Reading Comprehension

PT158 · S1 · P3 · Q17 Plagiarism

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Reading Comprehension question.

Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one
Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step
81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Passage A is adapted from an essay by historian Christopher Ricks; passage B is from the introduction, by historian Paulina Kewes, to a book in which Ricks's essay appears.

https://assets.lsatlab.com/uploads/2020/11/pt90-psg3.mp4

Topic

The debate over how to approach the concept of plagiarism—whether as a moral issue or as a historically relative idea shaped by power and context.

Framework

Present Debate

Main Point

Ricks (Passage A) criticizes historical (especially postmodern) approaches to plagiarism that see it merely as a power construct rather than a moral failing, arguing this undermines valuable moral judgments; Kewes (Passage B) counters that while some historical approaches are flawed, proper historical context is valuable and not inherently relativist. **Most Valuable Sentence(s):** - Passage A, last paragraph: - Passage B, last paragraph:

P1: Passage A — Critique of Postmodern Approach

Ricks argues that Rosenthal’s history of plagiarism erases differences between key concepts like plagiarism, imitation, and originality, reducing the idea of plagiarism to a matter of power dynamics, rather than genuine moral concern.

P2: Passage A — Political vs. Moral Dimensions

He complains that Rosenthal's "political" approach ignores honest/dishonest distinctions, instead focusing solely on the context and power structures surrounding a text or author.

17.

By using the phrase "political fervor" (first sentence of the second paragraph of passage A), the author of passage A suggests that Rosenthal exhibits

Correct
a zealous determination to transform
Why this is right
Let's start by acknowledging the reality that this question is nuts hard and it's mainly going to be a coin flip for most of us, once we get down to two. "Zeal" and "fervor" are synonyms, so "zealous" and "fervent" would be as well. Meaning in Context tends to test "atypical definitions of ordinary words" or "typical definitions of un-ordinary words". This is the latter. Many/most people don't have any mental definition of what fervor means, so we needn't be shocked if the correct answer actually supplies a normal synonym (whereas most of the time on Meaning in Context, we're asked about a familiar looking word that isn't being used in its usual sense). So "animated by political fervor" and "exhibiting a zealous determination" feel like pretty good matches. People who are animated by political fervor are usually called activists, and they are known for having a zealous determination to promote the candidates / issues they care about. What about this whole "transforming traditional categories" thing? The first paragraph was establishing that Rosenthal ultimately argues that there's no essential difference between plagiarism, imitation, adaptation, repetition, and originality. Hold the phone --- there's no difference between plagiarism and originality? Are they, like, complete opposites? This really would be a huge transformation of what those categories traditionally mean. Ultimately, we can pick this because 1) animated by fervor = zealous determination 2) her book is blurring the lines between the traditional definitions we have associated with plagiarism / originality
Skill tested: Meaning in Context · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
60% picked this
an intense ambition to exercise
Dictionary Trap: Public Policy
While "intense ambition" is equivalent to "animated by fervor", there's nothing in the passage suggesting that Rosenthal wanted to exercise influence over public policy. They're just trying to trap students into thinking that since it said "politics / political", it must have something to do with public policy. Our primary dictionary definition of political has that sense of the word that relates to government and policy. But that's not how 'political' is being used in context. We're just talking about a book that redefines how we think about the concept of plagiarism.
8% picked this
a powerful desire to foster
Out of Scope: Dictionary Trap
Here, they're combining a synonym for 'fervor' (powerful desire) with an actual repetition of the word 'political'. That should strike us as extremely "trappy". The correct answer to most RC questions will avoid verbatim repetition of the words in the sentence being asked about. Nothing in this passage suggests that Rosenthal is interested in a political revolution (i.e. drastically re-making the government).
6% picked this
a passionate eagerness to provoke
Weaker Match: Heated Debate
This is probably the other answer we should be considering in our down to 2, along with (A). "Passionate eagerness" = "animated by fervor" = "zealous determination" So (A) and (D) are tied when it comes to that. Which goal do we think more animates Rosenthal: - provoking heated debate (D) - transform traditional categories of thought (A) We know that Rosenthal's purpose is to question differences. That does feel like she's stoking a debate. Is she trying to provoke a heated debate? That's more controversial and inflammatory. We don't really have any reason to think her goal is to get a contentious argument going. The overall context of Passage A gives us the impression that Rosenthal's book doesn't just provoke debate; it actually provides answers. Rosenthal is arguing that "there's not really any distinction between harmless imitation and dishonest plagiarism ... it really depends on the cultural location of the text and the position of the author. It depends on whether those in power approve of the work, in which case they'll call it imitation, or whether they don't, in which case they'll give it the more negative label of plagiarism." So (A) wins over (D) because the goal of Rosenthal's book seems to be to announce her conclusions about plagiarism, not to just rev up the debate.
23% picked this
a heartfelt support for a
Dictionary Trap
Again, this is playing off our primary dictionary associations with the word 'political', which involves governments, policy, candidates, and political parties. Nothing in this passage has anything to do with political parties.
3% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill

LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free