PrepTest 159, Section 4, Question 15
The following passage was adapted from an article(439 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(9 more words not shown)
- AThe concessions granted(25 more words not shown)
- BBelize's common-law system,(19 more words not shown)
- CThe failure by(21 more words not shown)
- DWhile Belize is(28 more words not shown)
- EThe suit brought(29 more words not shown)
Reading the passage
We've already predicted the central argument: the Maya's claim has a sound basis because Belize's common-law tradition connects it to relevant foreign precedents, with international standards providing further support. The author favors a presumption recognizing indigenous rights while acknowledging Belize's independence in developing its domestic law.
What we’re looking for
Look for the merit of the argument, not an invented ruling or a claim that Belize must automatically follow every foreign decision.
Working the answers
- A
The author supports using international standards to recognize rights, but doesn't establish that these specific concessions violate Belize's international obligations. That would require a further legal conclusion about the concessions, not just the sources supporting the Maya's claim.
- B
The point isn't simply that organizations may file suits. The suit has already been filed; the discussion explains why its argument has merit and how the courts should approach it.
- C
No failure to recognize the rights after hearing the suit is reported. We don't receive the court's decision, much less an account of its effects on rights in other countries.
- D
The author argues for a presumption, not that an unfavorable decision would necessarily create a fundamentally unsound precedent. D turns a reason to favor recognition into a stronger judgment the author doesn't make.
- ECorrect
This captures the argument's legal foundation: the Maya rely on relevant decisions from jurisdictions sharing Belize's common-law origins. Those connections give the claim merit even though they don't compel an identical result.
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