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The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage.

A distinguishing feature of language is our ability to refer to absent things, known as displaced reference. A speaker can bring distant referents to mind in the absence of any obvious stimuli. Thoughts, not limited to the here and now, can pop into our heads for unfathomable reasons. This ability to think about distant things necessarily precedes the ability to talk about them. Thought precedes meaningful referential communication. A prerequisite for the emergence of human-like meaningful symbols is that the mental categories they relate to can be invoked even in the absence of immediate stimuli.

Solution

βœ… Correct Option: 2

From passage: "This ability to think about distant things necessarily precedes the ability to talk about them. Thought precedes meaningful referential communication."

The passage flow: displaced reference -> thinking about absent things -> this comes before -> meaningful communication develops

Key insight: The passage shows a sequence - thinking about absent things happens first, then communication develops from that ability.


Students often get confused between options that sound similar. 🟠 Option 1 -> scope-error -> says "all speech acts" but passage specifically talks about "meaningful referential communication" - this is too broad and misses the specific type of communication discussed

🟒 Option 2 -> correct -> captures both key parts: thinking about absent objects + this precedes communication development (matches the passage sequence perfectly)

πŸ”΄ Option 3 -> adds-information -> brings in "only humans" which isn't stated anywhere in the passage - this assumption makes it wrong

πŸ”΄ Option 4 -> adds-information + misses-main-point -> claims displaced reference is "particular to humans" (not stated) and focuses on thoughts being random rather than the communication development aspect

Quick elimination tip: Any option that adds information not in the passage (like "only humans" or "particular to humans") can be eliminated immediately. The correct answer sticks to what's actually written.

The confusion usually happens between Options 1 and 2, but Option 1 is too broad with "all speech acts" while the passage is specifically about meaningful communication with displaced reference.

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