PrepTest 112, Section 1, Question 19
Although it has been suggested that Arton's plays(67 more words not shown)
The reasoning above is questionable(2 more words not shown)
- Aposits an unstated(5 more words not shown)
- Btakes for granted(10 more words not shown)
- Ctakes for granted(12 more words not shown)
- Doverlooks the fact(9 more words not shown)
- Econfuses irony with(6 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
What if Arton still loved her country?
High unemployment, costly food and rising crime explain why the general mood was poor. They don't tell us that every person felt the same way. Arton could have recognized the problems while still valuing things about her country. She might have written sincerely about those things even while many people around her felt discouraged. There is also no guarantee that a particular writer was closely following the prevailing public mood in the first place.
What we’re looking for
The author's “must” is the problem. The plays could be ironic, but national dissatisfaction doesn't force that interpretation. To conclude that the apparent patriotism couldn't be sincere, the author treats the country's general attitude as a reliable guide to Arton's own outlook and intentions. For the flaw question, I'd look for that assumption: she is being made to match the crowd without evidence that she did.
Working the answers
- A
Unemployment and crime are listed as two bad conditions. The author doesn't argue that high unemployment caused the high crime rate or that crime caused unemployment. The unsupported move comes later, from the national mood to the intended meaning of Arton's plays. A invents a relationship the argument doesn't need.
- B
The author questions this writer's sincerity because of the mood in her country, not because serious writers are incapable of patriotism. A claim about all serious writers would apply regardless of their circumstances. The actual reasoning depends on Arton's particular historical setting, so B changes the basis of the judgment.
- CCorrect
“Attuned to the predominant national attitude” means in tune with the prevailing mood. The argument treats Arton's work as though it must reflect that mood: the nation wasn't feeling patriotic, so her apparent patriotism must be ironic.
But she could have been an exception. Even if she knew how unhappy others were, she might have felt differently. Without a reason to tie her outlook to theirs, the author can't use the general mood to rule out a sincere expression of patriotism.
- D
Some people prospering wouldn't by itself settle their attitude toward the country or the meaning of a play. A struggling person could remain patriotic, and a prosperous person could be deeply critical. The issue is whether Arton shared the public mood, not whether every citizen experienced the same financial outcome.
- E
The argument doesn't treat irony and low public morale as the same thing. It uses low morale as a reason to infer that the apparent patriotism was ironic. That inference is unsupported because it skips over Arton's individual outlook, but making a bad inference between two ideas isn't the same as confusing their meanings.
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