#9 - Specific Reference, Purpose, 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!

[jlam061695]

I chose D (which is the correct answer) the second time around, but I have a few questions about B. What exactly does it mean to "qualify" an assertion? Does it mean to justify the assertion, or is it more along the lines of using evidence to strengthen the assertion? If to "qualify an assertion made in the first paragraph" is to strengthen the assertion that "Block uses his experiences as a fodder for his work" (lines 3-4), then doesn't the third paragraph do exactly that?

[Adam Tyson]

Thanks for the question, jlam! That term, "qualify", comes up a lot on this test, enough to make it important to understand what it means.

Qualifying means limiting in scope, narrowing. I might make some claims about university students being rowdy and prone to disorderly conduct. I then might "qualify" that statement to say that I am speaking about students in my community, or about undergrads, or about students at certain schools known as "party schools". In other words not all students.

Since the third paragraph does nothing to limit the scope or impact of the information presented in the second paragraph, we can eliminate answer B. It doesn't qualify (limit), but rather adds to the theme presented there.

Add that to your tool chest as you prepare for the job of taking the LSAT!