Answers- Revising Content

1. It is illusory.

Explanation:

The author contends that the “wisdom and experience” of middle-age are illusory sensations. Throughout the
whole passage the author makes reference to the growing vulnerability that accompanies middle-age. The
author says “I’m simply stating my belief that when Life has used us for its purposes it takes away all our
attractive qualities and gives us, instead, ponderous but shallow convictions of our own wisdom and
'experience.' The older I grow the more I get so I don’t know anything.” In addition to admitting his own
feelings about growing older the author disparages middle-aged wisdom as “shallow convictions” and even
goes to the length of putting experience in quotations.

2. the indulgence of school children

Explanation:

The author of this passage is primarily concerned with the coddling (overindulgence and protection) of school
children in education and how the current public school system does not prepare young boys and girls for the
realities of adult life. The author states: “They too frequently go out into the world fireproof against anything but
intellectual coddling. Such men and women can read only writing especially prepared for brains that will take only
selected ideas.” It is clear that the author believes the overindulgence of school children is of grave concern.

3. Magnanimity

Explanation:

The author of this passage describes the qualities of a “gentleman” as being predominantly magnanimous in
intention and action. He describes a “gentleman” as being “occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder
the free and unembarrassed action of those about him.” Which is another way of saying that a “gentleman’s”
primary concern should be ensuring that other people’s lives are as carefree and satisfactory as possible. To the
author kindness and selflessness are central to the make-up of a “gentleman.” The word magnanimous refers to
great generosity.

4. To give advice

Explanation:

The primary purpose of this article is to advise the author’s audience on the importance of understanding individual
pleasure, and how to go about studying what gives one pleasure in the first place. Evidence for this can be found
throughout, but particularly in sentences like the following which are constructed as little snippets of advice: “A
man had better stick to known and proved pleasures, but, if he will venture in quest of new ones, he should not do so
with a light heart.”

5. They faithfully accept the reasoning of the minority.

Explanation:

The author of this passage seems to have little faith in the ability of the majority to come to the “right” conclusion
without the influence of the minority. It is therefore easy to rule out the majority of answer choices on the grounds

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that they reflect a faith in the capabilities of most people. The author explicitly states his feelings in lines 34–36
when he claims: “But when he is told ten thousand times, and generation after generation, that Shakespeare was a
great artist, the said man believes—not by reason, but by faith. And he too repeats that Shakespeare was a great
artist.”

6. To give perspective

Explanation:

The primary purpose of this passage is to impart perspective upon the author’s audience. This is made clear
throughout the passage, as the author compares the skewed understanding of luxury among contemporary
Americans, with the more realistic perspective of most of the rest of the world. It is also evident in the conclusion
where the author urges his readership to be more thoughtful about the privileges and luxuries that exist in their life.

7. Individuality

Explanation:

The primary focus of this passage is the importance of original work and individuality on the advancement of the
individual and society. The author states on numerous occasions the importance of original ideas and the negative
effect of imitation. Although the author does make reference to “cowards fleeing before a revolution” this is simply
a description of people who lack the required individuality to contribute.

8. Organized around the common good instead of personal wealth, the country of Utopia is much fairer to its
citizens than other nations are to theirs.

Explanation:

The answer choices "The country of Utopia will likely collapse as its population eventually divides into a ruling
class and a working
class" is not supported by the passage at all. The answer "Other countries should beware of adopting the policies that
Utopia has, despite the positive effects that they have caused in Utopia" isn't supported either, as the narrator takes a
wholly positive view of Utopia's policies in the passage. "Everyone should move to Utopia because it is a much
more pleasant place to live than any other country" is too strong of a statement to be true, as the narrator never urges
his readers to move to Utopia, merely discusses how it is better than other countries in certain respects. "Economic
policies play a large role in the happiness of a country's citizens" may look like a potentially correct answer, but it is
too broad to be the correct answer when another choice is more specific to the passage's content: "Organized around
the common good instead of personal wealth, the country of Utopia is much fairer to its citizens than other nations
are to theirs."

9. People, in the writer's time, are less likely to act and more likely to reminisce.

Explanation:

The paragraph is leading into the passage, and its argument is that people are so preoccupied with the wonders
of past achievements that they are not pushed to progress further, but instead are caught up with talking about
the past. This becomes a central argument of the passage.

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