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#74747
Complete Question Explanation
The correct answer choice is (B)
The question refers us to the section in the passage that discusses the views of Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, and F Scott Fitzgerald. The only sentence that discusses those views begins in line 46 of the passage, and states, "When he glances at the treatment of railroads by writers like Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, or F. Scott Fitzgerald, what comes through in spite of Stilgoe's analysis is remarkably like Thoreau's feeling of contrariety and ambivalence."
So we know James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald were contrary and ambivalent to the railroad, like Thoreau. Before moving to the answer choices, we might take a second look at the passage for any other mentions of Thoreau as context. We're drawn to the top of the second passage, where the author states, "What Stilgoe calls "romantic-era distrust" was in fact the reaction of a minority of writers, artists, and intellectuals who distrusted the railroad not so much for what it was as for what it signified." The author then explicitly references Thoreau as an example of this.
So a solid Pre-Phrase here would be something alone the lines of: The attitudes of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald as reflected in their writings were largely contrarian and ambivalent, not dissimilar to the minority of creatives from the romantic era (pre-1880s) who distrusted the railroad for what it signified. We come down to the answer choices to look for something that touches on those contrarian and ambivalent attitudes that are similar to those of earlier creatives such as Thoreau.
Answer Choice (A): The passage suggests the opposite of (A) - that the attitudes of Norris, O'Neill, and Adams were diametrically opposed to those of James, Lewis and Fitzgerald.
Answer Choice (B): This is the correct answer. It narrows in on their ambivalent attitude and draws similarity to the earlier minority group that included Thoreau.
Answer Choice (C): The passage suggests in the first paragraph that during the early 20th century the railroad was extremely popular among the public at large. Thus the public opinion was inconsistent with the contrarian and ambivalent attitudes of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald.
Answer Choice (D): This answer choice misstates the information in the passage. The passage that the ambivalence of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald was in line with the earlier critical authors of the 1830's.
Answer Choice (E): The author states that the views of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald were consistent with the "minority" views of the 1830's, not the "prevailing" views.
The correct answer choice is (B)
The question refers us to the section in the passage that discusses the views of Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, and F Scott Fitzgerald. The only sentence that discusses those views begins in line 46 of the passage, and states, "When he glances at the treatment of railroads by writers like Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, or F. Scott Fitzgerald, what comes through in spite of Stilgoe's analysis is remarkably like Thoreau's feeling of contrariety and ambivalence."
So we know James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald were contrary and ambivalent to the railroad, like Thoreau. Before moving to the answer choices, we might take a second look at the passage for any other mentions of Thoreau as context. We're drawn to the top of the second passage, where the author states, "What Stilgoe calls "romantic-era distrust" was in fact the reaction of a minority of writers, artists, and intellectuals who distrusted the railroad not so much for what it was as for what it signified." The author then explicitly references Thoreau as an example of this.
So a solid Pre-Phrase here would be something alone the lines of: The attitudes of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald as reflected in their writings were largely contrarian and ambivalent, not dissimilar to the minority of creatives from the romantic era (pre-1880s) who distrusted the railroad for what it signified. We come down to the answer choices to look for something that touches on those contrarian and ambivalent attitudes that are similar to those of earlier creatives such as Thoreau.
Answer Choice (A): The passage suggests the opposite of (A) - that the attitudes of Norris, O'Neill, and Adams were diametrically opposed to those of James, Lewis and Fitzgerald.
Answer Choice (B): This is the correct answer. It narrows in on their ambivalent attitude and draws similarity to the earlier minority group that included Thoreau.
Answer Choice (C): The passage suggests in the first paragraph that during the early 20th century the railroad was extremely popular among the public at large. Thus the public opinion was inconsistent with the contrarian and ambivalent attitudes of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald.
Answer Choice (D): This answer choice misstates the information in the passage. The passage that the ambivalence of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald was in line with the earlier critical authors of the 1830's.
Answer Choice (E): The author states that the views of James, Lewis, and Fitzgerald were consistent with the "minority" views of the 1830's, not the "prevailing" views.