Logical Reasoning

PT143 · S4 · Q5 Most scholars are puzzled

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Many scholars are puzzled about who created the seventeenth-century abridgment of Shakespeare’s Hamlet contained in the First Quarto.

Given

Many scholars are puzzled about who created the seventeenth-century abridgment of Shakespeare’s Hamlet contained in the First Quarto.

Two facts about the work shed light on this question.

First, the person who undertook the abridgment clearly did not possess a copy of Hamlet.

Second, the abridgment contains a very accurate rendering of the speeches of one of the characters, but a slipshod handling of all the other parts.

5.

Which one of the following statements is most supported by the information above?

  1. The abridgment was prepared by

    Support Against

    In all likelihood, Shakespeare would have had a copy of Hamlet and would have done an equally good job of rendering the speeches of all of the parts.

    1% picked this

  2. The abridgment was created to

    Out of Scope - Purpose

    This purpose has no support since nothing in the two facts suggests that the abridgment made Hamlet easier to produce on stage.

    2% picked this

  3. Correct

    The abridgment was produced by

    Why this is right

    This could explain why the rendering of the speeches of one of the characters was so accurate while so poor for all of the other parts.

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

    81% picked this

  4. The abridgment was prepared by

    Support Against

    There’s no reason to suspect that a spectator would have been able to render the speeches of one of the characters so accurately.

    14% picked this

  5. The abridgment was produced by

    Out of Scope - Purpose

    The intent implied in this answer has no support in the statements.

    3% picked this

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