Having written the impassioned call to arms Letter to the Spanish Americans in 1791, Peruvian intellectual Juan Pablo Viscardo y...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Having written the impassioned call to arms Letter to the Spanish Americans in 1791, Peruvian intellectual Juan Pablo Viscardo y Guzmán is often considered a forerunner for the independence movements in Latin America. But Viscardo's role in history would have remained insignificant were it not for Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda, who was handed the unpublished letter after Viscardo's death. Miranda not only helped circulate the letter, but his edits and footnotes to the text position Miranda as a central figure in the text's creation.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
The original authorship of 'Letter to the Spanish Americans' is disputed by contemporary historians.
The majority of the most eloquently stated arguments in 'Letter to the Spanish Americans' were written by Miranda.
Miranda played a crucial role in influencing the content and distribution of 'Letter to the Spanish Americans.'
'Letter to the Spanish Americans' persuaded many people in Latin America to pursue national independence.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Having written the impassioned call to arms Letter to the Spanish Americans in 1791, Peruvian intellectual Juan Pablo Viscardo y Guzmán is often considered a forerunner for the independence movements in Latin America.' |
|
| 'But Viscardo's role in history would have remained insignificant were it not for Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda, who was handed the unpublished letter after Viscardo's death.' |
|
| 'Miranda not only helped circulate the letter, but his edits and footnotes to the text position Miranda as a central figure in the text's creation.' |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Miranda was essential to making Viscardo's letter historically significant through both distributing it and substantially contributing to its content.
Argument Flow: The passage starts by acknowledging Viscardo's reputation as an independence forerunner, then pivots to argue that this reputation depends entirely on Miranda's contributions. It concludes by detailing exactly how Miranda was crucial.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The question asks for the main idea of the entire text.
What type of answer do we need? We need a statement that captures the central message or primary focus.
Any limiting keywords? None specified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage emphasizes Miranda's crucial role in two ways: getting the letter out to people and actually influencing what the letter said through his edits
- The central message is that without Miranda, Viscardo would have remained insignificant historically
The original authorship of 'Letter to the Spanish Americans' is disputed by contemporary historians.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims authorship is disputed by contemporary historians, but the passage doesn't mention any historical dispute
The majority of the most eloquently stated arguments in 'Letter to the Spanish Americans' were written by Miranda.
✗ Incorrect
- Says Miranda wrote the most eloquently stated arguments, but the passage doesn't compare eloquence levels
Miranda played a crucial role in influencing the content and distribution of 'Letter to the Spanish Americans.'
✓ Correct
- Captures both key aspects: influencing the content through edits/footnotes and distribution through circulation
- Matches the passage's main argument
'Letter to the Spanish Americans' persuaded many people in Latin America to pursue national independence.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the letter's persuasive effect on Latin Americans, but the passage doesn't mention the letter's actual impact on people