Official Explanation

Q1. The passage is primarily concerned with
A. contrasting the benefits of one methodology with the benefits of another
B. describing the historical origins and inherent drawbacks of a particular methodology
C. discussing the appeal of a particular methodology and some concerns about its use
D. showing that some historians’ adoption of a particular methodology has led to criticism of recent historical scholarship
E. analyzing the influence of current feminist views on women’s interpretations of their experience
Main idea
This question asks for an abstract view of what the passage as a whole is primarily doing. The passage introduces a particular methodology that scholars of women’s history have been encouraged to employ, explaining why the use of the methodology is supported. The passage then goes on to raise some concerns about the use of the methodology and cites one example in which caution is needed.
A. The passage is primarily concerned with only one methodology.
B. The passage mentions why the methodology had been encouraged but does not give the history of its origins; while it cautions historians to employ the methodology carefully, it is not concerned with drawbacks of its proper use.
C. Correct. The passage discusses why the use of a methodology is being encouraged and then offers some concerns about its use.
D. The passage does not discuss any criticism of recent scholarship in women’s history.
E. There is no mention in the passage that feminist theory is influencing how women in general think about their experiences.
The correct answer is C.

Q2. According to the passage, which of the following shapes the oral narratives of women storytellers?
A. The conventions for standard histories in the culture in which a woman storyteller lives
B. The conventions of storytelling in the culture in which a woman storyteller lives
C. A woman storyteller’s experience with distinctive traditions of storytelling developed by the women in her family of origin
D. The cultural expectations and experiences of those who listen to oral narratives
E. A woman storyteller’s familiarity with the stories that members of other groups in her culture tell to explain themselves
Supporting ideas
This question asks for an identification of specific information provided by the passage. In the second paragraph, the passage describes certain concerns about using oral narratives. One of these concerns is that the stories people tell to explain themselves are shaped by . . . storytelling conventions (lines 17–19) and other influences tied to the teller’s cultural and historical context.
A. The passage uses standard histories (line 7) to refer to the usual work of scholars and not to something that influences oral narratives.
B. Correct. The passage raises as a concern that oral narratives may be influenced by storytelling conventions present in the culture of the speaker.
C. The passage does not mention the family of origin of women storytellers.
D. The passage does not mention the expectations of the listeners of oral narratives.
E. The passage does not discuss women storytellers’ familiarity with the oral narratives belonging to other groups of women.
The correct answer is B.

Q3. The author of the passage would be most likely to make which of the following recommendations to scholars of women’s history?
A. They should take into account their own life experiences when interpreting the oral accounts of women’s historical experiences.
B. They should assume that the observations made in women’s oral narratives are believed by the intended audience of the story.
C. They should treat skeptically observations reported in oral narratives unless the observations can be confirmed in standard histories.
D. They should consider the cultural and historical context in which an oral narrative was created before arriving at an interpretation of such a narrative.
E. They should rely on information gathered from oral narratives only when equivalent information is not available in standard histories.
Application
Answering this question involves recognizing what the author believes about oral narratives and then applying this belief to a hypothetical situation in which the author makes recommendations to scholars of women’s history. While acknowledging the appeal of oral narratives to these scholars, in the second paragraph the author urges caution when using these narratives as sources of disinterested commentary (line 16). The passage then states that people’s oral narratives are shaped by cultural and historical factors (line 20), which presumably relate to the cultural and historical context within which the narratives are spoken.
A. The passage does not mention the personal life experiences of scholars.
B. The passage does not mention the intended audiences of oral narratives.
C. The passage mentions standard histories (line 7) only as a reference to scholarly works that often have shortcomings.
D. Correct. The passage cautions that oral narratives may be biased due to cultural and historical factors, and it is therefore reasonable to suppose that the author would recommend that scholars consider this when using such information.
E. The passage does not refer to oral narratives as being valuable only for filling a gap in the available historical record.
The correct answer is D.

