Cross-Text Connections questions are visibly different from every other Reading/Writing question type: they have two texts instead of one. The question will ask you to relate those texts; sometimes, the question will be about how the second text would respond to the first, while at other times the focus will be more on agreement between the two passages. Either way, as you read both passages, pay particular attention to the second passage, as its relationship to the first will always be crucial.
Text 1
In The Souls of Black Folk, W. E. B. Du Bois described the “double consciousness” of African Americans, the struggle of seeing oneself through the eyes of a racist society while also striving for self-definition. Taking the phrase from Ralph Waldo Emerson, Du Bois describes the profound and sometimes disorienting experience of holding these two consciousnesses simultaneously.Text 2
Scholar bell hooks has written that while the pain of double consciousness is real, it has also fueled rich cultural creativity. She notes that Black artists and thinkers have transformed marginality into a site of resistance and innovation.How would hooks (Text 2) most likely expand on Du Bois’s concept in Text 1?
A. By agreeing with Du Bois’s description of pain but highlighting the creative potential it generates.
B. By denying that double consciousness exists in modern contexts.
C. By suggesting that double consciousness is better understood as an Emersonian concept and does not apply to the Black experience.
D. By arguing that the power of double consciousness is unrelated to marginalization.
Cross-Text Connection questions direct us in particular to Text 2, to discover its response to (in some cases, its agreement with) Text 1. As we read both passages, it behooves us to pay attention to repetition. Anything mentioned in both passages is likely very important. In this case, the concept of “double consciousness” is mentioned in both passages–indeed, it sits very close to the heart of both passages. Then, the question itself refers to the “concept” mentioned in both passages, which would have to be double consciousness. So how does the second author (bell hooks, whose name, by her own choice, is not capitalized) respond to Du Bois’ key concept?
First off, she acknowledges its reality. This is not a matter of disagreement (which already rules out choice B); rather, hooks is adding something to the idea that Du Bois develops. The key phrase in Text 2 is “have transformed marginality into a site of resistance and transformation.” This is a positive framing, praising those who, in the midst of double consciousness, have turned that difficult experience into a source of creativity and justice-seeking.
In continuing through the choice, we can eliminate choice C, as it takes a minor detail (the fact that Du Bois’ idea originated with Emerson) and amplifies it as if that source takes all precedence. Choice D might seem closer in that it mentions both “double consciousness” and “marginalization”, but it says they are unrelated when they are, in fact, very related.
That leaves answer A, which points to the pain of the difficult experience of double consciousness but also the creativity that hooks refers to with the mention of “transformation”. The answer is A.
On occasion, a Cross-Text Connection question will underline a portion of the first text and ask how the second text responds to that particular sentence rather than the entire sentence.
Answer this: what does the C in the QUICKER Method stand for?
CONTEXT is king as you read.
Text 1
Astronomer Vera Rubin’s research on galaxy rotation revealed that visible matter could not account for the speed at which galaxies spin. She theorized that galaxies at the edge of the universe must be bound up in a “halo” of theoretical “dark matter” that accounts for their surprisingly fast rotation. Her work provided some of the earliest evidence for dark matter.Text 2
In the field of dark matter, some physicists remain cautious, suggesting that galaxy rotation might be explained by modifications to the laws of gravity instead of invoking invisible dark matter. They argue that alternative theories should be explored before reaching final conclusions.How would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to Rubin’s findings in Text 1?
A. Rubin’s research confirmed the existence of dark matter beyond doubt.
B. Rubin’s data may point to dark matter, but other explanations remain possible.
C. Rubin’s research was unrelated to galaxy motion.
D. Rubin’s conclusions about dark matter have been universally accepted.
The answer is B. Both Text 2 and Text 1 talk about dark matter, but while the first passage is about someone who theorized dark matter, the second discusses physicists who are skeptical and think the evidence used could point to something else (the laws of gravity, for example). Since the second passage points to skepticism, we need to avoid answers like A and D that suggest a universally positive view toward the theory of dark matter. Between B and C, choice C says something that isn’t present in either passage and that misunderstands what the second passage says about gravity. The cautious tone of answer choice B is perfect.
Strategy note: notice how simply noting the “plus/minus” (positive or negative tone) aspect of the passage can help us rule out multiple wrong answers!
Text 1
Sociologist Min Zhou has written about how immigrant families often rely on close-knit community networks when first arriving in a new country. These networks provide child care, job connections, and housing advice. Given the challenge that immigrant families face in adapting to a new culture and establishing an economic foothold, Zhou argues that such networks can help families survive difficult transitions.Text 2
Economist Alejandro Portes acknowledges the importance of immigrant community networks but warns that they can also limit opportunity. If families remain tied only to their immediate community, they may not gain access to broader resources, such as higher-paying jobs or elite education. These choices, made repeatedly over several generations, may significantly limit economic mobility among immigrant families.Based on the texts, how would Portes (Text 2) most likely respond to Zhou’s claim in Text 1?
A. Community networks make it easier for families to permanently avoid mainstream society.
B. Community networks help families at first, but they may eventually restrict upward mobility.
C. Families that rely on networks rarely need additional government assistance.
D. Families that use networks are more likely to become wealthy quickly.
The answer is B. As with the previous question, we have some cautious disagreement on the part of Text 2 as compared to Text 1. Text 1 is only positive in its attitude toward close-knit community networks. Portes, the scholar in Text 2, also appreciates those networks. However, he also worries that these networks may contribute, in the long run, to limited economic mobility.
