Logical Reasoning

PT129 · S1 · Q15 Anderson maintains that travel writing

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Anderson maintains that travel writing has diminished in quality over the last few decades.

Conclusion

Anderson is too harsh on today’s travel writers.

Evidence

It’s way more challenging nowadays to be a travel writer, since your audience is so much more well-traveled. The fact that there still even is travel writing is a testament to the talent of modern writers.

Goal

The claim we’re asked about is part of the Evidence, the Support. If they wanted to use easy language, we’d see something like . If they wanted to describe it more subtly, .

15.

Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the argument by the statement that the general public is better traveled today than in the past?

  1. It is claimed to be

    Out of Scope: "result"

    The author doesn’t say that good travel writing causes anything other than “to show readers a place and make them see it anew”.

    1% picked this

  2. It is cited as evidence

    Out of Scope: "wider readership"

    The author never says that modern travel writing is intended for a wider readership.

    1% picked this

  3. It is part of a

    Trap

    Wrong Role / Out of Scope: "readers are disappointed" We know that Anderson is disappointed, but we’re never told that readers are. This claim is part of a purported explanation for why it’s harder to do good travel writing nowadays than in previous times.

    4% picked this

  4. It is cited as a

    Unsupported Relationship

    Unsupported Relationship: "better-traveled public → better travel writing" The author isn’t saying that a better-traveled public is why travel writing has flourished. He says that a better-traveled public is why travel writing is harder than ever. And he says that the talent of today’s practitioners is why travel writing has flourished.

    9% picked this

  5. Correct

    It is cited as a

    Why this is right

    “Today, travel writers face a challenge far greater” is partially explained by the claim that today’s general public is better traveled than in the past.

    Skill tested: Role · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    85% picked this

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