Set 6: Cross-Text Connections
Explanation
PASSAGE
Text 1 The collapse of the Soviet Union is often attributed to the economic stagnation caused by central planning. Without market signals, the state could not efficiently allocate resources. Text 2 Political factors were equally critical. Gorbachev's policies of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (restructuring) inadvertently weakened the party's control, allowing long-suppressed nationalist movements to dismantle the empire from within.
Which choice best synthesizes the causes of the collapse?
Detailed Answer Explanation
This question asks you to compare perspectives from two passages. Text 1: Economic stagnation. Text 2: Political/Glasnost (Equally critical). Synthesis: Economic + Political. Understanding how the authors relate to each other's views is essential. Identify whether they agree, disagree, or address different aspects of the topic. Focus on their specific claims and conclusions. When comparing texts, first identify each author's thesis or main argument. Then determine how these positions interact: do they complement each other, contradict each other, or address different aspects of the same issue? The relationship between texts reveals deeper meaning.
Key Evidence:
• "economic stagnation"
• "Political factors were equally critical"
Why others are wrong: B (Inadvertently.), D (Text 2 adds political.), C (From within.).
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