The following text is from Anton Chekhov's 1898 short story 'Ionitch' (translated by Marian Fell in 1915). The text is...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The following text is from Anton Chekhov's 1898 short story 'Ionitch' (translated by Marian Fell in 1915). The text is set in a Russian city referred to as the city of S.
If newcomers to the little provincial city of S. complained that life there was monotonous and dull, its inhabitants would answer that, on the contrary, S. was a very amusing place, indeed, that it had a library and a club, that balls were given there, and finally, that very pleasant families lived there with whom one might become acquainted. And they always pointed to the Turkins as the most accomplished and most enlightened family of all.
What does the text suggest about the Turkins?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "If newcomers to the little provincial city of S. complained that life there was monotonous and dull," |
|
| "its inhabitants would answer that, on the contrary, S. was a very amusing place, indeed," |
|
| "that it had a library and a club, that balls were given there, and finally, that very pleasant families lived there with whom one might become acquainted." |
|
| "And they always pointed to the Turkins as the most accomplished and most enlightened family of all." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The residents of city S defend their town against complaints of dullness by pointing to various amenities, with the Turkins serving as their prime example of what makes the city worthwhile.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a debate structure - newcomers criticize the city as boring, residents counter with evidence of entertainment and culture, and they specifically highlight the Turkins as the best example of the city's refined society.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Now that we understand the passage, let's determine exactly what the question wants from us. We need to identify what the text suggests about the Turkins specifically.
What type of answer do we need? This requires making an inference about the Turkins' role or position based on how they're presented in the passage.
Any limiting keywords? N/A
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- From our analysis, we see that the Turkins are presented as the crown jewel of the residents' defense of their city
- They're specifically called "the most accomplished and most enlightened family of all"
- The residents use them as their ultimate example when trying to prove the city isn't dull
- This suggests the Turkins hold a special or elevated position in the city's social hierarchy
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the Turkins are "relative newcomers" but nothing in the passage suggests when the Turkins arrived in the city
- The passage treats them as established residents whom everyone knows about
✓ Correct
- Captures that the Turkins have a "unique status" in the city
- This matches our analysis perfectly - they're singled out as "the most accomplished and most enlightened family of all" and residents use them as their prime example when defending the city
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the Turkins "have long disliked living" in the city, which contradicts the entire passage
- The Turkins are presented as the best example of why the city is great, with no evidence of dissatisfaction
✗ Incorrect
- Says the Turkins "are amused by the other residents" but the passage doesn't describe the Turkins' feelings about other residents at all