Logical Reasoning

PT153 · S2 · Q17 Critic: Vampires have traditionally been symbols

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Critic: Vampires have traditionally been symbols of pure evil.

Conclusion

The recent trend of humanizing vampires is unfortunate.

Evidence

Evil exists in the world, and the vampire myth is one of the most powerful representations of that.

Evaluate

On Role questions, at least 90% of the time, the last idea is a Supporting idea. On Role and Main Conclusion questions, they like to put the conclusion either right in the first sentence or as part of some Rebuttal sentiment.

The question stem is asking us about the second to last sentence, which was neither the Conclusion nor part of the Support.

We can tell that it's an opposing point, because the author has to pivot into Support in the last sentence with, "But".

The author is conceding an opposing point --

Goal

Look for something like "concedes an opposing point".

17.

The claim that the overall trend in entertainment toward moral complexity is a good thing plays which one of the following roles in the critic's argument?

  1. It states a principle used

    Opposite

    This 2nd to last sentence is not support for the conclusion. The author has to pivot away from this claim to go into her support in the last sentence.

    11% picked this

  2. Correct

    It places limits on how

    Why this is right

    This is the only answer that feels like "counterpoint / opposing", since it limits the conclusion. The author is saying, "my criticism of humanizing bad guys for the sake of showing moral complexity is limited to vampires; overall I think it's a good thing."

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

    65% picked this

  3. It justifies the need for

    Opposite

    "Justifies the need for the argument" sounds like Support, and we're looking for something Opposing. In and of itself, this 2nd to last sentence makes it sound like the author does not need to make an argument against humanizing vampires (since it's part of a trend that is a good thing).

    13% picked this

  4. It provides a hypothesis that

    Not a Hypothesis

    A hypothesis is a claim that tries to explain a given phenomenon. The sentence we're asked about isn't trying to explain why a phenomenon occurred / is occurring. And the conclusion is not rejecting this sentence, since our author is saying both things. She's not concluding that she is wrong.

    9% picked this

  5. It is the conclusion of

    Wrong Role

    The conclusion is "This is unfortunate", which is both our author's opinion and supported. The claim we're asked about is our author's opinion, but it isn't supported (we could ask "why should we believe that moral complexity is a good thing?" and we wouldn't see any answer provided in the paragraph), so it can't be the conclusion.

    2% picked this

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