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Primary purpose of this RC

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goelmohit2002 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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Primary purpose of this RC Post Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:14 pm
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  • Lap #[LAPCOUNT] ([LAPTIME])
    In American Genesis, which covers
    the century of technological innovation
    in the United States beginning in 1876,
    Line Thomas Hughes assigns special promi-
    (5) nence to Thomas Edison as archetype
    of the independent nineteenth-century
    inventor. However, Hughes virtually
    ignores Edison's famous contemporary
    and notorious adversary in
    (10) the field of electric light and power,
    George Westinghouse. This comparative
    neglect of Westinghouse is
    consistent with other recent historians'
    works, although it marks an intriguing
    (15) departure from the prevailing view
    during the inventors' lifetimes (and for
    decades afterward) of Edison and
    Westinghouse as the two "pioneer
    innovators" of the electrical industry.

    (20) My recent reevaluation of Westinghouse,
    facilitated by materials found
    in railroad archives, suggests that
    while Westinghouse and Edison shared
    important traits as inventors, they
    (25) differed markedly in their approach to
    the business aspects of innovation.
    For Edison as an inventor, novelty
    was always paramount: the overriding
    goal of the business of innovation was
    (30) simply to generate funding for new
    inventions. Edison therefore undertook
    just enough sales, product development,
    and manufacturing to accomplish this.
    Westinghouse, however, shared the
    (35) attitudes of the railroads and other
    industries for whom he developed
    innovations: product development,
    standardization, system, and order
    were top priorities. Westinghouse
    (40) thus better exemplifies the systematic
    approach to technological development
    that would become a hallmark of modern
    corporate research and development.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Q:
    The primary purpose of the passage is to
    A. reevaluate a controversial theory
    B. identify the flaws in a study
    C. propose a new method of historical research
    D. compare two contrasting analyses
    E. provide a fresh perspective

    Can someone help me finding primary purpose of this passage?

    OA is "E". Can someone please help me understand why "B" is wrong ?

    Thanks
    Mohit

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    yogami Really wants to Beat The GMAT!
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    Post Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:50 pm
    I went for E too. I think the passage does not talk about flaws in the study but says that the study is not completely reflective of who the real pioneers of tech inventions in US are. So he makes an attempt to provide a new perspective into this based on his findings. So the tone of the passage is trying to give an alternative viewpoint rather than criticizing the existing one.

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    goelmohit2002 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Thu Jun 11, 2009 12:55 pm
    Isn't the following portion of the above pessage trying to find out the flaw in the approach taken by writer Hughes. Please tell if I am misunderstanding something.

    =================================================
    "However, Hughes virtually ignores Edison's famous contemporary and notorious adversary in the field of electric light and power, George Westinghouse. This comparative neglect of Westinghouse is consistent with other recent historians' works, although it marks an intriguing departure from the prevailing view during the inventors' lifetimes (and for decades afterward) of Edison and Westinghouse as the two "pioneer innovators" of the electrical industry. "

    goelmohit2002 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:52 am
    Experts kindly share your thoughts.!!!!

    Domnu GMAT Destroyer!
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    Post Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:55 pm
    I narrowed my choices down to B and E as well, but went with E since there is no "study" done or being performed... American Genesis is just one example, but the primary purpose of the author isn't to undermine American Genesis; it is to bring forth his/her own views.

    The first paragraph acts as an introduction to the second.

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    goelmohit2002 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:54 pm
    Domnu wrote:
    I narrowed my choices down to B and E as well, but went with E since there is no "study" done or being performed... .
    imo American genesis is a study isn't it ? or it is something else ? If sth else what will it be called in GMAT terminology Sad ???

    IMO..."B" might be wrong because author has find only one flaw....but option "B" is talking about flaws(plural i.e. >1)....

    I remember one question in OG...in which they kicked out one option due to similar reasoning....

    Please tell if I am misunderstanding something.

    Domnu GMAT Destroyer!
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    Post Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:52 am
    goelmohit2002 wrote:
    Domnu wrote:
    I narrowed my choices down to B and E as well, but went with E since there is no "study" done or being performed... .
    imo American genesis is a study isn't it ? or it is something else ? If sth else what will it be called in GMAT terminology Sad ???

    IMO..."B" might be wrong because author has find only one flaw....but option "B" is talking about flaws(plural i.e. >1)....

    I remember one question in OG...in which they kicked out one option due to similar reasoning....

    Please tell if I am misunderstanding something.
    Well, it's true that it is a study, but the author's entire point isn't to take it down... in fact, very little about the second paragraph says anything about "this study is wrong because ..."

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    goelmohit2002 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:19 am
    But if you see the first para, then first para is majorly devoted to the flaw only...can you please help me understand what I am missing here....as per my understanding first para in general has more weightage as compared to rest of the passage....

    Isn't the following portion of the above pessage trying to find out the flaw in the approach taken by writer Hughes. Please tell if I am misunderstanding something.

    =================================================
    "However, Hughes virtually ignores Edison's famous contemporary and notorious adversary in the field of electric light and power, George Westinghouse. This comparative neglect of Westinghouse is consistent with other recent historians' works, although it marks an intriguing departure from the prevailing view during the inventors' lifetimes (and for decades afterward) of Edison and Westinghouse as the two "pioneer innovators" of the electrical industry. "

    haptas Rising GMAT Star Default Avatar
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    Post Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:46 pm
    I guess the puncline is "My recent reevaluation ....suggests.."

    So, the author is providing smt new.. Ans is E

    chintanjadwani Rising GMAT Star Default Avatar
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    Post Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:05 pm
    From what I have learnt in the ''primary purpose'' questions is that it should conform with all the paragraphs of the passage..

    now B says ''identify flaws in sum theory''

    now from the basic understanding of the passage . make a mental note that yes, the author has identified a flaw, that westinghouse was ignored etc..etc..'', but ask yourself is that it? the answer is obviously no... the author has done other things...i.e proposed his own views, so merely ''identifying the flaws'' is not the primary purpose,..!!

    now E ''propose a new fresh perspective''

    now what u understand from this answer choice is that if an author wants to provide a new perspectice, then he obviously has to refute or undermine the previous perspective...

    Also if u see the passage as a whole, the main function of the forst para is not to identify the flaw, but in fact, it is presented to provide a ''base'' for the author to present his perspective.. thats the catch...!! hope this helps...

    aj5105 GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:21 am
    In para (1) - if you notice, the author of the passage talks about both - The American Genesis & the historians. Half the para is about TAG and half the para isabout the historians. So, IMO, we cannot pick (B) which is addresses only 1 of the 2.

    (E) is better.

    tanviet GMAT Titan Default Avatar
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    Post Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:17 am
    I wish member, experts, to comment on my following idea.

    this problem I get wrong but I still want you comment of my following skill

    for globle questions regarding main idea, main purpose, even when we understand the passage we have hard time answering the question because the answers maybe very close.

    I want to categorize the answer choices according to

    - too narrow
    - too broad
    - out of scope
    - false, contradicting the information in the passage.

    I apply the skill above and see effective, but for this problem I still get wrong. I can eliminate ABC, but choose D not E.

    However, the matter is whether the above categoring is effective or not.

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