Text 1: Historian Dr. Sarah Wells reconstructs past mentalities. "Understanding historical actors requires grasping their worldviews," Wells writes. "We must interpret actions within the conceptual frameworks available to them."
Text 2: Historian Dr. David Park warns against anachronism's opposite. "Over-emphasis on difference risks making the past incomprehensible," Park cautions. "Historical actors shared basic human concerns. Some continuity enables understanding."
What methodological balance do Wells and Park together suggest?
That historical research should be abandoned
That interpretation requires both sensitivity to difference and recognition of shared humanity
That past and present are identical
That conceptual frameworks never change
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the correct answer. Wells emphasizes difference—grasping past worldviews. Park emphasizes continuity—shared concerns. Together they suggest balancing both to understand the past.
- Evidence: Wells: difference; Park: continuity.
- Reasoning: Both capture genuine aspects of historical interpretation.
- Conclusion: Good history balances difference and shared humanity.
Choice A is incorrect because both practice history. Choice C is incorrect because Wells emphasizes difference. Choice D is incorrect because Wells studies changed frameworks.