For cross-text questions, first ignore the choices and quickly write a 3–6 word summary of each text’s main claim (for example, what the author thinks is good or bad about the policy). Note who is most affected (small firms vs. big firms, users vs. regulators, etc.) and whether the tone is positive or negative. Then go to the answer choices and eliminate any option where even one clause misstates an author’s view, reverses the tone, or introduces an idea (like “user choice” or “weak enforcement”) that the text never mentions. The correct choice will accurately capture both authors’ positions without adding or flipping details.
Hints
- Hint 1
Summarize each author’s view in one short phrase
Before looking at the answer choices, try to summarize each text in 3–6 words: What does the author of Text 1 mainly say about the GDPR? What does the author of Text 2 mainly say?
- Hint 2
Focus on who is affected in each text
In Text 1, notice which types of businesses the author mentions as being especially affected by GDPR rules. In Text 2, notice which kinds of companies the author says are still able to maintain their practices.
- Hint 3
Check the tone: praise or criticism?
Ask whether each author is mainly praising or criticizing the GDPR. Eliminate any choice that claims an author approves of something that the text clearly criticizes, or vice versa.
- Hint 4
Verify both halves of the answer choice
For each answer, check both the Text 1 part and the Text 2 part against the passages. If even one part does not clearly match the text, eliminate that choice.
Step-by-step
- Step 1
Identify the main claim in Text 1
Reread Text 1 and ask: What is the author mainly saying about the GDPR?
Key phrases:
- "imposes a labyrinth of compliance duties on every firm"
- "Multinational corporations can absorb the cost... but small enterprises rarely possess such resources."
- "chilling effect on start-ups"
- "jeopardizes the very competition that fuels technological progress."
Taken together, the author thinks the GDPR hits all firms with complex requirements that big companies can handle but small companies and start-ups cannot, and that this harms competition.
So, Text 1 is critical of the GDPR because it overburdens smaller businesses and threatens competition.
- Step 2
Identify the main claim in Text 2
Now reread Text 2 and ask: What is this author mainly criticizing about the GDPR?
Key phrases:
- "has not curbed the most troubling practices of dominant technology companies."
- These firms "steer users toward permission screens" to get "broad consent."
- The regulation "relies on user consent rather than outright prohibitions."
- It "allows the largest data collectors to entrench their power under a veneer of compliance."
This author thinks the GDPR looks strong on paper but in practice lets dominant tech companies keep doing what they want, because it depends on user consent instead of strict bans.
So, Text 2 is critical of the GDPR for being too weak or lenient toward big technology companies.
- Step 3
Match each text’s view to the answer choices
Now check each answer choice and see whether both halves (Text 1 and Text 2) match what you found.
From the passages we found:
- Text 1: criticizes the GDPR for heavily burdening small firms and start-ups, harming competition.
- Text 2: criticizes the GDPR for failing to rein in dominant tech companies, letting them keep powerful data practices.
Look for a choice where the first clause describes burdens on smaller businesses (Text 1) and the second clause describes the GDPR as too weak toward large tech firms (Text 2).
- Step 4
Select the choice that fits both texts exactly
Choice A says:
- Text 1: "argues that the GDPR overburdens smaller businesses"
- Text 2: "argues that the GDPR is too lenient toward large technology companies."
This matches exactly what each author says:
- Text 1 highlights complex compliance duties that small enterprises and start-ups cannot handle.
- Text 2 says the GDPR has not curbed dominant tech firms and lets them entrench their power.
Therefore, the correct answer is A) The author of Text 1 argues that the GDPR overburdens smaller businesses, whereas the author of Text 2 argues that the GDPR is too lenient toward large technology companies.