guygmat wrote:
Sportswriter: Many fans have complained loudly about the goaltender when our beloved home team lost important games during the regular season these past five years. Clearly, though, the team's offense has also played a key part in these disappointing losses. Over the past five years, the number of goals scored by the home team has been well below the league average, and further analysis indicates that the average skill level of the team's opponents has remained the same.
The boldface portion of the sportswriter's argument has which of the following functions?
(A) It is the main point of the argument.
(B) It is evidence that the author attempts to explain.
(C) It introduces an opinion the author opposes.
(D) It is an opinion that the author ultimately decides is appropriate.
(E) It introduces evidence for the author's main point.
fameatop wrote:
Hi Mike, Can you kindly explain how come option C is correct, I believe option D makes more sense than option C. Waiting eagerly for your response. Regards, Fame
The Sportswriter starts by telling the fan's point of view --- essentially, the goaltender is the big reason for the recent losses. Then, a BIG contrast phrase, "
Clearly, though", which is a screaming logical clue that the speaker is about to decimate the previous position and assert something very different. That's a phrase never used to show agreement of any kind. The Sportswriter goes on to list another cause for the losses --- the team's lack of offense, especially with respect to other players in the league. Does the Sportswriter believe the goaltender is also partially responsible for the losses? It would seem so, because of the word "
also" --- he's not denying the partial culpability of the goaltender, but he is opposing an opinion that the goaltender is the whole of the problem. Since the fans are complaining only about the goaltender, not about the offense, it would seem, implicitly, that they hold a "goaltender = the whole of the problem" position. This is an opinion the author opposes.
The fans say:
goaltender is responsible for lossesSportwriter says:
goaltender and lack of offense are responsible for losses.
It's true, there's partial agreement there. If the passage were very different ("
What they say is true, and I would add that ..."), then conceivably we could call the fan's position part of what the Sportwriter concludes. In this passage, though, as soon as he states the fan position, he establishes a strong statement of contrast "
Clearly, though", which indicates he does
not intend to frame his position as a partial agreement with the fans. Rather, he intends to frame his position as a sharp contrast to the fans.
That's why
(C) is the best answer.
Does this make sense?
Mike
_________________
Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test PrepEducation is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)