Free Practice Question
RC · Reading Comprehension
555-605
Short Passage - Humanities
Reading Passage
In recent years, teachers of introductory courses in Asian American studies have been facing a dilemma nonexistent a few decades ago, when hardly any texts in that field were available. Today, excellent anthologies and other introductory texts exist, and books on individual Asian American nationality groups and on general issues important for Asian Americans are published almost weekly. Even professors who are experts in the field find it difficult to decide which of these to assign to students; nonexperts who teach in related areas and are looking for writings for and by Asian American to include in survey courses are in an even worse position.
A complicating factor has been the continuing lack of specialized one-volume reference works on Asian Americans, such as biographical dictionaries or desktop encyclopedias.Such works would enable students taking Asian American studies courses (and professors in related fields) to look up basic information on Asian American individuals, institutions, history, and culture without having to wade through mountains of primary source material. In addition, given such works, Asian American studies professors might feel more free to include more challenging Asian American material in their introductory reading lists, since good reference works allow students to acquire on their own the background information necessary to interpret difficult or unfamiliar material.
A complicating factor has been the continuing lack of specialized one-volume reference works on Asian Americans, such as biographical dictionaries or desktop encyclopedias.Such works would enable students taking Asian American studies courses (and professors in related fields) to look up basic information on Asian American individuals, institutions, history, and culture without having to wade through mountains of primary source material. In addition, given such works, Asian American studies professors might feel more free to include more challenging Asian American material in their introductory reading lists, since good reference works allow students to acquire on their own the background information necessary to interpret difficult or unfamiliar material.
The passage suggests that the factor mentioned in lines 14-17 (highlighted portion at the passage) complicates professors’ attempts to construct introductory reading lists for courses in Asian American studies in which of the following ways?
Answer Choices
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By making it difficult for professors to identify primary source material and to obtain standard information on Asian American history and culture
B
By preventing professors from identifying excellent anthologies and introductory texts in the field that are both recent and understandable to students
C
By preventing professors from adequately evaluating the quality of the numerous texts currently being published in the field
D
By making it more necessary for professors to select readings for their courses that are not too challenging for students unfamiliar with Asian American history and culture
E
By making it more likely that the readings professors assign to students in their courses will be drawn solely from primary sources\n
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Difficulty
555-605
Type
RC
Category