Example Β·Of obstacles to recognition of rights by provincial courts
Provincial courts interpret the right to recognition of customs as applying only to customs held prior to colonization; but aboriginal societies lack legal documentation from that time
Provincial courtβs interpretation was too limited, outcome is regrettable and unsatisfactory
Passage Style
Problem-analysis
Single position
23.
The passage provides the most ββββββββ βββ βββ βββββ ββββ βββ ββββββ βββ β ββββββββ ββββββββ ββββββ βββββ βββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ
Question Type
Authorβs perspective
Implied
Where does the author express the most negative attitude? In the last paragraph. The author calls the courtβs decision βexcessively conservative in its assessment of current lawβ and βregrettable.β
The author believes the reforms needed to use general language (βnecessarily general languageβ). There was no way they could be written using specific language. So thereβs no support for the author having a negative attitude toward the requirement that courts interpret the reforms. The author would not argue that the language shouldnβt have been general or shouldnβt have required interpretation.
11%
b
the difficulties in ββββββββββββ ββββ βββββ ββ ββββββββββββ βββ βββββββββββ
As with (A), the author doesnβt have a negative attitude toward the need for interpretation. Interpretation of general language is necessary.
7%
c
the criterion used ββ βββββββββ βββββ βββββββ βββ βββ ββββββ ββ βββββ ββββββββββββββ ββββββββββ
The author doesnβt use words indicating a negative attitude in P2, whereas she does in P3 (βexcessively conservative,β βregrettablyβ). So thereβs not as much evidence of a negative attitude in connection with the requirements to show that customs are traditional.
3%
d
the requirement that ββββββββββ βββββββ βββββββ βββββββββββββ βββ βββββββββββ βββββββ
The author doesnβt use words indicating a negative attitude in P2, whereas she does in P3 (βexcessively conservative,β βregrettablyβ). So thereβs not as much evidence of a negative attitude in connection with the requirements to show that customs are traditional.
21%
e
the definition of βββββββββ βββββββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ βββββ ββ ββββ
The author calls the courtβs decision βexcessively conservativeβ in how it interpreted current law, and notes that it is βregrettableβ that the case will have to proceed to the Supreme Court in order for the aboriginal group to be successful.
58%
Difficulty
58% of people who answer get this correct
This is a very difficult question.
It is similar in difficulty to other questions in this passage.
CURVE
Score of students with a 50% chance of getting this right
25%150
161
75%172
Analysis
Authorβs perspective
Authorβs perspective
Stems that ask us to find an answer the author is most likely to agree with.
Stems asking us to infer an idea implied by the claims in the passage (as opposed to identifying an idea that appears explicitly). Similar to most strongly supported questions in LR.
Passages that present a particular problem and then discuss the implications of that problem. They also often explore one or more solutions to that problem (although they donβt have to).