Logical reasoning PrepTest 109 · Section 3 · Question 16

Incorrect. The argument mentions that the arts wouldn't have survived without subsidies from aristocrats and religious institutions in the past, not the government. Additionally, this positive correlation doesn't need to exist for the argument to work since the conclusion isn't about the level of development.

Incorrect. There's no discussion of private support for the arts—even the aristocracies and religious institutions are classified as the "public sectors of their day." As such this answer is out of scope. And even if it did mention the public sector the argument only relies on it being a good thing for the government to subsidize the arts not that it needs to be the only group to do so.

Incorrect. The Curator sets out a goal of serving as a cultural steward without the help of the aristocrats and religious institutions. As such, the argument doesn't care whether the goal is set up because we don't want them involved or because they don't want to be involved.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Argument

Valid or Flawed:
Flawed

Question Type:
Strengthen with Necessary Premise

Stimulus Summary:
Ancient times — Fine arts were funded by aristocrats and religious institutions
Goal today — Be a steward of cultural heritage without help from aristocrats or religious institutions
Conclusion/Approach — Government funding for the arts

Answer Anticipation:
This argument falls into a common pattern—the goal/approach pattern. The stimulus sets out a goal of serving as stewards to cultural heritage without relying on certain groups, and then it concludes that another group—the government—must fund the art.

There are two gaps in this argument, both that derive from focusing on the conclusion and noting new concepts that show up—a common approach to Strengthen with Necessary Premise questions. In this conclusion, in fact, both concepts are new to the argument!

The conclusion starts by stating who needs to fund the arts—government. This is based on the goal of not relying on aristocrats or religious institutions. However, there's no indication that these are the only three possible sources of funding for the arts! The argument is assuming that no other ones exist, so answers that rule out others would serve as necessary premises.

The conclusion then ends by talking about funding the fine arts. While the Curator does discuss funding fine arts in ancient times, this is background—it doesn't relate to what's going on today. In fact, the Curator specifically notes this is background by stating that the modern day goal is to not use the same approach as ancient times in ruling out the two funding sources.

Instead, what the Curator sets out as the goal is "fulfill[ing an] obligation as stewards of cultural heritage." However that's not the same as funding for the arts—there are presumably other ways to serve as stewards of this heritage and it's also possible that funding the arts doesn't serve this goal (maybe funding the arts skews what artists focus on thus warping the culture instead of serving as a steward for it). Any answer that establishes funding the arts is a way to serve as a cultural steward is also necessary for this argument.

Answer Explanation:
This answer connects the goal to the approach. The Curator wants societies to fulfill their obligation as stewards of cultural heritage and she recommends doing so by funding the arts. The argument falls apart if serving as such a stewards doesn't require maintaining the fine arts making this a necessary premise.

Key Takeaway:
For Strengthen with Necessary Premise questions always be on the lookout for concepts in the conclusion that don't show up in the premises. But note specifically what we said there—in the premises. If a concept shows up as background or in the opposing point it could still be a new term in the author's argument and thus a part of the gap in the logic/assumption.

Incorrect. The Curator's conclusion states that governments "must help finance" the arts but that's not a statement saying that it's a requirement for the maintenance of those arts. It's putting forward a mandate for the governments in order to reach a set goal.