Difficulty: Hard

Average Score: 20%

A century ago, opponents of women's suffrage in the United States scoffed at the notion that extending the vote to women would make any difference. 'Women will vote with their husbands' was the commonly accepted wisdom. This was an argument made in the absence of evidence, as women did not yet have the vote. Ever since women won the vote, researchers have been keeping close track of female voting behavior. A 'gender gap' in voting behavior has been found in the United States as in many other countries. In the United States, the 1994 and 1996 elections showed the largest gaps ever between candidates favored by women and those favored by men.

The primary purpose of the passage is to

Rationale

show the inaccuracy of a prediction about women's suffrage.

The passage focuses on addressing a specific prediction regarding women's suffrage and highlights its inaccuracies. It provides insights into how the anticipated outcomes were not realized, thereby emphasizing the gap between expectation and reality in the movement for women's voting rights.

A (describe the evolution of a gender gap in the United States) YOUR ANSWER

This choice suggests a broader discussion about the gender gap, which is not the main focus of the passage. While the gender gap may be touched upon, the passage specifically critiques a prediction related to women's suffrage rather than exploring its evolution in detail.

B (present a concise history of the women's suffrage movement) YOUR ANSWER

Although the women's suffrage movement may be referenced, the passage does not provide a comprehensive historical overview. Instead, it centers on the inaccuracies of a particular prediction rather than detailing the entire movement's timeline or key events.

C (show the inaccuracy of a prediction about women's suffrage) CORRECT

This is the primary aim of the passage, as it directly addresses a prediction related to women's suffrage and discusses its failure to materialize as expected. This focus is crucial to understanding the implications of the suffrage movement's outcomes and societal expectations.

D (explain the differences in voting behavior between men and women) YOUR ANSWER

This option implies a comparative analysis of voting behaviors, which is not the passage's intent. The text does not delve into specific voting behaviors or differences; rather, it critiques a prediction about women's suffrage itself.

Conclusion

The passage's primary purpose is to highlight the inaccuracies in predictions regarding women's suffrage, focusing specifically on how these expectations did not align with reality. Choices A, B, and D diverge from this central theme, while choice C directly encapsulates the passage's intent to analyze and critique these predictions within the context of the suffrage movement.

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