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- Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:47 pm
#36394
Complete Question Explanation
Point at Issue—CE. The correct answer choice is (D)
Ariel’s conclusion is that government subsidies never benefi t art. Sasha’s conclusion is that
democratic government subsidies can benefi t art by allowing artists to be fully devoted and
artistically free.
Since this two-speaker stimulus is followed by a Point at Issue question, you must make sure you
understand the general nature of the disagreement before heading to the answer choices. Do not
worry too much about the details of the premises because you will likely need to refer back to the
stimulus during the problem to confi rm the particulars of the statements made by each speaker. If
you understand the basic disagreement, that may be suffi cient, so simply move forward.
Remember, all answer choices in a Point at Issue question must pass the Agree/Disagree Test.
Answer choice (A): Both Ariel and Sasha agree that the role of art is to challenge values, so this
response is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): Ariel would agree with this answer choice. Sasha’s exact position on this
statement is unknown, and you cannot infer from her statement that “a democratic government…
encourages challenges to its own values” that those values are not the same as society’s values.
Answer choice (C): One easy way to eliminate this answer is to realize that Sasha never commented
on nondemocractic societies, just on a democratic one. Thus, since her position on this statement
would be unknown, this answer choice is immediately incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. Ariel would disagree with this statement,
because she states that government subsidy never benefi ts art. Sasha would agree with this statement,
because her entire argument is structured to support the idea that democratic governments are able to
benefi t art through subsidy.
Answer choice (E): The issue of fair distribution is never mentioned by either speaker, so this answer
can be eliminated immediately.
In addition, this answer is quasi-Mistaken Reversal of Sasha’s argument, because this response
states:
Art subsidies fairly distributed 
Government respects dissent
However, Sasha’s argument implies that a respect of dissent is a suffi cient condition, not necessary,
for art subsidy distribution. Thus, Sasha’s stance on this choice is again unknown.
Point at Issue—CE. The correct answer choice is (D)
Ariel’s conclusion is that government subsidies never benefi t art. Sasha’s conclusion is that
democratic government subsidies can benefi t art by allowing artists to be fully devoted and
artistically free.
Since this two-speaker stimulus is followed by a Point at Issue question, you must make sure you
understand the general nature of the disagreement before heading to the answer choices. Do not
worry too much about the details of the premises because you will likely need to refer back to the
stimulus during the problem to confi rm the particulars of the statements made by each speaker. If
you understand the basic disagreement, that may be suffi cient, so simply move forward.
Remember, all answer choices in a Point at Issue question must pass the Agree/Disagree Test.
Answer choice (A): Both Ariel and Sasha agree that the role of art is to challenge values, so this
response is incorrect.
Answer choice (B): Ariel would agree with this answer choice. Sasha’s exact position on this
statement is unknown, and you cannot infer from her statement that “a democratic government…
encourages challenges to its own values” that those values are not the same as society’s values.
Answer choice (C): One easy way to eliminate this answer is to realize that Sasha never commented
on nondemocractic societies, just on a democratic one. Thus, since her position on this statement
would be unknown, this answer choice is immediately incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. Ariel would disagree with this statement,
because she states that government subsidy never benefi ts art. Sasha would agree with this statement,
because her entire argument is structured to support the idea that democratic governments are able to
benefi t art through subsidy.
Answer choice (E): The issue of fair distribution is never mentioned by either speaker, so this answer
can be eliminated immediately.
In addition, this answer is quasi-Mistaken Reversal of Sasha’s argument, because this response
states:
Art subsidies fairly distributed Government respects dissentHowever, Sasha’s argument implies that a respect of dissent is a suffi cient condition, not necessary,
for art subsidy distribution. Thus, Sasha’s stance on this choice is again unknown.