LSAT 145 | Section 3 | Reading Comprehension: Q10

RC Question 10 Explanation

DISCUSSION: In line 13, the author says that critics were embarrassed. The author says the critics praised the painting as one of Vermeer’s best.

So when they found out they were wrong, it showed they couldn’t tell a Vermeer from a forgery. That’s naturally embarrassing for an expert.

To match this situation, we have to show people who like something for two reasons:

• The critics like the person who made it.
• The thing also has intrinsic beauty/goodness.

The critics will then be embarrassed to find out the thing was made by someone else. Even though it still has beauty/goodness.

___________

1. This doesn’t match. The critics liked the forgery until they learned it was fake.
2. This is a different situation. The historians in this answer weren’t mistaken about who did the painting. They were mistaken about when.
    
   Also, the art critics didn’t think that The Disciples at Emmaus showed an original style by Vermeer. Vermeer had developed his style before he supposedly painted The Disciples. The critics liked The Disciples because they thought it was a beautiful painting by an artist who had previously developed an innovative style.
3. CORRECT. This matches. The diners are praising the food for two reasons:
    
   1. A famous chef made it, and
    
   2. The food tastes good.
    
   After they learn someone else made it, they withdraw their praise. Note that this doesn’t match exactly. Once the forgery was found out, the critics didn’t start saying “the painting is not beautiful”. They just became embarrassed. Here, the diners appear to have changed their view of the quality of the food.
    
   This is still the best answer. It matches the central point of changing your view about something once you learn someone else made it.
4. This doesn’t match. There’s been no change in the author of the work.
5. This doesn’t match. There’s no change in the actor.