Q4. Which of the following best describes the function of the last sentence of the passage?
A. It describes an event that historians view as crucial in recent women’s history.
B. It provides an example of how political rhetoric may influence the interpretations of experience reported in women’s oral narratives.
C. It provides an example of an oral narrative that inaccurately describes women’s experience during a particular historical period.
D. It illustrates the point that some women are more aware than others of the social forces that shape their oral narratives.
E. It identifies the historical conditions that led to the social acceptance of women’s paid work outside the home.
Evaluation
This question requires recognizing how a particular part of the passage is related to the overall reasoning in the passage. The first paragraph introduces a methodology and describes the methodology’s appeal. The second paragraph then raises concerns about the use of the methodology, drawing attention to the cultural and historical bias that may be present in oral narratives. In line 21, the passage refers specifically to the influence political rhetoric may have on a woman’s understanding of her experience. In the final sentence, the passage provides a specific hypothetical example of a woman at the time of the Second World War to illustrate this concern.
A. The last sentence employs a hypothetical example and does not describe a particular event as being important to historians.
B. Correct. After contending that political rhetoric may influence oral narratives, the passage uses the example of the Second World War in the final sentence to support this claim.
C. The last sentence does not provide a particular example of an oral narrative.
D. The passage does not claim that some women are more aware than others of the social forces that may bear on them.
E. The passage does not claim that social conditions during the Second World War led to acceptance of women in the workplace.
The correct answer is B.

Q5. According to the passage, scholars of women’s history should refrain from doing which of the following?
A. Relying on traditional historical sources when women’s oral narratives are unavailable
B. Focusing on the influence of political rhetoric on women’s perceptions to the exclusion of other equally important factors
C. Attempting to discover the cultural and historical factors that influence the stories women tell
D. Assuming that the conventions of women’s written autobiographies are similar to the conventions of women’s oral narratives
E. Accepting women’s oral narratives less critically than they accept women’s written histories
Inference
Answering this question requires recognizing which option is directly inferable from information in the passage. After describing in the first paragraph why oral narratives are appealing to historians, the passage begins the second paragraph by imploring scholars of women’s history to be as cautious about accepting oral narratives … as … written memories (lines 12–14). The passage then goes on to describe potential bias in oral narratives, suggesting that scholars should be as critical of them as they are of written sources.
A. The passage does not claim that traditional historical sources should be avoided by scholars.
B. The passage mentions the influence of political rhetoric merely as one example of potential bias.
C. The passage suggests that scholars should attempt to be aware of cultural and historical factors.
D. The passage does not discuss the conventions of women’s written autobiographies.
E. Correct. The passage implies that written histories and oral narratives should receive the same level
of critical scrutiny by scholars.
The correct answer is E.

Q6. According to the passage, each of the following is a difference between women’s oral narratives and most standard histories EXCEPT:
A. Women’s oral histories validate the significance of women’s achievements.
B. Women’s oral histories depict experience from the point of view of women.
C. Women’s oral histories acknowledge the influence of well-known women.
D. Women’s oral histories present today’s women with a sense of their historical relationship to women of the past.
E. Women’s oral histories are crucial to the collective identity of today’s women.
Supporting ideas
This question asks for information that is stated in the passage, and it requires a process of elimination. In line 7, oral narratives are presented as being unlike most standard histories, and the passage then goes on in lines 7–11 to list characteristics of oral histories that most standard histories do not have. The answer to this question will therefore contain a characteristic of women’s oral histories that is not described in lines 7–11.
A. The passage states that, unlike most standard histories, women’s oral histories affirm the importance of women’s contributions (lines 8–9).
B. The passage states that, unlike most standard histories, women’s oral histories represent experience from the perspective of women (lines 7–8).
C. Correct. The passage does not mention the influence of well-known women on women’s oral histories.
D. The passage states that, unlike most standard histories, women’s oral histories furnish present-day women with historical continuity (lines 9–10).
E. The passage states that, unlike most standard histories, women’s oral histories furnish a historical sense that is essential to their identity, individually and collectively (line 11).
The correct answer is C.