PT29.S2.Q15-- tribal communities in North America

Darklord

Hi,

I am totally stuck here between B and C. Can anyone help explain why C is wrong and B is right?

help

Thanks!

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jmarmaduke96

Hi there!

I think that answer choice B is correct because is very closely hugs the passage. It is important to remember exactly what the question stem is asking as well. We are not being asked for a principle that underlies the entire passage, but instead we are being asked for a principle guiding the actions of those attempting to preserve their traditional languages. When the Utes are making the choices about whether to standardize their language, one of the foremost considerations in their minds was the "needs of the community" (line 46-47). That much alone is enough to support the notion that the needs of the community are important. However, B goes further than that and says that the needs of the community should always be foremost. I think that can be supported as well by looking earlier in that same paragraph. The author explains how the choices that the Utes made were not very popular with some people. For example, the rigid linguists thought that the Northern Utes were making a bad decision by not standardizing their language. But the Utes had the mentality that it doesn't matter if some people are upset or do not like the choices that they are making, because they have to make the choices that benefit the community at large. I think that all of that provides solid support for B.

I think the biggest problem for C is how it starts - "In determining whether to preserve a language orally or preserve it in writing..." Was that really talked about in the passage? Paragraph 3 talked about why preserving languages in writing might be particularly challenging in some contexts, but I don't think that this balancing test was presented in the passage. Why not just preserve the language in as many ways as possible? Answer choice C starts off in a way that makes it sound like it can only be preserved in one way, either in writing or orally, and I don't see anything in the passage that supports that.

If the beginning half of C was fixed it would certainly be a much better answer choice and I think it would certainly be closer to what we are looking for, but I still think that B would be a better answer choice. The end of C talks about ignoring the influences of the majority culture and focusing on which method is most effective. To be charitable to C, and after giving its first half a pass, ill assume that the Western linguistic structures discussed in paragraph 4 are the influence of the "majority culture" that answer choice C talks about. But even if this were true, C is still wrong. The Utes did not ignore the influence of the Western linguistics because there was another method that was more effective like C is saying. The Utes ignored that influence because they felt that it was in the best interest of their community, which basically brings us full circle and back around to pretty much what answer choice B is saying.

I hope this helps, let me know if I can clarify anything!

Darklord

Hmm ok thanks!