya

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gmat740 MBA Student
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Ghana & Kenya Post Sun Aug 16, 2009 6:21 pm
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  • Lap #[LAPCOUNT] ([LAPTIME])
    In a 1984 book, Claire C. Robertson argued that, before colonialism, age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally. British colonialism imposed European-style male-dominant notions upon more egalitarian local situations to the detriment of women generally, and gender became a defining characteristic that weakened women�s power and authority.

    [Line 18]Subsequent research in Kenya convinced Robertson that she had overgeneralized about Africa. Before colonialism, gender was more salient in central Kenya than [Line 24]it was in Ghana, although age was still crucial in determining authority. In contrast with Ghana, where women had traded for hundreds of years and achieved legal majority (not unrelated phenomena), the evidence regarding central Kenya indicated that women were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, as were European women at that time. Factors like strong patrilinearity and patrilocality, as well as women�s inferior land rights and lesser involvement in trade, made women more dependent on men than was generally the case in Ghana. However, since age apparently remained the overriding principle of social organization in central Kenya, some senior women had much authority. Thus, Robertson revised her hypothesis somewhat, arguing that in determining authority in precolonial Africa age was a primary principle that superseded gender to varying degrees depending on the situation.

    Q4:
    The passage indicates that Robertson�s research in Kenya caused her to change her mind regarding which of the following?
    A. Whether age was the prevailing principle of social organization in Kenya before colonialism
    B.Whether gender was the primary determinant of social authority in Africa generally before colonialism
    C. Whether it was only after colonialism that gender became a significant determinant of authority in Kenyan society
    D.Whether age was a crucial factor determining authority in Africa after colonialism
    E Whether British colonialism imposed European-style male-dominant notions upon local situations in Ghana
    Answer: See-line 20 "overgeneralised" what? =>Age as dominant factor. A says it all.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Q5:
    The passage suggests that after conducting the research mentioned in line 18, but not before, Robertson would have agreed with which of the following about women�s status and authority in Ghana?
    A Greater land rights and greater involvement in trade made women in precolonial Ghana less dependent on men than were European women at that time.
    B Colonialism had a greater impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women than on Kenyan women.
    C Colonialism had less of an impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women that it had on the status and authority of other African women.
    D The relative independence of Ghanaian women prior to colonialism was unique in Africa.
    E Before colonialism, the status and authority of Ghanaian women was similar to that of Kenyan women.

    Q6:
    The author of the passage mentions the status of age as a principle of social organization in precolonial central Kenya in lines 24-26 most likely in order to
    A. indicate that women�s dependence on men in precolonial Kenya was not absolute
    B. contrast the situation of senior women to that of less senior women in precolonial Kenyan society
    C. differentiate between the status and authority of precolonial Kenyan women and that of precolonial Ghanaian women
    D. explain why age superseded gender to a greater extent in precolonial Kenya than it did elsewhere in Africa
    E. identify a factor that led Robertson to revise her hypothesis about precolonial Africa
    IMO => 4.A 5.E 6.b
    OA=> 4.C 5.B. 6e


    There has been lots of discussion on this question but no fruitful solution. I doubt the OA

    http://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-reading-comprehension/65712-kenya-ghana-2.html

    http://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-reading-comprehension/96951-rc-answer-correct.html

    http://www.urch.com/forums/gmat-reading-comprehension/96952-rc-answer-correct.html

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    DanaJ Site Admin
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    Post Wed Aug 19, 2009 6:34 am
    Q4. I agree with the OA here. The main purpose of Robertson's work is stated in the first paragraph: "British colonialism imposed European-style male-dominant notions upon more egalitarian local situations to the detriment of women generally". Her research also considers that specific point, whether or not the Empire imposed its own set of values on African society.

    Q5. Again, I agree with the OA. Women in Ghana were more independent as compared to women in other African countries (see Kenya), so colonialism affected their lives the most, since they went from independent to legal minors.
    E is incorrect, IMHO, because you have this phrase here: "In contrast with Ghana, where women had traded for hundreds of years and achieved legal majority (not unrelated phenomena), the evidence regarding central Kenya indicated that women were legal minors". You have that "contrast" right there that proves that E is incorrect.

    Q6. I don't know about this one. IMHO it should be C, because that's what the passage does: compare one situation (Ghana) to another (Kenya). It is of course part of the argument about Robertson's revised attitude, but that's much more of a general thing, or macro level if you must... I wouldn't expect to see such an ambiguous question in the GMAT.

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    Post Sun Aug 23, 2009 5:17 pm
    I fully agree with the OAs. On the real test I would use the same answers.

    ssgmatter GMAT Destroyer! Default Avatar
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    Post Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:10 am
    I dont understand that how C can be the correct answer for Q.5 here ....really confusing

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    Post Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:49 am
    The correct answer is actually listed as B in Q5.

    pradeepkaushal9518 GMAT Titan
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    Post Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:27 pm
    ya i agree with Q4 having answer A and B for question Q5

    Q4-Claire C. Robertson argued that, before colonialism, age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally

    hence A is correct

    Q5-In contrast with Ghana, where women had traded for hundreds of years and achieved legal majority (not unrelated phenomena), the evidence regarding central Kenya indicated that women were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, as were European women at that time

    the above line indicate that E is incorrect they dont have similar conditions

    frank1 GMAT Destroyer! Default Avatar
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    Post Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:19 am
    I got 2/3

    and i think the question in 5 is not what was situation like(which we get after we read whole passage) rather question seems to what author might have agreed before that point (Robertson would have agreed....before... )

    Initially she would have agreed all african women are same
    but NOW SHE realiazes she has OVERGENERALIZED that all were same
    Infact status Keneyain women proved to be different than others(which she has thought was same)

    so i think we cannot totally cross off E
    I dont say OA is bad but it is not better than E i guess....

