PrepTest 150, Section 2, Question 15
Children clearly have a reasonably sophisticated understanding of(89 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(10 more words not shown)
- AChildren apparently have(12 more words not shown)
- BChildren who have(18 more words not shown)
- CEven a very(16 more words not shown)
- DChildren would be(13 more words not shown)
- EThe pleasure children(21 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
What about monsters under the bed? Or a child who believes in unicorns?
Those are my first questions about the claim that children understand the difference between real and pretend. The author does leave room for mistakes: children have a 'reasonably sophisticated' understanding and 'generally' answer correctly. So one mistaken belief wouldn't automatically disprove the claim. Still, knowing Dad isn't really a lion doesn't establish that a child can sort out every other imaginary creature.
The examples are meant to support the broader point. Children often answer correctly when asked, and even younger children enjoy Dad's lion act instead of responding with the terror we'd expect if they thought he were a real lion. The pleasure of make-believe is offered as another reason to think they recognize the pretense.
What we’re looking for
Now we're asked for the overall conclusion. We don't have to agree with it or decide how far the examples take us. We need the claim they're all supporting: children understand real versus pretend reasonably well.
Working the answers
- ACorrect
This is the broad claim the rest of the argument tries to establish. The verbal answers, the father pretending to be a lion, and the pleasure of make-believe are all reasons to believe children have this understanding. A wins because of that supporting relationship, not merely because its wording appears in the passage.
- B
This is one piece of evidence. Getting the verbal questions right gives us a reason to think children can distinguish real from pretend. The argument goes beyond that observation, including children too young for such a verbal test, to support A's broader conclusion.
- C
This is the point of the lion example, which supports the general claim about children's understanding. Recognizing that Dad is pretending is one instance of distinguishing real from pretend. The author uses that case to argue for the broader ability, rather than using the broader ability as a reason to establish this one case.
- D
The expected fear helps explain why the child's playful response matters. If she really believed a lion were present, we'd expect terror; because she enjoys the game, the author takes her to recognize the pretense. That is supporting reasoning about the example, not the overall conclusion about children's understanding.
- E
This final statement is another reason for the conclusion. The author points to children's enjoyment and argues that it would be inexplicable without the ability to distinguish real from pretend. That supports the claim that they have the ability. Being the last sentence doesn't turn a supporting reason into the main point.
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