Which answer choice gives us this mix of agreement and concern? Not choice D, which is only positive, nor choice C, which is mostly positive (as well as focusing on “government assistance,” which is not in either passage). Choice A is also positive and also uses extreme phrasing with “permanently avoid mainstream society.” There is nothing to suggest that in either passage, especially given the exaggerated language. That leaves the correct answer, B, which demonstrates the positive attitude and the concern that Portes shows in Text 2.
Text 1
Sociologist Arlie Hochschild has studied the “second shift,” the phenomenon in which women, even when employed full-time, take on the majority of housework and child care. She argues that this unpaid labor is an overlooked part of economic systems. Her work implies that, were women’s unpaid labor to be counted more fairly in economic analysis, the contributions of women to the overall economy would be more deeply esteemed.Text 2
Economist Claudia Goldin emphasizes that gender disparities in income are partly explained by inflexible work structures. She notes that when jobs demand long, uninterrupted hours, women often reduce paid work to accommodate family care. As a result, women lose workplace opportunities; this difference must be factored into calculations of the gender pay gap in order for such results to be most revealing.Based on the texts, both authors would most likely agree with which statement?
A. Women’s contributions to family and household life play a role in economic inequality.
B. The gender pay gap has been entirely solved by recent changes in workplace policy.
C. Men and women share household labor equally in most societies today.
D. Economic systems undervalue long working hours in the labor force.
The answer is A. This is the first example in this lesson of a question that asks for general agreement between the passages rather than for Text 2’s response to Text 1. When asked for agreement, we need to look a mildly-worded choice that doesn’t overstate the case while hitting on the commonality between the passages.
Both passages here talk about a limitation tied to women’s labor in the current economic system. There are differences; Text 1 focuses on how economic analysis does not fully recognize the value of women’s unpaid work, while Text 2 concerns the workplace opportunities lost by women who need to focus on childcare. Both passages, though, are lamenting the situation; they do not like things as they stand. So we should look for an answer that acknowledges this lament. That takes out answer choices B and C, which fall from neutral to positive. Choice D sounds good at first with “undervalue”, but the rest of the answer misrepresents what economic systems undervalue according to Text 1 (to say nothing of Text 2’s concerns).
That leaves answer A, which helpfully says “play a role …” This wording is characteristic of a correct answer because it does not overstate the case with extreme language. But it gets the content correct as well: both passages talk about how women contribute to family and household and both discuss economic inequality in some form or another.
Text 1
In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Thomas Kuhn argued that science does not progress by steady accumulation of knowledge. Instead, it moves through paradigm shifts in which entire frameworks are overturned. These paradigm shifts represent the epochal changes that mark the change from one level of scientific understanding ot the next.Text 2
Historian Lorraine Daston has emphasized the continuity of scientific practices across centuries. She argues that even during revolutions, scientists rely on many of the same methods, tools, and traditions that link old paradigms with new ones. By focusing on methodology rather than theory, Daston draws conclusions that are in tension with those of other science writers.How would Daston (Text 2) most likely respond to Kuhn’s view (Text 1)?
A. By claiming that paradigm shifts never occurred in the history of science.
B. By acknowledging paradigm shifts but stressing the persistence of continuity.
C. By agreeing that scientific change is typically abrupt and total.
D. By denying that methods or traditions survive revolutions in thought.
The answer is B. The second passage says that Daston focuses on methodology, which allows her to see continuity in scientific development. At the same time, she mentions “revolutions”, which is Kuhn’s word in Text 1, suggesting that there is an extent to which she acknowledges the validity of his point of view. For this reason, we need an answer that has balance and avoids extreme positions on one end or the other. Answer choices with words like “never” or “abrupt and total” do not give us this balance, nor does the idea of “denying …” though the rest of that answer moves off topic anyway. The language of “acknowledging … but stressing” works best to capture how Daston adopts a little bit of Kuhn’s framing but moves in a mostly new direction.
Text 1
In his writings on civil disobedience, Henry David Thoreau argued that individuals must not permit governments to overrule their consciences, even if it means breaking the law. Thoreau spent a night in jail for refusing to pay taxes he perceived to be supporting an unjust war in Mexico. Emboldened by his experience, Thoreau wrote copiously about the relationship between morality and legality.Text 2
Martin Luther King Jr., in his Letter from Birmingham Jail, agreed that unjust laws must be resisted but emphasized the importance of breaking them openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept punishment. King suggests that just laws are rooted in universal moral realities; a law that degrades humanity is unjust, while a law that uplifts humanity is just. In protesting such a law, says King, the protestor himself or herself must undergo moral self-purification before engaging in civil disobedience.How would King (Text 2) most likely respond to Thoreau’s stance in Text 1?
A. By arguing that civil disobedience is only valid when carried out with transparency and moral accountability.
B. By denying that unjust laws should ever be resisted.
C. By suggesting that private refusal to follow laws is more effective than public protest.
D. By claiming that all laws may be resisted if the person resisting experiences a subjective feeling of revolt against the law.
The answer is A. If both authors discuss civil disobedience and both approve of it to a certain extent, where is the difference that we can seize upon in answering this question? It’s really a matter of degree. While Thoreau (Text 1) pushes for following conscience “even if it means breaking the law,” King (Text 2) takes a more cautious tone. In the last sentence of Text 2 we see the qualifications King establishes for the person engaging in civil disobedience. According to King, the person must not disobey the law simply when conscience suggests it, but must first undergo self-purification to make sure the moral self is in keeping with conscience.
Choice D would be closer to Thoreau, if anything, and does not capture King’s caution. But on the other extreme, King would reject choice B, as he definitely thinks there are times for civil disobedience. Choice C is not a comparison made by either author. So even though choice A includes the strong word “only”, it’s the best answer because it focuses on the conditions under which King thinks it appropriate to break a law in protest.
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