When asked about specific objects in Reading Comprehension focus on that topic. In this case the sentence stating, "Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts."

In many instances, the correct choice to a targeted RC question is the one stating the least, especially when pertaining to inference. First predict what the answer should do, and in this case we can only infer that Henry James has a "comparable authorial awareness of novelistic construction".

So, then work through the choices looking for reasons to eliminate rather than select.

A. James, more than any other novelist, was aware of the difficulties of novelistic construction. | Eliminate for being extreme and unsupported

B. James was very aware of the details of novelistic construction. | Select as matching the prediction that James was an authority on novelistic construction

C. James’s awareness of novelistic construction derived from his reading of Brontë | Eliminate as James is an authority for Brontë, not based on her works

D. James’s awareness of novelistic construction has led most commentators to see unity in his individual novels. | Eliminate for being extreme and unsupported

E. James’s awareness of novelistic construction precluded him from violating the unity of his novels. | Eliminate as there is no mention of James' novels

5. According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the first and second parts of Wuthering Heights?

"the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation." Thus it can be inferred that the 2nd part received less romantic reading.

A The second part has received more attention from critics. - out of scope
B The second part has little relation to the first part. - Out of scope.
C The second part annuls the force of the first part. - out of scope
D The second part provides less substantiation for a romantic reading.
E The second part is better because it is more realistic. - out of scope

Hence D

6. Which of the following inferences about Henry James’s awareness of novelistic construction is best supported by the passage?

Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James. This states that HJ was aware of the elements of novelistic construction.

A James, more than any other novelist, was aware of the difficulties of novelistic construction. - distorted answer choice
B James was very aware of the details of novelistic construction. - details ~ elements
C James’s awareness of novelistic construction derived from his reading of Brontë. - out of scope
D James’s awareness of novelistic construction has led most commentators to see unity in his individual novels. - extreme and out of scope
E James’s awareness of novelistic construction precluded him from violating the unity of his novels. - oit of scope.

Hence, B

7. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree that an interpretation of a novel should

Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts.

A not try to unite heterogeneous elements in the novel- I guess that's opposite. Novel should try to attempt to unite
B not be inflexible in its treatment of the elements in the novel - means flexible
C not argue that the complex use of narrators or of time shifts indicates a sophisticated structure - out of scope
D concentrate on those recalcitrant elements of the novel that are outside the novel’s main structure - distorted answer choice
E primarily consider those elements of novelistic construction of which the author of the novel was aware - out of scope

Hence, B

8. The author of the passage suggests which of the following about Hamlet?

Hamlet is quite similar to WH

A Hamlet has usually attracted critical interpretations that tend to stiffen into theses. - out of scope
B Hamlet has elements that are not amenable to an all-encompassing critical interpretation. - stated in last line
C Hamlet is less open to an all-encompassing critical interpretation than is Wuthering Heights. - comparison is not done.

Hence, B.

The sentence you mention says exactly the contrary

Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts.


We have no necessity to investigate the construction of the novel

IF we needed to investigate, then we asked to James. This implies that the scholar James if he would explain to us if something is not clear, he is ALREADY aware of the construction.

He knows >>> we do not know >>> we ASK HIM TO EXPLAIN.

Why do we ask hi ?' because he knows

B is the answer

Could anyone able to explain the meaning of the following statement please?

This is not because such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger), but because Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all-encompassing interpretation.

­To solve the questions with accuracy and speed, let us deploy IMS's TAM approach while reading. After reading the passage, we should be able to tell ourselves the Topic (T), Argument (A) and Main Idea (M) of the passage.

Topic is what the passage deals with. We should know what it is after having read the first two sentences.

Argument is anything about the topic found in the passage.

Main Idea is what the author wants us to believe. In purely descriptive passages, there might not be a main idea. We may then need to know the purpose of coming up with the passage.

To understand the passage, we need to read it actively. And to actively read, we must ask ourselves questions as we read. Let us now read and note the role of each of the sentences as we read.



SENTENCE #1: Many critics of Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights see its second part as a counter-point that comments on, if it does not reverse, the first part, where a romantic reading receives more confirmation. | This sentence states a fact and lets us know the point of view of many critics of Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights. What is their point of view exactly? They see the second part of Wuthering Heights as a counterpoint (a contrasting but parallel element) that comments on the first part. We can also infer that the second part does not reverse or nullify the first part, nonetheless. It is also inferable that the first part has more elements of romance and that in comparison to the first part, the second part of the novel provides less confirmation for romantic reading.

SENTENCE #2: Seeing the two parts as a whole is encouraged by the novel’s sophisticated structure, revealed in its complex use of narrators and time shifts. | This sentence states the author's conviction. The author says that the novel's complex use of narrators and time shifts makes its sophisticated structure known, and this very structure is what inspires one to see the two parts as a whole.

PAUSE AND FIGURE OUT THE TOPIC

Let us now pause and ask ourselves what the topic of the passage could be. Since the passage deals with the structure of Wuthering Heights, an apt topic could be Wuthering Heights's Structure.

