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SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes: Difference between revisions
SAT Reading section historical timeline & themes (view source)
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== Example of applying historical knowledge on SAT Reading == | == Example of applying historical knowledge or context on SAT Reading == | ||
* College Board practice test 10, | === Historical knowledge === | ||
* [https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-practice-test-7.pdf College Board practice test 7, 4th passage, question 40]: | |||
* these two passages are from 1840 and 1851 | |||
** '''1840 by Alexis de Tocqueville''' | |||
*** students are likely to have heard of Tocqueville, a French aristocrat who studied American democracy and notions of equality | |||
*** he wrote a book "Democracy in America" with his observations on American social, economic, and political outcomes through the point of view of 1) a French aristocrat; and 2) the effects of democratic and egalitarian views of white Americans | |||
** '''1850 by Harriet Taylor Mill''' | |||
** students would be less likely to know Mill, but we can infer from the introduction her arguments, especially as counter to those of a French aristocrat | |||
*** Mill was an important British advocate for women's rights | |||
*** she married the British political philosopher, John Stuart Mill | |||
** students are likely to know that the 1840s-1850s were a time of reform called the "Second Great Awakening" | |||
*** and that many of these reform movements intersected | |||
**** especially women's rights and abolition of slavery | |||
* passage perspectives: | |||
** Tocqueville is an observer and not an advocate, | |||
*** therefore he will speak about how things are (if filtered through his own points of view) | |||
** Mill is a reformer, | |||
*** therefore, she will speak about how things ought to be (in this case equality between the sexes) | |||
* '''Question 40 reads''': | |||
<pre>Which choice best describes the ways that the two authors conceive of the individual’s proper position in society?</pre> | |||
* and the possible answers are: | |||
<pre>A) Tocqueville believes that an individual’s position should be defined in important ways by that individual’s sex, while Mill believes that an individual’s abilities should be the determining factor. | |||
B) Tocqueville believes that an individual’s economic class should determine that individual’s position, while Mill believes that class is not a legitimate consideration. | |||
C) Tocqueville believes that an individual’s temperament should determine that individual’s position, while Mill believes that temperament should not be a factor in an individual’s position. | |||
D) Tocqueville believes that an individual’s position should be determined by what is most beneficial to society, while Mill believes it should be determined by what an individual finds most rewarding</pre> | |||
click EXPAND for elimination based upon historical understanding of the perspectives of these authors: | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | |||
</div> | |||
Since we know that Mill advocates for women's equality, and we know that Tocqueville is an aristocrat, we can eliminate as follows | |||
* A) | |||
** Tocqueville believes that an individual’s position should be defined in important ways by that individual’s sex | |||
*** can't eliminate because aristocrats at the time believed in traditional roles for men and women | |||
** while Mill believes that an individual’s abilities should be the determining factor. | |||
*** Mill believes in equality for women | |||
** so we can't eliminate A) | |||
* B) | |||
** Tocqueville believes that an individual’s economic class should determine that individual’s position | |||
*** an aristocrat would likely believe this, so we can't eliminate (even if it is not in the text) | |||
** while Mill believes that class is not a legitimate consideration. | |||
*** Mill is concerned about gender equality and not among the economic classes | |||
** so eliminate B) | |||
* C) | |||
** Tocqueville believes that an individual’s temperament should determine that individual’s position | |||
*** Tocqueville is not concerned with individual "temperament" (character) | |||
** while Mill believes that temperament should not be a factor in an individual’s position. | |||
*** Mill argues the opposite of that statement, so eliminate | |||
** however, we can also eliminate this possible answer from a general historical perspective | |||
*** an aristocrat would not care about character in determining social position and instead would argue for birth for that determination | |||
*** an egalitarian would argue the opposite, that character and not birth should define an individual's position in society | |||
** so eliminate C) | |||
* D) | |||
** Tocqueville believes that an individual’s position should be determined by what is most beneficial to society | |||
*** an aristocrat may take this position (and Tocqueville does) | |||
** while Mill believes it should be determined by what an individual finds most rewarding | |||
*** as an egalitarian, Mill would believe in a more altruistic point of view, | |||
**** i.e., society will benefit from empowerment of individuals and not simply from individuals getting what they each find "most rewarding" | |||
**** (that would be a different, generally, economic point of view regarding the social benefits of individual selfishness, and not the point of view of a mid-19th century egalitarian reformer) | |||
**** (this possible answer is likely intended to deliberately confuse students between Harriett Taylor Mill and John Stuart Mill who did advocate for individual protection from state control) | |||
** so eliminate D) | |||
</div> | |||
=== Historical context & language === | |||
* [https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-practice-test-10.pdf College Board practice test 10, 4th passage, question 39]: | |||
* the passages are from 1898 & 1900 regarding the Spanish-American War, in which the U.S. fully engaged in imperialism and colonialism | |||
** possible answers to question 39 are: | ** possible answers to question 39 are: | ||
<pre>A) founding and history of the United States. | <pre>A) founding and history of the United States. | ||
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C) worldwide history of struggles for independence. | C) worldwide history of struggles for independence. | ||
D) idealism that permeates many aspects of American society</pre> | D) idealism that permeates many aspects of American society</pre> | ||
click EXPAND for eliminate based upon the perspective of the 1898/1900's: | |||
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"> | |||
* x B) "diversity" = a modern not a c. 1900 political value or expression | * x B) "diversity" = a modern not a c. 1900 political value or expression | ||
* x C) "worldwide history" = a modern not a c. 1900 political value or expression (which would be concerned about American and not "worldwide" history) | * x C) "worldwide history" = a modern not a c. 1900 political value or expression (which would be concerned about American and not "worldwide" history) | ||
* x D) "idealism that permeates" = a modern and not a c. 1900 perspective | * x D) "idealism that permeates" = a modern and not a c. 1900 perspective | ||
** without looking at the text, we can eliminate down to the correct answer, A) | ** without looking at the text, we can eliminate down to the correct answer, A) | ||
<div> | |||
== General SAT Reading section topics & themes == | == General SAT Reading section topics & themes == | ||