OpenSAT

Question #N1078

The passage below is from a 1980 book about the history of the early American republic. The author is explaining why, in her view, the concept of the "self-made man" is an important idea to consider when studying the development of the United States.\ \"There is a tendency to regard the self-made man as a kind of American hero. But the self-made man, though he is the product of his own efforts, is also the product of the conditions that made his success possible. The self-made man is not a creation ex nihilo. He is, rather, a product of his time and place.\"

Which choice best describes the central idea of the passage?

A. The self-made man is an American hero, and his success is due to his own efforts.

B. The self-made man is not a creation ex nihilo, but rather a product of his time and place.

C. The self-made man is not a product of his own efforts, but rather a product of the conditions that made his success possible.

D. The self-made man is a creation ex nihilo, and he is not a product of his time and place.

Reveal Answer Go Back

Correct Answer is: B

The author argues that the self-made man is not a creation ex nihilo, which means that he was not created from nothing. Instead, the self-made man is a product of his time and place. The author is arguing that the self-made man is not simply a product of his own efforts, but he is also shaped by the conditions of his time and place.