Good question, will give it a try.
Conclusion: Novel was completed in 1221, even though it may or may not have been
solely written by X.
Premise: Novel was completed by/in 1221 as X wrote about completing the work in 1221 in her diary and also mentions a character that appears only in the last chapter
Conclusion Negated: Novel may or may not have been written in 1221
Gap: 1 - maybe she completed the novel before but wrote about it in her diary later
2 - maybe even though she completed the novel at her end, there were additional portions that were added later by other authors (we know conclusion is allowing for there to be other authors)
"Strengthener" is a statement that if true, "addresses existing gaps in the argument"
Any argument that strengthens the fact that X was the sole author of the novel is not a strong strengthener, because, the conclusion is
asserting the year of completion, while leaving authorship
"open ended". Answer Choice AnalysisA. In several diary entries in the year 1220, Author X mentioned that she was lonely working on the obscure novel but that it was almost complete.
- Gap 2 not addressedB. For record-keeping purposes, Author X had a court scribe copy her diary, so a second copy of her diary verifies the authenticity of her entry about the obscure novel in 1221. -
Gap 2 not addressed; additionally, we don't know if the court scribe itself did a perfect jobC. No writers other than Author X wrote interior portions now accepted as part of the obscure novel after Author X had finished her portion in 1221.
- addresses Gap 2D. Early in 1222, a political coup took place that would have made life so turbulent for Author X that it would have been virtually impossible for her to continue to edit and add to the obscure novel.
1 and 2 both unaddressed E. The last chapter of the book was the last one Author X wrote.
Gap 2 not addressed[/quote]
godot53 wrote:
An obscure novel from the thirteenth century has been attributed to Author X, although whether she was the sole author of the long work is often disputed. The year of completion has also been disputed but should be accepted as 1221, because in this year Author X wrote a diary entry about her joy at having completed the work. In this diary entry she also mentions a specific character who appears only in the last chapter of the book. While doubts may remain about certain aspects of the book's authorship, there is no doubt about its chronology.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument above?
A. In several diary entries in the year 1220, Author X mentioned that she was lonely working on the obscure novel but that it was almost complete.
B. For record-keeping purposes, Author X had a court scribe copy her diary, so a second copy of her diary verifies the authenticity of her entry about the obscure novel in 1221.
C. No writers other than Author X wrote interior portions now accepted as part of the obscure novel after Author X had finished her portion in 1221.
D. Early in 1222, a political coup took place that would have made life so turbulent for Author X that it would have been virtually impossible for her to continue to edit and add to the obscure novel.
E. The last chapter of the book was the last one Author X wrote.