According to the author, which of the following is true of Smith's Black Soldiers in Blue compared with previous studies on the same topic?
Show Hint
- It is more reliable and presents a more complete picture of the historical events on which it concentrates than do previous studies.
- It focuses more closely on a particular aspect of the topic than do previous studies.
- It contains some unsupported generalizations, but it rightly emphasizes a theme ignored by most previous studies.
- It surpasses previous studies on the same topic in that it accurately describes conditions often neglected by those studies.
- It makes skillful use of supporting evidence to illustrate a subtle trend that previous studies have failed to detect.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks us to identify how the author of the passage characterizes John David Smith's book, "Black Soldiers in Blue," in comparison to other, earlier works on the same subject. We must find the specific comparative language used in the passage.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The first paragraph of the passage begins by establishing a comparison. Let's examine the first sentence carefully:
"John David Smith's Black Soldiers in Blue is not the first excellent collection of essays on Black soldiers and their White officers in the Civil War, but it collectively probes the broad military, political, and social significance of black soldiers' armed service and concentrates more intensely on African American life during and after the conflict than most of its predecessors."
This sentence explicitly states that Smith's book "concentrates more intensely" on a specific area ("African American life during and after the conflict") than previous works ("its predecessors"). This means it has a sharper, more intense focus.
Now let's evaluate the options based on this key phrase:
(A) It is more reliable and presents a more complete picture...
The passage calls it an "excellent collection" but does not explicitly state it is "more reliable" or "more complete" than others.
(B) It focuses more closely on a particular aspect of the topic than do previous studies.
This is a direct and accurate paraphrase of "concentrates more intensely on... than most of its predecessors." It correctly captures the idea of a narrower, deeper focus.
(C) It contains some unsupported generalizations...
The passage criticizes Glatthaar's book for exaggerations, not Smith's. The author describes Smith's work favorably.
(D) It surpasses previous studies... in that it accurately describes conditions often neglected...
While the book is described as "excellent," the specific point of comparison highlighted by the author is its intense focus, not necessarily its superiority in describing neglected conditions.
(E) It makes skillful use of supporting evidence...
The passage does not comment on Smith's use of evidence in comparison to other studies.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Option (B) is the best answer as it directly reflects the author's statement that Smith's book "concentrates more intensely" on a specific aspect of the subject compared to previous works.
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