#28 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (E).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E): This is the correct answer choice.

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[yrivers]

Hi,

I was deciding between B and C. I took the lines in 25-27 to present Lane's perspective and approach to painting and that spiritualism was part of his thinking when he produced his art. Hence, I chose C then B. Can you please explain why this is incorrect and why E is correct?

Thanks!
Yaesul

[Charlie Melman]

Hi Yaesul,

Answer choice (B) is incorrect because the passage never says that Lane was interested in spiritualism.

Answer choice (C) provides the view that the author agrees with. But the author is citing a critic in lines 25-27 with whom he disagrees, so the author can't be citing the critic in order to introduce his own, different view.

Answer choice (E) correctly says that the author is teeing up an opposing view in order to take a whack at it and introduce his own.

[deck1134]

Hello,

What confused me on this question was the phrase in line 28: "It is also true, however, that the 1850s and 1860s"... I chose answer C because I thought that it provided on example of the cultural factors that influenced the Luminists. Is this not the case? To me, answer E was incorrect because the phrase "also true" implies that it is one of several factors, making E incorrect.

I feel like I keep narrowing it down to two answers, and picking the wrong one. I'm missing 2-3 a section because of this and I cannot stop. Help! Any recommendations? I really need to do well but cannot seem to.

[Jennifer Janowsky]

Deck1134,

The author is saying in line (5) that people believe Luminist paintings are spiritually based. Then, he quotes Fitz Hugh Lane, who says spiritualism was widespread at the time of Luminist painting.

The author, however, counters this point: "It is also true, however, that the 1850s and 1860s were a time of trade expansion." Here he is suggesting that spiritualism was not the only explanation for the inspiration of Luminist art. In their opinion, it was really trade/industry.

Although that quote provides one possible factor in Luminist art, that wasn't the primary point for the author including it. Its real point was (E), to show a common misconception the author believed was incorrect.

Narrowing down to 2 answer choices and then choosing the wrong one is a very common problem. The LSAT is built to confuse you that way! If you are repeatedly choosing the wrong answer, consider the fact that you may either be missing important details, or getting lost in the details and overthinking the answer.

[NeedtopasstheLSAT]

Why is D wrong?

[katehos]

Hi NeedtopasstheLSAT!

Answer choice (D) is incorrect because it is outside the scope of the passage. The author of the passage does not mention that the development of Luminism and the development of spiritualism coincided, and in fact, there's evidence to the contrary. The quotation of the critic mentioned in lines 25-27 says that spiritualism was already widespread as Luminism was developing, so it seems that one developed before the other, rather than at the same time!

We can thus eliminate (D) because the author cannot be quoting the critic to explain something they never assert (and probably do not believe) in the first place.

I hope this helps
Kate