MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question 24: Answer and Explanation

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Test Information

Question: 24

3. Which of the following is LEAST supported by the passage?

  • A. Nicholas I's new court system sought to increase the population's participation in the administration of his empire.
  • B. Some residents of Russia were not citizens prior to the reign of Nicholas I.
  • C. Nicholas I had an interest in maintaining the power of the Orthodox Church.
  • D. Not all Russian residents understood the official language.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A This is an Inference/EXCEPT question.

A: Yes. The correct answer will be the statement that is NOT supported by the passage. The author does not state that Nicholas I instituted a new court system. This came "decades later, under a different regime" (paragraph 5).

B: No. In paragraph 3 and paragraph 4, the author states that "Nicholas had no interest in creating citizens" through registration. Note that although the passage doesn't say that Nicholas made everyone citizens, this choice is still correct in saying that not everyone was a citizen before his reign (even if during and after his reign that may still have been the case).

C: No. The end of paragraph 3 says, "As protector of the Orthodox Church, Nicholas I did not desire to eliminate religious registration either." If Nicholas sought to protect a function of the Church, this suggests that he had an interest in maintaining the Church's power.

D: No. The end of paragraph 4 states that some religious groups in Russia whose leaders "did not know Russian could maintain the books in their native languages."

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