Module
2
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Linguist Deborah Tannen has cautioned against
framing contentious issues in terms of two highly
competitive perspectives, such as pro versus con.
According to Tannen, this debate-driven approach
can strip issues of their complexity and, when used in
front of an audience, can be less informative than
the presentation of multiple perspectives in a
noncompetitive format. To test Tannen’s hypothesis,
students conducted a study in which they showed
participants one of three different versions of local
news commentary about the same issue. Each
version featured a debate between two commentators
with opposing views, a panel of three commentators
with various views, or a single commentator.
Which finding from the students’ study, if true,
would most strongly support Tannen’s hypothesis?
A) On average, participants perceived
commentators in the debate as more
knowledgeable about the issue than
commentators in the panel.
B) On average, participants perceived
commentators in the panel as more
knowledgeable about the issue than the single
commentator.
C) On average, participants who watched the panel
correctly answered more questions about the
issue than those who watched the debate or the
single commentator did.
D) On average, participants who watched the single
commentator correctly answered more questions
about the issue than those who watched the
debate did.
15
King Lear is
a circa 1606 play by William
Shakespeare. In the play, the character of King Lear
attempts to test his three daughters’ devotion to him.
He later expresses regret for his actions, as is evident
when he _______
Which choice most effectively uses a quotation from
King Lear to illustrate the claim?
A) says of himself, “I am a man / more sinned
against than sinning.”
B) says during a growing storm, “This tempest will
not give me leave to ponder / On things would
hurt me more.”
C) says to himself while striking his head, “Beat at
this gate that let thy folly in / And thy dear
judgement out!”
D) says of himself, “I will do such things— / What
they are yet, I know not; but they shall be / The
terrors of the earth!”
16
Many of William Shakespeare’s tragedies address
broad
themes that still appeal to today’s audiences.
For instance, Romeo and Juliet, which is set in the
Italy of Shakespeare’s time, tackles the themes of
parents versus children and love versus hate, and
the play continues to be read and produced
widely around the world. But understanding
Shakespeare’s so-called history plays can require a
knowledge of several centuries of English history.
Consequently, _______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
A) many theatergoers and readers today are likely to
find Shakespeare’s history plays less engaging
than the tragedies.
B) some of Shakespeare’s tragedies are more
relevant to today’s audiences than
twentieth-century plays.
C) Romeo and Juliet is the most thematically
accessible of all Shakespeare’s tragedies.
D) experts in English history tend to prefer
Shakespeare’s history plays to his other works.
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CONTINUE