RC - Perspectives / function

[karthikpandian19]

The Renaissance marks the separation of the medieval from the modern world. Medieval Europe was a land not of equals, but of lords and slaves. The powerful nobles regarded themselves as wholly different from the hapless peasants whom they trampled under foot, serfs so ignorant, so brutalized by want, that they were treated often little better than the beasts with which they herded. Gradually the tradesmen- the middle classes- forced their way to practical equality with the nobles, which in turn empowered the masses to do the same.

In dealing with modern history, every writer is apt to begin with a different date. Some go back as far as Petrarch, who reintroduced the study of ancient art and learning; that is, these writers regard our world as a direct continuation of the Roman Empire, with the thousand years of the Middle Ages gaping between like a gulf of barbarism, that was bridged at last. Others take the invention of printing as a starting-point, feeling that the chief element of our progress has been the gathering of information by the poorer classes. Some, looking to political changes, turn to the reign of Louis XI of France, noting him as the first modern king, or to the downfall of Charles the Bold, the last great feudal noble. Still others name later starting-points, such as the establishment of modern art by Michelangelo and Raphael at Rome, the discovery of America, with its opening of vast new lands for the pent-up population of narrow Europe, or the Reformation, which has been called man's revolt against superstition, and the establishment of the independence of thought.

All of these epochs fall within the limits of the Renaissance, and all, except that of Petrarch, within the later Renaissance which we are now considering. The period is therefore worth careful study.

What is the function of the second paragraph in this passage?


(A) To provide historical justification for the author's claim that the later Renaissance is far more important and momentous than the early Renaissance

(B) To explore several opposing viewpoints, all of which will ultimately be dismissed when the author explains his argument in detail, with detailed historic analysis

(C) To list the opinions of historians that the author respects, preparing the reader for the author's thesis that will attempt to incorporate all these opinions

(D) To discuss differing opinions, all of which, put together, serve as a single piece of supporting evidence for the author's thesis in the third paragraph

(E) To name a variety of interrelated ideas, each of which the author will weigh on their own merits, finally presenting his preference in the third paragraph

[Birottam Dutta]

I would go with C as the answer.

The second para lists the different opinions and also finally in the third, the author prepares the reader to delve into the thesis that will attempt to analyze all these opinions.

Hence, C!

[eagleeye]

The correct answer should be D. Let me explain:

(A) To provide historical justification for the author's claim that the later Renaissance is far more important and momentous than the early Renaissance
We are never told that "later Renaissance is far more important" than early Renaissance. NO.

(B) To explore several opposing viewpoints, all of which will ultimately be dismissed when the author explains his argument in detail, with detailed historic analysis
We don't know that author is going to dismiss those arguments. The only thing we know is that he or she is considering studying the Renaissance period in detail. NO.

(C) To list the opinions of historians that the author respects, preparing the reader for the author's thesis that will attempt to incorporate all these opinions
First of all, we don't know whether the author "respects" the historians. Even if it were true, we already know that the author's thesis is "The period is therefore worth careful study." We are not being prepared for "an attempt to" incorporate all the opinions.

(D) To discuss differing opinions, all of which, put together, serve as a single piece of supporting evidence for the author's thesis in the third paragraph
This is the CORRECT answer. We are told that "all the epochs" fall within the limits of Renaissance. The author then uses this as a premise to present his thesis that the Renaissance period is worth careful study. YES.

(E) To name a variety of interrelated ideas, each of which the author will weigh on their own merits, finally presenting his preference in the third paragraph
Again, we don't know whether the author will weigh on in "each of" them. NO.

Let me know if this helps

[karthikpandian19]

Birottam,

OA is D

The second paragraph lists different options for the starting point of modern history, which together serve as a single piece of evidence supporting the author's thesis in the third paragraph ("all of these epochs fall within the limits of the Renaissance" so the period is "therefore worth careful study.").

Answer choice C mentions two crucial things that are not reflected in the passage.

First, answer C states that the author respects the historians. There's no indication in the passage that this is true. It might be true, and you might think it reasonable. But if it doesn't exist in the passage, then it doesn't exist at all. Never fill in gaps that aren't there.

Second, answer C states that the author's thesis will incorporate all of the opinions of the second paragraph. Again, nothing in the passage suggests this. The author uses the opinions to support his thesis, but the thesis itself is merely a general statement about the Renaissance, not an incorporation of all the opinions into one statement.

Hope this helps

I would go with C as the answer.

The second para lists the different opinions and also finally in the third, the author prepares the reader to delve into the thesis that will attempt to analyze all these opinions.

Hence, C!