ACT (Enhanced)EnglishMedium
A historian is analyzing a series of ancient texts and encounters a passage that discusses the 'divine right of kings.' The historian wants to introduce this concept into their essay while maintaining an academic and objective tone. Which of the following introductory phrases is most appropriate?
- AThe 'divine right of kings' was, quite frankly, a dangerous concept.
- BAccording to historical accounts, the 'divine right of kings' posited that...
- CIt's obvious that the 'divine right of kings' was a silly idea.
- DI believe the 'divine right of kings' was a way for monarchs to control people.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. According to historical accounts, the 'divine right of kings' posited that...
Maintaining an academic and objective tone requires avoiding personal opinions, informal language, and subjective judgments. Option C introduces the concept by attributing it to historical accounts, presenting it as a historical fact or belief system without personal bias, which is crucial for academic writing.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. This option uses subjective judgment ('dangerous concept') and an informal interjection ('quite frankly'), undermining an objective tone.
- C. This option uses subjective language ('silly idea') and an informal phrase ('It's obvious that'), violating academic objectivity.
- D. This option uses a first-person pronoun ('I believe') and expresses a personal opinion, which is inappropriate for an objective academic tone.
Academic & Objective Tone
A writing style characterized by formality, impartiality, and evidence-based reasoning, avoiding personal opinions, emotional language, and colloquialisms.
- Focuses on facts and evidence.
- Avoids first-person pronouns (I, me, my).
- Maintains a neutral and unbiased perspective.
Memory trick: Academic writing is like a judge: impartial, evidence-based, and formal.