answer to this sentence completion question?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Hi I was taking a sparknotes mini- SAT question, and I don’t understand their reasoning. Any help would be appreciated.</p>

<li><pre><code> Thousands of pages have been written about Alexander the Great since his death in 323 b.c. despite the fact that no contemporaneous, trustworthy sources exist; thus, writings about Alexander tend to be more a ‑‑‑‑‑ the writers’ personalities and beliefs than those of the man himself.
</code></pre>

<p>(A) discourse on
(B) reflection of
(C) biasing of
(D) collection of
(E) diatribe against</p></li>
</ol>

<p>I mean can’t there be multiple answers to this question? Sparks says the answer is b but i said d. Any thoughts?</p>

2

<p>B.</p>

<p>The difference between B and D is basically idiom. Reflection of is more appropriate than collection of.</p>

3

<p>Ok, contemporaneous means “present time”. So, since no contemporaneous sources exist, writings about the Alexander tend to be more of the reflection of the write than actual facts. </p>

<p>Comprehend?</p>

4

<p>^ While that’s correct, collection of could technically also make sense with that explanation. That’s why the difference between the two choices is idiom, which makes reflection of correct.</p>

5

<p>lolcats4: thanks for ur help :)</p>

<p>insomniac_01: i kind of understand what ur saying- i mean it explains why reflection of works, but why doesn’t collection of?</p>

6

<p>It’s all in the idiom! :P</p>

7

<p>I picked b before I read the answer. </p>

<p>‘more a reflection of the writer’s personalities and beliefs than those of the man himself’
the writings can be a ‘reflection of the writer’s personalities’
it cannot be ‘a collection of the writer’s personalities’ that does not make sense.</p>

8

<p>swimcatsmom: it says "writeRS’ personalities’ not writeR’S
any changes in ur opinion?</p>

9

<p>lolcats4: by idiom, do u just mean the way it sounds?</p>

10

<p>hey lolcats, can you further explain what you mean by “it’s all in the idiom”?</p>

11

<p>well, i would pick B because in writing, (say the book’s about Alexander) personalities and beliefs are reflected. If they were collected in a book, then the book would be a collection of beliefs and personalities which means it would be more of a biography… If beliefs are reflected, the book can still be about other ppl/things… my explanation may be way off but that’s how i looked at it.</p>

12

<p>

No. I don’t think a ‘writings about Alexander tend to be more a collection of the writers’ personalities and beliefs than those of the man himself’ makes sense either. If you look at what the whole sentence is saying - It is saying the writings are a reflection of the writers’ personalities and beliefs rather than a reflection of the personality and beliefs of Alexander. To substitute collection would mean you are saying the writings are a collection of the writers’ personalities and beliefs rather than a collection of the personality and beliefs of Alexander. </p>

<p>To me reflection makes sense. Collection makes no sense at all. </p>

<p>Just my opinion.</p>

13

<p>I hate idioms.</p>

14

<p>alrite i get it now</p>

<p>thank u everyone!</p>

15

<p>i got b too,i don see how D works, clearly the first sentence says that writers are trying to show alexander’s true thingies, i dont see how collection works here</p>