Question 108·Hard·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
Advocates of digital minimalism contend that the human mind evolved to focus on one demanding task at a time, yet contemporary life bombards us with a continuous stream of alerts, timelines, and messages. According to computer-science professor Cal Newport, each brief glance at a phone induces a “cognitive switch,” resetting the brain’s focus and eroding the periods of sustained concentration that underlie originality. He therefore prescribes radical measures: schedule entire hours each day without any networked device, ignore social-media apps altogether unless they serve a clearly defined professional purpose, and replace online browsing with solitary walks and printed books. Only by subtracting most digital stimuli, Newport argues, can one reclaim the mental stillness required for truly creative work.
Text 2
Newport is right that unthinking dependence on screens can shatter attention, but digital minimalism mistakes austerity for insight. Anthropological studies of online fan communities show that creative breakthroughs often emerge because participants ping ideas back and forth in real time; the resulting mash-ups and remixes rarely occur in isolation. Likewise, neuroscientists have found that moderate “context switching” can stimulate the brain’s associative networks, making novel connections more likely. The issue, then, is not the quantity of digital interaction but its quality: creators who curate their feeds, silence trivial notifications, and alternate between online collaboration and deliberate solitude enjoy the best of both worlds.
Question
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to Newport’s prescription for creativity presented in Text 1?
For cross-text questions, first summarize each text’s main point in a short sentence, then decide how the second author positions themselves relative to the first (full agreement, partial agreement, or disagreement). Before looking at the choices, state in your own words how Text 2 would respond to Text 1. Then test each option against that summary and eliminate any answer that (1) invents new claims not in the texts, (2) shows the wrong level of agreement, or (3) ignores key contrast signals such as “but,” which often mark the author’s real stance.
Hints
Check whether Text 2 fully agrees or partly disagrees
Reread the first sentence of Text 2. Does the author simply agree with Newport, or do they signal a contrast or criticism after agreeing with him on one point?
Look at what Text 2 says about online communities and context switching
Focus on the sentences about fan communities and neuroscientists. Do these examples suggest that all digital interaction is bad, or that some forms can help creativity?
Use the final sentence of Text 2 to filter choices
The last sentence says the issue is the quality of digital interaction and describes what effective creators do. Which answer choice best matches that balanced approach?
Step-by-step Explanation
Pin down Newport’s main recommendation in Text 1
In Text 1, Newport says frequent phone checking causes constant “cognitive switches,” which destroy deep focus and originality. To fix this, he recommends subtracting most digital input: long periods without devices, avoiding social media unless strictly necessary, and replacing online time with walks and printed books. So his prescription is: very little digital engagement and lots of offline solitude to be creative.
See how Text 2 responds to Newport overall
The first sentence of Text 2 is key: “Newport is right that unthinking dependence on screens can shatter attention, but digital minimalism mistakes austerity for insight.” This means the author of Text 2 agrees that careless, constant screen use is harmful, but disagrees with Newport’s extreme solution of cutting most digital interaction.
Understand Text 2’s alternative view of digital tools and creativity
Text 2 gives evidence that some digital interaction can actually help creativity:
- Online fan communities create mash-ups and remixes by rapidly sharing ideas.
- Neuroscientists find that moderate “context switching” can stimulate new connections in the brain.
- The author says the issue is not how much digital interaction you have, but the quality of it, and praises creators who curate feeds, silence trivial notifications, and alternate between online collaboration and solitude. So Text 2 believes that well-managed online engagement plus some offline time is best for creativity.
Match that relationship to the answer choices
The correct choice must show that Text 2 (1) accepts that excessive or mindless screen time hurts focus, but (2) rejects near-total abstinence and supports carefully managed digital use as creatively beneficial.
The only option that captures both ideas is: By acknowledging that excessive screen time hampers focus but contending that carefully structured online engagement can actually enhance creative thought.