WeakenDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: A historian argues a play must have been written in a specific 40-year window because it mentions a coin first minted in 1431 and treats a King who died in 1471 as if he were still on the throne.
Conclusion: The play Mankind was definitely written between the years 1431 and 1471.
Reasoning: The play mentions a coin that didn't exist before 1431 and refers to King Henry VI as if he were still alive, and he died in 1471.
Analysis: To weaken this argument, we need to find a way that the play could have been written outside that 1431–1471 window despite the evidence. Perhaps the mention of the King was in a dedication added years after the play was actually written, or maybe the 'King Henry' mentioned refers to a different Henry altogether. Look for an answer choice that suggests the text isn't a perfect time capsule—for instance, if parts of the play were updated or revised long after the original composition. History is rarely as tidy as this author wants it to be.
Conclusion: The play Mankind was definitely written between the years 1431 and 1471.
Reasoning: The play mentions a coin that didn't exist before 1431 and refers to King Henry VI as if he were still alive, and he died in 1471.
Analysis: To weaken this argument, we need to find a way that the play could have been written outside that 1431–1471 window despite the evidence. Perhaps the mention of the King was in a dedication added years after the play was actually written, or maybe the 'King Henry' mentioned refers to a different Henry altogether. Look for an answer choice that suggests the text isn't a perfect time capsule—for instance, if parts of the play were updated or revised long after the original composition. History is rarely as tidy as this author wants it to be.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage9.The argument would be most seriously weakened if which one of the following were discovered?
Correct Answer
E
If credible evidence shows the rose noble’s name and design were known as early as 1428, then the play’s mention of it does not require a post-1431 date. That undercuts the premise that the play “cannot have been written before 1431.”
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