PrepTest 145, Section 2, Question 20
Critic: It is common to argue that there(65 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(34 more words not shown)
- AIt states the(1 more words not shown)
- BIt is offered(5 more words not shown)
- CIt attempts to(9 more words not shown)
- DIt attempts to(10 more words not shown)
- EIt attempts to(7 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
Why should emotional impact matter more than themes and ideas? That's a fair question for this critic. Even if interpretation reduces an emotional response, perhaps understanding a work's ideas is valuable enough to justify that tradeoff.
But we can follow the critic's reasoning without agreeing with it. The opening distinction says literary fiction should be interpreted while genre fiction merely offers easy pleasure. The critic calls that distinction 'specious'—misleading or unsound—and rejects it because, in the critic's view, no work should be interpreted.
What we’re looking for
The final sentence explains why: focusing on themes and ideas cuts us off from the emotional impact. So when the role question asks about that sentence, trace the support. Losing the emotional impact is the reason offered against interpretation, which in turn supports rejecting the opening distinction.
Working the answers
- A
The sentence gives a reason for the critic's view. The main point is that the distinction between the two kinds of fiction is unsound. The claim about emotional impact helps explain why the critic thinks so; it isn't that overall conclusion.
- BCorrect
The critic uses the loss of emotional impact to support the position that no work should be interpreted, and therefore that the opening distinction fails. We may question whether that loss justifies the position, but the sentence is plainly being offered as support.
- C
Practical implications would tell us what follows from accepting or acting on the critic's conclusion—for example, how readers should change their approach. This sentence goes the other way: it supplies a reason for accepting the conclusion. Although it describes a consequence of interpreting, that isn't the same as a consequence of the conclusion.
- D
The nature of the distinction is explained earlier: interpret literary fiction, but enjoy genre fiction as easy pleasure. The final sentence doesn't clarify that division. It gives the critic's reason for rejecting it.
- E
The critic isn't anticipating someone arguing against the conclusion. The claim about lost emotion is the critic's own supporting reason. An objection might question whether emotional impact should take priority, as we did while reading. That isn't what the selected sentence does.
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