Reading Comprehension

PT154 · S3 · P2 · Q9 Literary Falsehoods

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Passage A The path a historical novelist has to tread is clearly beset by dangers.

Topic

The necessity and complexity of "lying" (inventing or altering facts) in historical novels and autobiographical writing.

Framework

Present Debate (both passages wrestle with the tension between truth and invention in writing about the past).

Main Point

Both passages argue that factual inaccuracies—what they call "lies"—are sometimes necessary and even desirable for writers of historical novels (Passage A) or autobiographies (Passage B), as these "lies" can enhance narrative, character, and emotional truth. However, both also express that there's a line between productive invention and unintentional errors or misleading distortions. - Most Valuable Sentences: - Passage A: (End of P1) - Passage B: (P3)

P1A: The Dilemma for Historical Novelists

Writers of historical novels face a challenge: being completely accurate means unreadable or dull books, so they must invent dialogue and details to bring characters to life, which means "telling lies" to some extent.

P2A: Distinguishing Lies from Mistakes

It's important to differentiate between intentional "lies" (deliberate creative liberties) and accidental mistakes (unforgivable inaccuracies). Good historical fiction uses constructive "lies" to serve the story; mistakes harm it.

P3A: Lying Done Well (Shakespeare as Model)

Not all lies are acceptable—some are too obvious or off-putting—but well-done lies are necessary. Shakespeare intentionally distorted facts for emotional impact, which made his plays memorable.

9.

Which one of the following is a claim that is advanced by the author of passage B, but not by the author of passage A?

  1. Correct

    The position that a good

    Why this is right

    We were well groomed to like this answer based on choice (E) on each of the first two questions. Passage B mentions the ethical issues with lying in its final paragraph, whereas Passage A never gets into whether inaccuracies are unethical, only whether they serve to more often make historical fiction better / worse.

    Skill tested: Locate Detail · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

    79% picked this

  2. Though it is often necessary

    Opposite

    Here's another switcheroo trap answer -- Passage A, unlike Passage B, discussed a lie that was too obvious, in its final paragraph.

    3% picked this

  3. There is a significant difference

    Opposite

    Passage A covers this in the 2nd paragraph. Passage B doesn't really get into this distinction (even if it did, the fact that it's covered in Passage A would make this wrong).

    3% picked this

  4. The best writers of autobiographical

    Word Salad

    This is just a Word Salad trap answer. Passage A wrote about historical fiction. Passage B wrote about autobiographies. Neither author related their form of writing to the other passage's form of writing.

    11% picked this

  5. There is a significant difference

    Fails A

    The beginning of Passage A's final paragraph covers the distinction between subtle convincing lies and obvious, ineffective ones.

    5% picked this

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