Reading Comprehension

PT153 · S4 · P2 · Q9 Native American Languages

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This passage is based on an article published in 1996.

Topic

Preserving endangered Native American languages.

Framework

Problem / Solution (or maybe Old / New)

Main Point

There's a Problem - Native American languages are on the brink of extinction

There's a Solution - radio shows in native languages are great!

There's a Problem with the Solution - the internet is coming to more of these communities and it increases the threat of losing the native language (as people learn English in order to use the internet)

There's a Solution to the Problem with the Solution - make better radio shows in the native languages (not lessons, but fun stuff like interviews with old people, songs, and word games).

Putting that all together, you'd get something like this:

In order to continue the success radio shows have had in preserving endangered native languages in the face of the encroaching internet, the shows should focus on engaging formats over lessons.

Passage Map

P1 - Intro to Problem / Solution

The first three sentences have negative words that make us guess this passage is about a Problem: of 300, fewer than 150 survive / one third are near extinction / the decline is due to misguided policies

The Purpose Pivot halfway through (but, yet, however, recently) alerts us to the optimism the author has for the Solution.

P2 - More optimism for Solution

This paragraph fleshes out why radio shows are a great way of helping to preserve these endangered native languages.

P3 - New Problem / New Solution

This starts with another big Purpose Pivot (but, yet, however, recently). The author pours some pessimism on that optimism: the growth of Internet could counter the influence of radio.

Halfway down it switches to Solution by saying "Communities have a means to combat this trend". The final sentence is actually getting into prescriptive language, as the author says we should make radio programming more effective.

P4 - Author Supports their Solution

This paragraph explains what the "right" kind of radio programming would be.

9.

The passage most strongly suggests that some types of native language radio programming are less likely than others to be successful at sustaining these languages because they

  1. do not convey information about

    Trap

    5% picked this

  2. Correct

    tend not to connect their

    Why this is right

    Answer B is correct.

    Skill tested: Inference · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

    89% picked this

  3. typically ignore the economic circumstances

    Trap

    0% picked this

  4. are not purposefully designed to

    Trap

    3% picked this

  5. fail to make use of

    Trap

    3% picked this

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