Question 177

Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows:

Schools expect textbooks to be a valuable source of information for students. My research suggests, however, that textbooks that address the place of Native Americans within the history of the United States distort history to suit a particular cultural value system. In some textbooks, for example, settlers are pictured as more humane, complex, skilful, and wise than Native Americans. In essence, textbooks stereotype and depreciate the numerous Native American cultures while reinforcing the attitude that the European conquest of the New World denotes the superiority of European cultures. Although textbooks evaluate Native American architecture, political systems, and homemaking, I contend that they do it from an ethnocentric, European perspective without recognising that other perspectives are possible.

One argument against my contention asserts that, by nature, textbooks are culturally biased and that I am simply underestimating children's ability to see through these biases. Some researchers even claim that by the time students are in high school, they know they cannot takeΒ textbooks literally. Yet substantial evidence exists to the contrary. For example, two researchers have conducted studies suggesting that children's attitudes toward particular cultures are strongly influenced by the textbooks used in schools. Given this, an ongoing, careful review of how school textbooks depict Native Americans is certainly warranted.

Which of the following would most logically be the topic of the paragraph immediately following the passage?

The passage through the example of the description of Native Americans and settlers in textbooks challenges the idea that there might be bias in describing certain aspects of history, and that impacts children's perceptions of history, as evidenced by some research as well. Towards the end of the passage, the author calls for the review of textbooks to ensure they accurately depict history.Β 

The most likely follow-up among the options would be a discussion of ways to evaluate the biases in the textbooks. Therefore, option D is correct, as the passage ends with a demand for re-evaluation of the textbooks.Β 

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