The public intellectual is one who has become elevated to a symbol, a person that stands for something far larger than the discipline from which he or she originated. Such an intellectual is often speaking about things beyond his or her area of expertise. Some people will refuse such an invitation, others will accept the opportunity that has been given them. Such a person must be careful, he must be aware of the limitations of his knowledge, he must acknowledge his personal prejudices because he is being asked to speak for a whole realm of thought, and he must be aware of the huge possible consequences of what he says and writes and does. He has become, in a sense, public property because he represents something large to the public. He has become an idea himself, a human striving. He has enormous power to influence and change, and he must wield that power with respect.

10. It can be inferred from the passage that the author would agree with which of the following statements?

A) Public intellectuals often speak about topics that they would better have avoided due to their lack of background knowledge in those subjects.
B) Public intellectuals have a duty to share their expertise with the public.
C) The words of public intellectuals are often accepted unquestioningly by their audiences.



11. The author uses the word “striving” primarily in order to

A) underscore the effort necessary for public intellectuals to adequately address their topics
B) explain the belief held by the public that public intellectuals are infallible sources of knowledge
C) emphasize the care that public intellectuals must use due to their stature
D) convey the idea that public intellectuals represent the attempt of humanity to understand their world
E) indicate that public intellectuals, despite their prominence, are subject to the same difficulties as the rest of humanity