Q3 - Professor: The best users of a language

[nlynes]

I am confused on #3 and do not understand why C is the correct answer. Can someone please breakdown the stimulus and answer choices.

Thank you

[demetri.blaisdell]

Thanks for your question, nlynes. Be careful on spending too much time on the stimulus. This is an inference question, so we aren't looking for an argument core or a gap in the argument. But putting the stimulus in your own words is never a bad idea.

Stimulus: The best language users are the good writers. But, they use language differently from the rest of us.

The key part of the stimulus is where is says that great authors are less respectful of proper usage than "most of us are." You get that in (C) where it says that the most talented language users (the good writers) are less likely to observe proper language usage.

The wrong answers:

(A) is out of scope. The stimulus tells us nothing about how to become a great writer.

(B) is also out of scope. It's almost a reversal. We have no idea if the great writers became great because they already had a weird style or if writing a certain way caused them to write in a weirder and weirder style.

(D) isn't in the stimulus either. Criticism?

(E) seems backwards. Actually, the best users of the language are the ones who are being called idiosyncratic. So clearly, they aren't setting the standards.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Demetri

[mesch04]

I understand why all the other answer choices are wrong, but I'm still struggling with understanding why C) is correct. I feel like the test writers made an assumption in equating those most talented at using a language with being great writers. How do we know the most talented are the best users (ie, its great authors)? Isn't that bringing in outside information from the stimulus, since the stimulus doesn't mention "the most talented"?

[roflcoptersoisoi]

A) Not supported. We don't know how people who want to become actors should conduct themselves.
B) "Writers" extends the scope of the argument, we're talking about great ones, not all.
C) Bingo.
D) This may be true but it's not supported by the stimulus.
E) Maybe, but it's not supported by the stimulus.