Recently, linguists have begun to focus on differences evident in many cultures in the ways men and women speak, and...
GMAT Reading Comprehension : (RC) Questions
Recently, linguists have begun to focus on differences evident in many cultures in the ways men and women speak, and on the ways that men and women exercise power through control of certain key speech genres. One example of such exercise of power appears in the culture of the Warao, an indigenous people of Venezuela. Through the custom of ritual mourning, in which lamentations are composed and sung exclusively by women, Warao women command an important and highly public forum for commenting on and affecting social processes.
The ritual inversion of ordinary discourse and social patterns that characterizes mourning provides women, who do not hold formal positions of authority in Warao culture, with a public forum parallel to that of community officials. Death moves all survivors except the singers of the laments to the margins of life, and normal activities are suspended. Food is neither procured nor eaten, and the house in which the mourning takes place becomes a spatial representation of such inversion, as the cooking fire is extinguished and the area becomes a funeral parlor. With normal activities suspended, the full attention of the community is directed to the lamentations.
Warao women, who otherwise are seldom involved in public discourse, use this forum to powerful effect. Because reported (or invented) conversations between community members form a large part of the laments, the singers are able to reformulate and characterize the speech of others, as well as present their own views of events. In one lament, for example, the singer offers her own positive interpretation of her deceased son's behavior while characterizing community officials' discussions of that behavior not as the authoritative discourse of leaders but as idle talk. Warao mourners also use irony as an effective verbal strategy: they may, for example, use mocking epithets in reference to high-ranking figures. They undermine points of view with which they disagree by presenting them in a highly exaggerated fashion. Frequently, the laments explicitly lead to particular courses of action—one lament blaming youths from a neighboring township for the death of a local boy resulted in the banning of those youths from the mourners' community.
The passage suggests which of the following about the lament discussed in the highlighted text?
1. Passage Analysis:
Progressive Passage Analysis
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Recently, linguists have begun to focus on differences evident in many cultures in the ways men and women speak, and on the ways that men and women exercise power through control of certain key speech genres. | What it says: Researchers are studying how men and women speak differently and how they use certain types of speech to gain power. What it does: Introduces the broad topic - gender differences in speech and power dynamics Source/Type: Factual claim about recent linguistic research Connection to Previous Sentences: This is the opening sentence, establishing our starting point for the entire passage. Visualization: Think of researchers studying 100 cultures and noticing that in 80 of them, men and women have different speech patterns, and certain types of speaking (like formal speeches, storytelling, or ritual chants) give people influence over their communities. What We Know So Far: Speech patterns differ by gender; certain speech types = power What We Don't Know Yet: What specific examples look like, how this works in practice Reading Strategy Insight: This is a classic RC opening - broad concept that will be illustrated with specific examples. |
| One example of such exercise of power appears in the culture of the Warao, an indigenous people of Venezuela. | What it says: The author will use the Warao people as a specific case study. What it does: Transitions from general concept to specific example Source/Type: Author's choice of example to illustrate the concept Connection to Previous Sentences: This builds directly on sentence 1 - we're moving from "this happens in many cultures" to "here's one specific culture where it happens." Visualization: Sentence 1 = broad map of the world showing gender speech differences. Sentence 2 = zooming in on Venezuela to examine one specific group. Reading Strategy Insight: Feel confident here - this is NOT new complexity! The author is about to help us understand the abstract concept through a concrete story. |
| Through the custom of ritual mourning, in which lamentations are composed and sung exclusively by women, Warao women command an important and highly public forum for commenting on and affecting social processes. | What it says: When someone dies, Warao women sing special songs, and this gives them a powerful way to influence their community. What it does: Provides the specific mechanism - explains HOW women exercise speech power in this culture Source/Type: Factual description of cultural practice Connection to Previous Sentences: This answers the "how" question raised by the previous sentences. Sentence 1 said "women exercise power through speech," and now we know the specific speech type: mourning songs. Visualization: Picture a funeral where only women are allowed to sing. Instead of just singing "Amazing Grace," these women compose original songs that comment on community issues - like a musical editorial that everyone must listen to. What We Know So Far: Warao women use funeral songs to gain public influence What We Don't Know Yet: What these songs actually contain, how this influence works in practice |
| The ritual inversion of ordinary discourse and social patterns that characterizes mourning provides women, who do not hold formal positions of authority in Warao culture, with a public forum parallel to that of community officials. | What it says: During mourning, normal social rules flip upside down, giving women (who usually have no formal power) a chance to speak publicly like the official leaders do. What it does: Restates and clarifies the previous sentence - explains WHY mourning gives women power Source/Type: Author's analytical explanation Connection to Previous Sentences: This elaborates on sentence 3's claim that mourning gives women "an important and highly public forum." The author is helping us understand the mechanism more clearly, not introducing new complexity. Visualization: Normal time: Men in suits give speeches at town hall, women listen from audience. Mourning time: Women become the speakers, men become the audience. Reading Strategy Insight: This is clarification, not complication! The author is explaining the same idea in different words to help us grasp it. |
| Death moves all survivors except the singers of the laments to the margins of life, and normal activities are suspended. Food is neither procured nor eaten, and the house in which the mourning takes place becomes a spatial representation of such inversion, as the cooking fire is extinguished and the area becomes a funeral parlor. | What it says: When mourning happens, everyone except the singing women becomes inactive. Regular life stops - no cooking, no eating, the house transforms into a funeral space. What it does: Provides concrete details that support the "ritual inversion" concept from the previous sentence Source/Type: Descriptive details of the mourning practice Connection to Previous Sentences: This gives us the specific evidence for sentence 4's claim about "ritual inversion." These are concrete examples of how "ordinary social patterns" get flipped. Visualization: Normal house: cooking fire burning, people preparing/eating meals, everyone busy with daily tasks. Mourning house: cold fire, empty kitchen, everyone sitting quietly while women sing. Reading Strategy Insight: These details make the abstract concept concrete - feel more confident, not overwhelmed! |
