Difficulty: Hard

Average Score: 41%

A longstanding scholarly neglect of the subject of cooking is partly attributable to the antiquated 'separate spheres' schema that differentiated a private female sphere, which included food preparation and consumption, from a public male sphere, which included food production. While this concept never reflected most women's daily realities-women are major food producers worldwide-the ideological polarization certainly influenced the development of academia; it effectively segregated women into working in low-status 'domestic' disciplines such as dietetics and home economics, while the male-dominated realms of industrial agriculture, food technology, mass retailing, and corporate management enjoyed public respect and academic prestige. This institutionalized bias delayed serious attention to cooking even after feminists in the 1960s obliterated the notion of separate spheres and more women entered all areas of academia.

The author mentions 'women's daily realities' primarily in order to

Rationale

identify a shortcoming of a particular conceptual framework.

The author highlights 'women's daily realities' to illustrate the limitations of the 'separate spheres' schema, which inaccurately suggested that women's roles were confined to the private domain. By contrasting this outdated framework with the actual contributions of women as food producers, the author critiques the ideological polarization that has marginalized the study of cooking.

A (point out an implication of a claim made earlier in the passage) YOUR ANSWER

While the author does discuss earlier claims regarding the separate spheres, mentioning 'women's daily realities' does not primarily serve to point out implications; instead, it critiques the framework itself. This choice misinterprets the author's intention by focusing on implications rather than the limitations of the conceptual schema.

B (emphasize a common feature of apparently diverse activities) YOUR ANSWER

This option suggests that the author is trying to find commonalities among diverse activities related to cooking and food production. However, the emphasis on 'women's daily realities' serves more to highlight the inadequacies of the 'separate spheres' concept than to find common features among various activities.

D (identify certain contradictory views about women's labor) YOUR ANSWER

While there are contrasting views regarding women's roles in domestic versus public spheres, the mention of 'women's daily realities' is not primarily focused on these contradictions. Instead, it critiques the simplistic dichotomy of the separate spheres, making this choice less relevant.

E (reinforce a view summarized at the beginning of the passage) YOUR ANSWER

Although the author discusses the separate spheres at the beginning, the mention of 'women's daily realities' is not meant to reinforce that view but to challenge and undermine it. This choice misrepresents the author's purpose in the context of the passage.

Conclusion

The author uses 'women's daily realities' to effectively challenge the limitations of the separate spheres framework, which inaccurately categorized women's roles in society. By highlighting the active participation of women in food production, the author underscores the inadequacy of the ideological separation that has historically influenced academic recognition of cooking. This critical perspective is essential for understanding the broader implications of gender roles in the study of food and labor.

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