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 Administrator
PowerScore Staff
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#84489
Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (B).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!
 sbose
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#77707
Hi! I was just wondering why the answer for question 12 was B, "restrained appreciation"?

I was between A and B but chose A, so I can understand why B was correct but wasn't sure why A would be incorrect. Is it because the language of A ("wholehearted endorsement") was too strong?

Thanks so much for your help!
 Luke Haqq
PowerScore Staff
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#77785
Hi sbose!

Yes, your intuition about the problem with (A) is correct--the language is too strong.

Without needing to read the passage, one could use PowerScore's strategies to be able to eliminate some answer choices off the bat. Namely, when passages focus on underrepresented, underserved, or minority groups, more often than not the tone will be a positive one. This would suggest (D) and (E) to be incorrect:

(D) cautious opposition
(E) suppressed exasperation

Opposition and exasperation are not the feelings that one would expect from the author of a passage when the topic of the passage is Native American litigants. This would leave us with the remaining three:

(A) wholehearted endorsement
(B) restrained appreciation
(C) detached objectivity

The passage has several examples of language that indicates the author's attitude toward the "United States Supreme Court’s resolution of legal issues of concern to Native Americans." For example, the author notes "two important contributions that have
resulted from the exercise of judicial power. First, the Court has created rules of judicial construction that, in general, favor the rights of Native American litigants" (lines 23-27), and " A second achievement of the judicial system is the protection that has been provided against encroachment by the states into tribal affairs" (lines 48-50).

These examples indicate that (C) should be out as well, since it is clear that the author approves of these measures. Left between (A) and (B), your intuition is correct that (A) is a bit too strong. The author makes clear in the passage that Supreme Court's treatment of Native Americans has been far from perfect--which is reason for rejecting (A), while noting that it still has secured some important achievements for them nonetheless--making (B) the best answer choice.

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