| With normal activities suspended, the full attention of the community is directed to the lamentations. | What it says: Since everything else stops, everyone has to focus completely on what the women are singing. What it does: Summarizes the logical result of all the details in the previous sentence Source/Type: Logical conclusion drawn by the author Connection to Previous Sentences: This is the "so what" of sentence 5. The author is connecting the dots for us: no normal activities = undivided attention on women's songs. Visualization: Think of the difference between someone giving a speech while people cook, eat, and chat (divided attention) versus everyone sitting in complete silence focused on the speaker (total attention). Reading Strategy Insight: This is a helpful summary sentence - the author is making sure we understand the key point! |
| Warao women, who otherwise are seldom involved in public discourse, use this forum to powerful effect. | What it says: Women who normally don't get to speak publicly use this opportunity very effectively. What it does: Restates the main point in simple terms - brings us back to the central argument Source/Type: Author's summary assessment Connection to Previous Sentences: This circles back to our starting point but now with full understanding. We started knowing women gain power through speech, detailed how it works, and now return to the simple truth: it works powerfully. What We Know So Far: Warao women use mourning rituals to gain powerful public voice they normally lack What We Don't Know Yet: Specific examples of what they actually say and accomplish Reading Strategy Insight: Feel relieved here - this is not new information! It's a clear restatement after complex details. |
| Because reported (or invented) conversations between community members form a large part of the laments, the singers are able to reformulate and characterize the speech of others, as well as present their own views of events. | What it says: The songs include conversations (real or made-up) between community members, so the women singers can control how others' words are presented and add their own opinions. What it does: Explains the specific content mechanism - what's actually IN the songs that makes them powerful Source/Type: Factual description of song content and technique Connection to Previous Sentences: This begins to answer "How exactly do they use this forum to powerful effect?" from the previous sentence. We're getting the specifics of the power we already know exists. Visualization: Imagine a journalist who can quote anyone however they want and add their own commentary. The singer might say: "John told Mary 'I think the chief is wrong'" (whether John really said this or not) and then add "John speaks wisdom." Reading Strategy Insight: This is elaboration on established concepts, not new complexity. We know women gain power through these songs; now we learn how the songs work. |
| In one lament, for example, the singer offers her own positive interpretation of her deceased son's behavior while characterizing community officials' discussions of that behavior not as the authoritative discourse of leaders but as idle talk. | What it says: In one specific song, a mother defended her dead son and dismissed the community leaders' criticism of him as just worthless gossip. What it does: Provides a concrete example of the abstract principle described in the previous sentence Source/Type: Specific documented example Connection to Previous Sentences: This illustrates exactly what sentence 8 meant by "reformulate and characterize the speech of others." Same concept, now with a real story that makes it clear. Visualization: Mother's song: "My son was brave and honorable. The officials call him troublesome, but their words are just empty chatter from men who don't understand true courage." Reading Strategy Insight: Examples make complex ideas simpler - feel more confident when you see "for example"! |
| Warao mourners also use irony as an effective verbal strategy: they may, for example, use mocking epithets in reference to high-ranking figures. | What it says: The singing women also use sarcasm as a strategy, like giving insulting nicknames to important people. What it does: Introduces a second technique (adds to the toolkit of methods) Source/Type: Additional factual technique description Connection to Previous Sentences: This adds another tool to what we learned in sentences 8-9. We had "reformulating others' speech," now we add "using irony." This expands our understanding of their methods without contradicting anything. Visualization: Singer might refer to a pompous chief as "our humble leader" or "the wise one who never listens" - everyone understands the sarcasm. Reading Strategy Insight: "Also" signals addition, not contradiction. We're building a toolkit of techniques, not replacing old information. |
| They undermine points of view with which they disagree by presenting them in a highly exaggerated fashion. | What it says: They make opposing viewpoints look ridiculous by exaggerating them way beyond what was actually said. What it does: Elaborates on the "irony" technique from the previous sentence Source/Type: Explanation of how the irony technique works Connection to Previous Sentences: This gives us the specific method behind the "irony" mentioned in sentence 10. This is clarification of the same idea, not new complexity. Visualization: If someone said "We should save money," the singer might portray them as saying "We should never spend a single coin and let our children starve rather than buy food." Reading Strategy Insight: This explains HOW they use irony - making the previous sentence clearer, not adding burden. |
| Frequently, the laments explicitly lead to particular courses of action—one lament blaming youths from a neighboring township for the death of a local boy resulted in the banning of those youths from the mourners' community. | What it says: The songs often directly cause specific actions to be taken. In one case, a song that blamed outside youths for a local death actually got those youths banned from the community. What it does: Provides the ultimate proof of power - concrete political results Source/Type: Specific documented outcome/example Connection to Previous Sentences: This proves the "powerful effect" claimed way back in sentence 7. We've come full circle from "they use this to powerful effect" to "here's proof of real political change." What We Now Know Completely: Warao women use mourning songs to gain public voice, employ specific techniques (reformulating speech, irony, exaggeration), and achieve real political results Visualization: Song leads to community meeting leads to official decision: "Those youths are banned." The singer's words became community policy. Reading Strategy Insight: This is the satisfying conclusion - we started with "women gain power through speech" and end with proof of actual political power achieved. |
2. Passage Summary:
Author's Purpose:
To illustrate how women in some cultures use specific types of speech to gain power and influence in their communities, even when they normally have no formal authority.
