Reading Comprehension

(The following is excerpted from material written in 1992.)
Many researchers regard Thailand's recent economic growth, as reflected by its gross domestic product (GDP) growth rates, as an example of the success of a modern technological development strategy based on the market economics of industrialized countries. Yet by focusing solely on aggregate economic growth data as the measure of Thailand's development, these researchers have overlooked the economic impact of rural development projects that improve people's daily lives at the village level-such as the cooperative raising of water buffalo, improved sanitation, and the development of food crops both for consumption and for sale at local markets; such projects are not adequately reflected in the country's GDP. These researchers, influenced by Robert Heilbroner's now outdated development theory, tend to view nontechnological development as an obstacle to progress. Heilbroner's theory has become doctrine in some economics textbooks: for example, Monte Palmer disparages nontechnological rural development projects as inhibiting constructive change. Yet as Ann Kelleher's two recent case studies of the Thai villages Non Muang and Dong Keng illustrate, the nontechnological-versus-technological dichotomy can lead researchers not only to overlook real advances achieved by rural development projects but also mistakenly to conclude that because such advances are initiated by rural leaders and are based on traditional values and practices, they retard "real" economic development.

GWD6-Q35:
The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. explain the true reasons for the increase in Thailand's GDP
B. argue for the adoption of certain rural development projects
C. question the value of technological development in Thailand
D. criticize certain assumptions about economic development in Thailand
E. compare traditional and modern development strategies in Thailand
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GWD6-Q36:
It can be inferred from the passage that the term "real" in line 36 most likely refers to economic development that is

A. based on a technological development strategy
B. not necessarily favored by most researchers
C. initiated by rural leader
D. a reflection of traditional values and practices
E. difficult to measure statistically

[spoiler]OA: D, A[/spoiler]

My answer: A, C

please help.

q 35

answer is D

criticize certain assumptions about economic development in Thailand

the voice is mainly of criticism. like rural development is not taken

35) A would have been true if the author intended to say that the reasons of economic development of Thailand are not actually based on technical development strategy but mostly on rural development initiatives. This is a wrong inference.

What the author is trying to say is that contribution of rural development initiatives in Thailand's economic development has been overlooked. He never says that modern technological development strategy have or haven't played a role. He just criticizes the assumption that only this strategy is supposed to be at work. - Option D best states this.

36) The term real is the one in the last line of the sentence.

but also mistakenly to conclude that because such advances are initiated by rural leaders and are based on traditional values and practices, they retard "real" economic development.

The advances of rural leaders retard "real" economic development. So real cannot refer to the one started by the rural leaders as they are in opposition. The sentence refers to the conclusion made by researcher's who believe in technical development strategy, so real must logically mean the economic development based on based on this strategy. A is thus correct.

I am not clear as to how to identify the answer for Qn. 36. Could somebody assist?

paddle_sweep,

q36 asks for the meaning of "real" in the passage.The statement says that the researchers does not consider rural development as important as done by technological development and therefore consider it (rural development) as retarding the main ("real") development i.e done technologicaly.

Hope that helps you

saurabhmahajan wrote:paddle_sweep,

q36 asks for the meaning of "real" in the passage.The statement says that the researchers does not consider rural development as important as done by technological development and therefore consider it (rural development) as retarding the main ("real") development i.e done technologicaly.

Hope that helps you

Thanks. I have understood it now.