Free Practice Question
RC · Reading Comprehension
505-555
Short Passage - Social Science
Reading Passage
The common belief of some linguists that each language is a perfect vehicle for the thoughts of the nation speaking it is in some ways the exact counterpart of the conviction of the Manchester school of economics that supply and demand will regulate everything for the best. Just as economists were blind to the numerous cases in which the law of supply and demand left actual wants unsatisfied, so also many linguists are deaf to those instances in which the very nature of a language calls forth misunderstandings in everyday conversation, and in which, consequently, a word has to be modified or defined in order to present the idea intended by the speaker: “He took his stick—no, not John’s, but his own.” No language is perfect, and if we admit this truth, we must also admit that it is not unreasonable to investigate the relative merits of different languages or of different details in languages.
Which of the following contributes to the misunderstanding described by the author ?
Answer Choices
Correct answer marked belowA
It is unclear whom the speaker of the sentence is addressing.
It is unclear to whom the word “his” refers the first time it is used.
Correct
C
It is unclear to whom the word “his” refers the second time it is used.
D
The meaning of “took” is ambiguous.
E
It is unclear to whom “He” refers.
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What it tests
Your ability to understand a passage, its structure, and what the author is really saying. At the 505-555 level, accuracy and speed both matter.
Common trap
Answering from memory or outside knowledge instead of strictly from the passage.
Details
Difficulty
505-555
Type
RC
Category