PrepTest 154
[lcid:3714] Prep Test 154 LSAT — Reading Comp — S3
Reading comp
Passage
Passage A The path a historical novelist has to tread is clearly beset by dangers. One cannot have medieval characters
Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage SummaryTopic: Humanities
Passage A
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
Passage A - While some lies go too far, historical novels/biographies need to tell some intentional and purposeful lies to create a coherent story.
Passage B - Autobiography skirts the line between fact and fiction, and some false memories need to be included because they create a clearer story and provide emotional truth.
Key Lines:
Passage A:
Lines 8-9 - A paradoxical statement is made
Lines 17-18 - The paradox is clarified
Lines 19-20 - A caveat is added
Lines 22-24 - An example is given
Passage B:
Line 34 - A question is posed
Lines 39-40 - An unexpected answer is presented
Lines 41-43 - The thesis is stated
Lines 49-52 - The Author is mad at himself
Lines 56-58 - The main point is reiterated in fancy language
Meta-Structure - Relationship Between Passages:
Passage A - Paradox/Explanation/Caveat
Passage B - Question/Paradoxical Answer
Both passages deal with writing that is supposed to be factual, and they highlight how lies or false memories actually contribute to that form of writing. They both recognize the paradoxical nature of that, though the author of Passage B is a little more piqued by it than the author of Passage A.
There's one key difference. Passage B distinguishes between autobiography (read to experience what the author did) and biography (read to learn facts). Passage A's author says that in "depicting the lives of real individuals," it's acceptable to include purposeful lies that advance the narrative. So in biographical writing, Passage A argues lies are alright, but Passage B argues that that writing is read to "find a more objective view" (Line 45).
Last Thoughts:
Passage B is written in the first-person, and there's quite a bit of emotion shown there—especially in the last paragraph.
The two passages, though, largely align on their main point—that lies/false memories are acceptable in certain situations. However, there is some disagreement over what those situations are.
Passage A
Paragraph 1
- Paragraph note
- A problem and paradoxical solution are introduced
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Problem - Historical novelist/biographers have to change things up and invent things to create good stories
- Paradox - To tell a good narrative, a writer has to lie
- Paragraph note
- A distinction is made within the paradox
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Lies vs. Mistakes
- Lies are intentional and purposeful, mistakes are accidental and unforgivable
- Constructive lie (adds to story) = good; mistake (detracts from story) = bad
- Paragraph note
- A caveat is added
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Some lies go too far - alienating, obvious
- But subtle, convincing lies necessary - e.g., Shakespeare
Paragraph 1
- Paragraph note
- A question is posed based on a weird situation
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Situation - Autobiographer remembers false things more vividly, even when remembering the actual thing
- Question - Which is the "truest" memory?
- Paragraph note
- A distinction is made
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Actual event vs. Emotional experience
- When they align, great! When they don't, false memory tends to have emotional truth
- Paragraph note
- Another distinction is made
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Autobiography vs. Biography
- Latter to get truth
- Former to get experience, and an emotional false memory should be included
- Paragraph note
- A temper tantrum is thrown, and then a conclusion is drawn
- Views, minor Meta-Structures, points of intersection, and the author's attitude
- Temper tantrum - My conclusion is illogical and unethical!
- Conclusion - Autobiography is between fact and fiction, and each writer draws line in different places
Passage A - While some lies go too far, historical novels/biographies need to tell some intentional and purposeful lies to create a coherent story.
Passage B - Autobiography skirts the line between fact and fiction, and some false memories need to be included because they create a clearer story and provide emotional truth.
Key Lines:
Passage A:
Lines 8-9 - A paradoxical statement is made
Lines 17-18 - The paradox is clarified
Lines 19-20 - A caveat is added
Lines 22-24 - An example is given
Passage B:
Line 34 - A question is posed
Lines 39-40 - An unexpected answer is presented
Lines 41-43 - The thesis is stated
Lines 49-52 - The Author is mad at himself
Lines 56-58 - The main point is reiterated in fancy language
Meta-Structure - Relationship Between Passages:
Passage A - Paradox/Explanation/Caveat
Passage B - Question/Paradoxical Answer
Both passages deal with writing that is supposed to be factual, and they highlight how lies or false memories actually contribute to that form of writing. They both recognize the paradoxical nature of that, though the author of Passage B is a little more piqued by it than the author of Passage A.
There's one key difference. Passage B distinguishes between autobiography (read to experience what the author did) and biography (read to learn facts). Passage A's author says that in "depicting the lives of real individuals," it's acceptable to include purposeful lies that advance the narrative. So in biographical writing, Passage A argues lies are alright, but Passage B argues that that writing is read to "find a more objective view" (Line 45).
Last Thoughts:
Passage B is written in the first-person, and there's quite a bit of emotion shown there—especially in the last paragraph.
The two passages, though, largely align on their main point—that lies/false memories are acceptable in certain situations. However, there is some disagreement over what those situations are.
Question prompt
Passage A, unlike passage
Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right
Credited answer: D
The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.
Question Type
Humanities
Answer choices
-
Aexamining one particular example Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
Incorrect. (Lines 22-24) Such a tempting trap answer! Looking at our notes, we can see that Passage A does include an example while Passage B doesn't. However, two sentences—including one that simply introduces Shakespeare as an example—can't be considered an ""in depth"" examination of that example. This answer would be correct if the entire Passage A (or at least a paragraph or two) were dedicated to examining Shakespeare as an example of someone who lied to good effect. -
Bcriticizing the views of Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B is not credited
Incorrect. Neither passage includes an opposing point. -
Cdescribing the author's own Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
Incorrect. Passage B was written in the first-person about his experience writing. -
Dciting a venerated author Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D matches the stem
Correct. Question Type:
Methods of Reasoning
Strategy Overview:
Use our notations to analyze the answers, finding one that brings up something from Passage A that isn't present in Passage B
Answer Anticipation/Relevant Lines:
There are likely several methods of reasoning used by Passage A that don't show up in Passage B, so we should head straight to the answer choices here and spend our time analyzing them directly.
Answer Explanation:
(Lines 22-24) This answer is similar to (A) in that they both refer to the example of Shakespeare. However, whereas (A) said that the example was analyzed in-depth and thus was wrong, this answer simply states that Passage A cites an author as an example to support the claims. Two sentences does count as a citation (a single mention would, as well), so this is the correct answer.
Key Takeaway:
Be careful with answers that say something goes ""in depth"" or uses similar language to describe a feature of a passage. You need more than a line or two for that to be accurate! -
Esuggesting that the phenomenon Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E is not credited
Incorrect. (Line 51) It's Passage B that brings up the ethics of the practice.
What this tests
Discussion
No threads yet—be the first to ask a question or share an approach.