18. The author most probably uses the phrase "charter minority" to reinforce the idea that Mexican Americans

(A) are a native rather than an immigrant group in the United States
(B) played an active political role when Texas first became part of the United States
(C) recognized very early in the nineteenth century the need for official confirmation of their rights of citizenship
(D) have been misunderstood by scholars trying to interpret their culture
(E) identify more closely with their Indian heritage than with their Spanish heritage

It is stated in the first paragraph that the Mexican Americans once sovereign, then compatriots with later settlers and finally, conquered people-a charter minority. Choice A makes perfect sense. Since the Mexican Americans were already there when the settlers come, they were the natives rather than immigrants.

Quote from the passage " passing from a sovereign people to compatriots with newly arriving settlers to, finally, a conquered people-a charter minority on our own land."

Sear Buck,
If A is the correct answer to question 18, then, the 1st para probably means following:
Here, in the 1st para, “sovereign people” means Mexican Americans, who were independent in Texas when they brought Texas people under control through acculturation. Then, “newly arriving settlers” refers to the US citizens migrating to Texas. And, “a Charter Minority on our own land” means even though Texas once belonged to the Mexican -Americans, those Mexican Americans later became subdued by the US force, thus becoming a minority group in their own Texas territory.

Am I right?? Pls reply.

Sorry, what are you indeed pointing out here ??

For Q18, I think choice (D) makes more sense than (A), as the hidden answer also says, even though in some other places (A) is given as the correct answer.
My thinking is to put "charter minority" into the context: "Traditional research... Now we must also examine the culture as we Mexican Americans have experienced it, ... a charter ... minority on our own land." The question asks the idea reinforced here. Choice (A) is basically a literal reading of the meaning of "charter minority," whereas choice (D) reflects the role "charter minority" plays in the context, thus the main point of the passage.

Choice D states that Maxican Americans are misunderstood by scholars.
But there is no misunderstanding. They were not studied by the scholars, who are interested in learning about their culture and the author insists that they must be studied.

While choice A has clearly been supported from the passage that they were native of course.

Answers for this passage are wrong. I hope someone will correct them so that it does not misguide anyone.

what do you mean are wrong ?

C is for the first one and so forth

Answers in Big Book are completely different. I was solving it in the big book and most of the answers here are wrong. The passage is on page 844. You can check it.

Page 842
Questions 17>>20

Section 6 verbal ability
answers are C/A/D/E

Exactly as above in the passage

Regards

Can someone please explain why for 20, D is wrong?

20. Which of the following statements most clearly contradicts the information in this passage?

(A) In the early 1800's, the Spanish committed more resources to settling California than to developing Texas.
(B) While Texas was under Mexican control, the population of Texas quadrupled, in spite of the fact that Mexico discouraged immigration from the United States.
(C) By the time Mexico acquired Texas, many Indians had already married people of Spanish heritage.
(D) Many Mexicans living in Texas returned to Mexico after Texas was annexed by the United States.
(E) Most Indians living in Texas resisted Spanish acculturation and were either killed or enslaved.

I am not a huge fan of this question which is still an official question. It is one of the weirdest ones by ETS. Basically, it is a sort of EXCEPT question

The stem says most clearly contradicts which means we have to find the information in the passage and see among the answer choices which one is the opposite


(A) In the early 1800's, the Spanish committed more resources to settling California than to developing Texas.

No mention at all of California in the passage, whatsoever. OFF

(B) While Texas was under Mexican control, the population of Texas quadrupled, in spite of the fact that Mexico discouraged immigration from the United States.

I do not see such stats information in the passage. OFF

(C) By the time Mexico acquired Texas, many Indians had already married people of Spanish heritage.

The passage says:

they intermarried with and absorbed the culture of the indigenous Indians. This policy of colonization through acculturation was continued when Mexico acquired Texas in the early 1800's and brought the indigenous Indians into Mexican life and government.

This is also true. The passage DOES NOT contradict C or vice-versa.

(D) Many Mexicans living in Texas returned to Mexico after Texas was annexed by the United States.

Now is the most debated question among the others

The passage says: after the US victory " Thus, suddenly deprived of our parent culture, we had to evolve uniquely Mexican-American modes of thought and action in order to survive.

Deprived of our parent culture DOES NOT necessarily mean that people back in Mexico. Could be also the case that after the annexation of Texas by the US Gov the Mexicans over there had the US influence just because the US was the new landlord. We immediately are used to thinking: we are deprived by our parents means they did back .....we do not have enough information to say that for sure

(E) Most Indians living in Texas resisted Spanish acculturation and were either killed or enslaved.

E is the right choice. Spanish killed and enslaved the Mexicans. No, it is false: instead, on the contrary, they promoted the policy of acculturation.

E clearly contradict the passage and its information

Hope this helps

For 20th Question. Struggling between Option D and E.
D says people went back to Mexico. This is may/may not be true.
E says Spanish killed whereas they didn't.

So we always should go for confirm answers. But D is also true because its also not mentioned in passage. So D is also true

I explained in very detail above your reply to the 20th question.

let me know if it is still UNLCLEAR.

I will explain again