Q3

[acc0520]

Hi,

Can you explain why the answer is E for the question 3?

Thanks!

[maryadkins]

We're told that the computer-generated visual displays are doing what? Recreating crime scenes. Whether it's just a series of images (line 4) to something that sounds like a pretty realistic movie (line 5), the computer uses physics and math to recreate the whole scene.

The key word here is "recreate." The computer is using available data (lines 49-50) about the crime to depict what happened for the jury. (E) offers a parallel situation: geographical data being used to design a museum exhibit to depict--or recreate--what a volcanic eruption might have looked like.

If there was another answer choice that was tempting you, maybe you can share why--especially if you still think it's a better choice than (E)!

[olaizola.mariana]

My reservation with (E) stemmed from lines 42-45: "As an amalgamation of data collection, judgment, and speculation, the displays may in some instances constitute evidence unsuitable for use in a trial." Judgment and speculation could hardly equate with "detailed geological evidence." Could you explain why I should have disregarded the information in these lines? Thanks so much!

[maryadkins]

Fair, and good eye to notice that. But this doesn't make it not the best answer. Key on Reading Comp. is to rule out answer choices by process of elimination. In this case, there is no other answer choice that involves a re-creation made using gathered information. Only (E) does that. In other words, the flaws in the others are more significant than (E)'s missing this caveat you note.

[JenniferK632]

Hi Mary, was (c) incorrect because it "predicts" as opposed to reimagining what already happened? Basically, the crime would have already happened so it shouldn't be predicted?

We're told that the computer-generated visual displays are doing what? Recreating crime scenes. Whether it's just a series of images (line 4) to something that sounds like a pretty realistic movie (line 5), the computer uses physics and math to recreate the whole scene.

The key word here is "recreate." The computer is using available data (lines 49-50) about the crime to depict what happened for the jury. (E) offers a parallel situation: geographical data being used to design a museum exhibit to depict--or recreate--what a volcanic eruption might have looked like.

If there was another answer choice that was tempting you, maybe you can share why--especially if you still think it's a better choice than (E)!

[dmitry]

That's right. The computer display is using data and simulation to attempt to re-create what already happened and show jurors what it might have looked like. This is fairly different from predicting whether a future event will happen, or even from trying to model a future event in detail.

Meanwhile, (B) is off because in that case we have an official document of unquestioned accuracy, something with no parallel in the text.
(A) and (D) try to tempt us by introducing the type of bias that the later parts of the passage warn us about. While the re-creations are clearly being used to make a point, neither of these answers looks like an attempt to put observers into the event and show them what actually happened.

Hi Mary, was (c) incorrect because it "predicts" as opposed to reimagining what already happened? Basically, the crime would have already happened so it shouldn't be predicted?