PrepTest 144, Section 2, Question 15
Journalism's purpose is to inform people about matters(54 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(5 more words not shown)
- Ais at least(5 more words not shown)
- Bprevents those news(5 more words not shown)
- Cis more relevant(9 more words not shown)
- Dshould not be(10 more words not shown)
- Eis of no(8 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
How does gossip help someone make a decision?
Information about nutrition could affect what you buy at the grocery store. Gossip about a celebrity's outfit or dating life might be entertaining without helping you make any relevant choice. The passage draws that distinction and gives us a particular purpose for journalism: informing people about matters relevant to their decisions.
We can debate whether that is journalism's entire purpose elsewhere. For this argument, use the definition we're given. The gossip described here doesn't fulfill that purpose, even though it attracts readers and viewers.
What we’re looking for
That's my prediction for the missing conclusion: this material is doing something other than the journalistic job the passage defined. Let's see which choice captures that distinction.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
'Nonjournalistic reasons' may initially sound different from 'journalism's purpose,' but the connection fits. The gossip attracts an audience while having little relevance to the choices those people need to make. At least sometimes, then, it is included for a reason other than fulfilling the journalistic purpose described here. The answer leaves room for a newspaper or program to serve several purposes.
- B
This is tempting because it repeats the word 'purpose.' But it asks for a much stronger conclusion. We haven't established that the only purpose of these media is journalism; attracting an audience or selling advertisements could also be among their goals.
Even if we focus on their journalistic purpose, including some gossip doesn't prevent them from also providing useful reporting. A newspaper could entertain readers on one page and inform their decisions on another. The passage supports saying the gossip serves a different purpose, not that it stops the entire outlet from achieving its purpose.
- C
We have no comparison with the past. The passage says this gossip has little relevance to people's lives, not that its relevance has increased over time. C adds a historical trend that the argument never discusses.
- D
Entertainment is a plausible reason people seek out this gossip. The argument distinguishes the material from the stated purpose of journalism; it doesn't rule out keeping an audience entertained. D denies a role that could explain why the material attracts readers and viewers.
- E
Someone interested in journalism could also enjoy entertainment. Failing to fulfill a journalistic purpose doesn't make gossip completely worthless to every person who values journalism. The conclusion needs to distinguish purposes, not deny all other kinds of value.
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