TOEFL Reading Function: Political Science – Academic Passage (Advanced)

မေးခွန်း 4 — purpose

Why does the author mention Guillermo O'Donnell and Philippe C. Schmitter in paragraph 3?

To criticize their focus on economic structures over political choices
To argue that their theories were only applicable to Latin American countries
To provide examples of scholars who continued to support modernization theory
To identify the leading scholars who developed the transitology approach

Answer Explanation

[PASSAGE] "Spearheaded by scholars such as Guillermo O'Donnell and Philippe C. Schmitter, this perspective shifted the analytical focus away from broad socioeconomic structures and onto the political actors themselves." This sentence states that O'Donnell and Schmitter were the leading figures, or "spearheads," behind the transitology approach. [WHY CORRECT] Option 4 is correct because the phrase "Spearheaded by scholars such as Guillermo O'Donnell and Philippe C. Schmitter" directly indicates that these individuals were the primary developers or leading figures of the transitology approach, which is precisely what the question asks. [TRAPS] Option 1 is wrong because the text does not criticize their focus; rather, it introduces their shift in focus as the core of their new approach. Option 2 is wrong because the passage does not limit the applicability of their theories to Latin America; transitology is presented as a general theoretical framework. Option 3 is wrong because the passage explicitly states that transitology "faced significant challenges" to modernization theory, thus they developed a new approach, not continued to support the old one. [TIP] When a question asks why an author mentions specific names or details, look for phrases immediately preceding or following those names that define their role or relationship to the topic being discussed.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect

Option A (“To criticize their focus on economic structures over political choices”) treats a rhetorical aside as a literal claim.
Option B (“To argue that their theories were only applicable to Latin American countries”) assigns an intent the context does not support.
Option C (“To provide examples of scholars who continued to support modernization theory”) confuses the example with the point it illustrates.

Key Language in Context

The language describing Political Science rewards close reading: notice contrast markers, hedging, and emphasis, since TOEFL function items hinge on nuance rather than matching keywords.

Skill Takeaway

Identify the role a sentence plays — example, contrast, or emphasis — before answering.