PrepTest 115

Incorrect. This is a tempting answer! However, while there may be debate over how to categorize Cezanne as an artist, that doesn't mean that his work is highly controversial. A debate over categorization does not rise to the level of high controversy.

Incorrect. Cezanne inspired modernist creators of abstract art, but that doesn't mean he was an abstract artist. Additionally, there may have been pre-modernist abstract artists, so even if Cezanne were an abstract artist, he may not have been an early one.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Must Be True

Stimulus Summary:
Cezanne inspired modernist creators of abstract art
There's debate over whether he was an early modernist

Answer Anticipation:
It's easy to get wrapped up in all of the details here, but it's important to remember what type of question we're in—a Must Be True one. As such, we should be looking for statements that can lead to inferences.

That becomes very relevant in this stimulus because we're presented with a blanket intro statement about who Cezanne inspired, but then a debate over how to view Cezanne's work. While the answer may reflect that there is a debate, there's no resolution in the stimulus as to which viewpoint in that debate is correct. As such, those views are unlikely to lead to a correct answer.

That leaves us with two likely answer choices—those that discuss Cezanne as an inspiration for the 20th century modernists, and those that discuss the debate between those who view Cezanne as a modernist and those who don't. Let's find an answer that falls into one of those two buckets.

Answer Explanation:
Cezanne's art "inspired" modernist creators, so it played a role in the development of modernism. Note that this answer doesn't state Cezanne himself played a role, nor does it categorize Cezanne—it limits itself to what that opening statement says.

Key Takeaway:
When dealing with a Must Be True question that has conflicting viewpoints, you can't infer that either of them is correct. Thus, those viewpoints are unlikely to lead to a correct answer, and you should look at more definitive statements in the stimulus to support the right answer.

Incorrect. There's no discussion of how much many experts believe modern art owes Cezanne, so this comparison is unsupported.

Incorrect. The stimulus never establishes which categorization of Cezanne's work is correct. Just because most experts agree doesn't make it true!