Integrated (history) - a problem about the representation of facts in history.

[Arseni]

Hello, Kitos and others. I'm going to finish my preparations soon, but there are stil some problems to resolve. This is another integrated from longman cd, minitest 7.

What information is provided in the listening passage to support the ideas in the reading passage?

In this set of materials the reading passage states a problem about the representation of facts in history. Then the professor provides an example of this problem.

The lecturer in the listening passage talks about two biographies of a famous presidential candidate. These two books do not contain any fictional information; however they present this person from opposite sides. This example supports the information from the reading, which concludes that history cannot objectively describe events because it depends on the interpretation of the historian recording this event.

On the one hand, the first book in this example describes some minor qualities of the candidate. It concentrates on his father’s problems in business, describes his own fails with sports and mid grades at the high school.

On the other hand, in the second book the other side of a coin about this person is presented. It states that his family has been very happy; moreover, he has been a very successful college student and a brave military officer.

In conclusion, the example of two books, which contradict to each other without changing facts, demonstrates that, using selection and interpretation, history sometimes may present subjective information about existed events.

Thanks for reading

TOEFL listening discussions: Why is the student talking to the advisor?

[Kitosdad]

Hello, Kitos and others. I'm going to finish my preparations soon, but there are stil some problems to resolve. This is another integrated from longman cd, minitest 7.

What information is provided in the listening passage to support the ideas in the reading passage?

In this set of materials the reading passage states a problem about the representation of facts in history. Then the professor provides an example of this problem.

The lecturer in the listening passage /talks about/REFERS TO/ two biographies of a famous presidential candidate. These two books do not contain any fictional information; however they present this person from opposite sides. This example supports the information from the reading, which concludes that history cannot objectively describe events because it depends on the interpretation of the historian recording this event.

On the one hand, the first book in this example describes some minor qualities of the candidate. It concentrates on his father’s problems in business, describes his own failURES IN sports and HIS POOR mid grades WHILST at the high school.

On the other hand, in the second book the other side of the coin about this person is presented. It states that his family haD been very happy; moreover, he haD been a very successful college student, a competent sportsman, and a brave military officer.

In conclusion, the example of two books, which contradict to each other without changing facts, demonstrates that, using selection and interpretation, history sometimes may present subjective information about /existed/EARLIER/RECENT HISTORICAL/events.
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Good work Arseni. I'd give you 8.5/10

Kitos.
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Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Arseni]

mr.Kitos, thanks, but I thought that we could not mix Present Simple with Past Perfect tense. Am I wrong or the following sentence is OK too?
"It states that his family WAS very happy"
would you mind explaining briefly? Thanks anyway!

[Kitosdad]

You have me there Arseni. I do not know the rules governing this subject. All I can say is that if you are quoting from an event that has already occurred, then PAST tense is the logical tense to be used in your writing.

Perhaps Torsten or Alan could reply to this.
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Keep it simple ... Keep it interesting.

[Arseni]

I think it was my misconception..thank you!