PT52.S4.Q5 (P4) - Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembene

meletzyosher

These questions always trip me up. Sometimes, the LSAT is asking for exact definitions and sometimes, as in this case, they are asking for context. I've been studying the stimuli to come up with a system of when they want which one. In this case, I chose E as that is the closest definition to initiatory. I believe the words "intended meaning" are the key here in that they mean context and not definition. Thoughts?
I'm thinking that the trick is to ask yourself "What perspective is used in the question? Are they asking for the WORD's meaning (ie. Definition) or for the AUTHOR's purpose/intended meaning (ie. Context)?"

Admin note: edited title for formatting

FixedDice

Are they asking for the WORD's meaning (ie. Definition) or for the AUTHOR's purpose/intended meaning (ie. Context)?"

As far as my memory is concerned at the moment, the LSAT very, very, very, very, very rarely (if not never) asks for a definition or a meaning that's independent of the context. So to me this question misses the point, as it seems to assume that a RC word's definition and its author's purpose can be independent of each other. Whatever is on a RC passage is there because the author had a good reason to put it there; his or her purpose will dictate definition questions.

As for the question itself, the word should be taken as "transformative," as Lines 44-48 should indicate. Granted, "initiatory" usually means "prefatory." But this is the LSAT; context matters.

meletzyosher

Interesting idea. If my memory serves correctly, I do remember a question asking for definition. I'll keep this in mind. It does make sense that the LSAT is not a Vocabulary test. Thanks.