Magazine editor: I know that some

Answer choices

1. A

   Unsuccessful10% picked this

   It succeeds because it shows that the editor’s argument depends on an unwarranted assumption about factors

   We don't really need to read this, given the overall assessment of "it succeeds". The director's response would be eligible to show up on a Flaw problem, since we can critique it on the basis of its inability to actually substantively address the concern of the position it's responding to.

   10%
2. B

   Unsuccessful5% picked this

   It succeeds because it exposes as mistaken the editor’s estimation of the sophistication of

   We don't really need to read this, given the overall assessment of "it succeeds". The director's response is badly flawed, since it fails to address the concern of the position it's responding to.

   5%
3. C

   Unsuccessful22% picked this

   It succeeds because it undermines the editor’s claim about how the magazine’s editorial integrity would be affected by

   We don't really need to read this, given the overall assessment of "it succeeds". The director's response is badly flawed, since it fails to address the concern of the position it's responding to.

   22%
4. D

   Correct29% picked this

   It fails because the editor’s argument does not depend on any assumption about readers’ response to the advertisements

   Why this is right

   This speaks to the fact that the director is addressing a conversation the editor wasn't even having. The director is saying, "You're assuming that our readers, once they lose faith in the editorial integrity of the magazine, will therefore judge the advertisements in the magazine more negatively, thus going against the interests of the advertisers." The editor would say, "I'm not assuming any such thing. I'm assuming that our readers, once they lose faith in the editorial integrity of the magazine, will stop being readers of the magazine. As I said, we would soon lose that readership." The editor is worried about readers' response to editorial product endorsements that show up in the articles, not the readers' response to ads.

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

   29%
5. E

   Inapplicable Complaint34% picked this

   It fails because it is based on a misunderstanding of the editor’s view about how readers respond to advertisements

   Yes, the response did fail, but not because the director misunderstood the editor's view about how readers respond to ads they see. The editor didn't have a view about how readers respond to ads they see. The editor only had a view about how readers would respond if they were to start seeing product get promoted within articles of the magazine.

   34%