GRE RC Select Many Sample Questions 5

GRE RC Select Many Sample Questions

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RC Passage

Not only were all twelfth-century teachers except professionals and craftsmen in church orders, but in northern Europe students in schools had clerical status and looked like priests. Not that all really were priests, but by virtue of being students all were awarded the legal privileges accorded to the clergy. Furthermore, the large majority of twelfth-century students, outside of the possible exception of Italy, if not already priests became so after their studies were finished. For these reasons, the term ‘cleric” was often used to denote a man who was literate and the term ‘layman” one who was illiterate. The English word for cleric, clerk, continued for a long time to be a synonym for student or for a man who could write, while the French word clerc even today has the connotation of intellectual. Despite all this, twelfth-century education was taking on many secular qualities in its environment, goals, and curriculum. Student life obviously became more secular when it moved out from the monasteries into the bustling towns. Most students wandered from town to town in search not only of good masters but also of worldly excitement, and as the twelfth century progressed they found the best of each in Paris. More important than environment was the fact that most students, even though they entered the clergy, had secular goals. Theology was recognized as the ‘queen of the sciences’, but very few went on to it. Instead they used their study of the liberal arts as a preparation for law, medicine, government service, or advancement in the ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Questions

Directions:

Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

1. According to the author, which of the following is NOT a reasonwhy the term ‘cleric’ was used to denote a literate man?

A. Most students became priests after their studies finished
B. The French word ‘clerc’ implied an intellectual man
C. Students enjoyed clerical privileges
D. All teachers were in church orders
E. It was mandatory for students to become priests on completion of their studies.

Answer

The correct answers are B and E.

The author has used the first seven lines of the passage to put across the fact that educated people in the twelfth century were accorded the status of clerics. The author goes on to explain that this was the main reason why the term ‘cleric’ has been associated with being literate. Therefore, A, C and D have all been given as reasons why ‘cleric’ was used to denote a literate man. This implies that A, C and D are all incorrect answer options to the question asked. B is not a reason why ‘cleric’ was used to denote a literate man. B simply reinforces the claim that the word ‘clerc’ and being literate are related. E is incorrect as a fact as it has not been suggested anywherein the passage. Therefore, B and E are the correct answers.

2. Students developed an inclination towards a secular approach because

A. Theology was fast becoming the ‘queen of the sciences’
B. students started moving from town to town
C. Theology was not longer the first choice of students
D. students got attracted to materialistic gains
E. students no longer wanted to be called clerics

Answer

The correct answers are B and D.

The importance of Theology cannot be related to the students adopting a secular approach as both these facts are independent of each other. Hence, A is incorrect. The fact mentioned at C is an after-effect of the inclination of students towards a secular approach and hence, C is incorrect. E is clearly incorrect as it has not be directly or indirectly implied anywhere in the passage. The author mentions that students left the monasteries and started exploring towns which probably exposed them to the materialistic world. At the same time, the author brings out that students were getting exposed to worldly excitement and this was making them adopt a secular or a non-religious outlook towards life. Therefore, on comparing all the given options, we can see that the reasons for the students’ inclination towards a secular approach have been brought out by B and D. Hence, B and D arethe correct answers.

3. Which of the following explains why student life became secularwhen students moved from monasteries to towns?

A. Students were exposed to the choices available for achieving success in life
B. Students reached Paris which made them adopt a secular approach
C. Liberal arts was fast becoming a stepping stone for success in other fields like law and Medicine
D. Materialistic gains were fast becoming high priority
E. Students were being unduly lured in the wrong direction

Answer

The correct answers are A and D.

The move of students from monasteries to towns made them aware of the options available to them for shaping up their careers. They felt that they were no longer restricted to taking up theological studies only and they started seeking worldly excitement as well. Therefore, options A and D bring out the reason why student life became secular when students moved out from the monasteries. B is clearly incorrect because the role of Paris in steering students towards a secular life has not been explicitly discussed anywhere in the passage. The author does mention that students found both good masters and worldly excitement in Paris, but this was after they had already adopted a secular approach towards life and they were in search for more. Therefore, B cannot be termed as a reason why student life became secular and hence, B is incorrect. The author elucidates that students were using the knowledge they had gained through their education for success in other fields. However, this was not a reason for their adopting a secular approach, this happened after they had already adopted secularism. Therefore, C is incorrect. E is clearly incorrect as it has not been implied anywhere in the passage. In view of the above, it is evident that A and D are the correct answers.

4. Which of the following is a result of the fact that students had secular goals?

A. Lesser number of students took up Theology
B. Larger number of students ventured into the field of government service
C. Theology earned the distinction of being called the ‘queen of the sciences’
D. The society embraced secularism
E. Students were no longer interested in higher studies.

Answer

The correct answers are A and B.

Having secular goals implied that students were no longer interested in theological studies and they wanted to prepare for other fields like law, medicine and government service. Therefore, A and B are both correct and E is incorrect as students were interested in higher studies in varied fields of study. The information that Theology was known as the ‘queen of the sciences’ has been used by the author to highlight the fact that despite the importance of Theology, students were not willing to pursue it; being called the ‘queen of the sciences’ was not a result of students having secular goals and hence, C is incorrect. D is clearly incorrect as it cannot be concluded from the contents of the given passage. Therefore, A and B are the correct answers.

5. ‘The English word for cleric, clerk, continued for a long time to be a synonym for student or for a man who could write’ has been presented by the author as evidence in support of

A. ‘while the French word clerc even today has the connotation of intellectual’
B. ‘Not that all really were priests, but by virtue of being students all were awarded the legal privileges accorded to the clergy’
C. ‘The term ‘cleric’ was often used to denote a man who was literate and the term ‘layman” who was illiterate’
D. ‘Student life obviously became more secular when it moved out from the monasteries into the bustling towns’
E. ‘most students, even though they entered the clergy, had secular goals’

Answer

The correct answers are B and C.

The author has used the statement in question to substantiate the fact that ‘cleric’ and ‘clerk’ were associated with being literate. The statement mentioned at A appears after the statement in question. Moreover, A substantiates the said statement and not vice-versa. Therefore, A is incorrect. The statement mentioned at B brings out that students were given the privileges of the clergy because of their being students or because they were on their way to becoming literate. Therefore, it can be said that the statement in question has been provided as evidence in support of the statement given at B. Therefore, B is correct. The statement mentioned at C conveys the same information as that being conveyed by the statement in question, albeit in a different way. Therefore, it can be said that the statement at C is substantiated by the statement in question and hence, C is correct. D and E are clearly incorrect as they are not related to the statement in question in any way whatsoever. In view of the above, it is evidentthat B and C are the correct answers.