Summary of Passage Structure:
The author builds their argument by moving from a general concept to a detailed real-world example:
- First, the author introduces the broad topic that linguists are studying how men and women speak differently and use certain types of speech to exercise power.
- Next, the author chooses the Warao people of Venezuela as a specific example and explains that Warao women gain public influence through ritual mourning songs.
- Then, the author describes how mourning creates a special situation where normal social rules flip upside down, giving women a powerful platform to speak when everyone must listen.
- Finally, the author shows the specific techniques women use in their songs and provides concrete examples of how these songs actually change community decisions and policies.
Main Point:
Women can gain real political power through speech even in cultures where they have no formal authority, as shown by Warao women who use funeral songs to influence their community and achieve actual policy changes.
3. Question Analysis:
The question asks what we can infer about a specific lament mentioned in the passage - the one where "the singer offers her own positive interpretation of her deceased son's behavior while characterizing community officials' discussions of that behavior not as the authoritative discourse of leaders but as idle talk."
Connecting to Our Passage Analysis:
From our passage analysis, we understand this example illustrates how Warao women "reformulate and characterize the speech of others" during mourning rituals. The passage analysis shows this is a concrete example of the power technique where women can reframe what community leaders have said about various topics.
The key insight from our analysis is that this lament shows the mother defending her son while dismissing the officials' criticism. Our visualization was: "Mother's song: 'My son was brave and honorable. The officials call him troublesome, but their words are just empty chatter from men who don't understand true courage.'"
Prethinking:
For the mother to dismiss the officials' words as "idle talk" rather than "authoritative discourse," there must have been prior official criticism of her son's behavior. The lament is her response to and reframing of that criticism. The fact that she needs to offer her "own positive interpretation" suggests the officials' interpretation was negative. This points us toward an answer choice indicating the officials had spoken critically about her son.
• The passage mentions irony as a technique but doesn't connect it to this specific singer
• The example given focuses on reformulating speech, not ironic techniques
• No evidence suggests this particular singer was "renowned" for anything
Common Student Mistakes:
- Did I mix up the different techniques mentioned in the passage?
→ Keep each example tied to its specific technique - this example is about reformulating speech, not irony - Am I adding information not stated in the passage?
→ Stick only to what's directly stated or clearly implied about this specific lament
• No mention of relatives asking the singer to do anything
• The passage presents this as the singer's own initiative during the mourning ritual
• Mourning customs appear to be traditional, not based on specific requests
Common Student Mistakes:
- Am I assuming normal funeral customs apply here?
→ Focus on what the passage tells us about Warao-specific mourning rituals - Did I confuse the singer's motivation?
→ The passage shows women using this opportunity for their own purposes, not responding to requests
• The mother characterizes officials' discussions as "idle talk" rather than "authoritative discourse"
• For her to need to offer her "own positive interpretation" implies the officials had a negative view
• The contrast between her positive view and dismissing officials' talk as non-authoritative indicates prior critical discussion
Key Evidence: "the singer offers her own positive interpretation of her deceased son's behavior while characterizing community officials' discussions of that behavior not as the authoritative discourse of leaders but as idle talk."
• The passage discusses mocking epithets as a general technique, not specifically about this singer's son
• The example about the son focuses on the mother's response to officials, not the son's own behavior
• No connection made between the son and the ironic techniques described
Common Student Mistakes:
- Did I confuse who was using which techniques?
→ The mocking epithets are used by mourning women, not by the deceased son - Am I mixing up different parts of the passage?
→ Keep the specific lament example separate from the general techniques discussion
• The neighboring youth example is a completely different lament
• That example shows the result (banning), but doesn't specify the cause was neighboring youths killing someone
• No connection made between the son's death and the neighboring township incident
Common Student Mistakes:
- Did I confuse two different examples in the passage?
→ The mother defending her son is one example; the neighboring youth incident is a separate example - Am I making assumptions about how deaths occurred?
→ The passage doesn't specify causes of death in these examples