#8 - Concept Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

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

[HIsleim2001]

I think I know why the answer is D but can someone explain. I picked E why is that incorrect

[Robert Carroll]

HIsleim2001,

The basis for answer choice (D) is that sentence in the second paragraph that starts "Thus the picaro’s authenticity..." Society is hypocritical, the picaro is a foil to that, and the hypocritical society is threatened by the dangerous, disruptive freedom of the picaro. Consider - why does the society perceive the picaro as "dangerous" - things perceived as dangerous must threaten something. So what is perceived as being threatened by the picaro? I think that helps a lot.

Answer choice (E) is not mentioning anything threatening about the picaro, and thus can't show why the picaro is dangerous to conventional society.

Robert Carroll

[mkloo11]

I kept B and D as contenders but eventually eliminated B for the word "political." Am I right to think that without that, the answer could be correct? The picaro threatens societal norms/social structures, but no reason to think that's related to political structures?

[Luke Haqq]

Hi mkloo11!

You raise a good point about the wording of (B). At the very least, the word "political" in it puts it out of contention. If the answer didn't have that word, it would certainly be a more viable contender.

At the same time, even with that change, answer choice (D) still seems preferable. The last three sentences of the second paragraph provide direct support for it. Even if there's arguably support for your reworded version of (B) as well, "structures" and more specifically "long-standing" structures aren't mentioned. Since one is supposed to choose the best answer choice, (D) would still win out even if (B) didn't include the word "political."

[mkloo11]

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you, Luke!

[ashutosh_73]

I couldn't find support for (D), and i found (E) equally plausible. Maybe, i didn't understand the below part well.
Below is my understanding:

S1: The picaro indulges in vices and follies with relish and freedom, much to the outrage of other members of society, who often secretly indulge in (20) similar pastimes out of a habitual compulsion. S2: Thus the picaro’s authenticity serves as a foil to the perceived hypocrisy of conventional society. S3: To such a society, the picaro can represent a dangerous, disruptive freedom, and it reacts by marginalizing him.

S1: Picaro did some bad thing, and members of the society weren't happy with it, even though they themselves indulged in bad business secretly.

S2: Picaro's opening doing bad things acts as a cover for the hypocritical society

S3: Society thinks, what Picaro represents is a bad thing, hence they marginalize him.

Is it correct? If yes, how can we find support for (D).

[Adam Tyson]

You've just provided exactly the support we need for answer D, ashutosh_73.

the picaro’s authenticity serves as a foil to the perceived hypocrisy of conventional society. To such a society, the picaro can represent a dangerous, disruptive freedom

Conventional society is hypocritical, and the picaro draws attention to that hypocrisy, so society finds them dangerous. The picaro is calling society out, making them face the fact that they are hypocritical, and they don't like that. Nobody likes to be called out on their nonsense, after all.

Nothing in the passage suggests that the picaro faces no consequences, and nothing suggests that that's what makes then seem dangerous to society.