SENTENCE #3: Granted that the presence of these elements need not argue for an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, their presence does encourage attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts. | This sentence states the author's conviction. The word 'granted' means 'it is true' in this context. 'Argue for' means 'to serve as evidence to support something'. The author means that while it is true that the presence of the contrasting elements need not serve as an evidence to support an authorial awareness of novelistic construction comparable to that of Henry James, the presence of these elements encourages attempts to unify the novel’s heterogeneous parts. In short, the sentence indicates that while Emily Brontë might not have been as meticulous or self-aware as Henry James, the elements within her novel still drive efforts to create a unified narrative from its diverse components.

SENTENCE #4: However, any interpretation that seeks to unify all of the novel’s diverse elements is bound to be somewhat unconvincing. | This sentence states the author's conviction. The author means that any single, cohesive interpretation explaining all the different and diverse elements of Wuthering Heights is destined to have little credibility.

PAUSE AND FIGURE OUT THE ARGUMENT

-> Wuthering Heights has two parts, with the first part receiving more confirmation for a romantic reading.
-> Any single, cohesive interpretation explaining all the different and diverse elements of Wuthering Heights is destined to have little credibility even though the elements in the novel drive efforts to form a unified narrative from the diverse elements.

SENTENCE #5: This is not because such an interpretation necessarily stiffens into a thesis (although rigidity in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger), but because Wuthering Heights has recalcitrant elements of undeniable power that, ultimately, resist inclusion in an all encompassing interpretation. | This sentence states the conviction of the author. The author says that a single, cohesive interpretation explaining all the different and diverse elements of Wuthering Heights is destined to have little credibility not because it necessarily becomes a thesis but because the book has recalcitrant (contrary) elements of undeniable power that actually resist (oppose) inclusion in an all encompassing (inclusive) interpretation. Now, a question that should pop up in our heads is this: What exactly has the author conveyed within the brackets? The author has stated that rigidity (stubbornness) in any interpretation of this or of any novel is always a danger. We can therefore infer that the author is not for any kind of rigidity in interpretation.

SENTENCE #6: In this respect, Wuthering Heights shares a feature of Hamlet. | Last but not least, this sentence states the conviction of the author. It tells us that Hamlet too has contrary elements of undeniable power that actually oppose inclusion in an all encompassing interpretation.

PAUSE AND FIGURE OUT THE MAIN IDEA

Wuthering Heights contains strong, stubborn elements that ultimately cannot be fully integrated into a single, all-encompassing interpretation.

Let us now proceed to the questions.

1. According to the passage, which of the following is a true statement about the first and second parts of Wuthering Heights?

QUESTION REQUIREMENT: Which sentence states a true fact about the first and second parts of Wuthering Heights as per the passage?
LOCATOR CLUE: first and second parts of Wuthering Heights
WHAT WE NEED TO REREAD: Sentence #1 and Sentence #2



SHADOW ANSWER: The first part receives more confirmation for a romantic reading, and seeing the two parts as a whole is encouraged by the novel’s sophisticated structure.

Options that do not match the shadow answer or go with the portion we have reread can be eliminated.

A. The second part has received more attention from critics. | NOT A MATCH | We cannot infer this from the portion we have reread because it does not discuss which part of Wuthering Heights has received more attention. | We cannot determine if this statement is true from the passage. | ELIMINATE

B. The second part has little relation to the first part. | NOT A MATCH | We know that the second part is seen as a counter-point that comments on the first part; hence, it does have a relation to the first part. | This statement is false. | ELIMINATE

C. The second part annuls the force of the first part. | NOT A MATCH | The portion we have reread indicates that the second part does not reverse the first part. So, it inferably does not annul (nullify) the force of the first part. | This statement is false. | ELIMINATE

D. The second part provides less substantiation for a romantic reading. | MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER | If the first part receives more confirmation for a romantic reading, it obviously means that the second part provides less substantiation for a romantic reading. | This statement is true as per the passage. | KEEP

E. The second part is better because it is more realistic. | NOT A MATCH | Again, the reread portion does not tell us which part is more realistic. | We cannot determine if this statement is true from the passage. | ELIMINATE

Hence, (D) is the correct answer.

2. Which of the following inferences about Henry James’s awareness of novelistic construction is best supported by the passage?

QUESTION REQUIREMENT: Which option draws an inference about Henry James’s awareness of novelistic construction that is supported by the passage?
LOCATOR CLUE: Henry James
WHAT WE NEED TO REREAD: Sentence #3



SHADOW ANSWER: Henry James possessed an authorial awareness of novelistic construction.

Options that do not match the shadow answer or go with the portion we have reread can be eliminated.

