#1 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (A).

Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[sblack1998]

I seem to be struggling with these types of questions. I narrow it down to two answers, one of them almost always the correct answer, but then I choose the wrong answer. This time I was choosing between A and D. Of course, I chose D. Can someone help me understand why A is right and D is not? Thank you in advance.

[Jeremy Press]

Hi sblack,

In purpose questions like these, every word matters, and sometimes you'll find a word is too strong to fit the author's purpose. That's the case with answer choice D here, and the word "dismiss." If the author were "dismissing" Posner's work, the author would be suggesting that Posner is wrong and should not be paid attention to (this fits with the dictionary definition of this sense of "dismiss," which is "to reject serious consideration of").

The author actually thinks Posner has made some insightful observations and is worthy of considering seriously. That's true for a couple textual reasons. First, the author spends a lot of space discussing Posner's argumentation. That's not something that often happens with someone whose ideas we "dismiss." More importantly, though, the author says that Posner "systematically refutes the writings of [law and literature's\ leading legal scholars and cooperating literary critics," and also that Posner engages in "cogent analysis that it is . . . a rebuttal of law-and-literature." Both of these statements show that the author has respect for Posner's work, and accepts Posner's analysis and at least some of its conclusions.

Bottom line, since the answers to purpose questions are so brief, make sure every word fits the author's attitude toward the subjects in the passage. The best way to sort this out on future passages is to note every place where the author indicates agreement (or disagreement) with, and approval (or disapproval) of, someone's ideas/approaches.

I hope this helps!