LSAT 101 | Section 4 | Reading Comprehension: Q4

RC Question 4 Explanation

DISCUSSION: Three of the answers talk about the conventions of the crime-novel genre. And two of those three suggest that the genre has no conventions.

We’re never told exactly what they are. But we can presume that the genre does have conventions.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to accuse James of having abandoned the genre’s conventions (lines 16-19)

___________

1. This is probably false. Lines 20-25 and lines 34-38 suggest that there certrain crime-novel conventions that every crime author uses.
    
   Lines 43-45 show that James feels constrained by the genre. If she feels constrained, then the genre can’t be all that flexible.
2. Lines 1-5 contradict this. Some people accuse James of getting above her genre by trying to write good literature.
3. We know that most highbrow critics look down on detective fiction. But we have no evidence that they ignore it.
4. We’re never told what the elements of a detective novel are. But since critics agree James is ignoring them, they might agree that there are certain basic elements that James ignores.
    
   (see lines 16-19)
5. CORRECT. This answer is well supported by the fact that James’ critics accuse her of ignoring the conventions of the genre. See lines 16-19.
    
   This is also supported by lines 20-25 and 34-38. There should be handcuffs, the reader should be fooled, and we should see how the detective thinks.