I have a question about a practice test!! Why is the correct answer B? I choose C.

Question

The middle class is hard to define; in part, being “middle class” is more than just economic position. By far the majority of Americans identity themselves as middle class even though they vary widely in lifestyle and in resources at their though they vary widely in lifestyle and in resources at their disposal. But the idea that the United States is an open-class system leads many to think that the majority have a middle-class lifestyle because, in general, people tend not to want to recognize class distinctions in the United States. Thus, the middle class becomes the ubiquitous norm even though many who call themselves middle class have a tenuous hold on this class position.

 

According to the paragraph 5, why do most people identify themselves as middle class in the United States?

 

A, They have about the same lifestyle as everyone else in the country.

 

B, They prefer not to admit that there are class distinctions in the United States.

 

C, They do not really know how to define their status because it is unclear.

 

D, They identify themselves with the majority who have normal lifestyles.

Answer 1

This is tricky because it is not well-written.  For example, the US is not a system.  I could go on.

Anyway, think about what the authors of the test are looking for.  Sentence #2 uses "even though", which is not causal.  Sentence #3 uses "because", which gives you a cause-and-effect relationship.  Aha!  This can be used to answer a "why" question.  It's badly written and confusing, but that was apparently the author's intention.

Answer 2

Saori - Hello!

 

The question is tricky because the order of sentences in this paragraph is reversed.  Topic sentences tell you what the rest of the paragraph is going to be about.  These sentences are usually the first sentence in a paragraph, but that's not necessarily the case with your paragraph.  That's what makes your question a bit more difficult to answer.  In your paragraph, the last sentence could be switched with the first and could easily become the topic sentence.

 

This should help you find the answer to your question.  I always want my students to figure out the answers for themselves, but I will give you the hint that the answer can be found in the last half of the paragraph (last 2 sentences), not the first.

 

I hope this helps you find the answer!