A contract, whether expressed or unexpressed, exists when two parties engage with each other for the reciprocal transfer of benefits. Thus, in accepting support from public funds, an artist creates at least an unexpressed contract between himself or herself rightly expect to benefit from the artist’s work.
What this question is testing
Conclusion
The author concludes that any artist receiving public money has implicitly entered a contract — and the public is entitled to benefit.
Evidence
The argument starts with a definition: a contract requires reciprocal (two-way) benefit. The artist receives public funds (one direction).
Evaluate
Watch the move carefully. The definition has two parts — both directions of benefit must already exist. The author shows only one direction (funds to the artist) and then declares the contract exists, using the contract's existence to argue for the other direction (benefit back to the public). But that's applying the definition to a case where only half the criteria are met.
Goal
The right answer will describe applying a definition to a situation that only partially conforms to it.
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