Q27

[todavidzheng]

Hello,

Could someone please enlighten me as where in the passage answer D is inferred?

the only place i can find remotely related to it is in L47-48.

Thank you.

[hwsitgoing]

I had trouble with this one too. I tried to justify that D had been inferred in paragraph one where it talks about how the internet has made it easier for people to share information, even copy righted works and also using lines 47-49, but if someone else has any other advice, it would be much appreciated!

[dylancox_12]

Lines 47-48 is indeed where D is inferred. We have been told that laws against digitalization are almost unenforceable because (in part) it's really easy to engage in this practise (i.e. people DO engage in digitalization). Therefore, it stands to reason that if digitalization was made even EASIER to do (through easier digitalization technology), that the number of instances of the behaviour of unauthorized digitalization would increase.

It is much easier to infer this IMO then it is to infer that "when copyright law is revised to cover digitalization, the revised law will include a prohibition on making copies from an unauthorized digitalization of a copyrighted work". Indeed the passage specifically states that this may or may not be the case, as it a question which necessarily needs to be addressed by legislation.

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

I'd agree with dylancox_12's explanation and then add on thing. Not only is digitization something that occurs because it is easy, but also because the internet community has a specific mindset; that material available on the web is treated as raw material for everyone to use.

So that mindset would suggest that as digitization became easier, we would see more instances of unauthorized digitization.

Hope that helps, and great discussion!

[tzyc]

I have a question about A and B...
So, A is from 38-44, B is from what "some experts" say right?
I thought at first maybe it's from what the publish community thinks about it, but then thought it would mean take only publish community's argument (ignore the Internet community) so not fair...?

And C is simply unsupported (making copies) correct?

Thank you

[ManhattanPrepLSAT1]

Good discussion so far! I'd like to join you guys on this one:

Answer choice (C) is not inferable, since the passage does not go so far as to indicate what is likely to happen. Some experts have proposed revising copyright law, but no implication is made that it will happen or what those revisions will include.

Incorrect Answers
(A) is inferable from lines 53-59.
(B) is inferable from lines 32-36.
(D) is inferable from lines 1-4, 9-13.
(E) is inferable from lines 48-53.

[mornincounselor]

If something is already "a relatively simple process" that 20 million plus people are able to do I do not see how this implies that if it became even easier then more people would do it.

I guess I assumed that it is currently (or was at the time this passage was written) so easy of a thing to do that everyone who wanted to do it could already. Then, only be increasing access to the technology would it lead to more people doing it.

I suppose that is an incorrect assumption, however.

But further, I see the passage questions whether copies of copies should count as infrigement (39-44) but I don't see anywhere the passage weighs in on this question enough to allow one to find an inference one way or the other.

[christine.defenbaugh]

Two good questions that you raise, mornincounselor!

First, you absolutely have to watch assumptions like the one that you made! In lines 44-48, we are told a few things: 1) that 20 million people have access to the Internet and 2) that copying/distributing material is a "relatively simple process". We are also told that it is because of those two things that these laws might be "virtually unenforceable".

We cannot assume that everyone in those 20 million people who wanted to is currently able to digitize. It's entirely possible, even probable, that some of those people find even the "relatively simple process" too complicated (ever help your parents/grandparents with their computers?). And since it is implied that the simplicity of the process is one reason so many people do it, it stands to reason that if the process were even simpler that perhaps some of the people out there currently who can't figure it out would then start digitizing.

Notice the softness of the language in (D), also - "would likely". It's not a guarantee, just a prediction of a likely outcome.

Now, turning to (C) - you're right that the question of whether or not copies of copies should be prohibited is raised. And I think you've hit the nail on the head with the problem here - that question is not answered in the passage! Furthermore, no prediction is made on what a future law will actually include. (C) has extremely strong language - it's a conditional! This is a guarantee that when the law is revised it will absolutely contain a provision prohibiting copies of copies - and the passage never predicts that.

So, continue watch your own assumptions carefully, and pay attention to the strength of language in the answer choices!

Please let me know if this helps clear things up a bit!