Need Help with Reading Comprehension!

[mcletuan]

Hello:

Please help me with some directions on how to read and understand this first sentence of an LSAT passage for the reading comprehension section. I read this sentence a few times and I had no idea what the author wants to say. I think my difficulties for understanding this are the use of words and the sentence construction.

"The nub of the restorationist critique of preservationism
is the claim that it rests on an unhealthy dualism that
conceives nature and humankind as radically distinct and
opposed to each other."

Tuan

[mykwyner]

Reading comprehension is, by definition, the ability to understand words and sentences. I assume that this is just a practice test and you need help interpreting this type of writing.

There is an unspoken circumstance here. The writer assumes that the reader knows about a conflict between two groups, preservationists and restorationists.

Preservationism is obviously some sort of movement supporting the preservation of something. That is, leaving it in its current condition without any interference.

Restorationism is a movement supporting the use of human industry to return of that thing to its original condition.

Preservationists think that the efforts of the Restorationists will destroy, devalue or harm the thing to be preserved, and that a pure "hands off" attitude is the only natural way to care for the thing.

Restorationists think that man is part of nature, and if they actively try to restore the thing, that too will be the natural way.

[mcletuan]

Dear Mykwyner:
You were absolutely correct. I quoted that sentence from a mini-LSAT reading comprehension and looked for method to read critically because to me the material is very difficult. Thanks for your articulation of the sentence. Your interpretation made a lot of sense. You articulated so well that I wish I could do that. I don't know what I should do to interprete the author's point well like you. I did not understand the vocab such as preservationism and restorationism and the whole sentence structure. Do you have any tip for me about how to work on my difficulties?
Thanks.
Tuan

[mykwyner]

Dear Tuan
Practice, practice, practice.
Mike

[mcletuan]

Thanks, Mike.
Tuan