LSAT 123 | Section 4 | Reading Comprehension: Q5

RC Question 5 Explanation

DISCUSSION: The author talks about the cause on lines 15-17. They say it may be because US culture doesn’t respect generalists. Lines 17-20 shows this discourages authors from trying to write in multiple areas.

A few of the wrong answers try to compare poetry and fiction, saying one is better than the other. The author never did this. An author can compare two things without making them rivals.

___________

1. Lines 5-7 do say that poets and fiction writers support the distinction, but that doesn’t mean they think a genre is superior.
    
   e.g. saying “New York and Los Angeles are separate cities” doesn’t mean that I think one is better than the other.
2. Differences in training are more likely a result of the split between poetry and fiction. People wrote poetry and fiction before America taught those subjects in universities.
    
   In any case, this explanation isn’t supported by the passage. The only explanation given is in lines 15-21.
3. The passage doesn’t mention publishers! This answer is just trying to distract you by referring to a concept your brain associates with writing. Pure distraction.
4. CORRECT. Lines 15-21 say exactly this.
5. The author doesn’t say that poetry or fiction is more respected/widely read.