PrepTest 124, Section 4, Question 13
In England the burden of history weighs heavily(428 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(13 more words not shown)
- AThey are overly(11 more words not shown)
- BThey lack an(7 more words not shown)
- CThey overemphasize the(12 more words not shown)
- DThey excuse students(13 more words not shown)
- EThey routinely treat(13 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
Return to the main criticism: these theories fail to treat common law as a historically developing tradition. The missing ingredient is that development and its relevance now. The problem isn't simply that the theories are difficult to read.
Working the answers
- A
The writer doesn't blame excessive detail. Even without knowing stultifying, we can reject the unsupported claim that the theories are overly detailed.
- BCorrect
The essential dimension is historical development. The opening says common law cannot be understood properly without a long historical view; including that dimension would address the stated deficiency.
- C
The theories don't overemphasize practical significance. Even those that acknowledge history are criticized for ignoring its practical contemporary significance.
- D
Students do study old legal disputes; the opening explicitly mentions medieval cases. Studying those cases doesn't by itself mean understanding how law has developed through history. D confuses those different claims.
- E
Art versus science isn't the writer's diagnosis of most academic theories. Goodrich's literary comparison belongs to the proposed alternative, not a description of how those theories routinely operate.
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