PrepTest 126, Section 1, Question 12
Critic: A novel cannot be of the highest(53 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(12 more words not shown)
- AMost readers become(19 more words not shown)
- BA novel is(17 more words not shown)
- CMost readers cannot(14 more words not shown)
- DMost readers regard(14 more words not shown)
- EShifts in narrative(7 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Can't I notice the author and still care about the story?
The critic starts with a requirement for the highest-quality novels: most readers must become emotionally engaged in the imaginary world. That's a requirement, not a guarantee. A story could draw readers in and still have other problems.
Then we're told that changes in narrative point of view make readers focus on the author. The critic treats that focus as a problem for the novel's quality. But where did we establish that noticing the author stops readers from being involved in the imaginary world? Perhaps I can appreciate a change in how a story is told and still worry about what happens to its characters.
What we’re looking for
This is the missing connection the assumption question asks us to identify. The critic needs those two kinds of attention to interfere with each other. My prediction is that readers can't stay emotionally involved in the imaginary world while focusing on the author. Otherwise, the stated effect of the shifts doesn't establish the claimed drawback.
Working the answers
- A
The opening rule says the highest quality requires emotional engagement. A says emotional engagement requires the highest quality. Those aren't the same. Readers could become engaged in a less-than-perfect novel without violating the critic's original rule. This added restriction also doesn't explain why attention to the author is a problem.
- B
This sounds similar to the opening rule, but it changes actual quality into what is generally considered high quality. It also talks about engaging the imagination rather than specifically emotional engagement. More importantly, repeating a requirement for quality wouldn't connect focus on the author to failure to meet that requirement. B leaves the missing connection untouched.
- CCorrect
Most readers can't become emotionally involved in the imaginary world if they're focusing on the author. Now the shifts have the relevant drawback: they produce a focus that gets in the way of the emotional engagement the critic says top-quality work needs. C answers our objection that readers might do both at once.
- D
Readers might think the narrative perspective represents the author's perspective and still become emotionally engaged in the story. D doesn't tell us that recognizing that connection interferes with engagement. That's the effect the critic's reasoning needs.
- E
A technique can serve a literary purpose and also have a drawback. The critic could acknowledge some purpose for shifting viewpoints while still arguing that the shifts hurt emotional engagement. The argument doesn't require the much stronger claim that these shifts serve no purpose at all.
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