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    maddy2u Rising GMAT Star
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    Post Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:43 am
    What is the source of this question ?

    pradeepkaushal9518 GMAT Titan
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    Post Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:57 am
    gmat 740 what's d source??????

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    zander21 Rising GMAT Star Default Avatar
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    Post Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:45 am
    is it possible for BTG to post the correct answers?! I've searched all over the web and the answers are across the board, no one seems to know or post what is true.

    pradeepkaushal9518 GMAT Titan
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    Post Wed Sep 07, 2011 10:20 am
    its the conversation starter's responsibility to post source of question and the OA. else we keep guessing the answers waste time

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    leumas Rising GMAT Star
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    Post Sun Sep 11, 2011 8:11 am
    gmat740 wrote:
    In a 1984 book, Claire C. Robertson argued that, before colonialism, age was a more important indicator of status and authority than gender in Ghana and in Africa generally. British colonialism imposed European-style male-dominant notions upon more egalitarian local situations to the detriment of women generally, and gender became a defining characteristic that weakened women�s power and authority.

    [Line 18]Subsequent research in Kenya convinced Robertson that she had overgeneralized about Africa. Before colonialism, gender was more salient in central Kenya than [Line 24]it was in Ghana, although age was still crucial in determining authority. In contrast with Ghana, where women had traded for hundreds of years and achieved legal majority (not unrelated phenomena), the evidence regarding central Kenya indicated that women were legal minors and were sometimes treated as male property, as were European women at that time. Factors like strong patrilinearity and patrilocality, as well as women�s inferior land rights and lesser involvement in trade, made women more dependent on men than was generally the case in Ghana. However, since age apparently remained the overriding principle of social organization in central Kenya, some senior women had much authority. Thus, Robertson revised her hypothesis somewhat, arguing that in determining authority in precolonial Africa age was a primary principle that superseded gender to varying degrees depending on the situation.

    Q4:
    The passage indicates that Robertson�s research in Kenya caused her to change her mind regarding which of the following?
    A. Whether age was the prevailing principle of social organization in Kenya before colonialism
    B.Whether gender was the primary determinant of social authority in Africa generally before colonialism
    C. Whether it was only after colonialism that gender became a significant determinant of authority in Kenyan society
    D.Whether age was a crucial factor determining authority in Africa after colonialism
    E Whether British colonialism imposed European-style male-dominant notions upon local situations in Ghana
    Answer: See-line 20 "overgeneralised" what? =>Age as dominant factor. A says it all.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Q5:
    The passage suggests that after conducting the research mentioned in line 18, but not before, Robertson would have agreed with which of the following about women�s status and authority in Ghana?
    A Greater land rights and greater involvement in trade made women in precolonial Ghana less dependent on men than were European women at that time.
    B Colonialism had a greater impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women than on Kenyan women.
    C Colonialism had less of an impact on the status and authority of Ghanaian women that it had on the status and authority of other African women.
    D The relative independence of Ghanaian women prior to colonialism was unique in Africa.
    E Before colonialism, the status and authority of Ghanaian women was similar to that of Kenyan women.

    Q6:
    The author of the passage mentions the status of age as a principle of social organization in precolonial central Kenya in lines 24-26 most likely in order to
    A. indicate that women�s dependence on men in precolonial Kenya was not absolute
    B. contrast the situation of senior women to that of less senior women in precolonial Kenyan society
    C. differentiate between the status and authority of precolonial Kenyan women and that of precolonial Ghanaian women
    D. explain why age superseded gender to a greater extent in precolonial Kenya than it did elsewhere in Africa
    E. identify a factor that led Robertson to revise her hypothesis about precolonial Africa
    IMO => 4.A 5.E 6.b
    OA=> 4.C 5.B. 6e

    There has been lots of discussion on this question but no fruitful solution. I doubt the OA
    First of all the question is incomplete and complete passage could lead to a more clear situation (18-24 etc.,)

    Based on the above details - Answer should be 4C, 5C, 6E

    4 is C since it clearly states that she realized that she cannot generalize about africa after the research in Kenya.

    If u can post the full paragraph, it could be helpful.

    Thanks.

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    Post Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:08 pm
    Even I got 4.C and 5.B
    But got confused in the 6th question.
    Option E is a more generalised statement while the question refers only to a specific part of the passage.So I would classify this one as a "detail question".
    My ans for 6 is C

    Anybody with an alternative explanation?

    navami GMAT Destroyer!
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    Post Wed Sep 14, 2011 11:02 am
    4- C
    5- A
    6 - B

    Can any one explain me why I m wrong with 5 and 6?

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    gunjan1208 GMAT Destroyer! Default Avatar
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    Post Fri Sep 16, 2011 6:15 am
    I was wrong with all

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