RC Question 8 Explanation, by LSATHacks
DISCUSSION: Bearden’s techniques are discussed in paragraph 2. Lines 12-14 seem important: Bearden showed that ordinary subjects could be transformed thanks to effective technique.
___________
- Bearden did call attention to human suffering, but we’re not told whether this was thanks to his techniques. He might have focussed on suffering even if his techniques were entirely conventional.
- The passage does not mention any links between Bearden and other painters. Not once. This is a nonsense answer, with no support from the passage. If you picked it, it shows that you must practice finding a line in the passage to support your answer.
- CORRECT. Lines 12-14 say this directly. You should never look at the answers unless you first reread the relevant part of the passage. Then you’ll usually know what you’re looking for.
- Photography is only mentioned once, on line 48. We’re told that Bearden’s painting opposed the conventions of photography. This answer choice is designed to make you hallucinate; it’s nonsense. (I’m being serious: many LSAT wrong answers mingle words in an attempt to create false associations and misleading images)
- Line 50 tells us Bearden did exactly the opposite: he emphasized poetry.
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“B: The passage does not mention any links between Bearden and other painters. Not once. This is a nonsense answer, with no support from the passage. If you picked it, it shows that you must practice finding a line in the passage to support your answer. ”
Actually, there *is* a red herring in the text: “Bearden knew that regardless of individual painters’ personal histories, tastes, or points of view, they must pay their craft the respect of approaching it through an acute awareness of the resources and limitations of the form to which they have dedicated their creative energies.”
I was reading quickly, saw the words “painters” and “problems of form”, checked that sentence, and chose B. In retrospect I realize it’s wrong because 1) the passage never actually says he wants to instruct other painters; 2) it’s not about a method of solving the problems of form, but about incorporating limitations of form into the craft.
But B it is not a nonsense answer.