#2 - Historian: During the Industrial Revolution, for the

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Main Point. The correct answer choice is (C).

A historian tells us about an historical fact and then shares the view of an economist who offered an explanation for that fact. This follows a very common pattern of "some people say something, but they are wrong, and here's why," with the exception that the historian doesn't directly state that the economist is wrong. Instead he says that some evidence is required before that explanation can be accepted. This is the main point of the argument, and our task is to find the answer that restates that conclusion.

Answer choice (A): This is a true statement, but only restates the historical fact and not the author's conclusion.

Answer choice (B): Like answer A, this is true according to the stimulus, but still just the background facts and not the conclusion of the argument.

Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. This answer correctly restates the conclusion that more evidence is required before we can accept the position of the economist mentioned in the passage.

Answer choice (D): At no point in the stimulus did the author claim that the economist was wrong. This would have been a good answer if the stimulus had followed the usual pattern of a "some people say something, but they are wrong" argument, but it did not. Instead, the structure was "some people say something, but more evidence is needed."

Answer choice (E): The historian does not claim that there was no change in values prior to the Industrial Revolution, but only that more evidence was needed before one could make a causal claim about such changes and growth in productivity.

[ataraxia10]

I can see how the correct answer is D, but can you demonstrate its superiority over C?

[michellemedley]

Hi there! Your instincts were correct in seeing the superiority of C. The correct answer to this question is, in fact, C.
Answer choice D is somewhat of a general summary of the historian's argument however it requires a bit of a jump, whereas C is clearly stated as the overall conclusion through the author stating, "But successful explanations need to be based on facts, SO no one should accept this explanation UNTIL historical evidence demonstrates that a change in values occurred prior to the revolution." That's literally a verbatim recall of answer choice C.

I had read your inquiry and was incredibly confused and even a bit discouraged that C was incorrect as, like you, I couldn't see how any other answer choice was better. Hope this helps!

[ataraxia10]

I read the question again and I do see how C is the better answer. By mentioning that there needs to be historical evidence that demonstrates a change in values prior to the Industrial Revolution, the historian leaves open the possibility that this indeed contributed to the improvement in living standards.

[Ben DiFabbio]

I read the question again and I do see how C is the better answer. By mentioning that there needs to be historical evidence that demonstrates a change in values prior to the Industrial Revolution, the historian leaves open the possibility that this indeed contributed to the improvement in living standards.

Hey Ataraxia,

It looks like your initial question was brought on by a simple misread of the answer sheet--Michelle is right that the correct answer is C.

Answer choice D does not properly state the argument's conclusion because the historian does not go so far as to say that the economist's theory is incorrect! The historian is only saying that the economist's theory should not be accepted until we see some historical evidence.

I hope that helps, and happy prepping!

- Ben