DISCUSSION: Matthew Arnold was mentioned in lines 36-41. He described the aristocracy and middle classes as Barbarians and Philistines, respectively.
Those are rather insulting terms. Arnold clearly didn’t think much of the upper classes.
___________
- “Barbarian” is not typically considered a respectful term. To check, try calling your professor a barbarian the next time you see them, and note their reaction.
- Empathy = understanding. “Barbarian” originally referred to a foreign people so backwards and crude it wasn’t even worth understanding them.
- If you’re indifferent to someone, you wouldn’t bother talking about them. Yet Arnold wrote an essay about the upper classes, and insulted them. Clearly, he cared.
- Disappointment implies you once had higher hopes. But we have no evidence that Arnold ever though well of the upper classes.
- CORRECT. This is the best word. Scorn = Arnold despises the upper classes. Which he did; Barbarian and Philistine are major insults.
You may have been told to avoid answers that are “too strong”. Rubbish. Arnold uses strong insults, so a “strong” answer is called for.
Want a free Reading Comp lesson?
Get a free sample of the Reading Comprehension Mastery Seminar. Learn tips for solving RC questions
Leave a Reply