PrepTest 120, Section 3, Question 18
North Americans who travel to Europe for the(55 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(9 more words not shown)
- AA person who(34 more words not shown)
- BTo overcome a(24 more words not shown)
- CEdith Wharton is(32 more words not shown)
- DOne can appreciate(26 more words not shown)
- EOne should travel(35 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Why Italy? If the goal is to understand Europe, couldn't I spend time getting to know France or Germany instead?
The argument's answer is ease. It says a deeper appreciation of the continent requires thorough knowledge of at least one country, and North Americans seem to find Italy easier to get to know than the alternatives. Italy isn't presented as the only country that could do the job. It's presented as the most accessible starting point.
There could be practical objections. Someone visiting London might find an Italian detour inconvenient, or might simply be more interested in another country. Still, we can identify the principle behind the recommendation without proving it is ideal for every traveler: when introducing people to a broad subject, emphasize a part they can get to know most readily.
What we’re looking for
The question asks for another application of that principle. Look for the same reason for choosing a starting point, rather than just another recommendation involving travel or appreciation.
Working the answers
- A
This recommends the more difficult material because mastering it makes other material easier afterward. That's a different route. To match the original, we would recommend a starting point because it is itself easier to get to know. A is more like recommending a difficult country first for the training it would provide for later trips.
- B
A trusted swimmer can provide support while someone learns to be comfortable in water. But the answer doesn't select one part of a larger subject because that part is more accessible than the others. It is closer to recommending an experienced travel companion than to selecting Italy as the easiest country to learn about.
- CCorrect
U.S. literature corresponds to Europe, the broader subject we want to introduce. Edith Wharton corresponds to Italy, the particularly accessible part. Emphasizing her work corresponds to spending significant time in Italy: use that accessible part as the way into the larger subject.
The class also studies other writers, which doesn't spoil the match. The travel recommendation says to include significant time in Italy; it doesn't demand an Italy-only trip. We are matching the reason for the emphasis, not insisting that every surrounding detail be identical.
- D
This recommends seeing the drumming because appreciating its physical demands is necessary to appreciating it fully. It doesn't compare possible starting points and choose the easiest. The original does have a requirement—know at least one country—but it chooses Italy because of relative accessibility, not because Italy alone is required.
- E
Train travel offers the same sense of space plus greater freedom to enjoy the scenery. That is a comparison of benefits, but it isn't the same accessible-part-to-broader-subject relationship. Having leisure to look around is not, by itself, a claim that one selected part is the easiest introduction to a larger field.
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