PrepTest 119

Incorrect. If this were true, then most people haven't read anything by Twain, either, since they're the same person, so it doesn't explain the different knowledge levels.

Incorrect. This doesn't explain the opposite—why those who know Twain was a writer don't know that Clemens was, as well.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
Mark Twain = Samuel Clemens
Most people know Mark Twain was a writer, but they don't know Samuel Clemens was

Answer Anticipation:
As with all Paradox questions, we should start by clearly defining the paradox. Here, despite Mark Twain and Samuel Clemens being the same person, most people are aware that Twain was a writer, but not that Clemens was.

You'd expect that those numbers would be similar! However, there is a key concept here that shows up often in flawed argument questions that we can apply here—what people know. While people may know that Twain is a writer, they may not know that he is the same person as Samuel Clemens. If that isn't common knowledge, then it makes sense that people who know Twain was a writer can't say the same for Clemens.

Answer Explanation:
This answer brings up a piece of information that most people may not know that explains the discrepancy in who they know to be a writer.

Key Takeaway:
When a stimulus talks about what people "know"—or think/believe/say—start to think about what else the stimulus relies on them knowing. Just because something is true doesn't mean that people are aware of it!

Incorrect. There's no conflict here—that would only happen if people thought that Clemens wasn't a writer, but they just don't know that he was.

Incorrect. Note the difference between this answer and (C). That one explicitly states that people don't know they're the same person. This one tries to get you to think that it implies it by establishing "[s]ome" know that they're the same person. However, that doesn't imply that the vast majority don't know it.