Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive

Question

Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

Which one of the following statements, if true, casts doubt on the argument?

(A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase.

(B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books.

(C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money.

(D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries.

(E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations.

Bunuel · Accepted Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

(A) No. If anything, this statement tends to support the conclusion that literacy rates increased after the invention of the printing press.

(B) No. This is irrelevant.

(C) Yes.  This shows that the jump in sales was not due to an increase in literacy. Rather, the same people who bought the manuscript copies simply bought more of the printed books.

(D) No. This is irrelevant.

(E) No. Although this may be true, the argument claims there was a drastic jump in the literacy rate after the printing press was invented.

prachi18oct · Answer

This is a weaken question.
We have to weaken the conclusion that there was an increase in the number of people who could read in intial years of printing.

(A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase.
 This strengthens the conclusion by saying that letter writing without assistance of scribes/clerks increased.

(B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books.
 Irrelevant. Does not affect the conclusion in any way.

(C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money.
 It provides another reason to the dramatic increase in the demand. If the people who could read started buying more books then it explains the increased demand is not due to the increase in the number of people who could read. Hence WEAKENS the conclusion.
  
(D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries.
 If books were circulated in reading clubs or libraries, it might strengthen the argument that the no of readers has increased.

(E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations.
 Irrelevant.
 
Hence C.

Prashant10692 · Answer

+C.
Conclusion is that the increase in the no. of books purchased is because of the increase in the number of people who learned to read.

Anything that weaken this causal relationship that is some other factor is responsible for the increase will be the valid contender for the answer.

C states that increase is due to the purchasing power of the people.
Hence undermines the conclusion.

Damion123 · Answer

Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

Analysis:

Concln:  Increase in Demand for Printed Book demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

We have to weaken the Arguments,hence we have to find an option indicate Demand increase --> Increase in number of people learning how to read. Such as 1) same people who were reading expensive manuscript copies bought books or 2) People were just stoking those books so to resale them at higher price to those who were reading expensive manuscript copies :

So now with that though lets go for Ans Choice:

(A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase.  Irrelevant

(B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books.  Irrelevant   So What????

(C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money.  Ok Hold THIS

(D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries.  Strengthener So Opposite of what we are asked to find.

(E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations.  OFC. Not know what these illiterate people did whether they learned to read or remained illiterate.

So Clearly Ans is Option C

Salsanousi · Answer

The conclusion is that more people are able to read because of the invention of printing press.

How does the author arrive to the conclusion? By noticing there is an increase in demand of such books.

We need to weaken the conclusion.

Are there other ways to explain the increase in demand?

Answer choice C addresses a gap.

It basically says a person could buy 2 books for 10 dollars but now is able to buy 20 books for 10 dollars.

Posted from my mobile device

Skywalker18 · Answer

Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

Type- weaken
Boil it down- there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

(A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase. - Incorrect - If at all this option is a mild strengthener if we assume that reading and writing skills are aspects of literacy and thus move in tandem.

(B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books. - Irrelevant

(C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money. - Correct ; the increase in books sold didn't come from an increase in readers but from an increase in the number of books read by the same readers as before.

(D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries. - Incorrect ; strengthener People are sharing the books 
, so the number of people who can read are more

(E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations. - Incorrect - ONLY people who know how to read are likely to buy these printed books

Answer C

AnushkaPatel961 · Answer

Step 1: Read the question stem - Weaken the argument
Step 2: Identify premises and conclusions and establish a relationship among them.
P1: Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies
P2: the printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions.
P3: the public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies.
C: Inc in demand because people learned to read.

Assumption: Earlier people did not know how to read, and during the first year of publishing they learned to read so that lead to an increase in demand.
What to look for: Option that states other factors were responsible for the increase in demand.

A: It wrongly tries to correlates that writing and reading. It has no bearing on the argument. If the correlation is true it will strengthen the argument.
B: Irrelevant and does not affect.
C: Correct - explains price was the reason for increase in demand
D: No effect on the argument.
E: Explains why people would have learned to read.

I know this is irrelevant to this question. But I have a question:
Is people a collective noun? If yes then it should be used with a singular verb. In which case is people used with a plural verb.

soondoobu · Answer

Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

Which one of the following statements, if true, casts doubt on the argument?
 This is a cause and effect type of weaken question. The argument makes an assumption that the increased demand in manuscript copies caused the number of people who learned how to read to increase. Seems like a pretty bold claim. We need to weaken this argument.

(A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase.  this strengthens the argument

(B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books.  this is irrelevant to the argument. how does written comments in margins in handwriting of people weakent the argument?

(C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money.  bingo. this shows an alternate reason for the effects of increased demnad in manuscript copies by showing that these people can afford a greater number of printed books for the same money.

(D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries. this strengthens the argument.

(E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations. illustrations does not mean illterate. illustrations could also mean images, which does not show that literacy rates increased.

jessicawilliams · Answer

Yes, it would be but if anyone wants it in low cost so read printing blog when your printing is got completed in low cost so for users your book is available in low cost.

unraveled · Answer

Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive manuscript copies. The printing press produced books that were significantly less expensive than the manuscript editions. The public's demand for printed books in the first years after the invention of the printing press was many times greater than demand had been for manuscript copies. This increase demonstrates that there was a dramatic jump in the number of people who learned how to read in the years after publishers first started producing books on the printing press.

Which one of the following statements, if true, casts doubt on the argument?

(A) During the first years after the invention of the printing press, letter writing by people who wrote without the assistance of scribes or clerks exhibited a dramatic increase. - Irrelevant.

(B) Books produced on the printing press are often found with written comments in the margins in the handwriting of the people who owned the books. - WRONG. So what!!! Irrelevant.

(C) In the first years after the printing press was invented, printed books were purchased primarily by people who had always bought and read expensive manuscripts but could afford a greater number of printed books for the same money. - CORRECT. Same number of people read more books. Weakens
 
(D) Books that were printed on the printing press in the first years after its invention often circulated among friends in informal reading clubs or libraries. - WRONG. Somewhat weakens.

(E) The first printed books published after the invention of the printing press would have been useless to illiterate people, since the books had virtually no illustrations. - WRONG. Irrelevant.

This is just like saying that more people have started travelling as they are travelling by air when airplanes were invented. This is just to draw an analogy and not really true. Let's say people(100) used to travel by railroads/trains and now that airplanes are there to take people from one place to another, the conclusion says that now more people now are travelling. A possible weakener would be that airlines started discounting tickets as against railroads and thus people(100 again) could afford more travelling. This could have been a weakener had conclusion been that people are earning more.

Answer C.

steventd96 · Answer

I don't understand why E is wrong?

Given that statement E is true, illiterate people will not buy the first printed books. Therefore, the increased in demand for books could not have been caused by increased in literacy rates.

Can someone explain what's wrong with my reasoning?

VerbalBot · Answer

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Before the printing press, books could be purchased only in expensive

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