From passage: "As an environment, technologies shape their inhabitants. In this respect, they are comparable to laws and customs. Each of these institutions can be said to represent those who live under their sway through privileging certain dimensions of their human nature." The paragraph starts by calling technologies an "environment" -> then says they're "comparable to laws and customs" -> then calls all three "institutions" -> explains how all three work the same way (they represent people by focusing on certain parts of human nature). The author's main point: Technology, laws, and customs all function as institutions that work in similar ways.

🟢 Option 1 -> correct -> captures the main argument perfectly - they ARE similar when viewed as institutions 🟠 Option 2 -> partial-truth -> mentions the "privileging" part correctly but misses the broader point about institutional similarity. Students might pick this because it sounds detailed, but it's too narrow - focuses on just one aspect. 🔴 Option 3 -> contradicts passage -> says they're "dissimilar" when the paragraph clearly emphasizes their similarities as institutions. Easy to eliminate. 🔴 Option 4 -> too specific -> just one example from the paragraph, not the main argument. Students might think this is detailed = correct, but examples aren't main arguments. Student confusion: You might think Option 2 sounds more "academic" because it uses the word "privilege" from the passage. But remember - main arguments are usually broader statements, not specific details. Option 1 captures the whole paragraph's point, while Option 2 only captures part of it.

CAT (VARC) PYQs

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