Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain

Question

Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain many very similar themes and situations, which might lead one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of the authors. However, it is more likely that the similarity of themes and situations in the two novels is merely coincidental, since both authors are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the argument?

(A) Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels, and the two novels contain many very similar themes and situations.

(B) The fact that Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain many very similar themes and situations might lead one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of the authors.

(C) The author of Novel X and the author of Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led very similar lives.

(D) It is less likely that one of the authors of Novel X or Novel Y is guilty of plagiarism than that the similarity of themes and situations in the two novels is merely coincidental.

(E) If the authors of Novel X and Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives, suspicions that either of the authors plagiarized are very likely to be unwarranted.

ChrisLele · Accepted Answer

Reading through the thread, I don't think anyone really gave a reason why (E) didn't work, so I'll give my two cents

. (D) is clearly the answer - as many have pointed out - because it succinctly sums up the conclusion: the similarities in the novel are more likely based on coincidence than on plagiarism. (E) If the authors of Novel X and Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives, suspicions that either of the authors plagiarized are very likely to be unwarranted. 'If' suggests that the author may not have lived similar lines. That the authors lived similar lives is no 'if' statement. The argument clearly says that they lived similar lives. What conclusion does the argument draw from this fact? That the similarities are likely to be coincidental. Hence (D).

brandy96 · Answer

A, B and C are almost out of scope, as they are restating what is already called in the statement. D is very close, whereas D goes for the groundless logic which is not true.

M23A · Answer

The question ask for the main conclusion or main point of the stimulus. A, B, and C only restate the premises. So it's between D and E. E goes too far "suspicions that either of the authors plagiarized are very likely to be unwarranted"
In contrast, D is a paraphrase of the conclusion. Thus, I pick D.

(D) It is less likely that one of the authors of Novel X or Novel Y is guilty of plagiarism than that the similarity of themes and
situations in the two novels is merely coincidental.

(E) If the authors of Novel X and Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives, suspicions that either of the authors plagiarized are very likely to be unwarranted.

https://gmatclub.com/static/posted_from.png     Posted from    GMAT ToolKit

Senthil1981 · Answer

Answer is D : (D) It is less likely that one of the authors of Novel X or Novel Y is guilty of plagiarism than that the similarity of themes and
situations in the two novels is merely coincidental.

A B and C are directly stated and not captures all parts of the conclusion.

hdwnkr · Answer

A, B, C are reinstatement of the premise. D and E present a generic conclusion. however, I discarded E for the use of the word unwarranted. Hence, D

statsman1979 · Answer

D is a ridiculous answer. It is not even clear what the answer means. "It is less likely that one of the authors of Novel X and Novel Y is guilty of plagiarism THAN that the similarity of themes and situations in the two novels is merely coincidental." The sentence makes absolutely no sense, which is a game LSAT plays all the time to throw test-takers off. "Less likely Novel X and Novel Y committed plagiarism < Similarity of themes and situations in the two novels is MERELY coincidental." What does this even mean? If they had said, which they don't, that BECAUSE the themes and situations could be coicidental, it is likely that Novel X and Novel why are plagiarized." But no, they have to use this confusing and frankly nonsensical sentence that when deconstructed means essentially NOTHING. WHY OH WHY DO THEY SAY THAT IT IS LESS LIKELY THAT ONE OF THE AUTHORS IS GUILTY OF PLAGIARISM than THAT SIMMILARITIY OF THEMES ARE MERELY COINCIDENTAL???? So we are supposed to balance these two statements? One is less likely than the other? WTF? It is a completely stupid sentence and they know it. That's why it is thrown in there. Anybody with a lick of sense and comprehension is completely thrown by the sentence. Anyone saying otherwise is a damn fool.

Shikhar22 · Answer

Hi  AndrewN  hope you’re well!

I have two precise queries around conclusion/inference based cr questions:

1. How to know wether the question wants us to point out a conclusion already present in the stimulus or we have to recognise one from the answer choices that is engendered out if the information given? Is there a specific question type for each?

2. How different is main point from the conclusion? Would you say that the main point and conclusion for the question above is the same?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate your help, always!

