PrepTest 103, Section 4, Question 25
In England before 1660, a husband controlled his(440 more words not shown)
According to the passage, Staves'(18 more words not shown)
- AStaves' research undermines(12 more words not shown)
- BStaves' research refutes(11 more words not shown)
- CStaves' research shows(16 more words not shown)
- DStaves' research indicates(13 more words not shown)
- EStaves' research qualifies(14 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
Keep both halves of the key sentence: Staves stops short of refuting their claim, but she does counter an assumption (paragraph 3). The Stones connect wealthy men's declining interest in marrying widows with a shift toward marrying for love. That explanation assumes widows were financially more attractive than never-married women.
What we’re looking for
But jointure was often lost on remarriage. Money a widow could use while unmarried might not be available if she married again. That weakens the wealth assumption without proving the Stones' explanation false.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
One assumption is undermined, while the contention itself survives as a possibility. This matches both the criticism and its limited effect.
- B
“Refutes” goes beyond what we were told. The evidence creates a problem for the explanation without disproving it.
- C
“Cannot be correct” also contradicts the stated limit. And only one mistaken assumption is identified, not a number of them.
- D
Staves doesn't declare the contention incorrect or accuse the Stones of using contradictory data. She questions their assumption about widows' relative wealth.
- E
“Qualifies” sounds promising, but the rest matters. Staves isn't accepting the data as accurate and merely adding missing information. She challenges an assumption those historians relied on. A describes that distinction directly.
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