RC Question 13 Explanation
DISCUSSION: Milton and Newton are two contrasting examples. It’s easy to find scholarship on Milton’s Latin poems. It’s hard to find anyone who understands Newton’s Latin writings. You need to understand science and Latin, which is rare.
___________
- Are Milton’s works the easiest to understand of all Renaissance Latin works? Are Newton’s the hardest? We don’t know. All we know is that Newton’s works haven’t been studied much, and Milton’s have been.
- Both Milton and Newton wrote in Latin.
- Both Milton and Newton were English. There’s no comparison made between them and other Europeans.
- Most people agree that both Milton and Newton are worthy of respect. But while many people have studied Milton’s Latin works, few people have read Newton’s works in the original Latin.
- CORRECT. This is mentioned in lines 23-27. It’s easy to get help if you’re reading Milton’s Latin, but you won’t find much help if you’re trying to read Newton.
Regarding answer (A), the passage states, “The intellectual historian can find ample guidance when reading the Latin poetry of Milton, but little or none when confronting the MORE ALIEN AND DIFFICULT terminology, syntax, and content of the scientist Newton.” It seems to me the author is saying that difficulty plays a role in the intellectual historian’s ability to understand those works. Why is (A) wrong? I just don’t see it.
It’s a question of emphasis. The author isn’t seeking to demonstrate that Latin runs from easy to hard. They are seeking to demonstrate that we lack the ability to properly study some of the foundational texts of Western civilization.
A may be *true*, but the question is about the author’s purpose.
Note: This is an old comment but I wanted to clarify the point.