PrepTest 126, Section 1, Question 19
Even those who believe that the art of(72 more words not shown)
The claim that some painters(21 more words not shown)
- AIt is a(7 more words not shown)
- BIt is a(14 more words not shown)
- CIt is a(17 more words not shown)
- DIt is a(16 more words not shown)
- EIt is a(15 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Different artistic traditions don't prevent us from recognizing differences in skill. A first-grader's finger painting and a master's work can come from different settings without being equally successful at what they attempt.
But what is each artist trying to do? That's the qualification the author adds. Jose Rey Toledo's paintings don't literally resemble their subjects, yet the passage says his skill and the merit of his work are beyond doubt. Perhaps a painter uses a wolf as a symbol rather than trying to make a realistic picture of a wolf. A failure to look like a photograph wouldn't establish a failure to achieve that purpose.
What we’re looking for
The question asks about the opening claim that some painters execute their visions better than others. The author accepts that claim and then explains how we should understand the comparison: judge performance in light of the artist's purposes. The Toledo example supports that qualification. So I'd look for an answer saying the conclusion specifies how the opening claim is to be applied.
Working the answers
- A
The argument doesn't try to refute the claim that some painters are better at executing their visions. It keeps that claim and adds a qualification about how to measure superiority. Explaining a claim more carefully isn't the same as rejecting it.
- B
The example doesn't object to the possibility of comparing artistic skill. It shows why such comparisons must take the artist's aim into account. Toledo's skill can be excellent even without literal resemblance. That supports the qualification rather than an objection to the opening generalization.
- CCorrect
The opening claim says painters can differ in how well they carry out their visions. The conclusion tells us how to understand that superiority: in light of what the artist was trying to achieve. C captures the relationship between an accepted claim and the conclusion that specifies its proper interpretation.
- D
The opening claim isn't first established from another claim and then used as a stepping-stone to the conclusion. It is introduced as something even people with differing views about cultural standards should admit. The argument then qualifies its meaning; it doesn't build the two-stage support structure D describes.
- E
The opening claim sets up the subject of comparison. It isn't offered to prove that the Toledo example is relevant. The example's role is to support the conclusion about judging artists according to their purposes. E misdescribes what the opening claim is doing.
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