Reading comp PrepTest 154 · Section 3 · Question 11

Correct. Question Type:
Point at Issue (Principle)

Strategy Overview:
Think about the differences between the passages and find an answer that addresses one of them

Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
Note that this question asks us about a principle that the Author of Passage B would say does not apply to autobiography. That's not the same as asking us to find a principle that doesn't underlie Passage B—that could just be something that's out of scope. Here, we need an answer that Passage B would actively say doesn't apply.

We just reiterated the differences between the passages for Question #10, so we can keep that fresh-of-mind. There, we stated that both passages deal with falsehoods in writing, but they focus on different genres. However, this question itself brings up the different genres—historical fiction in A and autobiography in B. And so we don't have much to go on! We must have missed a difference when thinking through the passages, so let's head into the answers and dive into any that line up with the arguments.

Answer Explanation:
(Lines 11-12; Lines 27-29) Passage A explicitly notes in the second paragraph that a lie is intentional and purposeful, as opposed to a mistake which is ""often unforgivable."" So this answer is applied in Passage A. Passage B's Author, on the other hand, talks about how unreliable his memory is—something he can't fix ""even when"" he knows the memory is false. As such, he must believe that there are some mistakes in autobiography—those false memories when he doesn't know the memory is fake. And since these are unavoidable, they can't be unforgivable. As such, this answer addresses the question stem.

Key Takeaway:
While you should be taking time to note similarities and differences between the passages, it's almost impossible to note all of them across 60 lines in the time you have. Use what you know about the passages to guide you through this type of question when your prior work doesn't lead you straight to the correct answer.

Incorrect. (Line 17; Lines 45-48) This was the point that the two authors agreed on.

Incorrect. (Lines 49-52) Ethics show up once again! We know from earlier questions and our notes that Passage B does discuss the unethical nature of his conclusion.

Incorrect. (Lines 21-22) This is a tough answer! Passage A applies this in the third paragraph. And Passage B doesn't mention it. However, there's nothing in that passage suggesting that the Author of Passage B would say this doesn't apply to autobiography—just nothing that commits him to saying that it does. Since the question stem specifically asks us for a principle that we can commit Passage B's Author to saying doesn't apply, this answer—in being wholly out of scope—is incorrect.

Incorrect. (Lines 25-26; Lines 43-48) Both passages talk about how such distortions can add to a narrative and make it resonate with readers, and Passage A explicitly uses the phrasing in this answer, so they'd both say this principle applies to the genres they discuss.