#14 - Must Be True, Author's Perspective

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation
(See the complete passage discussion here: lsat/viewtopic.php?t=10828)

The correct answer choice is (B)

This question asks for the answer choice that exemplifies the quote from lines 53-54: “We lived in that place, eating things. Then we left and went somewhere else.” This represents the featureless background from which, the author says, Shostak shapes a story.

Answer choice (A): The basic description quoted does not reflect cultural values, so this cannot be the right answer choice.

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, describing the featureless account provided by Nisa.

Answer choice (C): The basic account provided in the referenced quote is intended to underscore a lack of detail, not a less-than-idyllic lifestyle; there is nothing particularly unappealing in Nisa’s account—it simply doesn’t provide sufficient detail to make any such determination.

Answer choice (D): The quote is not intended to exemplify a recognizable story; it is more of a vague, generic account with no real detail.

Answer choice (E): Nisa’s quote does not draw a distinction between ethnographer and subject; it is a vague description of a very simple story.

[mankariousc]

Hello!

I initially chose C based on line 32. Could you explain to me why this is wrong?

Thanks!

[Jonathan Evans]

Hi, Mankariousc,

Good question! Let's consider first the question, which asks us what we can infer the author intends to exemplify in lines 53-54. Let's focus on the task. To begin, we need to infer something, that is, we need to find a statement that the evidence in the passage strongly supports. Next, we need to recognize that we are interested in the author's viewpoint here; in other words, we need to keep in mind the main point or overarching viewpoint of the author in making a strong prediction/prephrase. Last, we are looking for something that the quotation "exemplifies," so we should expect the quotation to be representative of something. It is our job to predict what that something is.

In the passage, look for your evidence by reading carefully through the section that contains the quotation. Now, connect what you have read with the question task to form a prediction. Following the quotation backwards through the beginning of the thought, we see that the quote from Nisa is in fact an example. The next task is clearly to find out what her statement is an example of. Notice now that her statement, the example, is introduced by a colon to signify agreement with the preceding thought, i.e. that "real lives" don't fit into easily "recognizable shapes." Thus, we can form a strong prediction:

The quotation in lines 53-54 is an example of how autobiographical narratives don't fit into strictly defined forms.

Use this prediction to compare to the answer choices.

For answer choice (C) we do not have a good match. There is not support here for the idea that nomadic people lead less-than-idyllic lives.

Answer choice (B) on the other hand does give a strong match for our prephrase.

I hope this helps!

[pmuffley]

Hello, I'm confused why the question stem wasn't referring to "life".

Thank you,

[Robert Carroll]

pmuffley,

The word "life" is not the quotation. The quotation is at lines 53-54, beginning with "'We lived in that place...'".

Robert Carroll

[pmuffley]

Hi Robert,

Totally got that! But I'm confused how you knew to go to which quotation in the 4th paragraph since it wasn't specified in the question stem. It just said "the quotation in paragraph 4". Life is in quotations in paragraph 4.

Thank you,

[Robert Carroll]

pmuffley,

When this test was originally administered, it was on paper, and all the lines had numbers. The question exactly specified which was the quote. If the test makers did not highlight the quote they intended when they converted tests to digital form, that may just be an oversight. Note - that's an oversight on converting an old test, NOT an oversight they would be using on a new test. Did you see this question on Lawhub?

Robert Carroll

[pmuffley]

I am using the Lawhub practice tests through my PowerScore analytics account. Typically, it will highlight in blue what the stem is referencing if it is a SR question. It didn't this time. I think that's what you're asking, right?

[Robert Carroll]

pmuffley,

That would be highlighted on the real test!

Robert Carroll