#16 - Concept Reference, Must Be True

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (D).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

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

Answer choice (E):


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

[lday4]

It seemed like A was explicitly stated in the last paragraph of the passage. Can you explain why D is a better answer? Thanks!

[Clay Cooper]

Hi lday4,

Thanks for your question.

Answer choice A claims that many lawyers believe that considering how readily the negative information can be framed positively is important, especially when the information is powerfully negative.

You are correct that this idea about calculating the frame-ability of the information is mentioned in the last paragraph, except that I think you may have overlooked the fact that it is just the author who mentions it. In other words, the author definitely says this should be a consideration; answer choice A, however, is incorrect because the author does not claim that many lawyers believe what he is saying.

[swong1267]

Where is the text evidence for D?

[Adam Tyson]

Check lines 4-11, swong, and I think you'll find all you need to select answer D here!

While there is no point in revealing a weakness that is unknown to one’s opponents or that would not be exploited by them, many lawyers believe that if the weakness is likely to be revealed in opposing testimony, it should be volunteered; otherwise, the hostile revelation would be more damaging.

What was your prephrase here? Was there another answer that you felt was better, and if so, what textual support did you rely on in selecting that answer? Tell us a little more about your process on this question, and we may be able to shed more light on ways to improve that process.

[swong1267]

Thanks! The explanation above helped with what I originally picked, which was A

[Khodi7531]

I chose A...now see it's kind of questionable. I think I read it so fast that I just see the words and think "that's it" instead of slowing down and thinking the order and manner in which it's saying it. Because now, I look at the part of "A lawyer should be concerned with how readily.." as an issue. Not sure where the author implies that.


Is that how to get rid of A? B C E are all unsupported that I know.

[Adam Tyson]

The best way to get rid of those wrong answers, khodi, is to prephrase! When reading the passage, we need to take notes about, among other things, viewpoints. There is only one mention in the passage of what "many lawyers" believe, and it should be noted in the margins with something like Vml (Viewpoint of Many Lawyers) so that when we get to this question we can immediately zoom in on this language, come up with our prephrase (if the opposition is going to bring it up, you should bring it up first), and then sort the answers into losers and contenders based entirely on that prephrase. Answer D matches, none of the others do, and so boom, we have a winner! Prephrasing is crucial throughout this test, not just in LR, and this is a great example of why.

[medialaw111516]

I see why D is correct, but what makes A wrong? It says that in the passage in the top 2 sentences in the last paragraph.

[Adam Tyson]

That concept is mentioned in the passage, which makes A a very attractive trap answer. The problem is, we have no idea if "many lawyers" hold that particular view, or if that is only the author's view. While it seems likely that many lawyers would agree with that idea, the passage does not indicate it, and the question was about what the passage implies and not what we, the readers, might infer on our own.

When the question asks about what many lawyers believe, look for the viewpoint of many lawyers, and not the viewpoint of the author!