Posted from my mobile device

Shikhar22 · Answer

Your comment and the frustration in it made me laugh haha. LSAT questions can do that us Posted from my mobile device

AndrewN · Answer

Hello, Shikhar22 . Good questions. I will attach an image below to assist with my answers. Screen Shot 2021-06-09 at 19.17.48.png Notice that the question stem asks explicitly about the conclusion drawn in the argument . We know we are dealing with a standard LSAT identify-the-argument question, then, rather than an inference question, in which we might be given background information and premises but no discernible conclusion. I say "LSAT" question because apart from boldface questions or the occasional complete the passage , there really is no analogue on the GMAT™ for this type of question. You may have to evaluate an argument, but you are not asked to do so here. This is more like labeling something. Even the more old-fashioned "method of reasoning" or "logical flaw" question types do not follow this format. That said, the main point and conclusion are often one and the same. How do we identify the conclusion? A basic litmus test is to place "thus" or "therefore" ahead of the line in question. If the word fits as a result of the line or lines surrounding it, the information they convey, then you have likely found a conclusion. By contrast, a premise will often follow a "because" framework: Because X , Y . How about we break down this passage to see how these tests can be brought to bear? Sentence one provides background information only. You might think the first part serves as a premise for the latter, the part that follows the comma, but a careful look at the frame of the so-called conclusion would reveal otherwise. Consider: Because ] Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels... therefore ] which might lead one to suspect plagiarism... There is a judgment or commentary in which might that is different from saying because of this, such-and-such is the outcome . That is, instead of a premise-conclusion relationship, we are being told about a possible conclusion one can reach, not unlike the difference between the famous line, "I think, therefore I am" and my telling you that René Descartes posited that he thought, therefore he was. The quotation fits the premise-conclusion relationship, while the latter is a statement. All of this is to say that the opening line of the passage is a statement of fact, neither a premise nor a conclusion. Sentence two begins with the conclusion and finishes with its supporting premise. Just who , exactly, thinks that something is more likely ? That is an opinion or argument, not a fact. Notice that we can transpose the two parts of the sentence to perfectly fit the premise-conclusion mold: Because ] both authors are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives, therefore ] it is more likely that the similarity... in the two novels is coincidental. The since of the original sentence is used not in the temporal sense, but synonymously with because . With that out of the way, we can examine the answers one by one. (A) fails because it restates the background information. (B) fails because it also more or less restates the background information. (C) fails because it mislabels the premise of the final line as the conclusion. (D) restates the view that logically follows the premise and background information, so it is difficult to argue against. (E) fails because the if conditional is not a part of the passage at all. The passage provides statements of fact instead, except as I have noted above. To illustrate the difference, take the following simple notions: 1) Since it is raining, I will go to the movies. 2) If it is raining, I will go to the movies. The first presents a causal relationship; the second introduces a separate consideration—it may not be raining (and I may not go to the movies). In the passage, we see the first type of sentence instead of the second. It really is that simple. I hope all of the above proves helpful. Thank you for thinking to ask. - Andrew

Shikhar22 · Answer

Your explanation that the first sentence was neither a premise nor a conclusion, but a statement of fact, really helps. It clears up my doubt. Thank you again. 👏🏻😊

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

(A) Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels, and the two novels contain many very similar themes and situations.
Thse are simply resatating statements not entirely nailing the conclusion
(B) The fact that Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain many very similar themes and situations might lead one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of the authors.
Yes however this simply states one aspect of the conclusion it's not giving us the entire picture

(C) The author of Novel X and the author of Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led very similar lives.
these are merely stating the premise the plot isn't complete

(D) It is less likely that one of the authors of Novel X or Novel Y is guilty of plagiarism than that the similarity of themes and situations in the two novels is merely coincidental.
Yes exactly this is what we were looking for and these doesn't use strong language therefore we can hold on to this option

(E) If the authors of Novel X and Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives, suspicions that either of the authors plagiarized are very likely to be unwarranted.
These uses strong language and also that it vindicates a case aas completely unfounded hence i am rejecting

Hence IMO D

unraveled · Answer

Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain many very similar themes and situations, which might lead one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of the authors. However, it is more likely that the similarity of themes and situations in the two novels is merely coincidental, since both authors are from very similar backgrounds and have led similar lives.

Which one of the following most accurately expresses the conclusion drawn in the argument?

(A) Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels, and the two novels contain many very similar themes and situations. - WRONG. Just plain fact brought forward with no essence covered. What after these facts. ... Nothing !!!

(B) The fact that Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain many very similar themes and situations might lead one to suspect plagiarism on the part of one of the authors. - WRONG. Only half aspect covered.

(C) The author of Novel X and the author of Novel Y are from very similar backgrounds and have led very similar lives. - WRONG. Just like A this too is plain wrong.

(D) It is  less likely  that one of the authors of Novel X or Novel Y is guilty of plagiarism  than that the similarity of themes and situations  in the two novels is merely coincidental. - CORRECT. Similarity of themes and situation is more real than plagiarism.

(E)  If  the authors of Novel X and Novel Y are from very  similar backgrounds and have led similar lives , suspicions that either of the authors plagiarized are very likely to be unwarranted. - WRONG. Tricky one. Why bring the "if" to something that is fact.

Answer D.

Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain

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Novel X and Novel Y are both semiautobiographical novels and contain

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