There is a popular view among literary critics that a poem can never

Question

There is a popular view among literary critics that a poem can never be accurately paraphrased because a poem is itself the only accurate expression of its meaning. But these same critics hold that their own paraphrases of particular poems are accurate. Thus, their view that poetry cannot be accurately paraphrased is false.

The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to the criticism that the argument

(A) presupposes the falsity of the view that it sets out to refute

(B) takes for granted that the main purpose of poems is to convey information rather than express feelings

(C) takes for granted that a paraphrase of a poem cannot be useful to its readers unless it accurately expresses a poem's meaning

(D) provides no justification for favoring one of the literary critics' beliefs over the other

(E) provides no justification for following one particular definition of "paraphrase"

guddo · Answer

There is a popular view among literary critics that a poem can never be accurately paraphrased because a poem is itself the only accurate expression of its meaning. But these same critics hold that their own paraphrases of particular poems are accurate. Thus, their view that poetry cannot be accurately paraphrased is false. 
 
The reasoning in the argument is most vulnerable to the criticism that the argument

The critics hold two inconsistent beliefs: poems cannot be accurately paraphrased, yet their own paraphrases are accurate.  The flaw is that the argument simply chooses to reject the first belief without showing why the second belief should be accepted instead.   The inconsistency alone does not tell us which belief is false.

(A) presupposes the falsity of the view that it sets out to refute

Incorrect. The argument does not assume from the start that accurate paraphrase is possible. It points to the critics' conflicting beliefs.

(B) takes for granted that the main purpose of poems is to convey information rather than express feelings

Incorrect. The argument concerns whether a poem's meaning can be accurately paraphrased, not the main purpose of poetry.

(C) takes for granted that a paraphrase of a poem cannot be useful to its readers unless it accurately expresses a poem's meaning

Incorrect. The usefulness of paraphrases is never at issue.

(D) provides no justification for favoring one of the literary critics' beliefs over the other

Correct.   The two beliefs conflict, so at least one must be false. But the argument gives no reason to conclude specifically that the belief that poems cannot be accurately paraphrased is the false one. The critics could instead be mistaken in believing that their own paraphrases are accurate.

(E) provides no justification for following one particular definition of "paraphrase"

Incorrect. No competing definitions of “paraphrase” are presented.

Answer: (D)

There is a popular view among literary critics that a poem can never

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

There is a popular view among literary critics that a poem can never

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