PrepTest 119, Section 4, Question 9
Journalist: A free marketplace of ideas ensures that(76 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(9 more words not shown)
- AThe freedom of(7 more words not shown)
- BPreserving a free(5 more words not shown)
- CThe control that(8 more words not shown)
- DIdeas that have(10 more words not shown)
- EGovernments have near(9 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Publishing more information isn't automatically the same as stopping someone else from speaking.
The journalist values a free marketplace of ideas and tells us that governments supply over half the information released through the media in most countries. Let's accept that description for this argument. My question is what the government's large share establishes. Is it preventing other people from publishing, or is it simply producing a lot of material itself?
Imagine a government constantly publishing accurate, useful information. That alone wouldn't show that anyone else's freedom to speak had been taken away. We'd need to understand what this near monopoly involves before equating a large volume of government information with suppression. Similarly, being free to post an idea doesn't guarantee an audience; someone with no followers could post and get no attention.
What we’re looking for
Those are reactions to the journalist's reasoning, but the question asks for the conclusion. What action does the journalist recommend on the basis of the concern? Reduce the government's power over information. Whether or not we're persuaded, that recommendation is the point the claims about freedom and government dominance are meant to support.
Working the answers
- A
This describes the danger motivating the argument. But the journalist goes beyond identifying a threatened marketplace and recommends reducing government power. A leaves out that proposed response.
- B
The importance of a free marketplace helps explain why the journalist cares about government dominance. It isn't the final recommendation. The argument uses that value to support a change in governments' control over information.
- CCorrect
The government's control over information should be reduced. This restates the recommendation that its power needs to be 'curtailed.' Our earlier objection challenged whether the facts justify that recommendation; identifying the conclusion doesn't require deciding that the recommendation is right.
- D
The journalist uses the potential value of malicious or questionable ideas as a reason to favor an open exchange. That's support for the argument's concern about government control, rather than the action the journalist wants taken.
- E
The near monopolies are part of the problem the journalist cites. Because governments have this power, the journalist says it needs to be reduced. E gives the stated basis for the recommendation and stops before the recommendation itself.
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