<p>Hello
I have a real problem in finding the subtle differences between the choices.
For instance, i was solving this question :
" Conned, perhaps, into thinking that the real action was metropolitan and all this was boring hinterland. "
The narrator uses the expression " boring hinterland " in those lines primarily to :
A : express personal annoyance
B : criticize a popular misconception
He's doing both ! He expresses his annoyance and criticizes the misconception !
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Another problem is in the broad questions asking about the author's purpose of writing
I met a question like this one for instance and the choices were :
A : recount an amusing childhood episode
B : describe an absorbing pastime to make certain observations
He's doing both too ! What's that subtle difference ! He recounts an amusing childhood episode that led him to some observations !
I feel like that 2 or 3 of the purposes mentioned are just rephrased !</p>
<p>@CastawayMA</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Where does the passage mention personal annoyance? I don’t see it. On the other hand, the word “conned” definitely suggests a misconception. Obviously you’ve given us just one line, but based on what you’ve given us, the answer is obvious.</p></li>
<li><p>I guarantee there is something wrong with one of the answers. For example, if the passage includes more than one episode, you can’t pick (A). If the passage doesn’t “describe” the pastime, you can’t pick (B). CR answers are never ambiguous; they are always clear and verifiable in the passage.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>@marvin100
Well, U, as well as ur answer, r right
After revising and re-reading i discovered that the answers r clear, but i dunno what to do to get from the first time, am unfortunately overly doubtful and irritated when solving the questions for the first time, and my problem isn’t that i can’t find the answer in the passage or that it’s not clear, but that I find that more than one answer can be correct. I aim for an 800 in CR but, this way, am sure that i won’t get even a 750</p>
<p>^If you review each problem you get wrong, in the same way you reviewed the question discussed in this post, your score will rise significantly. Play Devil’s Advocate to find why each wrong answer is wrong.</p>
<p>@CHD2013
I’ll do my best. My test is next saturday, so i guess am out of time.</p>
<p>Do one section and review in-depth (at least 25 minutes) everyday until then, and you might start to get it. Good luck.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot. Actually i’ve been doing one critical test daily since saturday and try to review my mistakes as much as i can. I hope I can do well on saturday. Thanks again</p>
I did the “boring hinterland” question as well. @marvin100 I noticed that you looked around for context clues. However, the question asked specifically why the author used an expression. I interpreted as “what does ‘boring hinterland’ convey about the author?” Of course, I can see why looking around the phrase would lead to the right answer. However, when some cr questions ask for the author’s purpose in specific lines and I look around those lines to get an answer, that answer is usually wrong.
When should I focus only on the cited lines, and when should I look around?
@thetex - that’s not how purpose questions work. The answers are ALWAYS in the passage, and context clues are all you have.