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In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of

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SudiptoGmat
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In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 04 May 2020, 01:50
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In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of voice are used to indicate the intended meaning. Writers, of course, cannot use gesture or tone of voice and must rely instead on style; the reader detects the writer’s intention from the arrangement of words and sentences.

Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above?


(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used.

(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences.

(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer.

(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers.

(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing.
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B

Originally posted by SudiptoGmat on 19 Feb 2010, 05:07.
Last edited by Bunuel on 04 May 2020, 01:50, edited 2 times in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   19 Feb 2010, 09:16
IMO B

(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used. Primary function could be expressing ideas clearly...
(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences.
(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer. The argument never says that..
(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers. Out of scope(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing. Out of scope
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   17 May 2012, 23:13
In order to support an argument, the supporting leg must reference the same topics.

In the argument, the relationship between two topics X and Y are ("intention" and "arrangement of words") - and we know the argument links them.

The supporting statement must link them as well.

A) It's true that (A) is strong because of the word "primary" - but what if it were removed?

The topic becomes the "function of style in writing" - then we see that the function connects to "augmenting the literal meanings of words"

Does it connect "intention" and "arrangement of words" as the argument does? It's a stretch..in a way intention is similar to the "augmentation of literal meaning of words" but that connection is not 100% clear.

As a result, (A) is not the choice that "most strongly" supports - (B) more strongly supports since the topics and relationships are more directly similar.
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   08 Mar 2017, 11:08
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In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of voice are used to indicate the intended meaning. Writers, of course, cannot use gesture or tone of voice and must rely instead on style; the reader detects the writer’s intention from the arrangement of words and sentences.

Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above?

(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used.
The author may use agreement of words to cahnge the meaning of the script.
(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences.
Correct answer as per argument.
(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer.
no such comparison made ,out of scope.
(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers.
if the writer writes an ambigous script only then,other wise it can be very clear for all the readers
(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing.
the writer may intend to express a different meaning than what is understood from the script.
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   26 Jan 2018, 09:27
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In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of voice are used to indicate the intended meaning. Writers, of course, cannot use gesture or tone of voice and must rely instead on style; the reader detects the writer’s intention from the arrangement of words and sentences.
Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above?
(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used.
(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences. -> correct
(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer.
(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers.
(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing.
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   12 May 2019, 11:02
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In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of voice are used to indicate the intended meaning. Writers, of course, cannot use gesture or tone of voice and must rely instead on style; the reader detects the writer’s intention from the arrangement of words and sentences.
Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above?
(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used. Nowhere in the passage such an information is given. To say the least it is a far fetched assumption.
(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences. Closest to what the passage says. Best choice.
(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer. We cannot deduce this from the information given in the passage. The passage doesn't compare the reader and listener.
(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers. The passage rather says the opposite, if the writer has to convey something, he/she does so by means of style of writing.
(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing. The information in the passage never indicates anything of this sort.
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   20 May 2019, 17:33
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Fact: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of voice are used to indicate the intended meaning.
Fact: Writers, of course, cannot use gesture or tone of voice and must rely instead on style;
Fact: ...the reader detects the writer’s intention from the arrangement of words and sentences.

Notes
speech: gest. + tone --> meaning
v. writing: use style
for reader, order word + sentence ---> meaning

This stimulus is a pretty straightforward set of facts...common in Must Be True question types. The idea is that gestures and tone lead to meaning in speech but in writing, style (explained as order of words/sentences) dictate meaning for the reader. We are looking for an answer that follows from the set of facts presented.

Which one of the following statements is most strongly supported by the information above?

(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used.
No information in the stimulus mentions that style "augment[s] the literal meaning". The stimulus only mentions "relying on style" to convey meaning.

(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences.
This works. Since the fact set presented the idea that style = arrangement of words & sentences and style helps reader "detect intentions". Let's hold this.

(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer.
The stimulus never tells us whether speech or writing is "easier" in terms of detecting tone/style. Doesn't discuss listeners at all.

(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers.
While this may be true (outside of the GMAT), the fact set does not support the concept of "different interpretations by different readers." The set only discusses the difference between speech and writing when it comes to detecting tone. Also, "always" is far too extreme.

(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing.
This is a very extreme answer choice. We know that "arrangement of words" helps reader "detect tone" but it does not "completely determine" anything - let alone "aesthetic value" (which is not mentioned at all)!
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   10 Jul 2020, 06:54
(A) The primary function of style in writing is to augment the literal meanings of the words and sentences used.

We don't know if this is the primary function of style, not mentioned in the argument.

(B) The intended meaning of a piece of writing is indicated in part by the writer’s arrangement of words and sentences.

YES, this can be proven from the information of the stimulus. (In part because we don't know what the author's real/intended meaning can truly be)

(C) It is easier for a listener to detect the tone of a speaker than for a reader to detect the style of the writer.
It depends on the listener (could be true)

(D) A writer’s intention will always be interpreted differently by different readers.
Yes, but is a general truth, not mentioned in the stimulus.

(E) The writer’s arrangement of words and sentences completely determines the aesthetic value of his or her writing.
Out of scope
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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink] New post   17 Oct 2022, 03:59
Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

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Re: In speech, when words or sentences are ambiguous, gesture and tone of [#permalink]
17 Oct 2022, 03:59
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