A. James, more than any other novelist, was aware of the difficulties of novelistic construction. | NOT A MATCH | The portion 'more than any other novelist' makes this option out of scope. | ELIMINATE

B. James was very aware of the details of novelistic construction. | MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER | Possessing an authorial awareness of novelistic construction means being well aware of the details of novelistic construction. | KEEP

C. James’s awareness of novelistic construction derived from his reading of Brontë. | NOT A MATCH | The portion we have reread does not tell us if Henry James read Brontë or not. | ELIMINATE

D. James’s awareness of novelistic construction has led most commentators to see unity in his individual novels. | NOT A MATCH | The phrase 'most commentators' makes this option out of scope. This sentence is a conviction of the author, and it does not tell us anything about the opinion of most commentators. | ELIMINATE

E. James’s awareness of novelistic construction precluded him from violating the unity of his novels. | NOT A MATCH | We do not know from the reread portion whether or not James's awareness of novelistic construction prevented him from violating the unity of his novels. | ELIMINATE

Hence, (B) is the correct answer.

3. The author of the passage would be most likely to agree that an interpretation of a novel should

QUESTION REQUIREMENT: What would the author of the passage most likely to agree with about the interpretation of a novel (any novel)?
LOCATOR CLUE: interpretation of a novel
WHAT WE NEED TO REREAD: Sentence #4 and Sentence #5



SHADOW ANSWER: The interpretation of a novel should not be rigid as rigidity in any interpretation of any novel is always a danger.

Options that do not match the shadow answer or go with the portion we have reread can be eliminated.

A. not try to unite heterogeneous elements in the novel | NOT A MATCH | Sentence #4 mentions that any interpretation that seeks to unify all of the novel’s diverse elements is bound to be somewhat unconvincing. What is important to note here is that this sentence deals with Wuthering Heights. However, the question asks us to select an option that the author of the passage would most likely agree with about the interpretation of any novel. | ELIMINATE

B. not be inflexible in its treatment of the elements in the novel | MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER | Based on our shadow answer, this is our best bet. | KEEP

C. not argue that the complex use of narrators or of time shifts indicates a sophisticated structure | NOT A MATCH | This option is beyond the scope of the portion we have reread. | ELIMINATE

D. concentrate on those recalcitrant elements of the novel that are outside the novel’s main structure | NOT A MATCH | Nothing about recalcitrant elements outside the novel’s main structure is mentioned; hence, we cannot be sure if the author would agree with this. | ELIMINATE

E. primarily consider those elements of novelistic construction of which the author of the novel was aware | NOT A MATCH | The word 'primarily' makes this option extreme, and there is nothing in the reread portion that indicates that the author of the passage would believe that the interpretation of a novel should primarily consider those elements of novelistic construction of which the author of the novel was aware. While this option does a great job of including a lot of words from the passage, the idea stated in this option does not match the intent of the author. | ELIMINATE

Hence, (B) is the correct answer.

4. The author of the passage suggests which of the following about Hamlet?

QUESTION REQUIREMENT: What does the author suggest about Hamlet? (More than one option can be correct.)
LOCATOR CLUE: Hamlet
WHAT WE NEED TO REREAD: Sentence #5 and Sentence #6



SHADOW ANSWER: Hamlet, like Wuthering Heights, has contrary elements of undeniable power that actually oppose inclusion in an all encompassing interpretation.

Options that do not match the shadow answer or go with the portion we have reread can be eliminated.

A. Hamlet has usually attracted critical interpretations that tend to stiffen into theses. | NOT A MATCH | This option recycles words from the passage and links two unrelated portions: Hamlet and "stiffen into thesis". Based on our understanding of the passage, we know that both these portions cannot be related, and if they are somehow related, that is something a perfectly wrong answer option would do. | ELIMINATE

B. Hamlet has elements that are not amenable to an all-encompassing critical interpretation. | MATCHES THE SHADOW ANSWER | "Amenable" means "receptive". And our shadow answer indicates that Hamlet has contrary elements that oppose (meaning the elements are not receptive to) an all encompassing interpretation. | KEEP

C. Hamlet is less open to an all-encompassing critical interpretation than is Wuthering Heights. | NOT A MATCH | There is no such comparison between Hamlet and Wuthering Heights in the reread portion. In other words, nothing in the portion we have reread tells us which of the two novels is more open to an all-encompassing critical interpretation. | ELIMINATE

Hence, (B) is the correct answer.

why not the ans c of Q 6?

Thanks for posting.

got just 1 out of 4 right in 5.5 min
very tough. could not understand the passage

Completely ??

No But Got lost because of the tough language. I understood 2 - 3 lines.

I will explain to you sentence by sentence tomorrow

I have doubts about question 7. I think it is tricky because in the passage the author gives to understand that shouldn't try to unify elements of the novel. Why es b?

Hi Carcass,
I retook the RC and got first 2 ques correct in 5 min 54 sec
But this time I understood the passage and still got 50% wrong answers:(

Which one ?? what was unclearor or did you struggle ??

The language was a little tricky and I had to read it thrice to understand the passage. I did try to read it again after completing once.

Posted from my mobile device

It is the main reason why people fail at verbal

how to interpret Q 7,it is general interpretation or wuthering heights?