DSAT R&W Practice Question-Craft and Structure-Cross-Text Connections-Easy
DSAT R&W Practice Question-Craft and Structure-Cross-Text Connections-Easy
DSAT R&W Practice Question-Craft and Structure-Cross-Text Connections-Easy is part of Craft and Structure : This section evaluates skills in understanding advanced academic vocabulary words from the context they are used in, analyzing an author’s rhetorical (persuasive writing) techniques and purpose, and synthesizing key ideas by making connections between multiple related texts on a topic.
Weightage : 20%
Subtopic: Cross-Text Connections
Question
Text 1
Public policy researcher Anthony Fowler studied the history of elections in Australia, a country that requires citizens to vote. Fowler argues that requiring citizens to vote leads to a significant increase in voters who would otherwise not have the time or motivation to vote. Thus, election results in countries that require citizens to vote
better reflect the preferences of the country as a whole.
Text 2
Governments in democratic countries function better when more people vote. However, forcing people to vote may have negative consequences. Shane P. Singh and Jason Roy studied what happens when a country requires its citizens to vote. They found that when people feel forced to vote, they tend to spend less time looking for
information about their choices when voting. As a result, votes from these voters may not reflect their actual preferences.
Based on the texts, how would Singh and Roy (Text 2) most likely respond to the research discussed in Text 1?
A. Only countries of a certain population size should implement mandatory voting.
B. People who are forced to vote are likely to become politically engaged in other ways, such as volunteering or running for office.
C. Requiring people to vote does not necessarily lead to election outcomes that better represent the preferences of the country as a whole.
D. Countries that require voting must also make the process of voting easier for their citizens.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans. C
Correct Answer: C
Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. Text 1 claims that mandatory voting results in elections that “better reflect the preferences of the country.” Singh and Roy disagree. They claim that more voters doesn’t equal more quality votes—instead, they argue that forced voting may lead to less-informed votes that “may not reflect [voters’]
actual preferences.”
Choice A is incorrect. Neither text mentions the population size of countries that require voting, or how that might affect election outcomes. Choice B is incorrect. Neither text discusses the effects of mandatory voting on other forms of political engagement.
Choice D is incorrect. Neither text discusses the ease or difficulty of the voting process in countries that require voting.
Question
Text 1
Dance choreographer Alvin Ailey’s deep admiration for jazz music can most clearly be felt in the rhythms and beats his works were set to. Ailey collaborated with some of the greatest jazz legends, like Charles Mingus, Charlie Parker, and perhaps his favorite, Duke Ellington. With his choice of music, Ailey helped bring jazz to life for
his audiences.
Text 2
Jazz is present throughout Ailey’s work, but it’s most visible in Ailey’s approach to choreography. Ailey often incorporated improvisation, a signature characteristic of jazz music, in his work. When managing his dance company, Ailey rarely forced his dancers to an exact set of specific moves. Instead, he encouraged his dancers to let their own skills and experiences shape their performances, as jazz musicians do.
Based on the texts, both authors would most likely agree with which statement?
A. Dancers who worked with Ailey greatly appreciated his supportive approach as a choreographer.
B. Ailey’s work was strongly influenced by jazz.
C. Audiences were mostly unfamiliar with the jazz music in Ailey’s works.
D. Ailey blended multiple genres of music together when choreographing dance pieces.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans. B
Correct Answer: B
Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. Author 1 states that Ailey had a “deep admiration for jazz music” and that he “helped bring jazz to life for his audiences.” Author 2 states that “Jazz is present throughout Ailey’s work.” While the authors name different aspects of Ailey’s work as the most influenced by jazz, they agree that jazz
was a strong influence.
Choice A is incorrect. This isn’t something that either text claims. Neither text mentions how Ailey’s dancers felt about his approach as a choreographer, so we have no evidence that either author would agree with this.
Choice C is incorrect. This isn’t something that either text claims. Neither text mentions how familiar audiences were with any aspect of Ailey’s works, so we have no evidence that either author would agree with this.
Choice D is incorrect. This isn’t something that either text claims. Neither text mentions any genre of
music other than jazz, so we have no evidence that either author would agree with this.