<p>
</p>
<p>Again, here are my 2 cents. If this is indeed the exact question, I’d have chosen (when) as the error. “When” should be “that.” Not too sure what the debate is on this question.</p>
<p>We do have the passage for the caustic/vehement debate… yet people still say it is not “witty” or “biting,” or that a sentence like “The consequences are not pretty.” is forceful in tone. Forceful? I am starting to suspect that Prospective is trolling, since I am assuming he knows what the word “forceful” means.</p>
<p>Does anybody remember a snippet from the caustic/vehement passage? Many SAT passages can be found via Google Books ;).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>notanengineer post the passage</p>
<p>A short snippet of the passage, a couple of key words or phrases, or unusual words will do.</p>
<p>The suspense is killing me. I can’t wait for someone to remember just one phrase from the passage … :D.</p>
<p>[Wired</a> 13.02: Nuclear Now!](<a href=“http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/nuclear.html]Wired”>http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/nuclear.html)</p>
<p>third paragraph</p>
<p>How in the world is the 3rd paragraph “caustic”?</p>
<p>I’m not going to recap what other people have said, but it’s clear to me - it’s not “caustic.” It’s “vehement.”</p>
<p>Wasn’t the phrase “collective interests” in one of the answers, regarding the conclusion to both passages?</p>
<p>In any case, passages are modified before being put in the SAT. We just know that the third paragraph in that passage is what the caustic/vehement tone question referred to (and, most have agreed, the last parenthetical sentence of which paragraph was not on the SAT). I’m sure the paragraph was modified in other ways to fit into the SAT, but I doubt enough to make the tone of it “forceful” or “passionate.”</p>
<p>I assure you I am not trolling. The answer is vehement.</p>
<p>The only reason I am continuing to post is that the stupidity of a select few is aggravating me.</p>
<p>Please qualify your assertion of “stupidity.”</p>
<p>
Well, the principal assertions against caustic are that the paragraph isn’t witty/sarcastic/biting. These are false. Statements like “The consequences aren’t pretty.” or the phrase “On top of that,” in the context of something so negative, are witty and sarcastic. They are not in the slightest “passionate” or “forceful.” Even if caustic is not a “good” answer, it is a better answer than vehement, hence the “best.”</p>
<p>
If you do not see this sentence as sarcastic and biting, then I can see why this passage is still being debated.</p>
<p>Seriously. Get over yourself, admit you’re wrong, and move on with your life.</p>
<p>Comments like that are what make me feel you’re trolling. You basically keep repeating “the answer is clearly vehement” even though you don’t have a refutation for my reasoning. My reasoning is not infallible, but since we have the near-exact transcription of what was on the SAT and the definitions of the words in question, I’m going to need something a little more concrete before I “get over [myself], admit [I’m] wrong, and move on with [my] life.”</p>
<p>Basically, the argument has been: look at passage! It’s not caustic.</p>
<p>Or: [refer to non-forceful sentence] This is vehement!</p>
<p>I chose Vehement. I hope it’s right. It came down to those two choices.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“If you wish to converse with me, define your terms.”</p>
<p>You need to get your definition of vehement straight. </p>
<hr>
<p>For the people who know what vehement means: </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Note the use of the world “driving.” That is a forceful word. Of course, the author could have used “causing,” but that doesn’t have the force “driving” has. </p>
<p>Also note the parallelism. The author uses parallelism here to drive his point home. He isn’t being caustic, he’s being forceful with his point.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>“On top of that” - again, the author is trying to drive the point across. “Fouled” - the author is worked up and wishes to drive the point across. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The last part of this sentence may be considered caustic. Overall, the paragraph is vehement, not caustic.</p>
<p>Please keep your “vehemence” to yourself.</p>
<p>I didn’t order the QAS because this is the last SAT I’m taking regardless of my score, and by the time it comes out there probably won’t be discussion threads anymore. I’m not doing this for “pride,” but because I really don’t see how the passage supports “vehement.” What’s pathetic is that you’re making an ad hominem attack on me over an SAT question under the assertion of “[ignores rational argument] It’s vehement! You’re pathetic!”</p>
<p>EDIT:
@IceCube: The definitions of vehement I have been considering are “forceful” and “passionate.” It can also mean “characterized by rancor,” but that’s irrelevant because if it were by that definition, then caustic would be an inevitably better choice. If you want to propose a different set of definitions and show how the passage specifically supports them, I will read it.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m glad that you learned something in the last 5 minutes. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I rest my case [insert caustic smiley face].</p>
<p>If the author attempts to “drive a point home” it’s vehement? Really? I think there have been non-vehement statements that are still argumentative and persuasive.</p>
<p>“Driving” is not that forceful of a word. That, delving into the realm of connotation, is too much of an inference for the SAT.</p>
<p>Parallelism lol? As far as parallelism is concerned, this is a pretty poor example. In any case, parallelism would not make it vehement. The Gettysburg Address uses plenty of parallelism and tries to make a point but would not be described as “vehement.” And parallelism at this level, even if it were present in some appreciable quantity, would not be tested in an SAT tone question.</p>
<p>“On top of that”… apply same argument that “trying to drive a point across” is not inherently “vehement.” It’s much more level-headed, though in this context still bitter, than vehement would denote.</p>
<p>“Fouled” is no more vehement than caustic. Caustic denotes bitterness in the same way that vehement denotes anger.</p>
<p>You have inferred and liberally taken a very broad meaning of the word “vehement.”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So … I Have a Dream is not vehement? It is not forceful? Passionate? </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Do we really have to go this far?
I am sorry - but just wondering.</p>
<p>It seriously is caustic. </p>
<p>Also, is this the full passage? This sounds familiar, but it is definitely not verbatim as the one on the SAT.</p>