RC Question 14 Explanation
DISCUSSION: The author mentions suspension of disbelief in order to contrast photography against other art forms.
We can believe that a painting or actors on stage are real. But we can never believe that a staged photograph of an artistic or historical scene is real.
___________
- Ridiculous. There aren’t even any conclusion words in that part of the passage. It’s clear from a read of the entire passage that the author’s purpose is to describe and praise Cameron. Their conclusion is essentially on lines 43-46.
- CORRECT. This is a vague answer. I’m not 100% certain how to justify it with a line reference, which is rare.
But the gist of it is correct. The contrast is the difference between narrative paintings vs. photography. We can never believe that Cameron’s photographs are real.
But that’s what makes them charming (see lines 43-46). Our failure to suspend our disbelief with Cameron’s photos is what allows us to both enjoy their humor yet be amazed by their artistic beauty. - The author likes Cameron’s narrative photography. There is no “negative appraisal” – an appraisal is an overall opinion, and the author’s overall opinion is positive. See lines 43-46.
- The author doesn’t claim any criticism is “conceptually confused”. I have no idea what this answer could refer to.
Criticisms of Cameron are not central to the argument; they’re only mentioned in passing, as in lines 53-55. - The contrast is narrative photography vs. paintings/drama. Paintings and drama are similar in that both allow us to suspend disbelief.
All of the answers being so watered down and vague is what made this question difficult for me.
The answers aren’t actually vague. They’re abstract. Huge difference. A key skill on the LSAT is taking abstract terms and applying them to concrete elements from the passage. Here’s an example on the difference between vauge and abstract:
Concrete situation: a drill sergeant says “Alright listen up you lazym good for nothing soldiers I’m gonna whip ya into shape.”
Abstract Description: “The drill sergeant chewed the soldiers out quite harshley.”
Vauge Description: “The officer said some words to the other soldiers.”
In neither case do we know what words the sergeant used. But, the problem with the vague case is we don’t even know what’s going on. Whereas an abstract description should stilll be clear about what is being described.
When you come across abstract answer choices, try to identify the vague terms with concrete elements from the passage. In the case of Answer Choice B, it says: “It introduces… contrast…uses in characterizing…our response to Cameron’s…pictures.”
Looking at paragraph 2, the “suspension of disbelief” when looking at narrative paintings but inability to do so when looking at a narrative photograph constitutes a “contrast” that is mentioned in Answer Choice B. The author uses this contrast to explain the peculiar way of how we are aware of “the photograph’s doubleness” (line 37) – this is why when we look at Cameron’s photos, we see both the people as they are, and the characters they’re supposed to portray.
Thanks for this explanation. I am curious, what would be “conclusion words?”
Conclusion words are words that signal that the sentence they belong to is the conclusion of the argument. Examples of conclusion words and phrases include the following: therefore, thus, so, in conclusion, finally, in sum.