#8 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[Administrator]

Complete question explanation.

See entire passage discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=1158&t=11220

Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function. The correct answer is (C).

The phrase referenced in lines (12-13) doesn't necessarily convey much meaning on it's own, but read in context it is immediately followed with an example, which is a great clue into the author's meaning. The example says "For instance, if one commissions a famous architect to design one’s house, that may reflect great (15) credit on one’s taste, even if one finds the house impossible to live in. " So that tells us we want an answer choice that discusses the patron being concerned with the art making them look good.

Answer (A) - This could be a genuine attempt to convey a political statement rather than a patron wanting people to think positively about them, so this doesn't match the desired answer choice we're looking for.

Answer (B) - Again this is a legitimate goal or is using art in furtherance of a goal beyond just looking good, so this isn't the right answer.

Answer (C) - this is the correct answer. It captures the same meaning as the example, where the commissioner wants art that makes themselves look good.

Answer (D) - The example is not at all concerned with the artist themselves, only the patron, so this isn't right.

Answer (E) - Not quite right, because the example has a patron commissioning a house design that they don't even like living in, so this isn't the right answer.

[myaysa.evans16]

Hi, I was stuck between E and C. I chose E "provided the patron with personal satisfaction", I thought this was the best answer because of what is said in the second paragraph. "if one commissions a famous architect to design one’s house, that may reflect great credit on one’s taste, even if one finds the house impossible to live in..." how does this explain C rather than E?

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Mya,

For personal satisfaction, you'd expect to be able to use or enjoy the art. A house that one cannot live in is more for display than personal satisfaction. We can get answer choice (E) looking at the lines immediately following the lines 12-13 where it states that the home may reflect "great credit" onto their taste. It's more about how other's perceive the patron than any intrinsic pleasure the house may cause.

Hope that helps!
Rachael

[silver2731]

"may reflect great credit on one's taste"

One in the above means the patron, right? doesn't it mean then the architect's work reflect great credit on the patron's taste so wouldn't it be likely that it was designed per the patron's taste? I thought it was reasonable to take this as a good basis for inferring the patron would have liked the work thus got satisfied.

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi Silver

Yes, the "one" there is referring to the patron. But we don't know if that's the same as satisfying the patron. The product may be something that reflects well on the patrons taste, but is still not satisfying to the patron. For example, I could get a high end fashion designer to make a super artsy outfit for a gala for me. That outfit could reflect well on my taste, however, I could find it personally unsatisfying because it's so uncomfortable, or I don't really care what people think about my taste. Personally satisfying is very different than reflecting well on a person's taste.

Hope that helps!