LSAT 104 | Section 4 | Logical Reasoning: Q23

LR Question 23 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Much of today’s literature is inferior: most of our authors are…

QUESTION TYPE: Most Strongly Supported

FACTS:

1. Much modern literature is bad. The authors are inexperienced, both intellectually and emotionally.
2. Modern works aren’t intricate and they don’t focus on the significant. Good literature does this.
3. Hypatia has written a promising novel. It has maturity, complexity and grace, more so than her earlier books.

ANALYSIS: The author switches focus. He starts by complaining about modern literature, but ends by comparing Hypatia’s new novel to her old novels.

We don’t know that Hypatia’s novel is good. We only know that it is “promising”.

___________

1. We don’t know if Hypatia focussed on the significant. Her novel isn’t necessarily good, we only know it’s promising.
2. The stimulus tells us there are many reasons a novel can be bad. Maybe a novel can have grace, but lack the other things that make for a good novel.
3. We only know Hypatia’s novel is “promising”.
4. Two problems. First, we don’t know if Hypatia’s novel is good: it’s only “promising”. Second, we only know “much” modern literature is bad. “Much” doesn’t have to mean a majority.
5. CORRECT. This is likely true, otherwise the novel wouldn’t be “promising”. Specifically, a good novel should intricate, and Hypatia’s novel is more complex than her last book. Complex and intricate are synonyms.

Recap: The question begins with “Much of today’s literature is inferior: most of our authors are”. It is a Most Strongly Supported question. Learn how to master LSAT MSS questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.