LSAT 112 | Section 2 | Reading Comprehension: Q11

RC Question 11 Explanation

DISCUSSION: The “English-language writings” are the technical works mentioned in the second paragraph. “Intellectual” historians in this passage refers to historians who study works of science, theology and law.

___________

1. Latin language specialists might think that the technical works are valuable. The only reason they don’t read them is because they lack technical expertise. (lines 20-21)
2. Hard to say. We know that the Latin works were influential. But that doesn’t mean that English works weren’t influential. Binns’ main point is that we need to study all important Renaissance works, no matter which language they are written in.
3. CORRECT. “Superficially coherent” means that everything seems to make sense, but that the historians are missing the deeper meaning. Which is true; the historians haven’t noticed the Latin works they should be studying, even if the English works all seem to fit together, as suggested by line 35. 
4. No one compares English-language writings to those from the European content. This answer just makes stuff up.
5. Binns probably thinks the English works should be studied together with Latin works. How else can we understand the intellectual culture of Renaissance England?