- PowerScore Staff
- Posts: 1000
- Joined: Jun 12, 2017
- Mon Feb 03, 2020 2:44 pm
#73684
Complete Question Explanation
The correct answer choice is (D).
The key to this question is finding the "conjecture" the question stem refers to. Use the question stem's reference to a "deep rift" as a starting point. The deep rift is mentioned in the very first line of the passage. The rest of the first paragraph explores the deep rift, mentioning what it is (a separation between poetry and fiction, discussed in lines 3-5), why poets and fiction writers support it (conventional wisdom about what the genres should do, discussed in lines 5-11), and the question the author has about this distinction, which is why distinct genres should result in such sharp separation (lines 12-20). The author's conjecture will be found in lines 12-20, since that is the portion of the paragraph that indicates the author's viewpoint. This portion of the paragraph states that the author's view of the cause of the separation is "perhaps...a widespread attitude in U.S. culture, which often casts a suspicious eye on the generalist" (lines 15-17), a very good prephrase on this question.
Answer choice (A): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never states that poets and fiction writers view their work as "superior" to the other group's work. It merely states that they view their genres as different in key ways. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Answer choice (B): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never discusses the "methods" that are used to train poetry grad students or grad students in other literary fields. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Answer choice (C): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never discusses "publishers" and what they do. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. The answer choice fits our prephrase, and it is a direct paraphrase of the answer the author gives to the question "why have specialized education and literary territoriality [i.e. the deep rift] resulted from this distinction [between genres]?" The author states in lines 15-17 that "[t]he answer lies perhaps in a widespread attitude in U.S. culture, which often casts a suspicious eye on the generalist."
Answer choice (E): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never discusses which of the two genres (fiction or poetry) is "more" widely read or respected. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
The correct answer choice is (D).
The key to this question is finding the "conjecture" the question stem refers to. Use the question stem's reference to a "deep rift" as a starting point. The deep rift is mentioned in the very first line of the passage. The rest of the first paragraph explores the deep rift, mentioning what it is (a separation between poetry and fiction, discussed in lines 3-5), why poets and fiction writers support it (conventional wisdom about what the genres should do, discussed in lines 5-11), and the question the author has about this distinction, which is why distinct genres should result in such sharp separation (lines 12-20). The author's conjecture will be found in lines 12-20, since that is the portion of the paragraph that indicates the author's viewpoint. This portion of the paragraph states that the author's view of the cause of the separation is "perhaps...a widespread attitude in U.S. culture, which often casts a suspicious eye on the generalist" (lines 15-17), a very good prephrase on this question.
Answer choice (A): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never states that poets and fiction writers view their work as "superior" to the other group's work. It merely states that they view their genres as different in key ways. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Answer choice (B): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never discusses the "methods" that are used to train poetry grad students or grad students in other literary fields. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Answer choice (C): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never discusses "publishers" and what they do. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. The answer choice fits our prephrase, and it is a direct paraphrase of the answer the author gives to the question "why have specialized education and literary territoriality [i.e. the deep rift] resulted from this distinction [between genres]?" The author states in lines 15-17 that "[t]he answer lies perhaps in a widespread attitude in U.S. culture, which often casts a suspicious eye on the generalist."
Answer choice (E): The answer choice does not fit our prephrase, moreover the passage never discusses which of the two genres (fiction or poetry) is "more" widely read or respected. Thus this answer choice cannot be supported.
Jeremy Press
LSAT Instructor and law school admissions consultant
Follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/JeremyLSAT
LSAT Instructor and law school admissions consultant
Follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/JeremyLSAT