Q1

[mmk33]

I cannot figure out how to eliminate A as a correct answer choice. I crossed out B,C,D and puzzled over which was a better answer between A and E. If anyone can provide insight into this question, I would appreciate it! I chose A over E, since the passage mentions that Sembene raises the viewers' "awareness of the past and present realities of their society" (7-8) but answer choice E says that he uses his films to "comment critically on contemporary social and political issues." There is nowhere in the passage where contemporary social or political issues are specifically mentioned. In line 49 the author states that his films "denounce social and political injustice," and later in the paragraph states a series of binaries (good vs. evil; powerlessness vs. power; poverty vs. wealth) that are certainly not specific to a contemporary political context.

On a related note, I am strong on the RC section in general but have gotten main point questions wrong in the past which is annoying. Is there something I'm missing?

[farhadshekib]

I cannot figure out how to eliminate A as a correct answer choice. I crossed out B,C,D and puzzled over which was a better answer between A and E. If anyone can provide insight into this question, I would appreciate it! I chose A over E, since the passage mentions that Sembene raises the viewers' "awareness of the past and present realities of their society" (7-8) but answer choice E says that he uses his films to "comment critically on contemporary social and political issues." There is nowhere in the passage where contemporary social or political issues are specifically mentioned. In line 49 the author states that his films "denounce social and political injustice," and later in the paragraph states a series of binaries (good vs. evil; powerlessness vs. power; poverty vs. wealth) that are certainly not specific to a contemporary political context.

On a related note, I am strong on the RC section in general but have gotten main point questions wrong in the past which is annoying. Is there something I'm missing?

(A) states his originality as a filmmaker lies in the adaptation of traditional archetypal predicaments and open ended plots, both of which are dervived from West African oral tale.

Lines 8-10 state: "...his originality as a filmmaker lies most strikingly in his having successfully adapted film... to the needs, peace and structures of West African culture.

So, you can see that (A) is way narrow in scope, and a partial distortion of what the text says.

Also (A) does not discuss his critical commentary on socio-political issues.

(E) is supported by lines 5-10: "...he asserts that his films are not meant to entertain his compatriots, but rather to raise their awareness of the past and present realities of their society".


Lines 24-28: "In fact, most of Semebene's characters, like those of many oral West African narratives, are types embodying collective ideas or attitudes".

Lines 48 - 53: "His films denounce social and political injustices.

Keep in mind: the correct answer wont be perfect; it is simply the best answer.

[nnn2108]

@farhadshekib

I know you posted this a while ago, so I understand if you don't have an answer.

But when you are dealing with these main point/main idea questions during the test, are you going back into the text to find support for determining the correct answer, or do you just know what key points to highlight while reading to ensure you have the right answer?

If it is the latter, what things should I be looking for? I really struggle with main point/main idea, because I always get stuck between two answer choices, and don't have the specific info make a confident (and accurate) decision.

[ganbayou]

So A is actually kind of the opposite of what the author says?
In the line 8 it says "But his originality as a filmmaker lies most strikingly in his having successfully adapted film, originally a Western cultural medium, to the needs, pace, and structures of West African culture." So it is not deriving from West African oral tales but adapt film to to West African culture?
But the rest of the passage seems to say he derived something from West African culture and that seems to contradict...How does A distort the things in the passage? ( I see it is narrow scope though.)

Thank you

[rinagoldfield]

Great discussion. I actually originally chose (A) as the right answer to this question, and still find it very tempting! Ultimately, however, I agree with farhadsheikib above that (A) is too narrow.

The author most clearly articulates his point of view in the first paragraph. The most important details are:

1. Sembene uses film to express a political/ social point of view.
2. Sembene is original in the way he adapted film to the “needs, pace, and structures” of West African culture.
3. Sembene uses techniques from African oral tradition to express his views.

(A) is super tempting because it addresses the originality point expressed by point 2 above. However, it cites as the source of Sembene’s originality two very specific things, archetypal predicaments and open-ended plots. But the author described archetypal predicaments and open-ended plots as EXAMPLES to support the broader view that Sembene uses techniques from African oral tradition. Thus (A) is too specific.

To your point above, ganbayou, I do not think (A) is an opposite answer choice. The author does suggest that these particular techniques come from (in other words, are derived from) African oral tradition.

(B) is to narrow. This is true, but doesn’t express the author’s bigger point about Sembene.
(C) is unsupported – the passage doesn’t talk about material that was once considered unsuitable.
(D) is extreme – we don’t know what “most” of the Senegalese people believe.
(E) is correct. It synthesizes the three main points outlined above. Unlike (A), choice (E) talks about Sembene’s African influences broadly rather than focusing on specific examples.

[Mab6q]

Interestingly enough I choose E originally but changed my answer to A when doing my blind review, so I'm going to force myself to expand on A and E.

A is simply a weak answer choice because it is limited in scope. It seems to emphasize the fact that his works were open-ended and had archetypal predicaments, which just so happened to be derived from West African oral tales, instead of emphasizing that his works were based on West African traditions, and some these traditions included the open-ended techniques, ect. So, the emphasis is put on the wrong point here.

E is the superior answer choice because it mentions that linkage to African storytelling and what his purpose was: to comment on these societal issues.

[catlover]

For those of you who might still be wondering why A is not the correct answer- I think that an easy way to rule it out is to note that it only addresses two of the three main reasons the author lists as a reasons for Sembene's originality. I think that could raise a red flag when deciding between A and E.