Reading Comprehension

While acknowledging that
there are greater employment
opportunities for Latin Ameri-
Line can women in cities than in the
(5) countryside, social science
theorists have continued to
argue that urban migration
has unequivocally hurt
women's status. However,
(10) the effects of migration are
more complex than these
theorists presume. For
example, effects can vary
depending on women's
(15) financial condition and social
class. Brazilian women in the
lowest socioeconomic class
have relatively greater job
opportunities and job security
(20) in cities than do men of the
same class, although there is
no compelling evidence that
for these women the move to
the city is a move out of pov-
(25) erty. Thus, these women
may improve their status in
relation to men but at the
same time may experience
no improvement in their
(30) economic standing.
In addition, working outside
the home, which is more
common in urban than in rural
areas, helps women in the
(35) lowest socioeconomic class
make contacts to extend
exchange networks-the flow
of gifts, loans, or child care
from those who currently
(40) have access to resources
to those who do not. Moreover,
poor women working in
urban areas actively seek to
cultivate long-term employer-
(45) employee relations. When
11
an emergency arises that
requires greater resources
than an exchange network
can provide, these women
(50) often appeal for and receive
aid from their wealthy employers.
However, the structure
of many poor women's
work-often a labor force
(55) of one in an employer's
home-makes it difficult for
them to organize to improve
their economic conditions in
general.
(60) Not surprisingly, then,
Latin American women in the
lowest socioeconomic class
differ in their opinions about
the effects of urban migration
(65) on their lives. Some find
urban living, with access to
electricity and running water,
an improvement and would
never return to the country-
(70) side. Others, disliking the
overcrowding and crime,
would return to the countryside
if there were work
opportunities for them there.
(75) Thus, urban life has had both
negative and positive impacts
on women's lives. In general,
urban migration has not
provided economic pros-
(80) perity or upward mobility for
women in the lowest socioeconomic
class, despite their
intelligent and energetic utilization
of the resources
available to them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q22:
In the first paragraph, the author refers to the experiences of Brazilian women most
probably in order to
12
A. support an earlier assertion made by social science theorists about the effects of
urban migration
B. provide an example of one area in which urban migration has failed to improve
Latin American women's lives
C. substantiate the claim that the effects of urban migration cannot be easily
characterized
D. illustrate the effect that urban migration has had on the economic status of Latin
American women
E. compare the effect that urban migration has had on the economic status of Latin
American women with its effect on the economic status of Latin American men
Answer:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q23:
NOTE: You must scroll to read the answer choices for this question.
Which of the following best summarizes the main point of the passage?
A. Although Latin American women disagree about the effects urban migration has
had on their lives, they agree that migration has provided them with greater
opportunities for stable employment outside the home.
B. Although urban migration has improved the quality of life for Latin American
women, it has weakened the social support systems that these women enjoyed in
rural communities.
C. The effects that urban migration has had on Latin American women's lives are
complex and are best evaluated in light of a range of issues concerning Latin
American women's overall quality of life.
D. The effects of urban migration in Latin America are different for men than they
are for women because of the relatively greater job opportunities and job security
enjoyed by women in urban areas.
E. Urban migration has led to an increasing disparity between the economic
prosperity of Latin American women in the lowest socioeconomic classes and that
of women in the higher socioeconomic classes.
Answer:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q24:
The author mentions which of the following as a disadvantage of urban employment for
Latin American women in the lowest socioeconomic group?
A. It is difficult for these women to obtain reliable, long-term employment.
B. It is difficult for these women to organize effectively in order to obtain better
wages.
C. It is difficult for these women to find employers who are supportive when
emergencies arise.
D. The structure of their jobs makes it difficult for these women to participate in
exchange networks.
E. Working in urban areas makes these women more vulnerable to health problems
than they would be in rural areas.
Answer:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q25:
The author of the passage would most likely agree that the opinions of the Latin
American women discussed in the third paragraph (lines 60-85) are influenced by the
A. fact that urban life has provided them with greater opportunities for upward
mobility than did rural life
B. relative importance they place on the benefits of urban exchange networks in
comparison to those of rural networks.
C. relative importance they place on the conveniences and drawbacks of urban life in
comparison to those of rural life
D. difference in the effects of urban migration on women of higher and lower
socioeconomic classes
E. difference in the effects of urban migration on men and women of the same social
and economic class
Answer:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

E
C
B
D
Please post the answers and the source of the RC.

Source is sets.
OAs [spoiler]"C C B C"[/spoiler]

@riteshbindal,

How much time did you spend on this RC?

Thanks,
Vikas

I spent 8.5 mins. Mainly because, to answer any question, I had to go a couple of pages up to see the passage. I know its a lot of time. How much time did you spend on this?

Around 10 mins...and to be honest with you...you can get such a passage on real GMAT...I appeared for GMAT a week ago and panicked when I saw such a lengthy passage and it started my downfall.

riteshbindal wrote:I spent 8.5 mins. Mainly because, to answer any question, I had to go a couple of pages up to see the passage. I know its a lot of time. How much time did you spend on this?

OMG. You are scaring me hehehe. Actually I changed my strategy after seeing this passage. Previously, I used to make brief notes to get a hold of passage. But then I realized that even after making such brief notes, I am not getting much hold of the passage. It means making notes is wastage of time This is not the universal truth, but it is a truth just for me. So now practicing RCs without notes and I can give extra time in finding right answers.
What was your accuracy in this passage?
Can you please provide some points as how difficult your test was and what differences did you notice between Gmat prep tests and actual GMAT ghost

Nah, I don't mean to scare you...I am still in shock though :roll: Quant is nearly of the same level. DS is more tough than the GMAT prep.

The main killer is Verbal (at least it was for me), on the GMAT Prep I was scoring between 680 and 710. I never got any lengthy RC at the most one was appx 50 lines.

But on the actual GMAT, the first RC was pretty small, but the length of the passage kept on increasing after that. The 3rd RC was brutal almost 4 paragraphs and it took all my time. When I finished that RC I realized that I have lost it because I spent extra time on first 15-20 questions and after that the brutal RC got the hell out of me.

If you really want to score in 700's then my advice would be to ace yourself in SC's so that you can devote more time to CR's and RC's.

Focus on medium to long passages in your prep. Get hold of SC's so that you can answer them in not more than 1.25 min.

riteshbindal wrote:OMG. You are scaring me hehehe. Actually I changed my strategy after seeing this passage. Previously, I used to make brief notes to get a hold of passage. But then I realized that even after making such brief notes, I am not getting much hold of the passage. It means making notes is wastage of time This is not the universal truth, but it is a truth just for me. So now practicing RCs without notes and I can give extra time in finding right answers.
What was your accuracy in this passage?
Can you please provide some points as how difficult your test was and what differences did you notice between Gmat prep tests and actual GMAT ghost

Thanks a lot for your pointers vikas. What was your split score by the way? You can ignore this question, if you don't feel to understand.
Which colleges are you looking for?

Q 44, V 26 - Overall score was less than 600.

So I am planning for a reattempt...was planning for some Indian and Australian B-schools

riteshbindal wrote:Thanks a lot for your pointers vikas. What was your split score by the way? You can ignore this question, if you don't feel to understand.
Which colleges are you looking for?

Thanks Vikas.
I am planning for ISB though I know how difficult it is with so much competition

It is indeed....

riteshbindal wrote:Thanks Vikas.
I am planning for ISB though I know how difficult it is with so much competition